The U.S. Department of Energy said today it would hand out up to $14 million to promote the development of batteries for plug-in hybrid vehicles. And the beneficiaries of this federal booty? A Silicon Valley startup toiling on the next Tesla, perhaps? Of course not. The money is going to the United States Advanced Battery Consortium, which is an alliance of the people who brought you the planet-warming, gas-guzzling SUV – Ford (F), General Motors (GM) and DaimlerChrysler (DCX). The former Big Three are kicking in another $14 million for the effort. To be fair, the consortium is soliciting proposals from outside companies to develop a plug-in hybrid battery – the feds want one that would allow a car to travel 40 miles on a charge. Still, the idea of taxpayer money going to Detroit automakers to research ways of killing off the SUV is a bit like writing a check to Peabody Coal to develop solar power plants. And as we recall, back in the ’90s GM developed a battery that let an electric car go more than 100 miles on a single charge. But we all know who killed the EV1.
Feds Give $14 million for Plug-In Hybrid Research
April 5, 2007 by Todd Woody
Green Wombat 
I think it’s different this time.
GM is already in fast track for putting a plug-in hybrid in production in 2008.
All the Detroit automakers know it’s the 4th quarter the playoffs are next. And the playoffs are the eliminations. Even the least likely to fail GM (Rick Wagner) has talked about not wanting to be remembered as the CEO in charge when the company went under. Chysler is selling their coming failure, and Ford seems willing to accept it. Yet they all know that a 100 mpg car would obsolete all current vehicles (that means new car sales).
“United States Advanced Battery Consortium, which is an alliance of the people who brought you the planet-warming, gas-guzzling SUV – Ford (F), General Motors (GM) and DaimlerChrysler (DCX).”
For the record, sales of Chevy’s entire line of cars are dwarfed by sales of the Silverado. Trucks like this and the F150 are the corner stone of American businesses. Hummer on the other hand which catches the most flak, is one of GMs if not the GM brand that produces the least vehicles. It is a niche market. The H1 HMMWV that was made famous in the gulf war is already scheduled for the chopping block.
“We all know who killed the EV1”
What about who killed Toyota’s RAV4-EV which it couldnt find a market for? Why is Toyota not scrutinized for giving the ax to their vehicle.
“We shared all our experience with the RAV4-EV,” but the filmmakers(who killed the electric car) intentionally omitted it, he said”
http://fyi.gmblogs.com/2006/12/mark_phelan_electric_car_kille.html
Toyota has been considered by some accurately or inaccurately as “best of breed” The Lexus SUV Hybrid does not save you gas. It does happen to increase your horsepower though. The Prius with the new realistic gas milege standards is no more fuel savy then a conventional Chevy Aveo, and in some ways more dangerous to the enviroment than a Hummer. Your tax dollars subsidise these none the less through tax write offs due to the perception of saving the enviroment.
http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/editorial/editorial_item.asp?NewsID=188
GM has more E85 vehicles than any auto manufacturer out there. They have been for years. Brazil is oil independent using our GM vehicles running essentially on corn. No other auto manufacturer has poured as much into Hydrogen technologies. City busses are now running on GM Hybrid since 2003 with 90% emission reduction compared to its diesel counterpart. Well before Lexus RWD hybrids.
http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/archives/2006/03/toyota_first_ma.html
Where’s the plug? I hope these cars come with looooooooooong extension cords!
Once again tax payer dollars are given to the non deserving. If Ford can afford to pay Mullaly over 30 million dollars while loosing Billions they should be able to pay for their own research program. GM and Chrysler also should be able to take care of their own research without any help from the tax payers.
Besides why not support some of the smaller companies such as Altirnano and Valance Technologies. These companies have already developed Lithium ion batteries that are safe and usable on vehicles for ranges in excess of 130 miles on a single charge. GM, FORD and CHRYSLER are once again trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the consumer with their excuses and blaming the lack of battery technology.
May be it is time for these companies to go the way of Desoto Nash Studebaker and become extinct. Let other companies with vision and good old American ingenuity such as Phoenix motors and Hybrid Motors and others develop the vehicles that are needed for todays environment. They have already shown what they are capable of doing unlike the big three.
Give the small startups tax payer dollars so that they can put their developments on a fast track. Let the big three mire in in their pit of lies and give market share to the foreign car makers. ARUSHA
You neo-liberal capitalist pigs… What about the “free market” dogma? FANTASIES, that’s not the real world, as Dr. Chomsky says…
How come the people let it? You’re supposed to be the “enlightned”, higher developed “democracy” in the whole world man… I bet there are a lot of poor people in US waiting for some assistance that would agree that there are better ways to use the tax payer’s money…
“Brazil is oil independent using our GM vehicles running essentially on corn”
Ignorant, our ethanol is not made of corn, it’s made of sugar cane. And Brasil is written with an “s”.
Toyta, GM, who cares? They’re all big corporations, all big corporations are EVIL…
I agree with the previous comment on the fact that the money should go to companies like Valence Technologies and Altirnano; one of which I have personally invested in. These companies already have the technology, but do not have the money to put the batteries into widescale commercial production. If there is to be help given those are the kind of companies that should be receiving it.