GM’s Plug-In Promises: Rubber Checks?

Plug-in hybrids have caught a waft of attention – home DIYers are building them, Toyota says it’s working on one, and Chevy caught a bolt of PR lightning in Detroit with the plug-in Volt concept. All they need, GM says, are the right batteries to make plug-ins a reality.

But as our flinty senior commentor sees it, GM has nothing without the batteries.

”All they need is the batteries? Without the batteries, there is nothing. And GM's battery people, who held a briefing Monday, say lots of work remains to be done before the battery systems are ready for production. Lots. After listening to that briefing, I would not expect mass production in three years,” Jerry Flint says.

”Over the years, I remember too many press events for GM engine miracles that did not happen or have yet to happen. Such promises include a new steam engine, the rotary motor, a revival of the Sterling engine (invented by an English clergyman in the 19th century and a GM research favorite a few decades ago), the hydrogen fuel cell engine and ‘dual-mode’ hybrid engines for trucks which is promised for later this year,” he says.

“If GM does not get electric car production in 2010, you can bet there will be a public television documentary titled, Who Killed the Plug-In Car, blaming GM. There will be a book, Unplugged at Any Speed, blaming GM for deliberately sabotaging man's last hope to end our addiction to oil, and a movie, A Really Inconvenient Truth, featuring an animated polar bear who sings ‘It's too darn hot,’ and blames GM's failure as a victory for global warming. Do not forget the million blogs condemning GM, too,” he adds.

Flint: GM’s Big Plug-In Talk—TheCarConnection Enlarge Photo Plug-in hybrids have caught a waft of attention – home DIYers are building them, Toyota says it’s working on one, and Chevy caught a bolt of PR lightning in Detroit with the plug-in Volt concept. All they need, GM says, are the right batteries to make plug-ins a reality. But as our flinty senior commentor sees it, GM has nothing without the batteries. ”All they need is the batteries? Without the batteries, there is nothing. And GM's battery people, who held a briefing Monday, say lots of work remains to be done before the battery systems are ready for production. Lots. After listening to that briefing, I would not expect mass production in three years,” Jerry Flint says. ”Over the years, I remember too many press events for GM engine miracles that did not happen or have yet to happen. Such promises include a new steam engine, the rotary motor, a revival of the Sterling engine (invented by an English clergyman in the 19th century and a GM research favorite a few decades ago), the hydrogen fuel cell engine and ‘dual-mode’ hybrid engines for trucks which is promised for later this year,” he says. “If GM does not get electric car production in 2010, you can bet there will be a public television documentary titled, Who Killed the Plug-In Car, blaming GM. There will be a book, Unplugged at Any Speed, blaming GM for deliberately sabotaging man's last hope to end our addiction to oil, and a movie, A Really Inconvenient Truth, featuring an animated polar bear who sings ‘It's too darn hot,’ and blames GM's failure as a victory for global warming. Do not forget the million blogs condemning GM, too,” he adds. Flint: GM’s Big Plug-In Talk—TheCarConnection