GM: "We didn't kill the electric car"

Yes, we were actually looking at a Class C motorhome that was built on a Sprinter chassis. It had the 3 litre turbodiesel. They were claiming FE between 18 and 26 depending upon who is suppling the info.

Of course, the RV salesguy who had a bunch of Ford E450 based MHs on the lot said "You will never recover the extra money you have to pay for the Sprinter compared to these larger, cheaper motorhomes". Kinda reminded me of an anti Prius argument.

Anyway, the Sprinter is way out of our price range (being that I'm willing to spend $0 on a motorhome) at $82K and it is too new for used models to be available. On the other hand, the E450 was available new for about $60k, but there are plenty of late model used ones with low miles (<10k) for about $38k. Still a bad deal when you have to buy $4 /gal gas @ 7 - 11mpg.

Motorhome == Dinosaur

 

I'll bet his Toyota Dealership application is already mailed. I can't wait to welcome him, and ask how he likes his Prius ... or what he REALLY thinks of the GM board / marketeers now.

 

Agreed

 

Not meaning to divert the discussion, but I really liked the ad that GM ran where all of the appliances in houses are awakened and come out to cheer the EV1. At the time, I thought that GM was making a commitment to alternative transportation. I was wrong.

 

They likely will drop (seasonal consumption patterns); just not to the $2.50/gallon level. Those days ($2.50/gallon) are as much a distant memory as $0.25/gallon prices are. How many remember the incentives (mainly glasses with the logo of the respective gas company) that were given free if you filled up your tank at the gas station?

 

At the dealership where I purchased my Prius, their Prius inventory is pre-sold. As soon as the truck delivers the cars, they go through a PDI, the customer is called to complete the purchase paperwork and the Prius goes home to its new owner.

 

We're all entitled to our opinions ... but don't forget what the auto ad man usually appeals to. Our envy / pride ... or you compare how much better your thing is ... or you use lots of hot chicks, or blazing speed, or good looking dudes ... showing dark grey toasters doesn't sell cars ... and in many folks opinions that HAD to be done on purpose, because you don't want a car do make your crap cars look like the crap that it is.

 

I still remember the incentives that they used to give at Enco (later Exxon - the company that soils the environment, then litigates to avoid paying for it). Put a Tiger in your Tank was their slogan. I used to have a Tiger tail from them when I was a little kid.

Now its the car companies that are offering incentives - Ford and GM offer special 0% interest financing (even Toyota is offering 0% on Tundras). Chrysler will subsidize your gas for 3 years or give you 0%. Motorhomes are 10 - 15k off MSRP. What a deal.

 

GM: "We didn't kill the electric car."

Atter running it through my BS translation device (BSTD), here's what came out

GM: "We killed the electric car."

FYI, I use the same BSTD for politicians.

... Brad

 

the sprinter is more aerodynamic and lighter i think
also a better more efficient engine!

 

Well, GM didn't kill the electric car all by itself just as it didn't kill clean, electric streetcars in a lot of cities in the 1920s. They got a lot of help from Standard Oil, according to 60 Minutes some time ago. The conclusion that the documentary Who Killed The Electric Car was that the consumer abetted the demise of the electric car along with the government and I can't remember who else, but GM didn't kill the electric car alone.

 

Sure, but it was also pretty clear by the end of the documentary that GM would have leveraged EV technology to get a head start on Toyota and offer a hybrid (instead of a pure EV). Just because GM's first attempt at a high fuel efficiency car didn't work out shouldn't excuse GM for quiting.

 

But GM didn't quit ... even without saying they did the Lion's share, they were a big part of the killing machine. That's way worse than simply quitting. Quitting is what they want you to believe. GM would say, 'we quit because there was no market' ... even as GM hid the waiting list, that they made nearly impossible to get put on. GM lied about the waiting list, and then when proof of the list was waved in their faces, they spun more / continuing / ongoing lies to deminimize their continuing ongoing lies.

 

You're right, absolutely.

 

"Aren't you the ones who killed the electric car?"

Who us? No we liked the electric car, but our customers didn't want them, yeah that's it, that's the ticket.

And we didn't want to offend our customers so we gathered up all the cars and crushed them so they wouldn't be a reminder about how they didn't want them. We didn't want to do it, but we thought it was best for our customers.

 

Setting your maximum price at zero does limit your selection.

in 1988, when I was shopping for a new car, I visited the Toyota dealership. (There was only one in Fargo.) They told me that all their Toyotas were sold before they arrived. They were never rude, but they clearly didn't care whether I bought a car or not. A customer who asks questions is a nuisance, and all the cars will be sold anyway. I bought a Honda instead. The Honda dealership treated me like a VIP.

14 years later, when the 2004 Prius hit the showrooms, the Toyota people were nicer. At the same dealership they were happy to answer all my questions (wrongly, as it turned out, but happy to talk to me) and even let me take their one demo home from Saturday afternoon to Monday morning, giving me an evening and a day to drive it. By the time my Prius arrived, 2 months later, they no longer had a demo and the waiting list had grown to 6 months. A few months after that their waiting list was a year long and they were actively discouraging orders.

GM did not kill the electric car alone, but they were the captain of the assault team. They led the charge and they were the point man of the attack. This only makes sense when you realize that they have reciprocal ownership and interlocking boards of directors with Big Oil.

 

Hi All,

Well, GM did not kill the electric car alone. It was more like Pontious Pilot in that whole affair.

 

GM did NOT kill the electric car.

GM DID kill the EV1.

 

Well, well. Just got done watching WKTEC, we rented it from Netfilx after hearing it mentioned here on this site. I gotta tell ya, GM hunting down and crushing all the existing EV1s on the planet is unconscionable! I can only stand aghast that they would actually stoop to such a blatant evil. Unbelievable.

 

I got an extra kick out of the story that lessees had to pay for any damage they had on their EV1s ! So GMAC takes your damage money, then they crush the thing//// !