Imagine that; an electric car that has only a thirteen kW motor and Lead batteries. Such a car is impossible; electric cars must accelerate from zero to sixty in four seconds or there is no use for them.

It is good to see that they are also building the car that can actually be used by millionaires.

At one time, a Chinese produced alternator-inverter with a capacity of 300 watts was produced and sold for $50. An electric start version could be built with a few power transistors and could charge this vehicle's battery.

Assuming that these cars went 50 miles an hour for an hour and went 50 miles, the average horsepower would be about 7kW (9.2 HP). For infinite range with fuel stops only 7kW from a range extender is needed. A Prius sized car would only need a 10 kW or less range extender generator for infinite range with fuel stops.

I have never seen a car being refueled when running on a road, and I have seldom seen it mentioned that a regular car can only go so many miles on a tank of fuel. Every electric car should have at least a tiny range extending generator just so that its range never has to be mentioned in any writing. This is so that buyers never will have to be worried about being stranded if they fill up with fuel every 500 miles or so of range extender operation.

A model of this car with a ZEBRA battery could be more suited to hot climates. ..HG..

kelly:

Smart self preservation laws and regulations are not always initiated (or forced on) by manufacturers, banks, Wall Street, farmers, big Oil, etc. Large and not so large unions, religious pressure groups, ecology pressure groups, pro-immigration pressure groups, nature loving groups, sun lovers etc., to name a few, also play their part.

Look at what is happening with wind farms, nuclear plants etc.

Look around to see who has something to gain and you will soon see where the pressure will come from.

With regards to basic, low cost, low performance BEVs the anti-groups will naturally be:

1) Big-3 + friends
2) Big-3 parts suppliers
3) All UAW members
4) Politicians from all States currently providing related manufacturing facilities.
5) Big oil and retailers
6) ICE vehicles repair garages and parts suppliers.
7) Ethanol and corn producers
8) Etc, etc.

Within a few months, small BEVs will more or less be banned for a multitude of false reasons and/or high import duties will be applied as it is for imported Ethanol, wood products, steel, tires etc.

Free market is often a one way street.

HarveyD,
That is too depressing. God forbid!
Let us hope the Volt and other EV's can do reasonably well. Well, enough to make GM consider a cheaper model, or some other company. If it's built here there won't be as much opposition.

ToppaTom, are you saying there's no market for small cars in U.S.? or there's no market for EV's in U.S.
-
I would agree there WAS no market before higher gas prices. But as cost of gas goes up americans will get interested.

I am saying there's a HUGE market for GOOD small cars in U.S.
That’s why the roads are awash with Corollas, Civics, Kias, Camrys, Accords, Altimas, various VWs etc.

And there is a HUGE market for good affordable EV's in the U.S - WHEN battery prices come down (high gas prices will speed the transition).

These will be hybrids, BEVs, REVs (some with 80hp ICEs for those who demand full power to 300 miles, some with 15 hp extenders for those who know they will rarely need it).

Yes, there WAS no market before higher gas prices. But as cost of gas goes up and battery cost goes down, Americans will get interested.

This has almost nothing to do with what GM builds or does not build or crushes.

This has little to do with what US industry TRIES to convince/pay the government to block – that’s why the roads are awash with small cars and most of our manufacturing is gone.

There may be no transition for the “current Big-3”. Newcomers (not necessarily from USA) and foreign auto makers may build the affordable (first and future generation) BEVs.

You are right, the “Big-3” can't rely on the Recovery Program money for more than 2 or 3 years. Transferring a very large percentage (or most of) of their manufacturing activities to countries with lower labor cost may be unavoidable.

Sadly, this rarely, if ever, does more than slow the death of a US industry.

GM could immediately improve by applying all executive pay/pensions/bonuses/benefits to bailout debt.

The executives that bankrupted the company certainly aren't worth more pay than the average worker.

Good perspective HarveyD.

Much higher automation is essential to offset the labor cost differential.

Ford will have to get union agreement - LOL.

Same for GM and Chrysler? LOLouder.

And they may well need governments funds if they were somehow allowed to automate.

All those other industries you mention (with and without unions) are gone.

The auto industry is one of the last to go - Maybe the "Big-3" executives are much more capable than the others.