Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Gold/Mining/Energy : Global Thermoelectric - SOFC Fuel cells (GLE:TSE) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: terry who wrote (3029)	8/11/1999 1:37:00 PM
From: blue_chip	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 6016

My 42 Volts worth... I think its a little way out there to have expected Delphi to talk about GLE on TV. There has been no public admission or disclosure on the part of Delphi about GLE to date, its a little premature I think and silly in a way to think Delphi would do it on TV first. Delphi publically talking about GLE before a news release or announcement is made is slim to doubtful at best. I see it this way. GLE can not talk about Delphi or disclose anything that has happened so far (short of the initial purchase order), I also think Delphi may be restricted from disclosing information by the likes of those at BMW and GM etc... It is the automakers who are pulling the strings here. With all the hoopla over Ballard I believe they want to get much closer to a real end use hybrid vehicle than they have with Ballard. Automakers migrating to a SOFC in a hybrid are going to want to make sure they have everything in line and ready before they make any announcements I think, after all, this news is going to rock the fuel cell world and start a huge debate. Think of it this way. Look how Ford has certified the Delphi plant (announced today) and we see how much closer Ford and Delphi are becomming. What if (hypothetically) Ford were to incorporate a GLE cell into their hybrid vehicle. With all of Fords hoopla about Ballard it would be reasonable to think that Ford would want to be much closer to an actual production model using a GLE cell than they are/ were when they started announcing the Ballard jv's. If they were to act prematurely and release this too early (still hypothetical here) what do you imagine their shareholders would say? They would questions Fords original decision to go with a PEM right? Not only would people would be questioning the validity of a PEM, they would question the validity of a SOFC as well. Now if they were much closer to a production model then perhaps the change in or the added new direction for a hybrid would be much more palattable and pleasing to the shareholder / stakeholders. The same could be said for other companies , GM, BMW, etc. I think with all the discussion about the timing of a PEM making it to market the Automakers will want to be closer to an actual production model than they were with a PEM before they start making alot of public statements. Although people may not realize that use of a SOFC in a hybrid does not necessarily immediately mean we will see companies dropping the PEM, I think public perception will see it as that if the news is released too early. In any event, disclosure of what Delphi is doing with BMW, and whomebver else, with the GLE cell is IMHO going to open a huge pandora's box and create alot of questions for those companies which have chosen to go the direction of the PEM. I think we will be hearing people screaming how can a SOFC make it to production so fast and ahead of any PEM. I believe when released the news will create alot of sparks and a scandal. It will make many question Ballard power and other companies association with them. Even if the SOFC and the PEM find different applications initially (i.e. hybrid vs. full fuel cell powered) I believe the world will see them as head to head competition. Now if certain companies were to announce they had a new product close to market the switch may be moree pallatable by others, even if it is not necessarily a switch rather than another product. IMHO that is why I think perhaps we are slow to hear news. Potential news should have a big impact in the auto world, the automakers hold the purse strings, not Delphi and certainly not GLE. When the time is right and the products are ready they will do it. IMHO the longer we wait the bigger the bang will be. I use Ford as an example in this, the above analogy could apply to anyone. Do I know something that you don't? NO, but Im also not so naive to think that its not a possibility given the closening relationship between Ford and Delphi. well thats my 42 Volts worth anyways....hehe Chip