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Technology Stocks : The Electric Car, or MPG "what me worry?" -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: RetiredNow who wrote (358)	9/19/2008 10:32:08 AM
From: TimF	Respond to of 17569

I think for this to work out (considering GM's financial situation) oil prices don't just have to stay at current levels but increase significantly. Not that it would shock anyone if that happens. What surprises me most is that there are so many people that doubt our ability to electrify the car. No one doubts cars can be electrified, they already have been, in fact a long time ago (some of the earliest cars where electric), the doubt is that electric cars can be competitive. And even that isn't a doubt that they can ever be competitive, but that they can be competitive in the relatively near future. As I've posted before (either here or on the Politics of Energy threat I don't remember which), I suspect that eventually almost all cars will be electric. But I don't expect it to happen soon, not in 5 years, not in 10, not even in 20.

To: RetiredNow who wrote (358)	9/19/2008 11:26:50 AM
From: John Koligman	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 17569

I don't doubt our ability to electrify the car, the trick is to do it at a price that ordinary folks can afford and with good range and long term reliability. A Volt at 45-50k is like going over to the Lexus dealer and getting one of their midrange models. A niche at best. I'd love the industry to do it in the short run, but as you know I'm a skeptic. Hope I'm proven wrong. Then we can have a conversation about the crumbling electric grid and where all that power will come from <ggg>. Best regards, John PS - This kind of reminds me of those guys talking about revolutionizing air travel by creating the VLJ. The guy from Microsoft (Raburn) that put Eclipse Aviation together originally said he could sell the VLJ for $800,000. After a multi-year delay because the Williams engine they chose didn't cut it, the plane is now flying with a larger engine set, and the price is up to $2.15M, almost triple the initial estimate.