Forbes Getting on the Hybrid Train? Unbelievable!

A week or so ago, a number of articles hit the web announcing sluggish sales of hybrid cars. Then a few weeks later, another round of articles announced that hybrid sales were again hot. One of those articles, Hybrids Stuck In Neutral clearly covered the main issues behind the so-called sales slump, but it was the conclusion of the story that really hit me.

"A half-century ago, General Motors CEO Charles Wilson boasted, "What's good for General Motors is good for America." The bloom is off that rose, and lately GM has been grasping for straws, promoting its conventional Chevrolet lineup as "An American Revolution." With all due respect, a real "American Revolution" in the car business would be to move the country to hybrids."

Forbes publishing a hybrid revolution article? Unbelievable!

While Forbes has been a bit bearish regarding hybrids in the past, their change in tone wasn't just a temporary flinch. Today, Forbes published, GM's Fuelish Talk which takes a hard look at GM's automotive business. Again, while a clear and concise article, it was the conclusion that struck me.

"Finally, I think that GM should rise to the challenge of the Toyota Prius and make its own unique hybrid--something special, akin to the BMW Mini. If done right, the company could keep a factory busy making this vehicle, and get top dollar for it, too."

While I've made this claim numerous times, it's great to hear such a sentiment repeated by such a conservative business magazine.