Is
China the key to electric cars? Good riddance Marty?
Tuesday,
August 21, 2007
Can
Tesla survive in America?
So, if you follow electric cars, then you know that Martin
Eberhard is out as the CEO of Tesla Motors, and that has
some, such as Edmund's
Inside Line, speculating that the launch of the Tesla
Roadster is not going to go smooth, maybe ever.
How ironic!?
After the debut of the Chevy
Volt, Eberhard was very quick to mock GM's electric
efforts, and their technology. Yet, some are claiming that
the $100,000 electric Roadster produced by Tesla might
never hit the road, let alone a more economical electric
sedan that could possibly compete with the Volt. While
that would be a shame, and I hope it doesn't happen, it is
becoming quite obvious that the road to electric vehicle
success isn't as simple as Eberhard seemed to have
believed.
Back in January, when I criticized
Eberhard's comments, I was ridiculed by some for
believing in GM's efforts and questioning Tesla's long
term capabilities. In the last few days I've felt quite
vindicated. More important, I believed then, and now, that
America desperately needs GM to be successful in America
by selling very fuel efficient American-made vehicles.
Consequently, in my opinion, GM deserves the benefit of
the doubt regarding the Volt.
Might GM F it up? Certainly, but until then, they deserve
the benefit of the doubt.
Case in point, China
In China, Miles Rubin, founder of Miles Automotive Group,
is hoping to produce a $30,000 electric vehicle to be sold
in America. The Miles XS 500 has a top speed of 80 miles
per hour and a range of 120 miles at 60 miles per hour,
but the real jaw-dropper is its price tag and its launch
date of 2009.
"Both the low cost and the high range can be
attributed to China, where low labor costs keep the price
down and state-sponsored research into battery technology
yielded what Rubin said was an advanced lithium ion
power pack produced by Lishen Battery," writes CNNMoney.
So, will Tesla move to China? Will GM? Will all automaking?
Is ending foreign oil dependency at the expense of the
entire U.S. auto manufacturing sector a worthy trade off?
Will a Chinese automaker be so much more compassionate to
the desires of American consumers? Toy scandel anyone?
Tesla Roadsters, Chevy Volts - built in America - could
fight foreign oil dependency, invest in American
manufacturing, and provide high tech jobs that Americans
desperately need. Such vehicles might be America's last
best hope for U.S. automotive success.
Thus, why would anyone whom cares about such issues want
to see either the Roadster or the Volt fail?
I don't, and Eberhard should not have either.
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