Re: theWatt Podcast 77

Christopher,
OK, so I have my problems with GM too. The green-washing is like nails-on-the-chalkboard for me. GM has a multi-page ad every month in Wired magazine and National Geography (both of which I happen to subscribe to). I have no problem with a Tahoe Hybrid in principle, but the idea that it is very "green" is hard to swallow. Also the fact that they are heavily advertising a car (the Volt) that will not be on the road until at least 2010 really annoys me. And the "flexo-fuel" vehicle thing also seems like green washing to me. I think GM is a long way from Toyota and Honda in offering fuel efficient vehicles (of course, Toyota and Honda make gas guzzlers too).

But I am a sucker for the Chevy Volt advertising. If GM can deliver the vehicle, I think this is a real-world solution to the gas problem. I want to believe. GM is an interesting company. They were made to look very "non-green" in the movie "Who killed the electric car". However, the did produce the EV1 which is, to this day, arguably the best or most realistic EV ever produced. (OK the Tesla must be considered too.) I think the failure of the EV1 is complicated and GM did some great things (the car) and some terrible things (strong-arming the California air resources board). But I am not sure GM is that much worse than the other car companies. Toyota also discontinued the electric RAV4 at about the same time.
Personally, I hope for a future where I can drive an EV (or a Volt) that is charged up by Solar panels on the roof of my house. I hope this is a transportation future we can all agree on, but probably we can't.
Thanks
John C. Briggs