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Somehow, I am kind of reminded of GM's Saturn division. 1) make a concept 2) consumers like it 3) but GM can't make it cheaply enough, or sell it at a price tha
by rossdavidh 8y ago
Somehow, I am kind of reminded of GM's Saturn division.
1) make a concept
2) consumers like it
3) but GM can't make it cheaply enough, or sell it at a price that reflects it's cost
4) so they end the model and close the plant
I have the impression that what is wrong with GM is not the Volt, or the old Saturn for that matter, but rather the people who run the company.
- uvesten 8y agoCorrect, at least from my anecdata. Worked for GM in 2010 on drive-by-wire and safety tech for EV:s, but soon quit in disgust. Management had zero drive or vision to make EV’s a reality, and would rather just pump out more gas cars.
- TheTruth321 8y agoYou're a dickface.
- cwyers 8y agoThe story of Saturn is a lot more complicated than that, and it seems like corporate (and union) politics played a much bigger role than the profitability of the cars: https://www.newsweek.com/how-gm-crushed-saturn-77093 https://www.newsweek.com/how-gm-crushed-saturn-77093
- rossdavidh 8y agoDoubtless you are correct, but I just meant basically "GM mgmt seems not to like it when something different comes along". I think it's a gut-level aversion to having to learn to make a different kind of product, or make that product differently.
- cobookman 8y agoThe volt was ~20-23k all in. I do think GM did a snafu by not advertising the fact you get State & Fed tax credits, and unlike tesla the price is negotiable.