Okay, what's the deal with Hawaii, Renault/Nissan, and electric fueling stations?

[Stinky The Clown]

Why isn't GM putting their fuel cell prototypes into Hawaii? Why isn't GM raising one hell of a storm over being cut out of this, if they, in fact, were. And if they weren't cut out and simply chose not to be involved, then a huge "what the fuck" to them.

Note to the Big Three haters .... the UAW didn't cause this mess.

[Taverner]

1. I am a Big 3 Hater and the UAW is the only reason I support any kind of bailout

The UAW has bent over backwards making concessions since the 80's - and now they're making even more.

Whereas the CEO's fly on their private jets...

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Fair enuf

[rurallib]

3. I remember about a year ago Nissan's CEO promised a viable electric

car by 2010 or 12. I kept waiting for one of our genius CEOs to take up the competitive challenge. Still waiting.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. I was lsitening to the GM VP of R&D on the Ed Shultz show today

They vaunted Volt will get ........ wait for it ........ a 40 mile range on an overnight charge.

That's $1,000 sales price for every mile of range.

I gotta think the Nissan will beat that.

But my point in this thread is why did the (American) State of Hawaii enter into a deal with a French/Japanese company and not .... GM ..... or geeze ...... Tesla Motors?

Why did they not go to GM and ask for their prototype fuel cell fleet be used in the testing?

Why?


Why?


Why?

:shrug:

[hendo]

5. Because Nissan/Renault

is closer to viable electric / fuel cell vehicles than any of the big 3.

If you want to implement something fast you go to the supplier than can help you achieve your goal.

[Fumesucker]

7. Why?

Management that is focused on the next quarter's earnings instead of strategic thinking.

All of the domestics have been thinking tactically, the foreign competition has been more strategic minded.

[madrchsod]

6. why? because they have a fuel cell fleet in the usa

http://www.chevrolet.com/fuelcell/?seo=goo_|_2008_Chevy_Fuel_Solutions_Lifestyle_|_IMG_Fuel_Cell_|_Chevy_FS_Fuel_Cell_Car_|_fuel_cell_car


oh no! chevy won the "green car award" in 2008!

it`s the 4th generation fuel cell technology

[PoiBoy]

8. Link please..?

Do you have a link outlining the Renault/Nissan connection?

To be honest, I haven't been following this much... I haven't seen too much in the news about it, although it is the busiest time of the year for me work-wise, so it could have gotten past me...

The first I heard about this was in today's paper:

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20081203_Electric_car_proposal_has_state_charged_up.html?page=all&c=y

<snip>
Hawaii is a contained environment with driving distances well within a typical battery's use of 120 miles on a single charge, Agassi said. It also has a wide selection of renewable resources, which would power the vehicles.

Hawaiian Electric Co. signed an agreement yesterday with Better Place for collaboration on the energy supply and infrastructure of charging stations and an undecided number of battery-swapping locations. Better Place plans to pay a premium to buy power from new incremental renewable power projects on long-term contracts to match the number of cars being put on the road, Agassi said.

In turn, customers would pay up to 8 cents a mile to purchase electricity through Better Place under a subscription plan similar to that of a cell phone contract. At an average 20 miles a gallon at Hawaii's current average regular unleaded gasoline price of $2.66 as calculated by AAA, one mile now costs about 13 cents. Because the company's electric resources would be renewable, prices are likely to go down over time, Agassi said. The cost of an electric car - any model of car could be used on the system - would be similar to that of a gas-powered vehicle.
<end>

There's no mention of a Renault/Nissan connection in the article, if we're talking about the same thing...

My first reaction is that this is a good thing... but I have a "wait and see" attitude... the corporate/political complex here, involving both Dems and Cons can really screw up a good thing, and I mean REALLY screw it up...

Looking forward to learning more... thanks..!!!

:hi: