General Motors + theEPA Perpetrating Fraud Re The Chevy Volt

Originally proposed by Pat on 17 August 2009
361 views before being transplanted here on 24 October 2009

There is no assigned book this month. However, there is a wealth of materials posted on this bulletin board from previous discussions of the environmental disaster that is a coal-fired or natural-gas fired electrical-generation plant =

(1) For 6 September 2007 (23 months ago) – “Electricity - The Biggest Polluter” posted under Participant Comments on “Assault on Reason”

(2) For 11 October 2007 (22 months ago) – everything posted for that date as we focused on “Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America’s Energy Future” by Jeff Goodell © 2006 (available from your local library or in paperback from Amazon.com for $9.50 new/$1.29 used + shipping).

(3) For 9 July 2008 (13 months ago) – Q&A No. 4 posted under Participant Comments on “Everything About Oil”

(4) For 12 November 2008 (9 months ago) – The Entire First Quiz and Suggested Answers as we were focusing on Al Gore’s Challenge to America – focusing on the disappointing championing by Barack Obama of the coal industry IN OPPOSITION TO AL GORE!!!
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Pat
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General Motors + theEPA Perpetrating Fraud Re The Chevy Volt

Post by Pat »

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Originally Proposed by Pat on 17 August 2009
361 views before being transplanted here on September 12, 2009

We all know from our previous discussions that ELECTRICITY IS FOUR TIMES AS TOXIC AS FOSSIL FUELS IN TERMS OF GREENHOUSE-GAS GENERATION (AND MANY MORE TIMES TOXIC IN TERMS OF OTHER POLLUTANTS SUCH AS SULFURIC ACID (THINK “ACID RAIN”)) – FOR EXAMPLE, PLEASE SEE ON THIS WEB SITE –

(1) For 6 September 2007 (23 months ago) – “Electricity - The Biggest Polluter” posted under Participant Comments on “Assault on Reason”

(2) For 11 October 2007 (22 months ago) – everything posted for that date as we focused on “Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America’s Energy Future”

(3) For 9 July 2008 (13 months ago) – Q&A No. 4 posted under Participant Comments on “Everything About Oil”

(4) For 12 November 2008 (9 months ago) – The Entire First Quiz and Suggested Answers as we were focusing on Al Gore’s Challenge to America – focusing on the disappointing championing by Barack Obama of the coal industry IN OPPOSITION TO AL GORE!!!

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The reason, of course, why additional electricity usage of the “plug in” variety is so disastrous is that all additional electricity in the U.S. is generated from fossil fuels, primarily coal, AND 75% OF THE BTU CONTENT OF THE FOSSIL FUEL IS DESTROYED IN THE CONVERSION PROCESS TO ELECTRICITY!!!

As can be seen from the two articles that follow (one from the NY Times and the other from the Wall St. Journal – both last week, so there are presumably others permeating the media throughout the country), the Chevrolet Volt WILL BE RATED AS ACHIEVING 230 MPG IN CITY DRIVING UNDER EPA REGULATIONS!!!

THIS IS FRADULENT!!! BECAUSE IT OBVIOUSLY GIVES CREDIT FOR MILEAGE PRODUCED BY THE “PLUG IN” ELECTRICITY WITHOUT TAKING NOTICE OF ANY OF THE AT-LEAST-FOUR-TIMES-AS-MUCH POLLUTION CREATED BY BURNING COAL (OR OTHER FOSSIL FUELS) NECESSARY TO GENERATE THE ADDITIONAL ELECTRICITY THAT WILL BE NEEDED!!!

AND IN ADDITION TO THE FRAUD REGARDING POLUTION, WHAT ABOUT THE FRAUD COMPRISING PURPOSELY OVERLOOKING IN COMPUTING MILEAGE, THE BTU CONTENT OF THE COAL OR NATURAL GAS THAT IS SQUANDERED IN PRODUCING THE EXTRA “PLUG IN” ELECTRICITY!!!!! SHOULDN’T THE BTU CONTENT OF THE COAL OR NATURAL GAS USED TO PRODUCE THE EXTRA “PLUG IN” ELECTRICITY BE CONVERTED TO A GALLON-OF-GASOLINE EQUIVALENT FOR FACTORING INTO THE MILES-PER-GALLON CALCULATION?????

It’s one thing for Barack Obama to be championing the coal industry when he represented Illinois and its coal mines in southern Illinois!!!

And it’s also understandable that Barack Obama would want to give a needed boost to General Motors, now that he has bought it with taxpayer money.

BUT IT’S UNCONSCIONABLE THAT HIS E.P.A. WOULD JOIN HIS GENERAL MOTORS IN PERPETRATING SUCH FRAUDS ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!!!


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NY Times Article Buying the GMC/EPA Fraud
Posted by Pat » Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:26 am
NY Times Article – 11 August 2009

G.M. Puts Electric Car’s City Mileage in Triple Digits
By BILL VLASIC and NICK BUNKLEY

WARREN, Mich. — General Motors said Tuesday that its Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, scheduled for release in 2011, would achieve a fuel rating of 230 miles a gallon in city driving.

The rating number, based on methodology drafted by the Environmental Protection Agency, is somewhat abstract, one auto specialist said, given that much of the city driving of electric vehicles will rely solely on the battery charge.

And as eye-popping as the number was, a rival automaker, Nissan, said last week that its all-electric vehicle, the Leaf, which is scheduled to come out in late 2010, would get 367 m.p.g., using the same E.P.A. standards.

Figures for highway driving and combined city and highway use have not been completed for the Volt, but G.M.’s chief executive, Fritz Henderson, told reporters and analysts at a briefing on Tuesday that the car was expected to get more than 100 miles a gallon in combined city and highway driving.

“Our Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle will achieve unprecedented fuel economy,” Mr. Henderson said. “I’m confident that we will be in triple digits.”

The Volt can travel up to 40 miles on a single battery charge, at which point a small gasoline engine kicks in and starts to recharge the battery. The battery can be also charged in eight hours using a regular electrical outlet, Mr. Henderson said.

Nearly eight in 10 Americans commute fewer than 40 miles a day, the company said in a statement, citing Department of Transportation data. The mileage calculation for the Volt assumes that most drivers will stay within that range and not need the gasoline engine.

“Depending upon how you use the Volt, it can get mileage approaching that or much less,” Jack Nerad, executive editorial director of Kelley Blue Book, said. “It almost becomes an abstract number. If you are the Volt target guy who is driving under 40 miles per day, then theoretically your miles per gallon is infinite.”

The high mileage figure, though not a meaningful number to many consumers, represents “a great technical achievement” for G.M., Mr. Nerad said.

“They would like to take back the banner of technology leader,” he said. “This is certainly a shot over the bow of Toyota and Honda and others that they are serious about that.”

The E.P.A., in a statement Tuesday, said it had not tested the Volt and could not vouch for the accuracy of G.M.’s estimate. But the E.P.A. “does applaud G.M.’s commitment to designing and building the car of the future — an American-made car that will save families money, significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create good-paying American jobs,” the agency said.

Several rivals, including Chrysler and Ford, are planning plug-ins and electric cars; Toyota is developing a plug-in version of its gas-electric hybrid.

But whether the Volt can live up to its billing has been a matter of debate. Some industry analysts note that G.M. has a poor track record of introducing green technology to the market.

G.M. is trying to persuade consumers to return to its showrooms after filing for bankruptcy on June 1 and emerging as a reorganized company with fewer brands, models and dealers.

Mr. Henderson and other G.M. executives met with groups of consumers on Monday to hear their thoughts on the company’s product lineup.

“We need to communicate what we have,” Mr. Henderson said. “The only way we’re going to make G.M. great again is to win in the market.”

Determining the cost to operate battery-powered vehicles is more complex than for those with only gasoline engines. Electricity costs can vary widely, depending on location and even the time of day when a vehicle is charged.

G.M. said the typical Volt driver would pay $2.75 for electricity to drive 100 miles and that a single overnight charge, for a customer whose utility charges less at off-peak times, could cost as little as 40 cents. Nissan estimated the cost of recharging the Leaf, which has a range of up to 100 miles, at $1 to $3.

G.M. has previously suggested that the Volt would cost about $40,000, but Mr. Henderson said Tuesday that the price had not been set and that the car would price “as it comes to market.” He was also quick to highlight a $7,500 tax credit.

Nissan says the Leaf will be cheaper than the Volt, in the range of $25,000 to $33,000.

Another issue that G.M. and Nissan are struggling to figure out is how to accommodate people who live in an urban area or an apartment without a garage and cannot easily recharge an electric car, yet could benefit the most from one.

“If you’re going to park it on the street, I don’t know what to do actually,” Mr. Henderson said. “I don’t know how to address that situation.”

Larry Dominique, Nissan’s vice president for product planning in the United States, told reporters at an automotive conference last week, “A lot of those people aren’t going to be able to get an electric vehicle initially.”

Mr. Henderson said the Volt would be a critical part of G.M.’s strategy. “Having a car that gets triple-digit fuel economy will be a game changer for us.”

The Volt is expected to be both a so-called halo car to draw consumers to the Chevrolet brand and a technological foundation for future electric models.

The company has built about 30 Volts so far and is testing them in various conditions.

Interest has been building in the Volt since it was introduced at auto shows in recent years. But with G.M. now 60 percent government-owned, the car has become a symbol of the company’s rebirth after its 40-day trip through bankruptcy.

Mr. Henderson said most of G.M.’s new products would be either passenger cars or fuel-efficient crossover vehicles. While the company will still build trucks and large sport utilities, the bulk of its investments will go toward smaller vehicles.

“I think the fundamental premise of planning for higher fuel prices is the right premise,” he said.


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Wall Street Journal Article Buying the GMC/EPA Fraud
Posted by Pat » Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:27 am
Wall Street Journal Article – 12 August 2009

GM Hopes Volt Juices Its Future
By SHARON TERLEP

General Motors Co., outlining a raft of new vehicles designed to reinvigorate its lineup, said its much-awaited Chevrolet Volt is expected to get 230 miles per gallon in city driving.

The Volt is at the forefront of GM's efforts to win back lost U.S. market share with 25 product launches by 2011.

At 230 mpg, the Volt would dwarf the fuel economy of any mass-market vehicle on sale today, including Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius hybrid, which is rated at 51 mpg in city driving. It also could deliver a big boost to GM's efforts to cultivate a green image, a key element of the company's restructuring.

The Volt is set for U.S. launch late next year as a 2011 model. The mileage expectation reflects new methodology for electric and plug-in hybrid cars being finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency that factors in electricity used to try to reach a miles-per-gallon equivalent. The intent is to allow consumers to measure the vehicles against traditional gasoline-powered ones.

The EPA said it hasn't tested the Volt.

The Volt is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack, with a range of about 40 miles, that can be recharged through a traditional power outlet. For longer drives, a small gasoline engine takes over, powering a generator that creates electricity to run the car's motors. The Volt's expected total range on one tank of gas is more than 300 miles, GM said.

Frederick "Fritz" Henderson, GM's chief executive, said at a media event that owners who charge the Volt daily could go days without the gas engine firing up. The U.S. Transportation Department says 80% of Americans commute less than 40 miles a day.

Mr. Henderson added he is confident the Volt's combined city and highway mileage -- the figure commonly used to gauge efficiency -- will be in the triple digits. "Having a car that gets triple-digit fuel economy can and will be a game-changer for us," he said.

GM's mileage estimate for the Volt promises to start a battle among auto makers as they rush to deliver electric cars, a segment that some executives believe could account for 10% of sales within four years.Nissan Motor Co. plans to launch next year the Leaf, a plug-in hatchback. On Tuesday it responded to the Volt news with a reminder that the Leaf would get a 367-mpg rating under the EPA draft guidelines. But unlike the Volt, the all-electric Leaf will need to be recharged when its battery expires after about 100 miles.

Mr. Henderson acknowledged the Volt's high price, expected at around $40,000, and lack of available public recharging stations are potential challenges. Even with an expected $7,500 tax credit the Volt will cost substantially more than the $22,000 Prius. Charging the batteries should cost owners about 88 cents on average, GM said.

The Volt will be unprofitable for GM at launch because of the high costs of its development and the batteries. GM is counting on economies of scale to make the vehicle profitable eventually.

The new GM board has said it wants management to accelerate product launches. Coming models include high-end compact cars for Buick and Cadillac, a convertible version of the Chevrolet Camaro and a revamped Chevrolet Aveo subcompact.

Mr. Henderson said GM remains on track to have positive net cash flow next year and post a net profit by 2011. He also said it intends to increase production as the "cash for clunkers" rebates boost demand for its vehicles.

Write to Sharon Terlep at sharon.terlep@dowjones.com

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page B1

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