Telsa Motors helping another high end company with “green” technology
Tesla motors has fallen on some hard times like many auto manufacturers is trying to figure out how to survive in the changing world economy. As with many start-ups of any kind, financing is always a challenge,especially during hard economic times. Sometimes hardship spurs innovation, other times collaboration.
In this case one of the cool local car companies, Tesla, which makes hi performance electric vehicles has been forced to scrap plans for the local production facility. As with many things in life, change is often the norm. While Daimler’s Smart Cars are sure to be a growing segment in many areas, the new ones will carry Tesla’s battery’s. While Daimeler, parent company to Mercedes Benz is an automotive technology leader, their new prototype called Blue Zero will likely get some “juice” from the Tesla batteries and performance, I believe.
It seems that as a relatively late entrant to the electric vehicle market, Daimler and Tesla will both benefit, which should mean we all will. I am hopeful that Tesla is able to stay alive by selling some of it’s technology. With more entrants world wide getting into the electric and hybrid and alternative fuels market, maybe we can make a fundamental shift in the transportation model.
I think how GM, which has missed many signals over the years, and Chrysler, both fell victim to poor decisions. Maybe in part what had gotten them on par and in cases succeeding the Japanese quality , were the UAW, which now hamstrings them, with untenable costs. Frankly I think they all need to take a haircut. I have heard some of the work concessions they have and it smacks all of what is bad with a union when it wields too much power. We went from one where the corporations had too much power to now the union having too much power.I think the impending idea of BK may be a good thing for all parties, including us the tax payer.
That all being said, if we ( but not me) Americans hadn’t been buying gas guzzling SUV’s the company wouldn’t have kept making them. That is the element of supply and demand. You wanted it, so they made it and you gladly bought them in droves. What turned this all on it’s head for the Big 3 automakers was the result of greed. Yes there is plenty of that around in the housing and financial industry to be a big black eye to all, as well.
Ironically it was the greed of the hedge funds, ( which I think should be banned) that brought down the economic system to it’s knees and caused the huge run up in oil prices. With the rapidly escalating cost of oil, gas prices rose very quickly. Americans love to drive and this caught their attention, pain at the pump. What they had known for years, that fuel economy should matter and that we should actually be concerned about our environment caused a massive rapid change of attitude.
While GM is to blame for being short sighted and always crying to the Senate that they can’t ever meet those high CAFE fuel efficiency requirements, they got their comeuppance. Amazing during all those years, the Japanese did. Chevy now has the Cobalt which will combine power with fuel economy, and has been selling well with 30+ MPG or so fuel economy.The fact that public opinion changed so rapidly is incredible and a I am finally glad Americans are starting to get it that we cannot continue to be energy pigs.
So for those with a thirst for power and electric will still be able to buy Telsa Motors, and I am sure one to be forthcoming from Mercedes as well as many others. The good thing is that people are starting to get a clue, maybe the Big 3 automakers will also. Be safe, buy quality, consume less. I think we are on the edge of a fundamental shift.