EDITORIAL: Big Three on energy

If I want a fuel efficient, hybrid car, I can buy a Prius. What makes Congress think that if the Big Three make hybrids, then I would rush out to buy one of theirs instead of a proven one. If I want a truck or SUV, I'll buy an American vehicle. They are excellent machines. It seems that Congress wants to force American auto makers to only make vehicles that their competitors make, and at this point, make better. That's a sure way to immediate bankruptcy. It would be like forcing Macy's to sell only what WalMart sells. Then we wouldn't need Macy's, would we? If Congress forces the Big (Shrinking) Three to sell just what Toyota is already successful at, we won't need them either, will we? Leave the American companies alone. Let them make whatever cars they want. Don't bail them out. If they fail, there are cars made in Tenessee and Kentucky that Americans can buy.

With the UAW historically demanding every dollar they can get (and that's the American way), it is no wonder that American auto companies have spent less on R&D. No one wants to own a company that does not make money and one way to keep up the bottom line in the short-term is to cut R&D. Cornelius has some good points. Unfortunately due to CAFE standards, a US auto company cannot simply build the vehicles it can make money on. They have to also build vehicles that make up for the "poor" fuel efficiency of their SUVs and trucks even though they are poor sellers. We cannot just blame the UAW. With GM part of the problem may be with the company. For example, why is there a line of Chevy trucks AND an analogous line of GM trucks? Why can I find Pontiac, Buick and Chevy vehicles that are essentially the same? It seems like some consolidation is now in order. Trimming should not be the only difference between a GM and Chevy truck if it costs more to manufacture two different brands of the same truck (and I don't know if it does or not). Or is it against "UAW rules" for GM to quit manufacturing so many different but essentially identical vehicles?

Do you really think environmental advocates have the technical expertise to make the claims you noted? Part of what is wrong in Detroit is that management tried to respond to environmental advocates. Have you noticed that European Diesel powered cars are missing from the market but American Diesel powered trucks and pickups are still on the market? If not, you don't follow this very closely. The contemp you feel for some hybrids, I feel for all current hybrids and would like to point out that with a single exception that I know of, all environmental improvements on cars today were invented or developed by American automotive manufacturers.