[frankthetank]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '"')There is no doubt demand for oil is outpacing supply at a rapid pace, and has been for some time now," Mr Wagoner said. "As a business necessity and an obligation to society we need to develop alternate sources of propulsion.

"So, are electrically driven vehicles the answer for the mid- and long-term? Yes, for sure. But we need something else to significantly reduce our reliance on petroleum in the interim."

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('frankthetank', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '"')There is no doubt demand for oil is outpacing supply at a rapid pace, and has been for some time now," Mr Wagoner said. "As a business necessity and an obligation to society we need to develop alternate sources of propulsion.

"So, are electrically driven vehicles the answer for the mid- and long-term? Yes, for sure. But we need something else to significantly reduce our reliance on petroleum in the interim."

[seahorse2]

Have to admit, this almost brings tears of joy to my eyes that someone actually gets it, will say it, and will hopefully try something. It appeals to my patriotic sense and makes me want to buy GM stock.

[eastbay]

It appeals to my patriotic sense and makes me want to buy GM stock.

NO!! NO!!

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seahorse2', 'H')ave to admit, this almost brings tears of joy to my eyes that someone actually gets it, will say it, and will hopefully try something. It appeals to my patriotic sense and makes me want to buy GM stock.

[kokoda]

He is not quite admitting that oil has peaked. He is basically saying that demand is growing faster than supply. The implication is that both are growing but the supply side isn't growing fast enough.

I will be a cold day in hell when you hear the CEO of a major car manufacturer come out and say that oil production has peaked.

The implication is the same however.

In a way I am happy to here that ethanol isn't really considered to be anything more than stopgap solution. In my opinion it is not even that. Hopefully not too much more time will be wasted in trying to develop this as an oil replacement.

However the admission that battery technology was a problem is a concern.

[americandream]

"THE world's biggest car maker, General Motors, believes the global oil
supply has peaked and a switch to electric cars is inevitable."

I'm pretty sure I see the word "peaked" in there. Or am I hallucinating?

[namenick]

Regardless of what GM's CEO says, he will not start making cars which are more fuel efficient unless he thinks he can sell them. He will make what is in demand. But I have to admit that he is at least showing his human side by suggesting that people should start buying smaller cars so he can continue to make lots of money that way as to making it on SUV's.

If he's even doing that?

[Iaato]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kokoda', 'I')n a way I am happy to here that ethanol isn't really considered to be anything more than stopgap solution. In my opinion it is not even that. Hopefully not too much more time will be wasted in trying to develop this as an oil replacement.

[pup55]

GM at least nominally has been signed onto the GW issue for awhile as well.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'D')ETROIT (Mar. 22, 2007) – Today, General Motors announced its goal to reduce CO2 emissions from its North American manufacturing facilities by 40 percent by 2010, based on 2000 levels. GM is setting this target as part of its voluntary partnership in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Leaders program. This reduction would equal 4.5 million metric tons and equate to annual emissions from the power consumed by 432,692 U.S. households.

[cipi604]

Time's up for petrol cars, says GM chief
So... Star-trek or bust!

[kjmclark]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('americandream', '"')THE world's biggest car maker, General Motors, believes the global oil supply has peaked and a switch to electric cars is inevitable."

I'm pretty sure I see the word "peaked" in there. Or am I hallucinating?

[mefistofeles]

GM was actually a big proponenet of fuel cell research.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.0 ... lcars.html

According to wired they spent over a billion dollars on fuel cell research.

Of course this was happening a few years ago when the auto industry was contemplating moving over to a 42 volt electrical system. So I don't know if the two events are related.

http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020906S0052

In 2003 GM thought that 2010 would be the year that they would begin producing fuel cell vehicles and phasing out combustion engines:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g ... i_n7367184

So GM does have a history of spending a significant amount of money in alternate vehicle power.

I suspect they did this in order to get a jump on their competitors.

Of course who could forget GM's EV-1:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1

All this work was done before most of us even heard of Simmons or Hubbert's Peak.