Quote:
Originally Posted by Clev
In the book "The Car That Could", using numbers from the various sources in GM that he interviewed, the author determined that the cost to develop the EV1 was about $1 billion. This included specifically-designed batteries, motor and controller (GM wanted to use off-the-shelf parts, like Siemens motors and Panasonic batteries, but Delco and Delphi strong-armed GM into allowing them to develop and manufacture one-offs), several crash samples, and construction and tooling of an advanced highly automated assembly line. To put this in perspective, Ford spent about $1 billion on the 2003 facelift of the F150.
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Thanks Clev! Your book was cited in "MORE WITH LESS." I've not read that yet,but it's on the "list." It's good that they flesh out the story in greater detail.-------------
AeroVironment didn't have total control of Impact like they did with Sunraycer,and it sounds like there were many 120-decibel conversations with GM and it's divisions.Evidently,when Alan Cocconi found out Hughes was going to get it's inductive charging system,he walked out.------------
$1-billion sounds like chump-change nowadays.The entire Saturn Corp. only set GM back $ 2-billion.-----------------
Perhaps GM was confident that state-level lobbyists could kill the legislation mandating ZEVs.After receiving $500-million in taxpayer money to develop 80-mpg PNGV cars by 2007,to a lay-person,and in retrospect,it seems like it would have been a no-brainer for the Big-Three to deliver.Paul MacCready figured the President could get a war with three-television appearances,perhaps he could have cultivated an American market for 80-mpg cars in six.