Where will gm go from here?

[SVOboy]

Something I whipped up: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-...re-cars-460518

[Gone4]

All of this talk about electric vehicles leaves me needing to research battery recycling. How easy is it to recycle lithium ion? Or deep-cycle lead acid batteries? Do they take a huge amount of energy to produce or recycle?

I know you mention hydrogen and they have a huge problem with energy used in production. The one hydrogen production station for Toyota I used to do testing for used a windmill to generate power and, essentially, that windmill didn't offset a year's worth of my average driving. Hydrogen only stores a lot of energy when it is highly compressed, which takes power to compress, and power to keep at the proper temperature while doing it.

[Bror Jace]

As a stockholder, I hope they make the turn.

GM has always offered some fuel efficient vehicles (at least for the last 2 decades) but they've never been their most popular ... or most profitable.

A year or two ago, Thomas L. Friedman wrote a column comparing Toyoat and GM ... where Toyota was the perfect company in the white hat being a wonderful global neighbor and GM was something akin to a James Bond villain.

Truth is, it's their history (and customers) that really make the difference between the companies. Toyota started out making small cars out of necessity and for years lacked the ability (and 'street cred') to make beefy, manly, full-size trucks and luxury cars. It took them decades but now they are doing that as well (and raking in the profits).

GM for years made large cars because fuel for them was relatively inexpensive and their customers wanted large cars. 'The General' had trouble making small cars (and to be honest, during the 70s and 80s, their heart just wasn't in it). But for the last couple decades, they've offered small, fuel-efficient cars ... it's just that many people who've wanted these cars have long since turned to Honda, Toyota, Subaru, etc ... and are not coming back anytime soon.

I hope, for the sake of the country as well as my portfolio, they are able to turn things around.

All types of batteries can be recycled ... but so few people bother with this. I collect all kinds of batteries and turn them in to New York Office of General Services ... but even they have pulled down their call for dry-cell batteries.

So, after I hoard them for months, put them in a clean, clear plastic jar, they may just throw them away. It's the American way.

[Arminius]

Originally Posted by GenKreton

All of this talk about electric vehicles leaves me needing to research battery recycling. How easy is it to recycle lithium ion? Or deep-cycle lead acid batteries? Do they take a huge amount of energy to produce or recycle?

I know you mention hydrogen and they have a huge problem with energy used in production. The one hydrogen production station for Toyota I used to do testing for used a windmill to generate power and, essentially, that windmill didn't offset a year's worth of my average driving. Hydrogen only stores a lot of energy when it is highly compressed, which takes power to compress, and power to keep at the proper temperature while doing it.

That is one reason why neuclear power is the only reasonable option for dealing with the hydrogen issue, in my opinion.

Regarding batteries, Li-ion batteries can be recycled. Here's a study involving some batteries: http://pubs.its.ucdavis.edu/download_pdf.php?id=1169

[dsq]

gm is doomed...they have never moved beyond the 70s.They hate change.Listen to the ceo's of gm over the last 30 yrs and they are a bunch of crusty old men, their mentality/attitude is stuck in 1965.Bob lutz who is head of product development thinks like gas is 25cents and climate change is a conspiracy.GM is a dinosaur that will die because it refuses to adapt.In the 70s jap car companys seized the opportunity of high oil prices by producing gas miser cars.It took american cars at least 5yrs to get with the program.In that time jap car makers got their foot in the door.Right now gas is at record prices and the japs have responded by making hybrids for the last 5 yrs or so...Meanwhile gm is promoting gas hogs and their hybrids are SUV's...Unbeleivable...So its no wonder toyota now is the no 1 car maker in the world.

[Arminius]

I'm still hoping they know something we don't know. I keep hearing the ethanol experts claim that they can get ethanol produced at $1 per gallon without using food as a component. GM has invested in both ethanol research as well as battery research. Both Shell and BP have invested millions in ethanol as well. Several ethanol experts have come forth and are willing to debate any heavyweight economist or energy expert who will take them on. These guys are showing up at the energy conferences and are rabid. These are scientists, so I don't think it's hype. Misguided? Perhaps. But not hype.

[zjrog]

All the car companies are in trouble. Though they all have done research into alternative fuels.

Chrysler for instance had a PRODUCTION electric minivan in the early 90s, but they were only offered to electric companies. Why? Apparently they had all the normal conveniences including AC and could go 120 miles. Maybe different battery technology could extned that range?

Within the last 10 years, Chrysler developed a fuelcell system that was based on BORAX, the exhaust smelled soaplike, and the "spent" fuel could be recycled back into fuel. Natrium...

Admittedly, the profit margins on SUVs and Trucks has been the lure to keep them from building smaller econo cars. I'm a Chrysler fan, and was flabbergasted when the Neon replacement (the Caliber) was bigger and less efficient than the Neon. Chrysler needs something small again to survive.

[johnpr]

^^ i agree^^ i went to a dodge/chrysler/jeep dealer recently and they only had midsize cars (challengers, sebrings, etc) and when i asked about a compact they showed me the caliber, patriot, and the other ugly thing thats basicly the same. the point is those "compact"vehicles (by no means small) where rated 30mpg highway and i was not willing to go that low mileage and drive an ugly car, i mean seriously, the caliber looks like a turd.

[zjrog]

Bring back a car like the Omni...

[Figjam74]

Dodge should've built the Hornet.
http://www.auto123.com/en/news/car-n...tid=56664&pg=1