Electric cars to save the automobile industry

General Motors announced last week repayment of the company's government loans well ahead of schedule.  The world's largest automobile manufacturer will now focus on expanding production of their Chevrolet Volt and other electric models.  The Volt is scheduled to be available to dealers in the fall of this year.

Not surprisingly, Nissan and other automobile manufacturers will also be introducing electric cars this fall.  According to industry experts we should see full scale marketing and manufacturing on a global basis by 2012. Including models from Porsche and other luxury brands.

Last year, when I purchased my Honda Civic using the Cash for Clunkers program, there was a great deal of skepticism regarding the program's possible impact on the automobile industry as well as the overall economy.  However, recent studies show that 90% of participants in the Cash for Clunkers program (including myself) would not have bought a new car if not for the rebates offered by the program.  I  am very happy to have increased my fuel economy by 20 mpg via Cash for Clunkers.  Reducing the money I personally spend buying oil from people who want to kill Americans is, in my opinion, an important benefit of the program.

Regardless of your personal assessment of the stimulus effects of the program, by keeping automobile manufacturers afloat during the recession, it appears that Cash for Clunkers succeeded in at least giving them a little time to retool their operations to produce the cars of the future.


I for one, can't wait to take my used Civic down to the Chevy, Nissan, Honda, etc. dealer in 2012 to see what they'll give me on a trade-in for an electric car.  It will be great to no longer have to purchase gasoline.  Whether the electricity I use to charge my new car comes from coal, wind, solar, etc. at least it will be produced here in America.