100-mpg hybrid by 2009, Bricklin promises - GreenHybrid

Jason · #1 (**permalink**) 01-12-2007, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Indefatigable auto entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin, no longer planning to import Chinese-made cars to the U.S., now says he wants to market a line of 100-mpg plug-in hybrid vehicles that he says could be priced 20% to 30% less than gasoline-engine vehicles. If he's successful developing such vehicles, his market timing could be just right. Americans have accepted hybrids such as the Toyota Prius for their fuel savings and their high-tech panache. Plug-in hybrids, which can recharge from an electrical outlet and thus travel farther without using gasoline power, are the latest wrinkle. General Motors and Ford Motor both showed plug-in hybrid concept cars Sunday at the North American International Auto Show here.
Bricklin says he's in talks with 15 Chinese manufacturers about building the cars in China to take advantage of low wages and modern equipment. "Use the Chinese advantage to make it cheaper" he says, "instead of it being $3,000 more." The prototype, he says, is being built in the U.S. "We'll show it to them, say, 'Here's our car; what can you build it for?'"
He figures six months to finish a working prototype and two years, more or less, for regular-production models to hit showrooms here.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...n-hybrid_x.htm

SoopahMan · #2 (**permalink**) 01-15-2007, 07:40 PM

His company is named, "Chery," and intends to sell Asia-made cars to American auto companies... .

I just have to ask, is the "Chery" name meant to be a play on the English/Asian stereotypical pronunciation mistakes a la engrish.com?

bparsons · #3 (**permalink**) 01-16-2007, 02:09 AM

I like the sounds of a 100+mpg car!!

Marmaduke · #4 (**permalink**) 01-16-2007, 10:36 AM

No doubt, I am still miffed at GM and the oil companies for killing the EV1 Electic car. That was one sweet vehicle. I would love to own one of those, but they were all crushed

SoopahMan · #5 (**permalink**) 02-09-2007, 07:25 PM

Not to mention "Bricklin promises" - ah the road of bricklin promises.

changetheworldnow · #6 (**permalink**) 02-15-2007, 08:03 PM

If he builds it I will come
Sounds too good to be true
I like the idea of the Japanese and the Chinese pushing USA companies to offer plug in hybrids

Tom

bwilson4web · #7 (**permalink**) 02-26-2007, 08:40 AM

While researching the Toyota dispute, I found this:

http://info.usitc.gov/ouii/public/33...1?OpenDocument

Investigation: 337-TA-585
In the Matter of Certain: Engines, Componets Thereof, and Products Containing Same
. . .
Complainant: American Honda Motor Company, Incorporated, Torrance, CA
Respondents: Wuxi Kipor Power Co., Ltd., China, Wuxi Kama Power Co., Ltd. China

Hummm, I wonder if this might have had something to do with the new business plan.

Bob Wilson

ag4ever · #8 (**permalink**) 02-26-2007, 12:32 PM

Hard to say if it does.

If it does, I would say the plan was to use the IMA as the hybrid technology, and just use the cheap chinese labor to produce it.

I personally would not get one, as I view sending money to a foreign country just to save a few pennies as a nail in our economic coffin. If we send money to a country that has better designs or other useful products, I can view that as improvements, but to send it to china where they have a history of stealing other's designs and then producing them at much less cost with much less quality. That is not a step in the right direction.