U.S. News & World: interviews Lutz - GreenHybrid

bwilson4web · #1 (**permalink**) 11-16-2007, 01:37 PM

http://www.usnews.com/articles/busin...-and-more.html

Quote:

. . .
And you think lithium ion batteries are the way to do that?
The problem with lithium ion is scalability. But now Black & Decker has been using it in tools. Segway switched to lithium ion from nickel metal hydride two years ago for their transporter. Then I read about Tesla, these battery-powered cars with a 200-mile range. To do that, they're using thousands of laptop batteries wired together. When Tesla announced they were building a car, that kind of tore it for me. I thought, "If some little West Coast outfit can do this, we can no longer stand by."
. . .
So of all the different technologies GM is working on, how would you prioritize them?
Electric. Advanced hybrid. Plug-in hybrid. Advanced clean diesels. And far out, there's hydrogen.

I'm not fond of some of the reports about Lutz and I've never met or heard him. But this is the first interview where he comes across with some sensible statements that I can agree with.

Of all the things he says, only one causes me to raise my eyebrow,"But instead of the normal GM routine, the usual gates, we removed all that. There are no milestone meetings. No gate reviews. Nobody has to prepare papers prior to meetings. We make decisions on the spot, then the team marches off."

The last big project I worked on in General Electric took this approach and our R&D and proposal was wildly successful. We met our goals and objectives and won the contract. But when the 'helpers' showed up from headquarters, they went out of their way to invalidate and walk away from everything we'd done as quickly as possible. That included driving off most of the team leaders who made the prototype effort possible. When Ford's FEH vice president resigned, I smelled the same 'wiff' of how big companies "get even."

I hope the Volt folks are successful and bring the product to market. But most of all, I hope we don't find most of that team, out on the street, looking for their next job.

Bob Wilson

martinjlm · #2 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

......Of all the things he says, only one causes me to raise my eyebrow,"But instead of the normal GM routine, the usual gates, we removed all that. There are no milestone meetings. No gate reviews. Nobody has to prepare papers prior to meetings. We make decisions on the spot, then the team marches off."

The last big project I worked on in General Electric took this approach and our R&D and proposal was wildly successful. We met our goals and objectives and won the contract. But when the 'helpers' showed up from headquarters, they went out of their way to invalidate and walk away from everything we'd done as quickly as possible. That included driving off most of the team leaders who made the prototype effort possible. When Ford's FEH vice president resigned, I smelled the same 'wiff' of how big companies "get even."

I hope the Volt folks are successful and bring the product to market. But most of all, I hope we don't find most of that team, out on the street, looking for their next job.

Bob Wilson

Not likely imho. The approach being taken on the vehicle side of the program is very much like the approach taken during Lutz' first days at GM. That's when he basically commandeered a team to develop the Pontiac Solstice concept vehicle. Then announced at the North American International Auto Show that GM would build the car and make it available for around $20K. It happened, pretty much as he directed it would in pretty close to the same timing.

On the powertrain side of the coin, the same folks that are working on BAS, 2-Mode, and other hybrid systems are working on the Volt propulsion system details. They ain't goin' nowhere.

One thing people forget when they assume Lutz is going cowboy on this is that immediately prior to coming on board at GM, Bob Lutz had significant holdings in a battery manufacturer. He had to divest those in order to avoid conflict of interest, since they were a supplier to GM. Point is, he obviously isn't going to track Li-Ion technology to the last detail, but he does understand the issues around battery development enough to know that the Volt application of Li-Ion is risky but do-able.

Peace,

Martin

finman · #3 (**permalink**) 11-19-2007, 08:49 AM

"I hope the Volt folks are successful and bring the product to market. But most of all, I hope we don't find most of that team, out on the street, looking for their next job."

You mean like the EV1 people? I am skepical and will be until a viable showroom vehicle is out there. I know patience is the word, but GM has been down this road before with absolutely nothing to show for it.

10 years from now (timeframe for toyota's HSD to fully mature), will GM have a similar track record (sales, applications, reliability)?

martinjlm · #4 (**permalink**) 11-19-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

"I hope the Volt folks are successful and bring the product to market. But most of all, I hope we don't find most of that team, out on the street, looking for their next job."

Quote:

Originally Posted by finman

......You mean like the EV1 people?....

finman,

Are you suggesting that people associated with the EV-1 program have been put out of the company?

finman · #5 (**permalink**) 11-20-2007, 10:52 AM

Who Killed the Electric Car.