Suggested Discussion Outline

[johnkarls]

.
Suggested Discussion Outline
General Motors and the EPA Perpetrating Fraud Re The Chevrolet Volt

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Announcement

One of our members, Sheryl Ginsberg, cordially invites each of us to the Salt Lake County Democratic Party Central Committee Meeting:

Tomorrow Evening, Thursday November 19
5:30 PM (socializing and check-in)
6:00 PM Call to Order
The Salt Lake County Council Chambers 2001 S. State Street.
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A. The Purposely-Misleading Announcement of 230 Miles/Gallon

A-1. 40 miles = driving range of Chevrolet Volt between re-charging its batteries.

A-2. After 40 miles, a gasoline engine kicks NOT TO POWER THE CAR (!!!) but to drive a generator that re-charges the batteries to power the electric motor that powers the car!!!

A-3. The Volt’s IRRELEVANT mileage results =

A-3-a. Infinite for the first 40 miles (since it isn’t using gasoline)
A-3-b. Probably 5-10 miles/gallon after 40 miles (assuming the gasoline engine that re-powers the batteries loses the same 75% of the fuel’s energy content in the conversion-to-electricity process that the nation’s electric-utility industry loses)
A-3-c. Overall IRRELEVANT mileage results are purely arbitrary – since one can claim any number between 5 miles/gallon and infinity depending on the assumption made regarding what percentage of the driving is done on electricity (which doesn’t use gasoline).
A-3-d. Obviously, General Motors tried to be as “eye catching” as possible without being patently ridiculous.

A-4. The Volt’s RELEVANT pollution =

A-4-a. The first 40 miles since re-charging SINCE ALL ADDITIONAL ELECTRIC-GENERATION PLANTS IN THE U.S. FOR MANY DECADES HAVE BEEN, AND FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE WILL BE, FUELED BY HUDROCARBONS (USUALLY COAL BUT OCCASIONALLY NATURAL GAS OR FUEL OIL) =

A-4-a-i. 400% more greenhouse gases than an automobile propelled by a gasoline engine of equal power.
A-4-a-ii. 700% more sulfur emissions (think “acid rain”)

A-4-b. After 40 miles since re-charging (assuming the Volt’s gasoline engine powering an electric generate loses the same 75% of the gasoline’s energy content that the nation’s electric-utility industry loses)

A-4-b-i. 400% more greenhouse gases than an automobile propelled by a gasoline engine of equal power.
A-4-b-ii. 700% more sulfur emissions (think “acid rain”)

B. The Chevrolet Volt Commandeering the “Low-Hanging Fruit” of Hydroelectric Power

B-1. General Motors has announced that it will market the Volt only is “select” areas (read geographical areas that have low-cost hydroelectric power)

B-2. Obviously, General Motors has little confidence that the Volt can compete “cost-wise” in geographical areas served by coal-fired electric utilities even though coal traditionally sells for a fraction of the worldwide price for oil (on the basis of comparable energy content)

B-3. Swiping the “low-hanging fruit” is likely to achieve little more than to make the Chevrolet Volt the next economic albatross around the neck of General Motors – replacing the Hummer and other gas guzzlers

C. The Obama Administration’s UNILATERAL APPROACH in Defiance of Europe, Japan, Canada, and even California

C-1. European Union lavishes funding on hydrogen research – Obama Administration eliminates any funding for hydrogen research from the budget but is overruled by Congress

C-2. European Union sets standards to facilitate marketing hydrogen cars

C-2-a. Bi-fuel hydrogen car marketed by BMS since before 2005 – 215-mile range on hydrogen fueling its regular engine before its regular gas tank kicks in for the next 500 miles
C-2-b. Pure hydrogen vehicles that burn hydrogen to produce electricity that powers the car – marketed in Europe by Honda, Mazda, etc.

C-3. “Hydrogen highways” = existing networks of “gas” stations that sell hydrogen gas

C-3-a. Europe
C-3-b. Japan
C-3-c. British Columbia, Canada
C-3-d. California

C-4. “By the numbers” unilateralism even if the Obama Administration is smarter than Europe/Japan/Canada/California

C-4-a. 491.6 million (European Union) + 127.3 million (Japan) 33.2 million (Canada) + 36.8 million (California) = 688.9 million
C-4-b. 307.2 million (United States) – 36.8 million (California) = 270.4 million

C-5. Notes on President Obama’s Unilateralism

C-5-a. Likely to bankrupt again General Motors which he bought with taxpayer money
C-5-b. Not surprising that he continues to support the coal industry which he championed as a U.S. Senator because of Southern Illinois coal mines

D. What Can Be Done?

Outlaw pure electric vehicles until 100% of the nation’s electric utilities burning hydrocarbons (coal, natural gas, fuel oil, etc.) are replaced by electric generation from clean sources (wind, solar, nuclear, etc.)