Category: GM (Page 2 of 6)

Electric competition coming for Tesla?

July 9, 2013 /

Tesla Model S f

Tesla is riding high right now, as the Tesla S is a beautiful car and it’s piling up awards. The company is certainly worthy of all the praise directed its way. But, things are changing quickly in the auto business, as technological innovation is progressing rapidly. Thus, things can change quickly for Tesla as well with competition lurking.

GM and Honda made big news this week with an announcement that they’re teaming up to develop a mass-market fuel-cell system for future cars. The system, which is expected to debut in about 2020, chemically “burns” hydrogen to generate electricity without toxic emissions.

That electricity can then be used to power an electric motor: In other words, these will be electric cars, only without the batteries. GM and Honda also pledged to work on storage technologies for all that hydrogen, as well as on infrastructure — places to “get gas” for your future hydrogen-powered ride.

This doesn’t mean that the world is giving up on battery-powered electrics, of course. Batteries remain heavy and expensive, and take a while to recharge, but Tesla Motors has recently made it very clear that a great car can be built around a big heavy battery pack, despite the trade-offs.

But the GM-Honda link-up, along with Toyota’s recent confirmation that it would launch a fuel-cell car next year (a car that seems likely to be aimed directly at the Model S, by the way), is a good reminder that battery-electrics aren’t necessarily the way forward, just one of several possible ways.

That’s something that investors in any car company, including Tesla, should keep in mind.

Of course, this article is aimed at Tesla investors, and the stock issue is separate from the company and its current and future prospects. The stock may be a bit overpriced yet the company’s outlook can be fantastic.

Tesla has proven to be a leader in this space, and I think they can handle the competition. But the competition will be there.

GM, Green, Honda, New Cars, Tesla, Toyota

GMC Conversion Vans

January 15, 2013 /

You may have heard the term “conversion van” floating around your head. It’s important to know the differences between the several types of vans out there. It will help you to determine which of van is perfect for you and your needs. So just what is a conversion van?

Basically, it is a full-size cargo van that has gone through different modifications to create a more functional van. Modifications are completed on the vans to maximize their functionality and produce more favorable conditions for customers. These conversions are generally done by third-parties, rather than the original manufacturer of the van.

History of the Conversion Van

The first vans of this type were first seen in the 70s and 80s. These early vehicles generally just had a few seats installed into the cargo area, often had custom artwork painted on the sides, and were popular with rock bands. Their ability to carry multiple passengers at the same time brought a great amount of appeal to the vans.

After the mid to late 80s, these vans started featuring more luxurious features such as padded seats, custom lighting, and wood trim. The features enhanced the driving experience for many of the owners and produced a more comfortable atmosphere in the interiors. In addition, families and older folks started using them as the ultimate camping and road trip autos.

These vans also started to see features such as sleeping quarters, cooking appliances, as well as televisions and DVD units.

These vans start as a full size, windowless ½- or ¾-ton cargo vans. For instance, GMC conversion vans may start with the GMC Savana or other such vehicle. Upgrades are added to these base models to “convert” them to a vehicle that will do more than just haul stuff around.

Four Types of Conversion Vans

Currently there are mainly four types of conversion vans:

Motorhomes that begin with a full-size cargo van that is then increased in length by a few feet. These vehicles feature camping and road trip friendly features such as, microwave, refrigerators, and toilets. These are very family friendly for long road trips. These are also still very popular with rock bands on tour

Disability vans have modifications that allow it to be wheelchair accessible, including a higher door clearance and roof height. Often these vans feature hydraulic lifts.

Office vans function as traveling offices complete with a desk and chair fastened to the floor. These types of vans are particularly popular among traveling salespeople.

Travel vans are perhaps the most popular today. They feature many of the comforts that make traveling pleasurable including beds, kitchen and cooking appliances, and storage cabinets. These vans also have equipment such as TVs and DVD players, as well as sound systems.

As you can see, there’s a conversion van for almost any need. If you are looking for such a van, you can find several companies that can help you.

GM

Big Three report solid sales gains for June

July 3, 2012 /

Ford, Chrysler an GM all had solid sales gains in June. Here are some highlights:

– The just-redesigned Ford Escape set a record with sales up 28% while the Ford Fusion sedan, which is about to get replaced by a newer version, also set a record. In addition, Ford Explorer sales were up 35% from last year.

– Combined sales of all seven Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac crossovers were up 30% versus a year ago. That’s great news for GM, since they are generally higher profit vehicles than cars.

– The Fiat had its fifth consecutive month of record sales. More Fiat 500 vehicles were sold during the first six months of this year than during all of 2011.

Let’s hope the good news continues.

Chrysler, Ford, GM

GM CEO takes off the gloves in swipe at Lincoln’s viability

April 29, 2012 /

Things are heating up again between the General and the Blue Oval as GM CEO Akerson takes a hard swipe at the slumping Lincoln brand. GM must be very confident in the new Cadillac models coming very soon and flat out unimpressed on the new Lincoln’s coming to showroom floors. It’s time both brands look at targeting the real sales leaders in the luxury market and at this point I have to say the new Cadillac XTS and ATS are good starts.

From Auto Blog:

“They are trying like hell to resurrect Lincoln. Well, I might as well tell you, you might as well sprinkle holy water. It’s over.”

So says General Motors CEO Dan Akerson, speaking to reporters from The Detroit News. Fightin’ words to be sure, though it seems the suits at Lincoln, Ford’s luxury brand that competes with Cadillac here in the United States, have declined to comment on Akerson’s statement.

The dismissal of the Lincoln brand seems especially interesting given Akerson’s reported take on the current state of Cadillac. Akerson is said to believe that Cadillac isn’t yet where it needs to be, saying the brand needs another 12 to 24 months of gestation. By that time, there ought to be bookends to the current CTS in place in the form of the ATS (smaller) and XTS (larger, replacing the STS and DTS).

Still, Akerson doesn’t expect to “blow the doors off” Cadillac’s competition, saying instead that “they will be very competitive.” We’d think Caddy would be aiming squarely at something more like “class leading,” but what do we know?

Read the full article.

GM, Lincoln

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