China trying to make money on electric car

2 comments April 2nd, 2009

Here’s a headline I liked from The Guardian Online:

China’s E6 electric car: ‘We’re not trying to save the world – we’re trying to make money’

Read the story HERE:

Manzullo pitches his $5,000 new car voucher directly to Obama in letter

11 comments April 2nd, 2009

Our congressman, Don Manzullo, R-Egan, has taken me up on a suggestion I made to Rich Carter, his press secretary. When President Obama said earlier this week that he was open to considering some congressional ideas to boost auto sales, such as a “trade in your clunker” for a new car, I suggested that Manzullo remind the president of his own plan to boost auto sales: a $5,000 voucher applied at the dealership to new car sales.

I’m not sure the president will buy it, and neither is Manzullo, but I think it’s a darned good idea, and at least he’s put it in front of teh president and his “Automotive Task Force.”

Manzullo’s plan  wouldn’t apply just to GM, Ford and Chrysler, because that would be a violation of World Trade Organization policies. However, as Manzullo points out, 80 percent of the cars sold in the U.S. are made here, by Americans. That includes popular Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Mercedes Benz models.

In fact, some “Japanese” cars have more American parts in them than Detroit models.

Manzullo’s letter to the presidetn says, in part,

“Until we restart auto manufacturing, we will have no recovery. One out of every 10 jobs is auto-related and cars account for 20 percent of all retail sales.

“I was encouraged by your recent comments on the need for consumer incentives to boost the auto industry…. On March. 20, 2009, I introduced The New Automobile Voucher Act of 2009 to provide temporary, electronic voucher for any new vehicle that costs less than $50,000.”