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JOHN: IS ALPINE NOW CONTRACTED OUT TO AUTONATION? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT RENAULT’S SKUNKWORKS HAS MUCH IN THE WAY OF INTERNAL PRODUCTION CAPACITY. I GUESS THAT ALPINE COULD ALWAYS LEASE PRODUCTION CAPACITY FROM THE CANADIANS, BUT SPACE, TIME AND CAPACITY ALL HAVE TO BE RUNNING AWFULLY THIN ABOUT NOW. I GUESS THAT’S THE REAL REASON WHY RENAULT IS DELAYING THEIR RETURN TO THE U.S. UNTIL 27 OR 28. NOT EVERYONE HAS A WAR CHEST ANYTHING LIKE STELLANTIS’S.

JOHN: NO WONDER THE FRENCH ALWAYS FAIL SO BADLY WHEN THEY TRY TO COME TO AMERICA. I READ WHERE ALPINE WAS SUPPOSED TO START RAMPING THINGS UP WITH AUTO AMERICA.

THEY BETTER JOIN STELLANTIS, FIRST. THEY SIMPLY DON’T HAVE THE NECESSARY HORSES.

DANIEL

No kidding? Tesla should have been working with IIHS to assess repairability from the start

Dave

SO, JOHN; IT REALLY LOOKS LIKE ANY OF US WHO TRULY WANT TO OWN AN OPEL INSIGNIA OPC, CAN; IN 2026. I JUST SAW ON THE INTERNET, WHERE OPEL REALLY IS MAKING THE CROSSING. I’D SURE LOVE TO SEE VAUXHALL MAKE THE SAME PLAY; BUILDING UP IN ONTARIO. NOW WE CAN TRULY FATTEN UP THEIR PORTFOLIOS; ESPECIALLY AFTER THEY’VE DINED ON MORE THAN A FEW HUNDRED CADDIES, BMWS AND INFINITIES. I REALLY HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT WE’RE GOING TO SEE THE RANKS OF IMSA, ROLEX AND WEATHERTECH SWELLING LIKE CRAZY. E-TECH IS GOING TO HELP EVERYONE.

DAN

I think Rivian employees would be sympathetic to the UAW. Rivian is surrounded by Caterpillar and Komatsu, both of whom are UAW shops. I suspect many Rivian line workers know someone who work at one of those.

Neil

Hi Jake,

I did today view with some interest in the very informative Youtube video titled ‘Carbon Revolution Saves Up To 33 lb/Wheel!’

The previously mentioned envisaged world’s largest (in terms of space utilisation) & the most state of the art Sydney Australia new steam powered vehicle development & production plant facility complex is confirmed to be designed & constructed by the leading global automotive industry architects based & located here in Sydney. This plant design & construction has not yet commenced. When it is completed I will officially invite you & your partner to the invitation only plant opening evening ceremony celebration. The Sydney plant complex will have integral amiable, modern, quality accommodation.

The costs do this will be met in their entirety by the leading global automotive vehicle manufacturer financing & behind my steam powered vehicle invention & design project.

The location of the Sydney plant complex is envisaged to be alongside or as near as possible to the current under construction Western Sydney International Airport https://westernsydney.com.au/

Thank you

Best regards
Mr. Craig

Can you please get an update on this launch or speculate why it hasn’t happened yet?

-BG

JOHN; DID I JUST HEAR THE SOUND OF PSA BUYING ITS WAY INTO THE U.S. MARKET? BUILDING IN CANADA AND THEN SELLING IN THE U.S. SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY SWEET DEAL. WHEREVER DID THEY GET THAT IDEA FROM?

DANIEL

John
Although electric motors get near 90% efficiency and even that is not consistent depending on speed and load; you must take into account the efficiencies from the energy source and all the losses until the electricity get to the electric motor.
When looking at “well to wheels” the ICE is not that much worse than EV. Not 30% to 90% worse. Much efficiency comes from regenerative braking.
And don’t forget:electricity prices will be going up significantly to cover required distribution infrastructure.
The only reason this discussion is happening is government getting involved and throwing money in picking technology winners.

Bob

John, So disappointed in your 10/24/23 article “Why We Have EVs”
You quote the common misconception that ICEs are only 30% efficient and BEVs are 90% efficient. That sounds like a lot! However, 85% of our electrical energy comes from steam turbines to turn the electrical generators. (Even nuclear reactors use steam turbines to turn the generators). And steam powered generators are only 40% efficient. Lawerence Livermore Labs reported that our electrical grid wastes 68% of that 40% the steam turbines put out. 40% efficiency means 40%-.68×40% = 40%-27.2%= 12.8% gross efficiency for the BEVs vs 30% efficiency for ICEs!

In addition before the grid, the electrical generators at the power stations are simply electric motors running in reverse so they waste another 5%. And when customers charge their typical BEV, its’ charger and battery waste another 5%. So that reduces the net efficiency of the BEVs at 12.8%-10% leaving roughly 3%. Or about 1/10th the efficiency of ICEs.

So when you quote that 61% of Americans believe that BEVs are the answer, they’ve been told a pack of lies. John, we need intelligent industry spokespersons like yourself to tell the truth and end the BEV hype.

The hard core greenies might protest these calculations don’t include the energy wasted in transporting gasoline to the pumps. But they don’t like to consider that most of our electricity still comes from fossil fuels that must also be transported and distributed at more than double the current rate due to the overall inefficiency of BEVs. These same greenies that complain about the environmental damage caused by fossil fuels don’t like to consider the damage that will result from increased copper mining to increase our generator and grid capacity to supply BEVs. Or the damage that will be caused by lithium mining. These are often the same greenies who argue BEVs will reduce our dependence on unstable Middle East countries. However they don’t want to discuss that China supplies a far greater percent if the world’s refined Lithium. So tell me again – Why we have EVs?

And don’t get me started on the Great CO2 Climate Change Hoax that is commonly used to blame fossil fuels. I’m as concerned about pollution and our environment as anybody. Briefly, the climate has always been changing. As the “Climate Emergency” folks cherry-pick the data to show their computer models correlate to the Industrial Revolution, they ignore that dozens of Ice Ages have come and melted away. And in recorded history we have had other warming spells like the prosperous Roman era and again in the Middle Ages that greatly increased crop production. Regards CO2, it is an innocuous gas that is less than .04% of air. It is primarily a by-product of photosynthesis and crops suffer and plants die when CO2 gets below .018%. Conversely plants thrive when CO2 gets much higher. Some Greenhouse operators add CO2 to increase their crop yields. In any case, many climatologists question the theory that CO2 significantly affects the radiation of heat. Many climatologists support the theory that the solar energy reaching the earth is far more dependent on the precession of earth’s elliptical orbit around the sun. Unfortunately these voices of reason are ignored by the Media and Federal Grants.

John, Thanks again for all the good you have done for the auto industry!
We need your voice more than ever.

Unlike the Cancel Culture Crowd, I welcome your thoughts.

Always your fan and friend,
Dave