This is a post about determination and the electric car.
I'm in Santa Monica enjoying dinner with David Freeman at California Pizza Kitchen. Salmon. Argula salad. Red Velvet Cake.
We're talking about the disturbing Los Angeles Times October 27, 2010 article by Jerry Hirsh titled, "Sales of Electric Cars Might Lack Juice".
Meanwhile, kids in Halloween costumes gobble pizza and giggle oblivious to automobiles, exhaust, their lungs, our future.
The L.A. Times article began,
"All the hype about the new generation of electric cars may just be reflecting the passions of technology geeks and environmentalists."
Hype? May? Technology geeks and environmentalists?
Weak words won't get us to blue skies. I need fresh air and solutions to air pollution. Don't you?
Determination.
The LA Times reporter took his cue from the J.D. Power and Associates report "Drive Green 20/20: More Hope Than Reality" where numbers (not determination) were highlighted. Numbers like global sales of hybrids are expected to total 5.2 million units in 2020, or just ...
This sounds like negative news unfit to print.
I have two antidotes to serve us well as we dream the future into being.
One: David's opinion on the electric car.
"The auto industry projects that sales of electric cars will fizzle after initial enthusiasm. This reminds me of GM's attitude about the EV1 ten years ago that they physically destroyed. This is a self fulfilling prophecy that is unpatriotic and dead wrong. The American people know that we must get off foreign oil, clean the air in our cities and combat climate change. A rapid transition to electric cars is essential for America's security.
The Chinese government has ordered its auto industry to manufacture and sell 5 million electric cars by 2020. This presents a challenge to America that we dare not ignore.
The auto industry projects business as usual, which is a shame. America is fully capable of beating the Chinese. If we don't we'll be seeing Chinese electric cars arriving at port of Los Angeles along with all the other Made in China goods."
Two: Israel is on its way to becoming an all-electric car nation thanks to the determination of one man, Shai Agassi who started Better Place.
So next time you need a new car, please buy a hybrid or an all-electric car. We can do it.
Here's iPhone memories from tonight's Santa Monica sunset.
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