Hot on the heels of the canine-killing conflagration of a model's neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) in Key West, Business Line reports that Tata Motors is all fired-up on building one of Chrysler's little GEMs in India– and shipping it back to the States. Tata Motors has inked a development deal with Chrysler’s Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) to develop and market an electric version of the Tata Ace for the U.S. of A. "For Tata Motors, the electric Ace that requires no homologation, and attracts fewer regulations as it does not operate on highways and main roads will be a launch pad of sorts in a market where it currently has a no presence." The Indian automaker, favored suitor for Ford's Jaguar and Land Rover brands, expects big things from the little machine. They estimate that they'll export 10k NEVs by year-end, ramping-up to 50k units in '09. The arrangement also represents Chrysler's ongoing committment to foreign outsourcing, which includes the development of a small car for the U.S. market with China's Cherry.
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I was testing Manager for Bombardier’s NEV until they were dropped from production and the division shut down due to poor sales. Who in their right mind would pay over $10K for a glorified golf cart when you can buy something like a Kawasaki Mule for the same money? They sold reasonably well the first year or so, mainly to retirees in gated subdivisions. Soon the word got out about poor mileage and reliability problems and sales plumeted. There were a lot of battery and electronics failures. We typicaly got about 40-45 minutes runtime from a fully charged set of batteries or about 18-20 miles. The local police turned in their donated parking enforcement NEV because it couldn’t last for an 8 hour shift, ditto for the airport NEV.
If the people that made Lear Jets couldn’t do it, imagine how great the Tata version will be. I’m sure it will rank right up there with the Chrysler outboard motor.
Hello Dave:
Iam a 76 year old ding bat who purchased a ’98 Bombardier. I need some brake cylinders (L&R wheel) and master. That thief who bought out all the goodies when Bombardier closed in Michigan wants to rape me. Do you know where I can get the Chinese substitutes? Thanks
Jerry Johnson
johnsonenterprises1@comcast.net
oops! I almost read ` Chrysler`s committee of foreign outsourcing`. let`s give `the standing blushing` for Chrysler.
Dangerous Dave I bet that last mile or so of range was oh so much fun. As Csere said once a Porsche 911 will sprint to 60 in 5 seconds on a full tank or its last quart of fuel.
Dangerous Dave
“I’m sure it will rank right up there with the Chrysler outboard motor.”
I’m afraid I don’t understand the reference, since Chrysler had a long, profitable, and storied history in marine enagines and boats, starting in 1926. For background information look here:
http://www.allpar.com/history/marine.html
Some quotes from the link:
Charles B. Gorey Jr., who’d been with Chrysler since 1939, and was Vice-President and Group Executive for Diversified Products, added, “After we bought West Bend, we re-engineered and re-styled the outboards to Chrysler standards. We expanded the product offering of boats at Plano, so by 1969, we’re making a complete line of boats targeted to hit every part of the market.”
Those plans worked. In the period from 1965 to 1969, Chrysler’s share of both the outboard engine and boat business doubled and then doubled again. In 1968 alone, Chrysler Outboard sales increased 30 percent, while Chrysler Boat sales went up 23 percent. The Marine Division reported a sales increase of 62 percent. During the 1960s and 1970s, at least thirteen different sailboats would be made, using a variety of different hulls, according to the strong sailboat resources, Chrysler Sailing Lizards (their site also has notes from people who worked at the Plano factory, talking about how much extra care Chrysler put into their boats, especially when compared to other makers.)
Chrysler Outboard Corporation introduced two new engines in 1971: a 150 horsepower, limited production racing engine and a 130 horsepower, top-of-the-line production model. The outboard engines also included specialty items such as a featherweight 3.6 horsepower fishing engine, several 12 low-profile models from 6 to 12.9 horsepower, 28 models in the family-sized range from 20 to 55 horsepower, and 10 high-performance models, from 70 horsepower to the new 130 horsepower model.
Marine and Industrial Products Operations sales set a record in 1972, registering 18 percent above 1971.
The Marine Products Group achieved record sales in 1973, with dollar volume 8.2% ahead of 1972; but it would matter little to Chrysler Corporation, as things changed dramatically for the parent corporation.
In 1980, Chrysler Boat was sold to Texas Marine International (TMI), a company formed by several ex-Chrysler executives; however that venture ended up failing, in the bad economic times that gripped American companies at the beginning of the Eighties. Texas Marine’s sail, and even some of its power interests, were sold to Wellcraft. The remaining sailboat assets were split among six companies. According to Willem Weertman’s research, Chrysler sold the marine division not because they desired to, but because it was demanded as part of the government’s loan guarantees.
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The outboard marine engines were sold a few years later. The inboards dissapeared after the mid 80’s although Chrysler entered into an agreement with Mercury Marine to develop several engines, including a two stroke, but could not get it to pass NOx emmisions standards. They also developed the V10 Viper engine for marine use with Ilmor Marine.
Dangerous Dave :
If the people that made Lear Jets couldn’t do it, imagine how great the Tata version will be.
People that made Lear Jets couldn’t make the world’s least expensive cart either.
Prius Designer Says Industry Must Lose Oil Addiction
“This is what the end of the age of oil means,” says Reinert, 60, who plans the vehicles Toyota will make in a quarter century as national manager for advanced technology at the U.S. sales unit in Torrance, California. “The car-based culture, the business-as-usual of building cars and trucks, is going to change dramatically.”
“There’s a tension between pickups and hybrids within Toyota,” says David Schearer, chief scientist for California Environmental Associates and a consultant on the Prius. “They want to do the right thing, but the Prius is a relatively small piece in terms of overall sales volume.”
Reinert joined Toyota to run energy operations at the California sales headquarters in 1990. He spent eight years badgering top brass to let him use power electronics to design cars. He helped imbue the Prius with a hatchback and fold-down back seats for maximum cargo space and acceleration of 0-60 miles per hour in 10.4 seconds — 4 seconds faster than its predecessor.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aoCSD7m5zHhA&refer=home
Are they going to name it the “Tata Bodacious”?
(ducks)