More from LA Auto Show 2009
Here are a few more highlights from the Los Angeles Auto Show from yesterday and today. I was there for a few business meetings and also met a lot of great folks on the OEM side as well as automotive bloggers/journalists.
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Electric Avenue.
Seems like this electric powertrain thingy is starting to catch on. Let's just hope they don't kill it again. First Tesla Motors. Then the new Chevy Volt. And now even Orange County Choppers gets in on the action. (With a little help by Siemens.) Here's Paul Teutul, Sr. on the first electric chopper. That's right. ELECTRIC CHOPPER!
Way to go! I want one. But even more, I want this: The eRockit!
Chevy Volt & 230 MPG - Teaser Campaign Delivers
via news.cnet.com
Most people living in the US over the past month probably came across a the fun "230" logo with the 0 shaped like a smiley electrical outlet - a teaser campaign that got some people talking and trying to figure out what it was all about. The surprise came out of the box yesterday with the introduction of the new Chevy Volt, a car by General Motors arriving next year that will deliver 230-miles per gallon (an incredible stat). The effort is even more important given that it was delivered by GM - a company that went bankrupt at the end of last year and is now storming back from the dead with some great products and offerings.
I thought I'd capture this as it is a great example of how to deliver one big campaign message and deliver it well. The teaser campaign drove home (sorry the pun) that something to do with 230 and electricity was coming - so when it did arrive people instantly take away, "wow, a new electric car from GM gets 230 MPG." Sometimes there are too many messages or the message is too long or just not clear, so next time you are in the midst of developing a great campaign take a moment to recheck your message - is it clear, short, easy to remember? if so, you are on your way. If not, take time to make it work before you go too far down a path and don't deliver in the end.
Could electric cars be the new SUVs? Let's hope so.
News came out last week from the Detroit Auto Show that Toyota and Ford will be looking to release pure electric vehicles (not range extending fakers like the Chevy Volt) in the near future - about 2012. It seems to be a theme at this year's show, as all other automakers were releasing some sort of hybrid version of something. The big question is whether next year's show will still have the same focus. As oil prices decline (I paid $1.89 per gallon the other day!), there will be less pressure for consumers to buy fuel efficient cars thus less incentive for automakers to develop new technologies. Do you think a company like Tesla Motors could have been built and funded in an era where gasoline costs $1.25 per gallon? Perhaps, but it wouldn't get as much attention as it does (and deservedly so, the Tesla Roadster is amazing). When you think about it rationally, there are many reasons to want to get a fuel efficient car, the least of which should be to save money. The environment and national security should be the top reasons but often times we only see what's directly affecting our wallets.
UPDATE: As a point of clarification, I don't mean to say that people shouldn't be cost conscious in these difficult times. My point is that not buying a hybrid because it may cost more initially is not a good argument. The cost of buying a hybrid versus a non-hybrid compact or mid-size car is not that great plus the savings in gas over time will minimize that gap even further. If you don't want to buy a hybrid because you need to haul kids, groceries, lumber, etc. that's fine. However, if you're waffling over whether to get a Corolla, Focus, or Jetta, buying a Prius or a Civic Hybrid isn't much of a stretch. Trust me, you'll make that money back in about 4-5 years.
