Ruh Roh: Chevy Volt Batteries Catching Fire, 21st Century's Version of Ford Pinto?

Some might argue that the crowning achievement of the Obama administration so far has been the Chevy Volt. The bad news is that it appears the batteries in these vehicles may be at risk of catching fire after the car is involved in an accident. The good news? There aren't many on the road.

Via the AP:

WASHINGTON — New fires involving the lithium-ion batteries in General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt have prompted an investigation to assess the risk of fire in the electric car after a serious crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday. 

One Volt battery pack that was being closely monitored following a government crash test caught fire Thursday, the safety administration said in a statement. Another recently crash-tested battery emitted smoke and sparks, the statement said. 

GM, which was informed of the investigation on Friday, said in a statement that the Volt "is safe and does not present undue risk as part of normal operation or immediately after a severe crash." The latest fires are in addition to a battery fire in a crash-tested Volt six months ago. 

NHTSA learned of a possible fire risk involving damaged Volt batteries when a fire erupted in a Volt that was being stored in a parking lot of a test facility in Burlington, Wis. The fire was severe enough to cause several other vehicles parked nearby to catch fire as well. 

The car had been subjected to a side-impact crash test more than three weeks earlier, on May 12, during which the battery was punctured and its coolant line ruptured.

For some reason, I was reminded of the Ford Pinto case, a huge black eye for Ford. Design flaws caused gas tank explosions during rear-end collisions.



h/t Hapblog

Ruh Roh: How much do Solyndra and the Chevy Volt have in Common?

I must admit, I'm more than mildly surprised by how quickly the Solyndra scandal that seems to be entrapping the White House is catching fire. Perhaps because it strikes at the heart of what awakened the Tea Party in early 2009 - the stimulus bill. We are now seeing the bitter fruit from that monstrosity. A much bigger problem could be the very likely possibility that what happened at Solyndra is going to happen elsewhere. The Chevy Volt may just be the next gleaming pile of excrement.

Via National Legal and Policy Center:

The story of bankrupt solar company, Solyndra, has turned into a major scandal for the Obama Administration as questions arise about the government's free spending of taxpayer money on failing so-called green initiatives. A $535 million federal loan was initially rushed through for the company as Obama touted Solyndra as being a prime example of how the bold new green-energy driven economy would create jobs while saving the environment. Now the results bring into question how dangerous the green economy strategy may be.

1,100 jobs were created at Solyndra at a cost to taxpayers of about half a million dollars per job. Both the jobs and the money are now gone. White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, dismissed the failure by pointing out that there are no guarantees in the business world. Well here's a novel thought; ventures that are getting taxpayer money poured into them should actually be able to make a profit and eventually stand on their own. Dumping billions of taxpayer dollars into money losing green ideas like Solyndra, as well as on the dismally selling Chevy Volt, does nothing to help the economy or the environment.

A recent Reuters' article [1] points out that the auto industry is relying on fleets to support sales of plug-in vehicles like the Chevy Volt. In a nutshell, this means that government agencies (along with cronies at GE) will use taxpayer funds to purchase Chevy Volts that have been widely rejected by retail consumers. All to support a vehicle that was developed using billions of dollars of that same taxpayer money. Not even the most naïve, green energy supporting apologist for the Volt can legitimately debate that the car is not profitable for General Motors. Former car czar, Steven Rattner, admitted that the vehicle had "commercial clay feet" and would not be profitable for GM in the foreseeable future. Yet this is not stopping the continued wastefulness of our government's taxpayer subsidized support for the vehicle as well as for a future Cadillac version of the car.

The author goes on to point out that the taxpayer dollars wasted at Solyndra pale in comparison to those wasted on the Chevy Volt and wonders why there isn't far more outrage about the money pit that is the latter as opposed to the former. Though he doesn't go here, the political climate that is forming right now, in the wake of the recent NY 9 election that saw Anthony Weiner's old seat go Republican, may just get us there.

h/t Fox Nation

Another Obama Lie: Your GM or Chrysler Warranty will be Safe with US

It's much more difficult to find instances when Barack Obama has told the truth than when he lies, which almost makes this post anti-climatic. However, it is noteworthy, nonetheless because once word gets out that the warranties of GM and Chrysler car owners are NOT backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there will be even less of them sold.

In 2009, Obama assured owners of GM and Chrysler automobiles that their warranties would still be honored. After all, the US government was running those companies and people had nothing to fear.

Via Autoweek in March of 2009:

In a bid to boost flagging auto sales, the federal government will pay for any warranty repairs on a General Motors or Chrysler vehicle if either company can't because of financial problems or a bankruptcy filing, President Barack Obama said on Monday.

"Let me say this as plainly as I can. If you buy a car from Chrysler or General Motors, you will be able to get your car serviced and repaired just like always," Obama said in a speech. "Your warranty will be safe. In fact, it will be safer than it has ever been. Because starting today, the United States will stand behind your warranty."

GM and Chrysler are at a high risk of bankruptcy as they face some of the lowest U.S. sales rates in 27 years, analysts have said. The government on Monday took several actions to help shore up the two automakers after forcing the resignation of GM CEO Rick Wagoner.

"Given where the industry is, these highly unprecedented actions are consistent with the unprecedented times we're in," Standard & Poor's analyst Robert Schulz told Reuters today.

Ah, but that was more than two years ago, which is well past the expiration date on virtually all of Obama's promises. Today, GM (Obama Motors) is saying that any GM car under warranty before the bankruptcy will not be repaired under the terms of any warranty.

Via Reuters:

General Motors Co (GM.N) is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit over a suspension problem on more than 400,000 Chevrolet Impalas from the 2007 and 2008 model years, saying it should not be responsible for repairs because the flaw predated its bankruptcy.

The lawsuit, filed on June 29 by Donna Trusky of Blakely, Pennsylvania, contended that her Impala suffered from faulty rear spindle rods, causing her rear tires to wear out after just 6,000 miles. [ID:nN1E7650CT]

Seeking class-action status and alleging breach of warranty, the lawsuit demands that GM fix the rods, saying that it had done so on Impala police vehicles.

But in a recent filing with the U.S. District Court in Detroit, GM noted that the cars were made by its predecessor General Motors Corp, now called Motors Liquidation Co or "Old GM," before its 2009 bankruptcy and federal bailout.

It would appear that no matter how hard he tries to avoid the laws of economics, they might just be catching up to Obama. This is not something he can easily dismiss, either. In essence, he is the GM of OM, regardless of what figurehead has that title on his desk.

What will be interesting to find out is the number of Obamautomatons who are in this predicament? What percentage of them will be able to figure this out? Of those who do, what percentage of them will actually put their pride aside and affix blame where it belongs - on the liar-in-Chief.

h/t Drudge

VIDEO: WHAT?! OBAMA LIED ABOUT GM?

One time car czar, Bret Rattner has written a book about his experiences in that role and it appears that it may expose yet another lie told by Barack Obama; I know, we all lost count a long time ago but that shouldn't diminish the noteworthiness, should it? When GM became 'Government Motors', Obama assured Americans in an exchange with Fox News's Major Garrett that his administration would not get involved with the day to day operations; they would be a non-active shareholder.

Via Verum Serum, here's that exchange:



While you're digesting that, take a look at this from the Detroit News:

Before his ouster as GM’s CEO, Fritz Henderson proposed moving GM headquarters from Detroit’s Renaissance Center to the automaker’s Tech Center in Warren, arguing it would save money, and symbolize a commitment by the company’s leadership to be more hands-on managers.

Rattner praised the idea. But a White House aide, Brian Deese, who has been heavily involved in auto policy, denounced it.

“Are you out of your mind?” Rattner quoted Deese as saying. “Think what it would do to Detroit.”

Henderson proposed donating the iconic headquarters on the Detroit River to the city. Detroit received $20 million in tax revenue from GM.

According to Rattner, the decision ultimately came down from Rahm Emanuel that GM could not move to Warren.

Sounds like meddling, doesn't it.

Big h/t to Verum Serum

VIDEO SHOCKER: OBAMA DRIVES TEN FEET IN A VOLT

How are Michael Dukakis, John Kerry, and Barack Obama different? Dukakis embarrassed himself while in a tank; Kerry shamed himself while he was in a space suit; and Barack Obama did so by driving one of the cars his company (GM) built, an astonishing ten feet. The three men were all similarly foolish. Dukakis's head gear did him in; Kerry's body wear made him look like a teletubby; and a better metaphor for the consequences of Obama's policies I could not imagine.

Watching Obama drive the soon-to-be infamous Volt ten feet reminded me of the ending scene of Gung Ho. Michael Keaton drove about as far as Obama did. In defense of Obammer, Keaton's wheels actually fell off. Other than that, little difference.

Good segue, huh?



C'mon, you know you see a similarity....



h/t to Hot Air

NEW YORK TIMES GOING AFTER OBAMA'S GM?

No, not Rahm Emanuel. That would be General Manager. The New York Times is now on record as being critical of General Motors CEO Edward E. Whitacre after he found himself the subject of a sardonic alternative media and a Republican Senator in Charles Grassley (IA) as a result of his claim in a recent commercial that GM had repaid all of what it owed. The problem is that the claim is a lie.

As we've all come to realize, such a discovery is nothing more than maintaining the status quo with this administration. What's noteworthy here is that the New York Times is actually reporting on it on the heels of a POLITICO article that reported on a letter sent to Whitacre by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) that called the former out.

Thanks to Gretchen Morgenson at NYT:

AS we inch closer to a clearer understanding of the products and practices that unleashed the credit crisis of 2008, it’s becoming apparent that those seeking the whole truth are still outnumbered by those aiming to obscure it. This is the case not only on Wall Street but also in Washington.

Truth seekers the nation over, therefore, are indebted to Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, who in recent days uncovered what he called a government-enabled “TARP money shuffle.” It relates to General Motors, which on April 21 paid the balance of its $6.7 billion loan under the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Also, whether unwittingly or otherwise, Morgenson also demonstrates why a tax cheat shouldn't be hired as Secretary of the Treasury. It's why so many businesses use behavioral interviewing techniques. The premise? The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. The press release issued by Geithner's Treasury seems to validate that practice.

G.M. also crowed about its loan repayment in a national television ad and the United States Treasury also marked the moment with a press release: “We are encouraged that G.M. has repaid its debt well ahead of schedule and confident that the company is on a strong path to viability,” said Timothy F. Geithner, the Treasury secretary.

Amazingly, the Treasury responded to a letter from Chuck Grassley by admitting it played a shell game with taxpayer dollars to pay down GM's debt but found nothing wrong with misrepresenting that fact.

Here's the ad with Whitacre that got this ball rolling..



I actually found this ad almost as equally laughable. This one is from several months ago. In it, Whitacre proudly boasts that GM is going to "put our money where our mouth is". Uh, Ed, don't you mean you're putting my money where your mouth is? For the record, I don't very much like it there.



h/t to Hot Air