GM CEO Rick Wagoner – Fuel Economy and the Auto Industry
Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/05/01/Rick_Wagoner_Can_General_Motors_Really_Be_Green_Motors
General Motors Chairman and CEO discusses the effects national and state fuel economy standards are having on the automobile industry.
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General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner speaks at an event hosted by The Commonwealth Club of California titled Can GM Really Be Green Motors?
General Motors will bring 16 new hybrids to market in the next few years, including a futuristic plug-in. Has the world’s largest car maker turned the corner on climate change?
The Detroit automaker still doesn’t like some of California’s environmental laws, but it now recognizes that climate change is a real problem to be solved. The answer, Wagoner says, is to diversify fuel sources to include ethanol, hybrids and one day even hydrogen – The Commonwealth Club of California
G. Richard Wagoner Jr. has been Chairman of General Motors Corp., since May 1, 2003 and its Chief Executive Officer since June 1, 2000. Mr. Wagoner serves as Chief Executive Officer of General Motors North America. He joined General Motors Corporation in 1977.
Mr. Wagoner served as President of North American Operations of General Motors Corp. from April 2005 to July 1, 2006. Mr. Wagoner served as President of General Motors Corp., from 1998 to 2003, as Chief Operating Officer from 1998 to 2000 and as Executive Vice President and President GM’s North American Operations from 1994 to 1998 and executive vice president and chief financial officer from 1992 to 1994 and also had responsibility for worldwide purchasing from 1993 to 1994. Mr. Wagoner was president and Managing Director of General Motors do Brasil (GMB) in 1991 and 1992. Prior to that, he was Vice President in charge of finance for General Motors Europe based in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1989 and 1990.
Mr. Wagoner began his GM career as an analyst in the Treasurer’s Office in New York in 1977. After several promotions there, in 1981 he became treasurer of GMB in Sao Paulo. In 1984, he became Executive Director of finance for GMB. He moved to GM of Canada Limited in 1987 as Vice President and finance manager. In October 1988, he became group director, strategic business planning, for the former Chevrolet-Pontiac-GM of Canada Group. He has been a Director of General Motors Corp., since 1998 and serves as a Director of General Motors Acceptance Corp. of Canada Ltd.
Duration : 0:4:0
Tagged with: cars • chevrolet • conservation • efficiency • foratv • fuel • Gas • general • gm • government • green • hybrids • markets • motors • oil • Price • prices • regulation • resources • sales • standards • stock • suvs • trucks • volt
Filed under: budget living
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I know there is …
I know there is some malfeasence in regards to unions but, the point I was making is that to blame unions for the Big 3′s demise is rediculous. It’s due to -poor management. & these guys are paid millions per year! Now, they want $50 billion in loan guarantees & subsidies to re-tool their plants to build smaller & hybrid vehicles. Excuse me? I believe GM alone has like $50 billion in case reserves. So much for the ‘free-market’. They spent $8bil on a Caddy plant in China for Chrissake!
Unions do serve a …
Unions do serve a purpose. They make sure that the workers are treated fairly, paid competativly and have safe conditions. However, too often, the unions abuse their power. It is very difficult for a union worker to get fired, no matter how poorly he works. Too often the union leadership uses their pull to increase union revenues without helping the workers. Because of that, Caterpillar in plant in Peoria has been forced to get most work done out of shop.
Just because you …
Just because you don’t want the government telling you what to do does not mean you are against being environmentally friendly. Oposing the CAFE standards does not mean you opose increasing fuel economy and decreasing emissions. GM has more models that get over 30 mpg than any other automaker in the US. They currently have the best fuel economy in a full-sized V8 truck.
Look at the 2009 …
Look at the 2009 Cadillac XLR. YUK. Those ugly new Chrome vents now have the GM label on them.
This guy IS full of …
This guy IS full of crap! (And he knows it, too)
He dodges the issues, throws in distracting points, and, hides behind stupid language:
“Let’s face it…”
“I mean what we’re trying to do, from a technology perspective…”
“make sure we have the capability”
“Frankly”
“Certainly”
“on the table…”
“up for the game”
“hopefully the best”
“from the standpoint of..”
“Frankly, that’s not a GM issue”
The plug-in electric the once made– worked well!! To prove that was the case they killed it, correct.
no stupid, you are …
no stupid, you are another 20 yr old youtube idiot, the CAR cultures of detroit and japan are opposite, you dont know JACK ABOUT THE AUTO INDUSTRY OR ECONOMICS, GO SUCK YOUR THUMB. wait til you have to bail out gm or ford out of your taxes, when it comes to cars you are too ignorant to drive one.
Don’t blame the UAW …
Don’t blame the UAW. They build what they’re told to and their still the most productive workforce in the world. People have a right to make a decent living under safe conditions.
Thanks for that …
Thanks for that info. 200K was unheard of for most cars back then. That’d be a great commute vehicle today.
well, Japan builds …
well, Japan builds cars that degrade the economy(except Mazda.) The big 3 have made the economy across the country so much better directly and indirectly. For example the USPS employees got raises after having a strike based around the UAW. Today China has a quickly improoving economy…GM is the best selling company. America, especially detroit has a quickly degrading economy…Toyota is now the best selling company. Japan only makes “better” cars because no UAW and unfair competition
i owned that car, …
i owned that car, it was a tin can with a 50′s detroit ford engine, went 200k, died hard, drove all over the usa, they are more complicated today with lower mileage. toyota and honda are your only two choices.
been thru this …
been thru this in the 70′s adios banko detroit, no BAILOUTS FOR ANYONE, JAPAN BUILDS CARS FOR CONSUMERS NEEDS, detroits pleases stockholders, gets lazy, BUT ALWAYS TAKES CARE OF ITS EXECUTIVE STAFF,
Yeah, saftey …
Yeah, saftey equipment too but they’re not adding more metal. There’s hardly and metal used in auto today. It’d be interesting to see what the weight differences are between hardened steel body panels and front, side, etc air bags and all the equipment they require. But, again, my point is, You can have cheap transportation that gets good fuel economy or you can have luxury and high HP. But, you probably can’t get both, at least not with a combustible engine.
They don’t want to …
They don’t want to make fuel efficient cars? MOST of GM’s cars are more efficient than Toyotas. Cobalt compared to Corolla, Malibu compared to Camry, Impala compared to Avalon, Tahoe to Sequoia, Silverado to Tunrda, Traverse to Highlander, HHR to Matrix, ect ect ect.
The only advantage Toyota has is their Prius. And actually that vehicle is so expensive, even in the long term with $5 gas it’s much less expensive to own something like an Aveo or Yaris.
Well weight is …
Well weight is definitely part of the issue, but MOST of that additional weight comes from increased safety and safety equipment. Pretty much every GM vehicle now gets a 5 star crash rating. It takes a lot of metal to make a car strong enough to get that rating.
And on top of that you have the demand for cars to be larger and more powerful. A 2008 Corolla is a of a lot bigger and more powerful than a 1980.
Can you explain to …
Can you explain to me why your ing engineers obviously never spent a day with a wrench in their hand? Maybe you should hire some people off the floor who know how to work on a vehicle instead of this looks good on paper . Yours truly – Master Technician and Owner
Here’s an idea. …
Here’s an idea. Let’s boycott Chevron until they go out of business. I am sure they will try to change their name, or otherwise get out of it, but, if we boycott Chevron until they are dissolved, then the next in line and so on, they will either cease to exist or they will get gas prices down. Way down. Let them use their massive lobbying powers for the consumer and their very survival for once. If you like this idea, post it elsewhere, tell people about it, let’s get something organized.
He came and …
He came and answered the questions
GM has never been a great company
but at least they are trying
those facillities still employ a lot of people
but their arrogance in the 1970s and oldsmobile did them in
I found a copy of …
I found a copy of People Magazine from 1980 and Toyota was advertising it’s Corolla, I think it was, back then in the ad as getting like 43 mpg. The reason cars/trucks today get ty milage is weight. Were does the extra weight come from? Added luxuries… power windows, power locks, air, 6 spkr multi-disc, high-power stereo systems, more and more computers, larger wheels, power seats, heated seats, etc etc etc. If you want fuel efficiency, simply strip out the extra crap.
Hes full of crap
…
Hes full of crap
GM is in bed with Big Oil, they killed the electric car and sold the NiMH pattent to Texaco/Chevron to make sure no one else could use it (Chevron sued Toyota who had a better NiMH design).
They fight legislation and dont want that to be their image? They have no shame. These scoundrels have said they couldnt put safety belts and said the same about air bags, theyre full of it, if they dont want to make efficent cars, others will, and they know it.