Lutz: Only 5% of the public wants a green car that they will pay a premium for
In a lengthy interview with The Washington Post, former General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz said that the V8 muscle cars and the Chevrolet Volt will still live on once GM comes out of bankruptcy.
An avid supporter of the Chevrolet Volt, the man who once brought us the Dodge Viper said that the plug-in hybrid electric-vehicle is just the type of product GM needs to produce to satisfy political demand for advanced-technology and fuel-efficient cars.
However, he’s not convinced that the American consumer is yearning for a car like the Chevrolet Volt. Lutz said that the United States is divided into East and West coast intellectuals and the rest of America, which he said still want loud V8 engines.
“When you get out into the marketplace, it’s probably just 5 percent of the public that desperately wants something environmentally sound and is willing to pay a premium for it,” Lutz said.
“I would say the East and West Coast intellectual establishment kind of lives in its own world. When you get to the broad American marketplace, excitement [over autos] is still kind of defined in the way it used to be.”
What are your thoughts on Lutz’s comments?
– By: Omar Rana
Source: Washington Post (via Green Car Advisor)
