Podcast: Play in new window
The goal to prod a majority of Americans into buying emission-free electric cars over the subsequent decade is a pipe dream, a former executive at three top US automakers said Sunday.
“The regulation is way ahead of the general public,” Bob Lutz — ex-exec at General Motors, Ford and Chrysler — told John Catsimatidis on WABC 770 AM’s the Cats Roundtable. “The American public isn’t ready for the broad adoption of electrical vehicles.”
“We don’t have enough electricity-generating infrastructure,” he scoffed.
President Biden goals to make electric automobile buys as much as 60% of all recent vehicle sales by 2030 to scale back carbon emissions — and make up two out of three sales by 2032.
Recent York and California each have aggressive rules to phase out gas-powered cars for electric autos.
Lutz guessed 10% to 12% of drivers might want electric cars.
“That’s good,” he said. “But the rest still wants internal combustion.”
“We don’t have enough electricity-generating infrastructure,” Bob Lutz warned.Getty Images
The inside of a Rolls Royce Spectre, the world’s first ultra-luxury all-electric super coupe.Getty Images
“This transition by 2030 is just not going to occur,” he added. “What’s going to occur is … everybody will proceed to make lots of internal-combustion vehicles, which sell. They usually’ll make electric vehicles, which even now should not selling on the pace that everyone would love.”
In response to Lutz, “what’s going to occur is that the governments … are going to must … push out the deadline. Or, if it’s an authoritarian government like China, they’ll just say, ‘You either buy an electrical vehicle or you purchase no vehicle in any respect.’
“Well, that may match in China. Nevertheless it’s not going to work in the USA or Europe. What’s going to occur … is the deadline will get pushed out and pushed out and pushed out.”
Lutz said Americans should consider buying an electrical automobile and see in the event that they prefer it.Getty Images
Lutz guessed 10% to 12% of drivers might want electric cars.Mikala Compton/USA TODAY NETWORK
Lutz said Americans should consider buying an electrical automobile and see in the event that they prefer it — particularly in the event that they’re not repeatedly driving long distances that might necessitate pit stops to charge up.
“The federal government fuel economy rules … can’t be met without broad-scale electrification. What we’re seeing is electrification [adoption] that might occur naturally, because there’s quite a bit to be said for electric vehicles. But right away, it’s being forced by governments for environmental reasons,” he said.
Also within the interview, Lutz called former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca the perfect auto boss he had — and praised current GM CEO Mary Barra, who worked under Lutz when he an executive there.
