regardingjohn

How to fix the Car Industry

Disclaimer: This probably won’t actually fix the car industry, but it makes sense to me as a direction.We’ve got a great mass of industry still left in the U.S. but they’re making products that do not make sense in the economically- and energy-challenged world that we’re living in. My not-especially-brilliant-but-sensible idea is to convert them to green:

1. Stop making cars until current inventory is sold. Sell them as cheap as possible. While they’re being sold. Keep paying assembly workers, but pay them to meet and come up with better ideas, and to be trained. This will cut costs because there will not be raw materials being used. Obviously, this will affect some of the industries that supply parts to the big three. Get them in the room around the table, and ask for their input and ideas as well.
2. Meanwhile, engineers need to finalize plans and ramp up for the next generation of vehicles (and supply lines). If I were benevolent dictator, I’d make a requirement for x-billion dollar loan than they partner up with greener technologies like:
   • Tesla
   • Zap
   • Vectrix
   • and that guy who’s developing the air-powered motor (Engineair of Australia)
3. Recognizing that electric or air-powered vehicles might not arrive next month (but they might, if we’re really serious), when existing inventory is gone, start making new versions of only the most efficient vehicle in each class. In other words, the big three put all their best technologies into only one vehicle each of the following classes, which they will put out to compete with the other 2 companies: 2-passenger, 4-passenger, 6-passenger, 8-passenger, 4×4 SUV, 10-14 passenger, bus, panel truck, etc. There can still be options and accessories for them (paint, upholstery, etc.) but the line would be incredibly simplified and standardized — following, in many ways, the Apple computer models.
4. Convert the factories that are not making these vehicles into factories that make windmills, solar panels, buses or trains or some of the next generation vehicles (in #2).
5. Any assembly workers who don’t keep their jobs get 2-years of technical or state college paid for (with a stipend for living). If they go into green technologies, they get 4-years paid for.

Before long, we have 3 mainstream companies competing with each other in the production and assembly of electric/hybrid scooters and cars, efficient buses and trucks, solar- and wind- powered charging stations (off-grid, on-grid, residential and small-business sized. Industry and other large-scale power needs might still be best met by the current energy industry — although they should go greener too.We also will have a large population going back to school for further training and development in green technologies. This will help infuse our schools with capital, and encourage them to focus more on sustainable practices.Next up, health-care… (maybe)