EVcast #40: Interview with Barry Bernsten

As much as I like Ian Clifford, and with appologies to Mr. Bernsten as well, I just do not see a large market for NEV's, especially here in Texas and probably any Western state- perhaps in more densely populated areas there may be some market- but I just don't see it- there are not many roads you can travel 25 mph on, and if you have to go across town, that makes it a LOOOONNGG drive.  Most people just don't live that close even to work here.
And frankly, most people can't afford that extra 3rd or 4th car just to be green.  That said, I do hope, however, that they are both successful- any successful EV's are good;-)  And perhaps the production of NEV's will allow ZENN and BG Motors to get into the car manufacturing field more easily while gaining the experience and exposure that will then allow them to produce full-speed EV's in the near future.

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I agree with Paul.  25mph is not practical.  If that could be 35 miles per hour, however, this might work for my wife or daughter.  They are traveling around to local schools and grocery stores.  Also, I would consider it as a third car for my (soon to be licensed) daughter and wife to share.  But the price needs to be reasonable.

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I absolutely love your Podcast.  You give good info and I enjoy the interviews with the various subjects you bring on.  As a matter of fact, I never miss a show.  With that said, I have some questions: Why are most electric cars being made so INSANELY ugly?  It almost makes me want a 'Conspiracy Alert' button of my own! But my main question is why this whole area of interest seems to be dominated by people who can talk of EV's as 2d, or even 3d cars! I happen to be a single, working class* person, who needs ONE car to get me to and from.  Eighty miles to a charge, assuming 80% of my driving is highway driving. I live in a very small town that has 3 stop lights within the city limits. My bicycle takes me every place a NEV could go, AND I can take hills...not to mention that the trip from my door to Walmart requires I drive AT LEAST 35mph.

BTW, if I were President for a day, I wouldn't penalize the use of petrol, as much as using it makes no sense and will cost us $ for quite some time. I would establish a 'finder's fee'/'bounty' to be paid to the first company that could put 1000 plug-in electric cars on the road within 1 year at an 'affordable' price.

* I define 'working class' as being those of us who MUST work in order to sustain ourselves.

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America needs to stay FOCUSED, AWARE and EDUCATED.

History reminds us that every time oil prices peak and the North American market/consumers start to discuss alternative energy sources, the oil exporting countries start to trim down their prices. History also tells us that the oil exporting nations have been very successful in the past and in fact, we have lost our enthusiasm and dropped many of our alternative energy initiatives after oil prices are reduced.

WE need to stay focused this time.

1) Al Gore and his energy initiative is on course.
2) T. Boone Pickens and his wind power initiative is on course.
3) BG Automotive Group’s mass production electric vehicle program is on
course.
4) Richard Branson from the UK is on course.
5) The Gas Reduction Act of 2008 might not be the most environmentally sound
solution, but yet it shows that Congress has finally realized that we have an
energy crisis (again), and a real threat to our national security.

The continued dependence on foreign oil is a threat to our long term democratic values. We must become an energy independent nation, and with this, some sacrifices will have to be made by the American consumer.

Be aware!!
We are exporting approximately USD $700 Billion dollars per year of U.S. currency. The majority of this money is being transferred to the Trillion dollar “sovereign wealth funds”. This is USD $700 Billion not being spent on America’s educational system, health care and security.

The “sovereign wealth funds” are directly buying major interests (large blocks of stock) in U.S. companies, including most of the major banks. Also, billions of dollars of “sovereign wealth fund” money is being invested in our hedge funds, private equity firms, and the investment banking industry. A few of these firms are directly and indirectly investing large sums of money into our “gas combustion” automobile industry. Do we want our auto industry in the direct or indirect control of the firms that are supplying us oil? This is an interesting topic for an investigative reporter.

There are automotive consulting companies in Michigan (heart of our auto industry), lobbying States and our Federal Government, NOT to subsidize the Electric Vehicle industry. The latter seems to be contradictory to what the American public would like to see from our automobile industry. After the billions (excess of $20 billion) the automotive companies have lost in the past 6 months producing gas combustion vehicles, you would think they too would change course. Changing course is not adding 2-4 miles per gallon w/Hybrids. Drastic measures in our auto industry must take place and NOW!

Do not let the temporary reduction in oil prices push us off course….AGAIN.

Read, Read, Read- Stay on top of the issues. Let’s not be fooled again.

STAY FOCUSED, AWARE and EDUCATED!

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Dude, I feel so stressed out by reading the last post.  I need to go drink some chamomile tea.

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BillB

Good luck with this BG. The cars look good from the front. Hopefully, CA will pass mid-speed laws.

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