Disqus - Latest Comments for MattKelly

Re: GM Vice-Chair Bob Lutz Explains It All

MattKelly — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:11:03 -0000

I like Bob. He speaks without a filter and as a journalist I like his authenticity. And whether it's to combat global warming or to get us off foreign oil, the Volt will be a game changer when it appears and Lutz's comittment to it will help insure it's arrival. I for one am waiting to buy a new car until the Volt appears as I don't ever want to pull into a service station again, unless its because I have to use the restroom!

Re: Who Killed the Fuel Cell Car?

MattKelly — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:19:50 -0000

Having just attended the National Hydrogen Assoc's annual conference in Sacramento, I can assure you, GM isn't abandoning hydrogen. Larry Burns, GM's VP for RD and Strategic Planning just gave a speech about GM's hydrogen and calling on gov't to fund the infrastructure. Hydrogen Forecast has an interview with Larry here: http://www.hydrogenforecast.com/ArticleDetails....

Re: Who Killed the Fuel Cell Car?

MattKelly — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:01:35 -0000

I was surprised too! Especially when you hear GM's Larry Burns make the remarks himself. An audio podcast of his keynote address at the NHA conference in Sacramento is here: http://www.gmnext.com/uploads/assets/nha%20-%20...

Re: The Myers Motors NmG Electric Vehicle

MattKelly — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:49:15 -0000

I wish these guys all the success in the world. But $36k for a SOV (Single Occupant Vehicle)? Are you kidding me? The Volt by GM is said to cost about as much and if I had to pick between the two, i'd go for the Volt. I did an interview with a company spokesman awhile back--you can listen to it here: http://www.podtech.net/classic/1695/myers-motor...

Re: Are you a hypermiler?

MattKelly — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:23:04 -0000

I know what you mean Jewellery. It can be intimidating being in front of those drivers. My suggestion is to just slow down even more, or to even jam on the brakes. If they hit you, that's their fault--their insurance rates will let them know they need to slow down and cool it. I used to be one of those drivers years ago, and I do confess, sometimes in LA I can still get that road rage feeling, but I still see plenty of cars speed by me all the time, and it makes me laugh when I finally get to the red light and there they are sitting there too!

Re: Hypermiling Becoming More Popular as Gas Prices Rise

MattKelly — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:13:19 -0000

The great thing is hypermiling doesn't just have to happen in a hybrid. I spoke with a hypermiler who owned a Yaris and was getting 52 mpg I believe. A couple links to check out and listen to if you like: http://www.podtech.net/classic/3634/hypermiling. Also at last years Hybridfest, I spoke with Eric Powers who hypermiles, and Bill Kinney who drove from the Seattle, WA area for the event and hypermiled they whole way. http://www.podtech.net/classic/3725/meet-hyperm...>

Re: H2 And You: The Debate at TreeHugger

MattKelly — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:37:46 -0000

I've had an in-depth conversation with Dan Nocera, the Henry Dreyfus Professor of Energy at MIT who has beend studying this for years and is wayyyyyy deep into it, more than I could ever be. http://blog.gmnext.com/?p=114 The bottom line is that in 30 years or so, our global energy needs even with the most ardent of conservation methods, is going to triple to 45 terrawatts, 45-trillion watts, of energy. Where are we going to get this energy? Hydrogen. His big idea is sunlight+water=fuel. Perhaps the tehcnology in place now isn't the most efficient for storing or making hydrogen, but technology will develop to answer the need. Right now GM is helping with standards and practices for automotive onboard storage of hydrogen, a necessary step for automotive adoption of this technology. And GM's Larry Burns and Toyota as well, issued a call for the development of the infrastructure, pegging the cost at $2 million per fueling station and strategically placing 12,000 of them to reach 70% of the U.S. population, at a total cost of $24 billion. Now for me personally, seeing what is spent on a monthly level in Iraq would more than pay for this infrastructure in a very short period of time if the fed'l gov't deemed it a priority. Listen to his address to the NHA Conference here : http://www.gmnext.com/uploads/assets/TheFutureo...>

Re: A Story about Losing, Leaving and Buying It All Back

MattKelly — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:18:06 -0000

I also lost everything in a fire and it was one of the most freeing experiences I have ever had. Intense yes and at times incredibly emotional afterwards, but I realized it was just stuff and there was so much energy invested in it. Within a couple weeks I had decided to move to across country and it was the best decision I ever made because it gave me something no possession could, experiences. Sadly I have accumulated alot since then, also lugging it around in boxes, often never unpacking some. I just recently moved again from a one bedroom house with a detached studio, to a single room studio apt and finally decided due to space, to rid myself again of stuff I hadn't used or seen in months, sometimes years. And if I hadn't seen or used it in that time, did I really need it? No. I love living simply as it actually adds more to my life, and my bank account, and allows so much more to come in, in terms again of experiences.

Re: Los Angeles Approves Plan to Seed Clouds for Rain with Silver Iodide

MattKelly — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:36:57 -0000

As an LA resident, I am always aghast at how much rainwater is wasted. Invest some money in infrastructure to capture this wonderful asset. Not exactly sure how, other than through the sewer system which would entail digging up streets to divert this water to catchment systems and that would negatively impact an already irksome traffic pattern in the city. What do viewers think of some sort of gov't incentive to hoeowners who build cisterns in all new construction?? Wehn I was in Bermuda, it was amazing that most all the homes had this setup--of course they have different weather patterns than here. I'd love to hear some ideas from this audience...

Re: Driving the Hydrogen Powered Fuel Cell Equinox

MattKelly — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:50:50 -0000

To John Taylor: "What GM has failed to even consider putting into it's line up is a BEV. The future is Battery Electric Vehicles. We see zero effort from GM to even consider this, or to make any sort of public recharge facilities available."

GM is devoting billions to next gen personal transportation alternatives--the Volt being on the front lines, capable of getting 40 miles all electric and an extended range of 400 miles. They have even discussed an-all battery version of the car for urban commuters. As to your claim about making any public recharging facilities available--is that GM's responsibility??????? So they have to make the car, develop the battery technology AND build the nationwide infrastructure of recharging facilities? Should they make the tires the cars run on too? And build the highways they drive on? And build garages for people to house the car in? Let's get real here. No automaker can go it alone when it comes to buliding an infrastructure for this new emissions-free transportation system we all seek. There has to be a partnership with government as well. Here in the US-the Fed gives massive subsidies to Big Oil with no caveat to produce alt fuels (as I understand it) and spent trillions building our Interstate Highway system to speed the growth of the nation's economy and for national security. So whether it be a mandate of alt fuel pumps at filling stations-ethanol, bio-diesel, hydrogen, or a charging infrastructure--Gov't needs to step up to the plate here with assistance and help insure it arrives sooner rather than later. Automakers can't do it alone, especially not in today's economy.

Re: Cop Attacks Cyclist, Charges Him with \"Resisting Arrest\"

MattKelly — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:15:02 -0000

The policeman is quite lucky that Mr. Long did not suffer serious bodily injury. With a body check like that, tumbling from a bicycle at that speed could have caused a broken bone, a concussion, perhaps hitting a pole or curb and knocking out teeth or worse. In such a case, based on the video, a jury who viewed it I believe would surely find the individual policeman as well as the city quite liable to a hefty judgement award against them both.

that being said, I am not a fan of Critical Mass myself, even though I support bicyclists rights. Any activism that breaks laws to raise awareness of other laws which puts others in danger, to me, is not an appropriate response.

Re: GM Introduces Plug-in Hybrid- in 1969

MattKelly — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:40:20 -0000

So let me get this right--when Honda takes back the Clarity, which costs leaseholders, not owners, (just like the EV1) $600/mo, will everyone be crying, Honda Killed the Hydrogen Vehicle?

Re: GM's Bob Lutz: "I don't believe in the CO2 theory"

MattKelly — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:39:31 -0000

If Bob doesn't believe in global warming so what? He wants the car more to help ween American's off of foreign oil. That's enough for me. It's been through the leadership of executives LIKE him that have actually made the Volt a reality. I personally don't give a rat's ass what he believes, just build the car for the masses.