Bye Bye Joel Ewanick… So Who’s Going to the Market the Volt Now?

So GM’s lauded Global Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick got fired and didn’t voluntarily leave? Whether or not this was the right move, a big part of GM’s global strategy is affected – selling the Chevy Volt. Ewanick played a big part in marketing the Volt, such as accepting the Green Car of the Year […]

Is Telematics Something You Can Market, or is it Just Built In?

Telematics is now expected to be in cars by consumers (along with fleets and insurance companies), but where is it coming from? What about aftermarket sales of telematics in this age of increasing OEM and in-phone telematics? Here are a few points to keep in mind: • Frost & Sullivan expects a lot of growth […]

Are Your Service Techs Ready to Handle Hybrids and EVs?

What are service managers doing to effectively service hybrid and electric vehicles and to get customers to come back? DOE’s Alternative Fuels Data Center and the SAE make a few points… 1. Hybrids and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles need routine ICE maintenance, and the electrical system (battery, motor, and associated electronics) will likely require minimal […]

Getting Butts in Seats Critical to Overcoming Fear Factor

Olympic organizers have cracked down on hydrogen fuel cell taxis in London by shutting down the city’s only hydrogen refueling station, concerned that it poses a security risk. The irony here is that every green vehicle, fuel, and technology has safety scrutiny in the background — more than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles do, even […]

Hybrid Sales and Fuel Prices

With gas prices declining, sales of hybrid and electric vehicles have remained surprisingly resilient
Sales of dedicated hybrid and alternative-energy vehicles surged more than 164 percent in June.
Toyota Prius was big winner, seeing sales surge 300% from June of 2011 – in high demand now being in four different variations