CARazed

AutoblogGreen, quoting from an interview GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz had with the Seattle Times, recently reported that the upcoming electric car from Chevrolet will cost a little more than previously reported, but not too much more. The car is still on target for a 2010 release.

Luckily auto industry lobbyists are working hard to get a larger new car buyer tax credit for cars like the Chevy Volt. They are pushing for the $7,000 ballpark, which would make it much easier for some to buy a car like a Volt. I think it’s kind of ironic that in this case lobbyists are doing something that benefits car buyers too. Their job is usually to help influence government policy to the benefit of the companies in their industry, but in this case a tax credit for green cars helps both buyers and auto makers. Nice win-win if you ask me.

In the same Seattle Times interview Lutz said that he expected 25% to 50% of new cars built between 2020 and 2025 would be electric, powered by electricity stored in batteries or generated on-board by hydrogen. This means he’s saying within 2 years we’ll have viable electric cars available from major auto makers and in 12-17 years a very large number of cars on new car lots will be electric.

Considering the shape the economy is in, and how few people have money to buy ew cars anyway, this seems like even more reason to make your next new car a super efficient electric car, plug-in hybrid, or range extended electric cars. These cars are just a few short years away. Hang onto your car now. If you need a more efficient car buy used. Wait to buy a new car until at least 2010.