A crock of sales?

When GM's Vice Chairman of Product Development Robert Lutz declared that "global warming is a crock" to a group of reporters, he was expressing his own personal opinion (according to Lutz) and was surprised at the attention - and reaction - his comments garnered. On GM's Fast Lane blog, Lutz went on to say: "My thoughts on what has or hasn’t been the cause of climate change have nothing to do with the decisions I make to advance the cause of General Motors."


Mr. Lutz is correct in asserting his right to believe or disbelieve in climate change, just as we are all free to wonder whether or not his strongly stated personal beliefs might influence the decisions that he is making in his role in developing new products for General Motors. It is important to note that actions speak louder than words and as BreenBiz has noted, Lutz has overseen an increased focus on the development of low carbon vehicles at GM.

It is possible to think with your 'corporate head' and put aside personal opinions to do what is best in the eyes of "the market" - consumers, communities, employees, etc. Perhaps Mr. Lutz is doing just that.


Fortunately, we do not have to speculate. The answer will be clear in the showrooms of GM dealers over the course of the next few years. And people are free to 'vote with their wallets' and decide for themselves if they see a value in purchasing the hybrid cars or diesels that Lutz considers 'uneconomic.' If past sales (see chart) are an indication, people have already decided that he's wrong. It may not be economic for consumers, but clearly hybrid cars have been an intelligent choice for manufacturers.

Personally, I look forward to seeing all automakers looking for ways to improve fuel economy and pollution without compromising safety.