Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen recently confirmed our latest theory (HERE) that German automakers in fact hate hybrid and electric cars by saying this recently about EV's
"they're for the intellectual elite who want to show what enlightened souls they are."
And about the upcoming Chevy Volt in particular:
"a car for idiots"
and
"No one is going to pay a $15,000 premium for a car that competes with a
(Toyota) Corolla. So there are not enough idiots who will buy it."
Our basic reasoning for trying to explain why diesel cars will never sell well in America (at least when compared to Hybrids and EVs) came down to one word: tailpipe.
As in the fact that diesel have them and electric vehicles don't.
So Johan let us try to explain it this way. If diesel cars are so clean and environmentally friendly why don't you try this experiment…at least in your head.
Bring home your favorite Audi diesel and perhaps a Tesla for comparison.
Now shut yourself in the garage with the Tesla and leave it running.
You'll probably enjoy the radio until you get bored.
Now try the same thing with the Audi diesel.
How long do you think you'd live in a closed garage with the Audi running?
FYI: That's sort of your clean diesel sales problem in a nutshell.
