GM goes further down the dumper; NiHM battery supplier broke due to Chevron

On Feb 28, 2:14*pm, DeserTBoB > wrote:
> GM may soon be feeling some of Chrysler's pain over bankrupt
> suppliers. *The CarConnection reports Cobasys, supplier of the NiMH
> batteries used in the light-hybrid Vue, Aura and Malibu and holder of
> "a key contract in the development of GM's much-anticipated plug-in
> hybrid, the Volt," is out of money. *The battery maker lost more than
> $76m last year and expect to lose $82m this year. *To make matters
> worse, the company's joint owners, ChevronTexaco and ECD, can't agree
> on the 2008 budget. *So Cobays' operating budget is $92m short.
> Cobasys is now on GM's "distressed supplier list;" the General refuses
> to comment on the situation. *In the meantime, GM has struck a deal to
> buy batteries for its two-mode hybrid trucks from a Panasonic - Toyota
> joint venture.
>
> Note how it's ChevronTexaco who's putting the kibosh on Cobasys by
> stalling their budgeting...another move by Big Oil to stop any move
> toward electric propulsion dead in its tracks. *A Democratic
> administration will probably have the government take over funding of
> NiMH development, thus ruining this attempt by Big Oil to "defund"
> competition for their products into oblivion.
>
> To read mo
>
> http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/new...is-has-gm-buyi...


Hillary went down the dumper in a grand fashion, not GM

"William W Western" > wrote in message
news:sZMxj.16318$pM4.9748@pd7urf1no...
>> The wind chill will cause the car to cool off faster, but it won't get
>> any colder than if there is no wind chill.

> A car sitting in about -34C with no wind will
> stand a better chance starting than one sitting in -34C with a windchill
> of -46. That -46 wind chill separates the wheat from the chaff. The boys
> from the men. Winnipeg hit -38C this winter, and that was with no wind
> thank goodness.

Categorically untrue. Your car does not understand wind-chill. Wind-chill
is a reference for people only.

--

-Mike-

William W Western wrote:
>> The wind chill will cause the car to cool off faster, but it won't get
>> any colder than if there is no wind chill.
> A car sitting in about -34C with no wind will
> stand a better chance starting than one sitting in -34C with a windchill
> of -46. That -46 wind chill separates the wheat from the chaff. The boys
> from the men. Winnipeg hit -38C this winter, and that was with no wind
> thank goodness.

How can wind make air at -34 C colder than -34 C? It will cool off the
car faster, but it won't make it any cold than -34 C.

>> They make these neat things called "extension cords" that lets you
>> bring a hair drier outside.
> With a water cooled engine we use block
> heaters. Also little interior car warmers that keep the interior warm
> and the windows clear. Some people even use a battery blanket as well.
> When we drove in the States years ago (60s) with three electric cords
> and plugs hanging out the front a gas jockey in southern Minnesota asked
> if it was an electric car. We also had these clear plastic panels you
> stuck to the inside of the glass, in essence making a "sealed unit" to
> fight frost buildup. Better defroster/heaters have rendered them
> obsolete and I haven't seen them in years. Driving a British car in
> Winnipeg winters back in the 50s and 60s was particularly adventurous. A
> "demister" was no match for a 1/8" coating of frost. "Okay, quit
> breathing so much, I can't see out the bloody windscreen".
>> They also build these neat things called "garages" that let you store
>> cars in a warmer environment.
> Whaaah? Parking a car in a garage, eh? But
> where would I then store all these 8 track carts, players, and other
> assorted treasures?

Mike Marlow wrote:
> "William W Western" > wrote in message
> news:sZMxj.16318$pM4.9748@pd7urf1no...
>>> The wind chill will cause the car to cool off faster, but it won't get
>>> any colder than if there is no wind chill.
>
>> A car sitting in about -34C with no wind will
>> stand a better chance starting than one sitting in -34C with a windchill
>> of -46. That -46 wind chill separates the wheat from the chaff. The boys
>> from the men. Winnipeg hit -38C this winter, and that was with no wind
>> thank goodness.
>
> Categorically untrue. Your car does not understand wind-chill. Wind-chill
> is a reference for people only.

And other animals exposed to the cold, like dogs and cats.

"Jeff" > wrote in message
news:lkTxj.20455$Sw6.4291@trnddc06...
> William W Western wrote:
>>> The wind chill will cause the car to cool off faster, but it won't get
>>> any colder than if there is no wind chill.
>> A car sitting in about -34C with no wind will
>> stand a better chance starting than one sitting in -34C with a windchill
>> of -46. That -46 wind chill separates the wheat from the chaff. The boys
>> from the men. Winnipeg hit -38C this winter, and that was with no wind
>> thank goodness.
>
> How can wind make air at -34 C colder than -34 C? It will cool off the car
> faster, but it won't make it any cold than -34 C.
>


You well know how this works Jeff - the wind blows some of those electrons
away, robbing the car of its full starting power.

--

-Mike-

"Jeff" > wrote in message
news:1mTxj.20456$Sw6.5859@trnddc06...
> Mike Marlow wrote:
>> "William W Western" > wrote in message
>> news:sZMxj.16318$pM4.9748@pd7urf1no...
>>>> The wind chill will cause the car to cool off faster, but it won't get
>>>> any colder than if there is no wind chill.
>>
>>> A car sitting in about -34C with no wind will
>>> stand a better chance starting than one sitting in -34C with a windchill
>>> of -46. That -46 wind chill separates the wheat from the chaff. The boys
>>> from the men. Winnipeg hit -38C this winter, and that was with no wind
>>> thank goodness.
>>
>> Categorically untrue. Your car does not understand wind-chill.
>> Wind-chill is a reference for people only.
>
> And other animals exposed to the cold, like dogs and cats.

Well yeah - but they don't complain about it.

--

-Mike-

>> How can wind make air at -34 C colder than -34 C? It will cool off the
>> car faster, but it won't make it any cold than -34 C.
Of course wind chill readings are always prefaced by
"feels like". But at any rate what I said was:
A car sitting in about -34C with no wind will
stand a better chance starting than one sitting in -34C with a windchill
of -46. Which says nothing about cold or colder, just what I observed this
past winter out on my street. And what CAA wait times would likely confirm.
I dunno. Come spend 30 days here next January or February and find out. As
wind chill readings rise the time required to freeze exposed flesh drops. I
work outside in all weather and can assure all that -46/-56 wind chill
separates the men from the boys and you will need to warm up more frequently
than at -34 and no wind. And I wouldn't want to "currently" depend on an
electric car here.

>Hillary went down the dumper in a grand fashion, not GM
Speaking of wind chill.

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:13:54 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
> wrote:

>> And other animals exposed to the cold, like dogs and cats.
>
>Well yeah - but they don't complain about it. <snip>

Oh yeah, they do! If I'd leave my Buster out in the cold morn air
after taking his morning constitutional, he'd sure bang on the door to
have me let him into the warm house!

Sidebar: Dogs aren't affected by "wind chill" on the same magnitude
as humans, as they do not sweat except through their tongues and feet.
"Wind chill" is a psychometric phenomenon, similar to what happened
when you measure atmospheric moisture with a psychrometer...the wick
on the wet bulb thermometer shows a depressed temperature from the dry
bulb due to evaporation of water. Same happens to people or any
animal that sweats through the skin.

It does NOT affect cars, except to cool them down to atmospheric
temperature faster.

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:31:42 GMT, "William W Western"
> wrote:

>>Hillary went down the dumper in a grand fashion, not GM
> Speaking of wind chill. <snip>

"Zito" Noodles isn't "wind chill"...he's "bad gas"...probably from
eating that tainted homemade sauSEECH again!

Do not be surprised to see her take Ohio and Texas. Obama peaked too
early this time, and her support among women in Ohio is 17-18% now,
depending on which poll you glean, and now up to 14% in Texas,
according to Quinnipiac.

Doesn't matter; either of them can beat McCain handily. Once McCain
melts down into sludge on the stump (as he always does) it'll be game
over. Also, now, it looks like the Dems will be able to assuredly
pick up four seats in the Senate, with MAYBE a fifth...thus giving
them cloture power again. That will make the GOP in the Senate
irrelevant.