JUN 01

The American vehicle is entering a new era. On the same day that GM is waving the white flag by announcing its bankruptcy, Boston Power – a maker of lithium-ion batteries – announces that it will build its next big plant on American soil. Boston Power’s batteries will hopefully one day find their way into electric vehicles.

Boston Power makes two kinds of batteries –which they call the “Sonata” and the “Swing”. The Sonata is a smaller battery suited for laptops, made famous over this past winter when HP chose to put them in a new line of long-life, green-marketed computers. The Swing is a larger version, intended instead for electric vehicles.

And if you, like Boston Power, are in the business of making electric vehicle parts, it’s definitely an opportune time to ask for government funding. They are already getting $9 million from the State of Massachusetts, and hope to score big with another $100 million from Uncle Sam.

So for the old generation of cars, today is a sad day. It is a day that is going to end careers and threaten the wellbeing of communities. But it’s an exciting day for the new generation of cars. This battery factory will bring hundreds of jobs to Auburn, MA. Hopefully we can reach a point where electric vehicle companies can open up plants which instantly bring economic prosperity to towns, the way GM once did. And not just short term prosperity – the kind built on limited fuels from across the globe, but sustained prosperity – the kind built on renewable power.

Via Boston Globe

Comments (5)

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Not sad at all
written by Gorton, June 06, 2009

The demise of GM is a very good thing. It provides for the whole world a very potent symbol of national decline. It helps to reinforce to Americans that they are on the way down, whilst superior Asian cultures are on the ascendency.

Why should the world care about the unemployed auto workers and related industries, it is a good thing because it means they won't have the income to purchase useless planet destroying consumer goods. It is better for the world for Americans to be unemployed.

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Gorton, you're wrong...
written by Keith J, June 09, 2009

Gorton, while I agree that GM going bankrupt is a good thing, I also know that if they have a successful re-emergence it will be with much more green vehicles. I take issue with your assertion that America is "on the way down". We are being brought down by our shady financial system and its lack of regulation, combined with unfair trade with China, and numerous other problems (unions, declining values, lack of exercise, etc.). While I agree with you that Asian cultures have superior educational values, it's wrong to think that Asian (or any) cultures are superior to anyone else. Cultural differences are what give spice and excitement to the human race. Your comment about Asian cultures "on the ascendency" sounds an awful lot like bigotry.
You're missing a key fact regarding manufacturing of planet-destroying consumer goods. America is loosing its manufacturing base, and China is taking up the slack, while also building coal-fired power plants at the rate of 1 per week. Sure, we did our part in the last century, but who's destroying the planet now???

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CEO
written by Valmach, June 18, 2009

While I agree with both points on the decline of GM and their crap cars and trucks and good riddance to an entire industry built on hate, murder, lies and deception.. I too must take exeception with Nationalism or cultrual elitism. I have lived & travelled all over Asia, -- Singapore to Cambodia Shanghai & Hongkong and let me tell you, in the this entire reginon.. Asia -- there is a level of Ignorance and stupdity well beyond the west when it comes to the financial greed, sex, human bondage, the environment & beast -- and this region is no bastion of freedom, multi-culturalism, ethnic or racial knowledge or tolerance. Wishing the worst for America is all well and good.. I am at times very anti-Americano, but we must all know that if not for America "Asia" would be exactly where it was 25 years ago today. save Hong Kong. so before we start beating up too much on the would be empire and it's political,economic and obesity failings.. Let us not forget the failed empires of the past and their demise into abject poverty and universal ignorance
of the rest of the world

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written by Valmach, June 18, 2009

While I agree with both points on the decline of GM and their crap cars and trucks and good riddance to an entire industry built on hate, murder, lies and deception.. however, I too must take exception with nationalism or cultrual elitism. I have lived & travelled all over Asia, -- Singapore to Cambodia Shanghai & Hongkong and let me tell you, in the this entire region.. Asia -- there is a level of Ignorance and stupdity well beyond that of the west when it comes to the financial greed, sex, human bondage, the environment & beast -- and this region is also no bastion of freedom, multi-culturalism, ethnic or racial knowledge or tolerance. Wishing the worst for America is all well and good.. I am at times very anti-Americano, but we must all know that if not for America "Asia" would be exactly where it was 25 years ago today. save Hong Kong. so before we start beating up too much on the would be empire and it's political,economic, enviornmental and obesity failings.. Let us not forget the failed Asian empires of the past and their demise into abject poverty and universal ignorance of the rest of the world --- with nearly half the worlds population in this region.. "Someone should have gotten it more than right by now.. don't ya think?

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written by Fred, July 24, 2009

Regardless eveything now a days are eliminating jobs, sorry but its something that just happens. sad.

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