Following a media storm over his comments calling the Chevrolet Volt a “car for idiots”, Audi president Johan de Nysschen has released a statement explaining his side of the story. The Audi chief says he doesn’t recall specifically labeling the Volt as a car for idiots, but is dubious about the immediate viability of electric cars.
de Nysschen expresses doubt about several aspects of the electric car, but particularly takes issue with the Volt’s projected $40,000 price tag. “The 50 percent or so price increase that the Volt represents over a similar gasoline car cannot be offset through the savings from reduced fuel consumption,” de Nysschen said. “The only way to offset the extreme premium for the Volt is through taxpayer-funded subsidies. So I question if that makes economic sense.”
He also says that he is wary of the environmental impact of electric vehicles. Although electric vehicles would have no emissions themselves, de Nysschen thinks that the electrification of the automobile will only “shift greenhouse gas emissions from the tailpipes of cars to the smokestacks of coal-burning utilities”.
Despite de Nysschen’s views, Audi is still developing its own hybrid and electric vehicles, with one example possibly set for a Frankfurt preview. However, Audi’s core competence lies in diesel technology, so expect the German automaker to rely more heavily on clean diesel than EVs in the short term.
