----- Original Message ----- From: Bruce EVangel Parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2002 7:28 AM Subject: Re: Chinese EVs
> Bob's POST inspired some searches which give interesting > reading: > > http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=chinese+cars > http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=chinese+electric+vehicle > http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=chinese+electric+automobiles > > The Chinese have and are selling ICE vehicles. Chinese EVs > are fine with me, but I hope that their marketing is > tailored to their markets. > > When I was stationed in Taiwan, one of the popular car > companies was Yue-Loong. It was designed for the Chinese > stature (like the REVA, it was not made for 6 ft+ > Californians). > Hi Bruce an' All; Yes! I was stationed in Taiwan, too. Yue Loong was the state owned Co to get an auto manufacturing business going in Taiwan. Good thinking on their part, to protect the local econonomy from foreign compitition, car was rather pricy, at the time, about 5000 US twice the price of the Japanese Datsun that it was a clone. When I was there 1960-65, there was talk of 3 more outfits starting up, they did. I had tried to make a go of it then, like Henry Ford, in a little shop I had rented. Did have a working NEV type up and running in the streets of Tai Chung, a city in central Taiwan, a cab over pickup style, running 48 volts of 6 8-D truck batteries running two Westinghouse Golf cart motors. Would do about 28 mph, for 40 miles. Not having any "In" with local govt. agencys. Couldn't do it Henry Ford's way, them daze are over. No large amounts of money to invest in a plant to build the cars. At a local level, I could build the car 100 percent local materials, have motors ,controls and batteries made in Tai Chung, checked it out. But getting Govt OK was a problem, as I didn't have a Company or could afford to start one. My Chinese friend who was in it with me, and I were discussing all this recently. Hah! Monday mourning Quarterbacking, so to speak Like we SHOUD have gone to the Economic people and offered the EV thing up, gratus to the Taiwan Govt to develop, with our help, of course! In looking back, wouldn't have cared if I got rich on it, just a full rice bowl EVery day. You could have done it, going with local politics. Had to sorta admire the protection local talent and industry thing they had going, back then. Here we give away the store and pay them to take it away, technology,wise. I now have fond memories, a few movies of EVing in Taiwan, and lasting friendships with Taiwanese people to this day.OT a bit, sorry, but the mention of Taiwan EVoke memories. > In the 70's drove an Aurenthetic (E-minibike) to school > and work that was made in Taiwan, imported to and > distributed from L.A., and assembled at local dealerships. > It worked great for several years, until my local dealer > went for ICE profits (no support). > > We all know the problem with selling Novas in the Spainish > Speaking countries. > > So, perhaps with the constructive feedback from EV drivers, > the Chinese EVs that are introduced aren't named: > Long-duc-dong or any other name where the US Automaker > paid media will have a field day. > Yeah! Toyopet didn't last for long here ether. North Star isn't bad, Red Flag is out, I'm sure the Chinese can come up with something like Riva from India > >From what I have seen, Chinese vehicle names that instill > Chinese buyers, will have a negative effect in English > speaking countries. > Probably so, they must renane some of our stuff to appeal to the Chinese name thing. Mc Donalds and Coca Cola didn't have a problem, though. > Whether it is right or not, the naming scheme that is used > by the US ICE automakers should be followed. Being different > is a harder sell. I hope they do their marketing right. > Amen! Seeya Bob
