I wanted to write about GM, because it's such an iconic American company. My initial thought was to try to write an inside account of how this mighty corporation tries to get out of the fixed event. It did establish some contact with GM. What was especially interesting about the vault to write about is, in some ways, the technological challenge is the least of what they're doing. In order to make this car GM has basically had to shred the rulebook for car making. They're breaking all the rules. Not the first time they've done this - you can come back and talk about the Saturn. Some other things.
Jonathan Rauch, of the Brookings Institution and the Atlantic Monthly, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the evolution of the Chevy Volt, GM's planned electric car. Due to the transparency of GM's effort, Rauch was able to spend a great deal of time on site at GM writing a piece for the Atlantic Monthly on GM's plans and hopes. Rauch discusses the huge risks, GM's past failures, and GM's hopes that the Volt might change the company's culture. The conversation closes with a discussion of competitors and the implications for energy policy.