Audi Exec Throws Jabs at Chevy Volt, Future EVs

It’s no secret that German automakers seem to think that diesel power is a more lucrative alternative to electric vehicles, but Audi of America’s president Johan de Nysschen hammered home that message today with some not so friendly words. In regard to the highly anticipated Chevrolet Volt that may or may not be the savior for General Motors, de Nysschen said that the Volt is a car for idiots and didn’t have too many kind words for EVs either. Friendly competitive banter between automakers or selfless plugging of your own technology is fine and all, but tossing blatant insults at consumers is rarely  a good idea.

Chevrolet’s Volt has had a huge target on its back ever since GM claimed that it will get 230 miles per gallon, but de Nysschen’s problem with the car is the price at which it will start. Chevy estimates that before federal tax credits or any other incentives, the Volt will have an MSRP close to $40,000 when it goes on sale later next year as a 2011 model. Riding on the same platform as the upcoming Cruze (set to replace the Cobalt), the Volt will essentially be a technologically advanced compact hatchback to which de Nysschen says: “No one is going to pay a $15,000 premium for a car that competes with a [Toyota] Corolla. So there are not enough idiots who will buy it.”

So the Volt will be much more expensive when its high-tech Voltec extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) platform debuts, but what about less expensive EVs such as the 2011 Nissan LEAF which is expected to start closer to the price of the current Prius. Although de Nysschen spared hybrids and plug-in hybrids (as Porsche, Audi and VW will all offer these vehicles in the future), he added to his tirade by saying that electric vehicles are for the inllectual elite trying to show off. I can’t really say I disagree with this seeing how some Prius drivers act, but he went on to say that he thinks EVs will add to our global carbon dioxide emissions due to coal-burning electric power plants.

Although these sentiments shouldn’t exactly come as a surprise to anybody as Audi is currently flaunting diesel versions of the Q7 and A3 around the country, we just think opting the whole middle school peer pressure tactic may come back to bite Audi in the long run. It is no secret that Audi is preparing to introduce an electric car at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month possibly based on the Audi R8, so it is baffling as to why the company’s president would make such remarks. As cool as the R8 is, who would buy an electric vehicle from a company whose president doesn’t believe in the future of electric vehicles?

Evidence of the electric R8 comes from Audi itself as the above image was grabbed mini-site it set up called, www.electricityuntamed.com. As much of a niche performance vehicle the R8 already is, a pure electric version would just add to that by providing zero emissions and instantaneous power for which electric vehicles are known. Audi’s German rival, Mercedes-Benz, is also planning an electric supercar based on the upcoming SLS AMG Gullwing. Only time will tell whether diesel fuel or electric power will power future cars, but with growing environmental concerns globally and only a finite amount of fossil fuels on Earth, our money is on EVs.