According to Bob Lutz, the Vice Chairman of GM, people are going to have to get with it.  He believes it isn’t acceptable to do business as usual.

Lutz is promoting the latest green technology put out by GM.  However, while claiming that GM will meet the demands of the market, and difficult U.S. regulations for fuel economy, he warns consumers that they are going to have to be prepared to pay.  Not only will consumers be paying the sticker price, maintenance costs, and an auto warranty, they will also be paying for advanced technology.

Lutz suggests that drivers in America will have to pay up to $10,000 more per car to maintain the trucks, cars and crossovers that are available today.  This is because it costs more to manufacture materials that are lighter weight and advanced.

Although there is a great deal of attention being placed on fuel efficiency and global warming, Lutz questions if consumers in the U.S. are really all that serious about technology for higher mileage.  He believes that even though gas prices over the last year were around $3 a gallon, they don’t have a big impact on the average consumer.  It is costing an average commuter an extra $20 to $30 per week in gas.