Transcript of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Remarks at the L.A. Auto Show

 

Good morning, everybody.  Are you all having a good time here in Los Angeles?  Very nice, great enthusiasm today.  Let’s hear it again.  Are you all having a good time in Los Angeles?  Very good.  Now I like that.  Thank you. 

 

Well, it is great to be here today at the Los Angeles Car Show.  This is, of course, not the first one; as a matter of fact this is a very special time this year, because it is the 100th Los Angeles Auto Show, so for 100 years we have had this car show here.  And of course it is one of the premiere car shows in the world, it’s getting bigger every year.  And I have been a part of this show since 1968, since I have come to this country, and have enjoyed the growth of this car show every year.  And this year, as a matter of fact, it’s getting really big.  It has, I think, over 1,000 cars that are displayed here, 47 different manufactures.  There will be over a million people coming through this car show.

 

And I’m, of course, here today not only because I enjoy the great revenues, as the governor of the great State of California—when we have millions of people coming through here that means revenues for the state, and that’s exactly what we need—but we are actually here for a very important reason, for another reason, and that is we want to put the spotlight on alternative fuel vehicles. 

 

As you all know, California has taken the leadership role in fighting global warming and cleaning our environment, and we have worked very hard to pass laws in the last few years to make sure that we are fighting global warming and do everything to clean our environment, if it is the Ocean Action Plan, if it is building hydrogen fueling stations up and down our state, if it is the Million Solar Roof Initiative, the Green Building Initiative, or just recently passing AB 32, which means that we made a commitment as a state to roll back the greenhouse gas emissions to the 1990 level, all of those kinds of things that we are committed to do. 

 

But, of course, every industry has to participate in this in order to keep our environment clean, or to clean our environment and to keep our future generations protected.  And this is why we also challenged the car manufacturers to come in and to do their part.  And so the cars of the future, the cars that are clean, will be the cars of the future, of the automobile industry, and also the future of California, because we have taken the lead in environmental protection and promoting alternative fuels, and we have called on everyone in the car industry to be part of this environmental revolution.  We challenged the car companies to be innovative, to think outside the box, to think beyond gasoline, and to deliver cleaner and more efficient cars.

 

So today I want to say thank you to the car manufacturers that are here today.  Thank you for these groundbreaking new cars that we are displaying here.  There are actually 18 cars that are displayed at this car show—as a matter of fact, there are 5 of them right behind me here that we are highlighting. 

 

These are cars from Honda, FCX, which converts natural gas to hydrogen.  Then we have BMW, the Hydrogen 7 Series, which runs on hydrogen or gasoline.  We have the Telsa Roadster, an electric car that gets 250 miles per charge.  Then we have the Chevy E85 Tahoe, a FlexFuel car that runs on an ethanol and gasoline mix.  Then we have the Mercedes Benz E320 Bluetech that is a diesel car that has 20 percent lower emissions than gasoline, and the list goes on and on.  And so these are really fantastic vehicles, the vehicles of the future. 

 

And I just wanted to say that when we challenged the car manufacturers or other industries, what happened, the first reaction from some of them was, “Well, we can’t do it.  We can’t make this happen.  It will take 10 or 20 years.”  Others said, “We’re going to sue you.”  All kinds of different reactions we got.  I just want to ask every one of those people, get on board.  Get on the train.  The train has left and we are moving forward, that is the important thing, because we all have the responsibility to protect our environment and to do our share. 

 

So I think that this is really remarkable, all these cars that we have here.  And I want to thank the CEOs and the designers and the workers that worked on those cars, and everyone that had the vision and the confidence to make these cars become a reality.  And with the help of those car manufacturers, we will make California the leader in alternative energy and in clean-burning cars.  I know that by working together we can protect our state, we can protect our future generations. 

 

So now I want to bring out some of those CEOs, all car manufacturers, to talk a little bit about their own products here that are behind me, and highlight those products.  The first speaker that I want to come out is Dr. Michael Ganal, who is a board member of BMW AG, and he is going to talk about the BMW Hydrogen 7 Series, a fantastic luxury car which runs on hydrogen or on gasoline.  Please, if you’ll come out, and give him a big hand.  (Applause)

 

 

Honorable Governor Schwarzenegger, ladies and gentlemen, it’s a great honor that we have the chance to present the new BMW 7 Hydrogen to you on this sunny morning.  We are all undertaking a lot of efforts in reducing fuel consumption, reducing pollution.  At the end of the day, there is only one solution; this is hydrogen.  The day will come when we will generate hydrogen out of regenerative energies, and the day will come when we will power our cars by hydrogen.  This means no exploitation of natural resources anymore; this means no pollution anymore.  We know there is a far way to go, and the new BMW Hydrogen 7 is a big step towards the future.  Thank you.  (Applause)

 

 

The next I would like to have come out is Dr. Herbert Kohler, the Vice-President of DaimlerChrysler.  He’s going to talk a little bit about the Mercedes E320 Bluetech Diesel.  This is a very special car that has 20 percent lower emissions than gasoline, so of course we welcome that, so thank you very much.  Please.  Thank you.  (Applause)

 

 

Thank you, Mr. Governor.  Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.  We are on the train the Governor mentioned, and I brought with me that Bluetech diesel car.  It’s one of our activities of advanced powertrain activities besides what we are doing with fuel cell and hybrids.  That car is prepared for the market.  Now, it’s important that we can run that tomorrow together with customers here and gives us the opportunity to reduce fuel consumption in comparison to a gasoline engine around about 30 to 35 percent.  We are running about 35 miles per gallon with that car here.  And you mentioned that it is as clean as a gasoline engine, or even cleaner than that.  And therefore I think it is a good step forward, one would say a leapfrog in that technology, in order to be present here in the most interesting market worldwide with the lowest emission rate and a very, very good fuel consumption.  Thank you.  (Applause)

 

 

Thank you very much.  Next we have Beth Lowery, who is the Vice-President of General Motors.  She’s going to talk a little bit about the Chevy E85 Tahoe, a flex fuel car that runs on ethanol and gasoline mix.  Please welcome Beth Lowery.  (Applause)

 

 

Thank you so much.  It’s a great privilege to be here representing General Motors, and we decided to talk about E85 ethanol in our Chevy Tahoe.  We had a great announcement yesterday; our Chairman and CEO talked about energy diversity, and a plug-in hybrid.  But we wanted to also show what is possible here in California with biofuels, so we have our E85 ethanol.  And we’re also privileged to be bringing stations also to California, 15 stations that will be here, because we have a grant from the DEO.  So I think all working together we can make biofuels a reality.  So I really appreciate the opportunity, and now we can look at General Motors’ Tahoe.  (Applause)

 

 

Next is Ben Knight, Vice-President of Honda, Honda FCX, which converts natural gas to hydrogen.  Please welcome Ben Knight.

 

 

Thank you, Governor.  Good morning, Governor, and thanks for inviting Honda to be here with you today.  The hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that we will reveal in a moment is the Honda FCX Concept.  It’s a drivable car, and it represents a breakthrough in fuel cell power train technology.  The key to this vehicle’s design and high performance is a new ultra-compact, highly efficient fuel cell stack arranged in an innovative layout under the center armrest.  Our continuing efforts to overcome remaining hurdles to widespread marketability and clearly establish Honda’s fuel cell leadership position is this new concept, delivering great styling, substantially improved range, handling, and a highly refined and spacious functional interior.  It’s also a true zero-emission vehicle. 

 

And moving forward, we’re delighted to report that starting in 2008 Honda will begin limited marketing of the next generation fuel cell vehicle based on the concept that you see here.  Thanks again, Governor, for the opportunity to join you, and let’s unveil the car now.  (Applause)

 

 

Fantastic.  And now next we have Martin Eberhard, who is the CEO of Tesla Motors.  And, of course, this is one of the great cars, Tesla Roadster, an electric car that gets 250 miles per charge.  I test drove this one; it’s hot.  Please.  (Applause)

 

 

Thank you very much.  Thank you, Governor Schwarzenegger.  It’s an honor for me to be here today.  Tesla Motors is a new company focused on creating desirable, high performance, zero emission vehicles.  Tesla Motors believes that electric cars are by far the best choice for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and for American energy independence because they allow diversity of energy production, from coal and natural gas to wind and solar power, and because a well designed electric car breaks a compromise between performance and efficiency. 

 

Today we’re showing our first car, the Tesla Roadster, a high performance, carbon fiber and aluminum sports car that does 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds, and goes up to 250 miles on a charge without using a drop of gasoline, and costing only pennies per mile to drive.  The Tesla Roadster is for sale right now.  First deliveries will be late next summer.  For more information, please come to our website, teslamotors.com.  Gentlemen, please uncover the Tesla Roadster.  Thank you very much.  (Applause)

 

 

Well, thank you very much for all of these great, great cars.  I want to just say this is really exciting to me as governor to know that there is a great, great future in the car industry and also for our state.  I also want to say thank you very much to Linda Adams, who is our Secretary of the Environmental Protection Agency.  Linda, come on out here for a second.  Come on out here.  Please give her a big hand.  She is in charge of keeping our environment here in California clean.  Thank you very much.  (Applause)

 

Thank you for your great work, we really appreciate that.  And now I would like to have all of the speakers come out so we take a group shot right here in front of us.  And Linda, if you could stay with us also, please. 

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