text: portland imc - 2009.09.26 - Alexander: Electric Vehicles Could Save Jobs for Auto Workers
  newswire article reporting united states 26.Sep.2009 06:07
  The day when Toyota closes the Fremont, California plant, 4,700 auto workers will be added to California's unemployment lines and tens of thousands of additional workers that supply parts for the plant will also be out of work. Now there is a seed of hope that the NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.) auto workers may keep their jobs manufacturing electric cars; this is what Stewart Alexander is ready to promise if elected to be California Governor in 2010.
  Alexander is hoping to create a joint venture between the State of California and an electric car manufacturer that will be able to build reasonably priced electric vehicles that will be affordable for most American families. The electric vehicles that CT&T will be manufacturing will range in price from $7,000 to $17,000. Also, the cost to maintain and operate most electric vehicle are far less than conventional cars; especially when the cost of fuel is considered. The electric vehicles that are presently produced by CT&T have a low driving range; however, most U.S. drivers will travel less than 50 miles per day traveling to work, school and to run local errands.
  Toyota has scheduled the NUMMI plant to close near the beginning of 2010. Alexander is estimating that the NUMMI plant could be fully operational by early 2011 manufacturing electric vehicles. Alexander says, "Building electric vehicles could create more than 100,000 jobs throughout Northern California and would keep 4,700 auto workers off the unemployment lines."