Honda leaving - possible alternatives?

[*_ash_* 88]

Didn't post this before, as will obviously be torn apart on here these days (and sounds a bit idealism, and I've never certainly never that! this is a genuine question)

 

here goes:

 

Honda announced stop making cars in Britain.

3,500 workers out of work.

reasons, are either brexit or not brexit, blah blah, whatever...

-

Current situation:

We have:

1. Huge car producing site

2. 3,500 skilled car producers

3. Both going in 2 years.

Idea:

1. The workers/or government open a company, with shares (at say £10 each)

2. Raise 2 billion* (1b by government, of which shares could be bought by public if other billion sells out, or at any time later)

 

*random figure, but adjust the figures and share, I just though 2bill sounds like good start

2.1 buy site and machinery (as it's  outdated, Honda said, and would be upgraded)

3. Offer all staff shares for £5 (with their pay-offs) to buy into their own company

4. 2 years to decide on 2 models to produce, (perhaps 1 first though)

5. build 1 small car (800cc turbo petrol engine to back up electric charge, with electric batteries to charge electric motors to drive (much like the LEVC taxi) - they could compete with toyota egos, and the french citreon/peugeot/renault version, that all could be subject to tariffs soon.

6. same as above but car to compete with prius for general use, and suitable for PHV taxis (huge market).

-

 

Yes, I admit, I've idealised this, (which isn't my usual train of thought),  but I can't think of many things to counter it.

 

We're supposed to have the brains in the UK, so what part of it is a problem?

 

(p.s. use money from failed HS2, and although I'm not for subsidy government route, if worst came to worst, it would be a white elephant, however, if the workers snapped up all the shares with pay off, that would give me instant confidence in their capability of making it work, so I would buy into it)

 

[tinfoilhat 11]

Youre asking this question to residents of a city where an airport was built and then sold off in a short space of time for a quid. How about zero hours contracts at their local sports direct or Maccies? Realistically that site has amazon warehouse written all over it.

[*_ash_* 88]

1 minute ago, tinfoilhat said:

Youre asking this question to residents of a city where an airport was built and then sold off in a short space of time for a quid. How about zero hours contracts at their local sports direct or Maccies? Realistically that site has amazon warehouse written all over it.

Could we convince them to make cars then?  Would probably be cheap and reliable.

 

 

 

[tinfoilhat 11]

1 minute ago, *_ash_* said:

Could we convince them to make cars then?  Would probably be cheap and reliable.

 

 

 

Or you could vote corbyn and he coukd turn it into a state owned tractor factory.

 

What you suggesting requires planning, knowledge and investment and money from our government - all of which are in short supply!

[Top Cats Hat 10]

The motor industry, like the aviation industry is a hugely competative business and requires huge capital investment and the ability to take huge hits (Airbus never made a single penny  from the A380 which cost €25 billion to develop)..

 

If I was to use the resources left behind by Honda it would be for something other than car production.

[El Cid 216]

2 hours ago, *_ash_* said:

The workers/or government open a company, with shares (at say £10 each)

 

Anyone can start a company at any time.

 

There are a number of energy companies, supported by local authorities, so socialist companies.

Some are still trading and some owe millions and have gone bust.

Small energy provider Our Power has gone bust leaving 38,000 domestic customers to find a new supplier, it emerged today.

The supplier, which was launched in 2016 on an ethical, non-profit platform - has joined the long list of small providers that have ceased trading in the last year: Extra Energy, Spark Energy, Future Energy, National Gas and Power, Iresa Energy, Gen4U, Usio Energy, One Select and Economy Energy.

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-6632213/Energy-supplier-Power-ceased-trading-joining-list-small-firms-gone-bust.html

 

[tzijlstra 11]

How much does it cost to develop and then produce a car? I have a feeling 2 billion, including a complete retooled factory is not going anywhere.

[Eater Sundae 12]

Design, develop test etc the whole car. Not just the car, but each individual component.

 

Some companies (usually in poorer countries without a car manufacturing heritage) start off using older designs from major car makers, eg Dacia. This doesn’t compete directly with the established manufacturer, but by using old designs it saves a lot of the development costs.

 

How would the old Honda plant fit in.

 

I can’t see a UK government getting directly involved in manufacture, as previous attempts didn’t work and there would be no appetite in the current political environment.

[RJRB 688]

Lovely idea but other than investment and development costs ,any product would face the same issues as the existing car makers which are leaving our shores.

That is a relatively small domestic market and the risk of tariffs on exports.

[ez8004 10]

The OP’s idea is totally ludicrous. First of all Honda are leaving, but they’ll be stripping the manufacturing lines out and taking them back with them. There is no way they’ll leave anything of worth behind for free. Secondly, absolutely no IP is being given away, so when they leave, any designs and manufacturing know how owned by Honda would never be allowed to be used by anyone else. So to think anyone can just jump in and fire up the plant to make cars again is bonkers. 

 

Honda are only the start. I’ll expect the Mini plant in Oxford to go. The same with Toyota in Burnaston and Deeside along with Airbus in Broughton.  Ford has already announced 1000 job losses in January. JLR is already being given reasons not to stay in the U.K.  It is only a matter of time. 

 

I’ll just grab my tea and sit back and laugh. 

[ANGELFIRE1 10]

I think we owe a debt of gratitude to the barm pots who through their actions of promoting electric cars before they are a real viable alternative have done untold damage to the sale of petrol/diesel car sales = jobs.

 

Car pollution v Jobs seems to be what it comes down to in the end. It would appear you cannot have both.

 

Angel1.

 

 

[Happ 25]

1 hour ago, ez8004 said:

 

I’ll just grab my tea and sit back and laugh. 

Why on Earth would do that?