Author Archives: Ken Zino

About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.

US Auto Sales Soar in May

“After a particularly robust result in April, it would not have been surprising if May sales were a little disappointing, but instead, we interpret May’s outcome as another encouraging one for the industry,” said David Oakley, Manager, Americas Sales Forecasts, GlobalData. Continue reading

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GM Expanding Ultium CAM EV Battery Joint Venture

General Motors (NYSE: GM) and POSCO Future M announced today the second phase of their Ultium CAM joint venture, an investment forecast to exceed $1 billion to increase production capacity of Cathode Active Material (CAM) for EV batteries. While CEO Mary Barra admits that GM was slow to embrace EVs, GM is now clearly among the leaders in what is the future of automobility. Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of actions GM has taken to build a more secure EV supply chain. Continue reading

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Magna Buys Veoneer Active Safety Business

“Our electronics team, now with more than 7200 employees, including 3500 in engineering, can better accelerate (sic) the development of premium features and functions at scale. Magna will also benefit from an expanded geographic footprint and customer reach in key automotive regions around the world with nine facilities and 30 engineering/sales locations dedicated to active safety,” Kotagiri said. Continue reading

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Ford Next with Uber to Offer Drivers Mustang Mach-Es

“We understand uptime and ease of use are critical to every rideshare driver. As more of them make the switch to electric vehicles, we’re building the Ford Drive program around their unique needs,” claimed Bill Knapp, who heads Ford Drive. Continue reading

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Stellantis, Vulcan Sign Deal for Renewable Energy at Mulhouse

Mulhouse is where the DS7, Peugeot 308 and e-308, 508, and the new 408 are made. Based on current assumptions, the project could provide a significant portion of the industrial site’s annual energy needs starting in 2026, Stellantis said. It’s the latest move in the Stellantis fight against climate change with its ambitious goal of reaching carbon net zero emissions by 2038, with a 50% reduction by end of this decade. Continue reading

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GM Adding Active Safety Systems to 98% of its 2023 Vehicles

“GM has gone well beyond the safety commitment we made to our customers for the 2023 model year, with a handful of additional standard safety features shown to bring real-world results,” claimed John Capp, director, Vehicle Safety Technology, Strategy and Regulations. “As we look ahead toward a future vision of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion, these technologies are significant building blocks with proven benefits for reducing common crashes.” Continue reading

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Toyota Motor Establishes Hydrogen Factory

The goal is to promote sustainable commercialization of hydrogen fuels. The former Hydrogen business area will be abolished as a result. This is in keeping with the global auto industry’s moves toward sustainable fuels. Continue reading

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Chinese April Sales Soft – EV Exports Threaten Global Trade

AutoInformed notes here that the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act is actual a climate change and industrial policy bill that has global trade implications among US allies, trading partners and hostile states – say Russia and China. This is leading to the creation of a new term that will replace “offshoring” in trading and policy jargon.  How about “friend shoring,” which is starting to emerge in automotive circles. Continue reading

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Toyota to Assemble Three-Row Electric SUV in Kentucky

Toyota claims it currently offers 22 electrified vehicle options in the US at the Toyota and Lexus brands, the most among any automaker. By 2025, Toyota plans to have an electrified option available for every Toyota and Lexus model globally. During the last two years, Toyota said it has invested more than $8 billion in its US manufacturing operations primarily to support its product electrification efforts. Continue reading

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Short Circuit – Electric Vehicle Smartphone Apps

 “Even though EV app usage has increased over time, the app features EV owners say are most important to them are among those that have the lowest satisfaction,” said Jason Norton, senior manager of global automotive consulting at J.D. Power. “Manufacturers need to focus on improving the performance of the areas that matter most to EV owners in order to maximize their impact and elevate the user experience.” Continue reading

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Stellantis, TotalEnergies, Mercedes-Benz Open Battery Factory

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), TotalEnergies and Mercedes-Benz, celebrated today the inauguration of  the Automotive Cells Company’s (ACC) battery factory in Billy-Berclau Douvrin, France, the first of three planned in Europe. Continue reading

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GM Defense and Black Sage Technologies to Work on Drones

“We understand how critical optionality is for our customers, who look for ways to outmaneuver increasingly complex threats from around the globe,” said Steve duMont, GM Defense president. “Our teaming agreement with Black Sage helps us offer greater flexibility to warfighters while continuing to develop mobility solutions that perform in diverse environments. This collaboration enables GM Defense and Black Sage to leverage the synergies of our respective companies, extend battlefield capabilities and showcase solutions that can drive mission readiness.” Continue reading

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Heavy Duty – Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino Motors to Merge

How this works under various anti-trust laws and regulations is unclear to AutoInformed. Details on the scope and nature of the collaboration including the name, location, shareholding ratio and corporate structure of the new holding company will be decided during the next ~18 months. The parties predict signing of definitive agreements in the first quarter of 2024. They aim to close the transaction by the end of 2024. Once all parties involved reach an agreement, they will move forward based on the approval of the relevant boards of directors, shareholders, and authorities. Continue reading

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Josef Newgarden Driving a Penske-Chevrolet Wins Accident Marred Indianapolis 500

All told, Newgarden led five laps of the 200. Newgarden started the race 17th on the grid. For Tim Cindric, President at Team Penske, it was the ninth Indianapolis 500 win and the 19th for Roger Penske as team owner; the first came in 1972. However, it was Roger Penske’s first as the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since he bought it three and half years ago. Continue reading

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Toyota, Honda, GM Lead in Supplier Relations

“The industry continues to face unprecedented challenges in the shift to EVs that unless effectively addressed will only get worse,” said David Andrea, Principal in Plante Moran’s Strategy and Automotive & Mobility Consulting Practice, which conducts the annual Study. “During Covid, a ‘war room’ approach was adopted to quickly resolve critical issues. That approach is what auto manufacturers need to maintain during the transition to EV technologies. The industry needs that level of collaboration, even without the pressure of a crisis.” Continue reading

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