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.

Driverless Cars – People Less Positive Than You Might Assume

If you’re like most auto enthusiasts, likely you are comfortable with the progress of technology from manual chokes to feed-back carburetors to port and then direct fuel-injection. When looked at through the windshield of a sports car, electronic shifting and … Continue reading

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California Clean Fuel Incentives Reward 250,000 EV Buyers

CARB and car dealers wanted a program to help support the sale of plug-in cars that involved making funds immediately available at the dealership, as opposed to other incentive programs that required applications and a waiting period to receive them. Continue reading

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Renault Group, Plug Power to be at HyVolution Tradeshow

HYVIA is preparing a portfolio of three hydrogen powered light commercial vehicles: a van, a chassis cab and a city bus, with a range of up to 500 km, as well as a complete ecosystem of H2 stations, H2 production and associated services. The first vehicles are expected to be on the road from mid-2022. With a payload of up to 1000 kg, Master Chassis Cab H2-TECH is equipped with a 30-kW fuel cell, a 33-kWh battery and tanks containing 3 kg of hydrogen (2 tanks of 1.5 kg) at 700 bars. Continue reading

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Transportation Unemployment Rate Below Pre-Pandemic Level

The April 2022 rate fell 3.9 percentage points from 7.5% in April 2021 and decreased close to the pre-pandemic April level of 3.7% in April 2019. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May and July 2020 under the policies of the voted-out Trump mis-administration. Continue reading

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West European Car Sales Decline in April to 8.8 Million

“Supply chain bottlenecks still the key reason for the depressed level of registration statistics. The war in Ukraine, as well as lock-downs in China, will likely exacerbate supply issues, meaning vehicle sales will continue to suffer from a lack of adequate supply,” LMC said today. Continue reading

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SEC Charges Autonomous Vehicle Supplier NVIDIA with Shoddy Disclosures

NVIDIA is a US-based artificial intelligence (AI) computing company that is a significant automotive supplier for an important building block in a network of several individual ECUs (Electronic control units)  used in automated and driverless vehicles. It goes by the name Drive Pegasus. Continue reading

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BMW Group Post Q1 Earnings of €10.185 Billion

The JV has been fully consolidated since 11 February 2022, following the extension of the joint-venture agreement and the increase in shares held by BMW AG from 50% to 75%. Since this date, around 23,000 employees in China have been added to the BMW Group workforce number. The subsidiary contributed €3.287 billion to revenues from 11 February 2022 onwards. Continue reading

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CARB Fines PPG for Products Exceeding Air Quality Rules

“CARB is committed to enforcing consumer product rules to improve the air we all breathe and to help California meet federal ozone standards that protect public health,” CARB head of enforcement Todd Sax said. “Manufacturers such as PPG carry the greatest responsibility of supplying Californians with consumer products that comply with emissions standards. Their attention to the legal requirements related to the manufacture, importation and distribution of products significantly impacts California’s air quality.” Continue reading

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Stellantis Posts Q1 2022 Net Increase of 12% at €41.5B

The positive performance followed an ordinary dividend of €1.04 per share  that approved at annual meeting and paid to shareholders in April 2022. Continue reading

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US April Sales Up 6.5%. SAAR Down -21.9% YoY

“However, April 2022’s SAAR was down by 21.9% compared to the stellar sales pace seen in April of 2021 which was driven by strong consumer demand and enough inventory available to meet that demand. April 2021 was one of the last sales months before inventory began to decline significantly and limit the sales pace. We don’t expect that April’s month-end inventory level will change much from March’s level of 1.23 million units as the industry is still unable to produce enough vehicles to meet current demand, let alone restock dealer lots,” said Patrick Manzi, NADA’s Chief Economist. Continue reading

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GMC Brand Extension – 2023 Yukon Denali Ultimate

The 2023 Yukon Denali Ultimate trim “elevates” the GMC sub-brand it’s claimed. “Distinguished with exterior and interior details, next-level materials, innovative available (optional, bring money- Autocrat) technologies and impressive capability, the new 2023 Yukon Denali Ultimate is the most premium Yukon ever offered.” AutoInformed guesstimates the elevated price will be just under ~$100,000. Continue reading

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Tesla Recalls 48,184 Model 3s and 1, Yes 1, Model X

In yet another safety recall, Tesla is buying back one 2022 Model X vehicle. A body structure reinforcement bracket was not installed at the second-row seat. As such, this vehicle fails to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 207, “Seating Systems” and 210, “Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages.” Tesla will replace the vehicle, free of charge. An owner notification letter is expected to be mailed June 6, 2022. Continue reading

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Auto Loan, Lease Total at Record $1.3 Trillion during 2021

“Auto finance growth in 2021 was largely driven by strong – and expensive – used cars, which bolstered originations,” said Marcie Belles, author of the report… “many financiers recorded lower ratios of new cars in their portfolios. Still, origination volume has been nearly restored to pre-COVID levels, and it continues to climb.” Continue reading

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Mazda North America April Sales Down -3.3%

With 27 selling days in April, compared to 26 the year prior, the company posted a decrease of 6.9% on a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis. Certified Pre-owned sales totaled 5,274 vehicles in April, a decrease of 23% compared to April 2021. Continue reading

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Electrify America: 2021 EV Charging up 54 Times cf 2020

Electrify America has 800 EV charging stations and about 3,500 individual chargers open or with construction completed. The largest, open ultra-fast DC charging network features up to 150 kilowatts (kW) and 350 kW chargers, some of the fastest speeds available today. Electrify America expects to have more than 1,800 total charging stations with over 10,000 chargers in the United States and Canada by 2026. Expansions plans are helped by the potential to use the chargers as advertising displays. Continue reading

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