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.

BMW Group – Hydrogen is Key Technology for Future

“Our solution to the challenges of environmental policy is technological innovation. Technology is where the key to the future lies – and it’s our constructive response for climate protection,” said Hans-Peter Kemser, Director of BMW Group Plant Leipzig. Leipzig aims not only to be carbon-neutral but also to operate carbon-free production. “Our vision is to fully de-carbonize production by replacing fossil fuels with future fuels in the shape of green hydrogen,” he added. Continue reading

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Ford to Up Electrification Spend to $30B by 2025. Wants 40% All-Electric Global Volume By 2030

Well, one wild card is the great unknown about the future of internal combustion engines that Ford is heavily dependent on. Will the change to EVs mean big write offs or mark downs of the value of existing plants, tooling and the elimination of jobs? Another potentially negative is Ford’s dismal record of introducing and then incurring huge warranty costs of complex vehicles with electronics. It has cost stockholders billions of dollars. Fixing these huge warranty costs is potentially worth $1-$2 billion annually given recent history. Continue reading

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Hyundai Motor Teases “Enhanced” XCIENT Fuel Cell Truck

In a running battle with Toyota, Hyundai claims this will be the world’s first mass-produced, heavy-duty truck powered by hydrogen. Hyundai will begin production of 2021 XCIENT Fuel Cell in August this year. Continue reading

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Hyundai Revises Ioniq 5 EV for 2022 with New Platform

IONIQ 5’s interior uses the E-GMP’s all-electric packaging, steer-by-wire and shift-by-wire systems to provide a close to flat floor for passenger and cargo space. With the battery pack mounted beneath the floor, between the front and rear wheel axles, the E-GMP architecture creates a flat floor for the cabin. This provides more legroom for passengers, while enabling various arrangements for the front and rear seats. Continue reading

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Ford Introduces All-Electric F-150 Lightning Pro – Bring Money

Ford is the only automaker, thus far, to offer an 80-amp charge station as standard equipment with the so-called extended-range truck. It uses the only dual onboard charging system in the industry to cut the 15%-to-100% charge time to roughly eight hours for the hoped-for EPA-estimated 300-mile-range. This might help “reduce charging infrastructure investments and battery wear,” but this is Ford speculating about what remains a core issue with EVs – the ability to charge them and America’s outdated grid and infrastructure that the Republicans refuse to cooperate with job-creating Democrats to update. Continue reading

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California Mandates Zero-Emissions Ridesharing Vehicles

The Trump administration of course tried to cancel states rights and citizens’ ability to govern their communities. California led a lawsuit last year with 22 more states and other jurisdictions challenging the Trump Administration’s plan to roll back vehicle emissions standards. Continue reading

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First Look – 2022 Hyundai Tucson

Caveat here: The whole industry has moved rapidly toward small displacement force-fed, aka turbocharged,  engines, but real-world fuel economy improvements – if any – are heavily dependent on where you drive and how smooth your driving technique is. In stop and go conditions, whether induced by traffic or by drivers that are first to every red light with late braking, will not see any gains in our experience. They might even use more fuel. Continue reading

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First Look – Kia EV6 Joins Electrification Parade

The 11kW on-board charger (OBC) for Level 2 recharging from 10-to-100% in – gasp – 7 hours, 10 minutes (240v AC, at 40-amps) for the larger 77.4 kWh battery versions. No wonder Last Mile Navigation provides walking directions to the driver’s actual destination if the vehicle is parked between 0.1 and 1.2 miles away. Continue reading

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EV Pickup! Ford is Betting Lightning Can Strike Twice

Two giant questions lurking the floors of the Dearborn Glass House are: When Ford builds it next year in 2022 will they come; Can Ford build a complicated new technology vehicle without a series of recalls, glitches and bugs that have been standard equipment on previous high-technology launches including the current generation Explorer? (See AutoInformed* below) Another unknown is EV tax credits. The maximum Federal tax credit is $7,500 for any vehicle no matter the cost. It ceases for automakers at 200,000 total EVs sold. Both General Motors and Tesla have hit the subsidy wall and currently do not qualify for the $7,500 tax credit. The Biden Administration could change this. Continue reading

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Stellantis, Foxconn JV for Digital Cockpits, Connected Services

Leaving the marketing babble aside, Mobile Drive will combine Stellantis’ global vehicle design and engineering with Foxconn’s development in the changing software and hardware realms of smartphones and consumer electronics. Continue reading

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Canoo Lifestyle Van or Pickup Priced at $35-50k

It’s not coincidental that Zoom is scheduled to announce its Q1 financial results after the New York markets close. The larger story, perhaps, is the company, not the vehicle. Canoo is a Los Angeles-based company that has, arguably, pioneering technologies. Its business model drops traditional ownership and is a glimpse at the future of automobility that other companies are also pursuing. Canoo will not have a physical sales network. The company will offer its product directly to customers via subscription, not ownership. Continue reading

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Hyundai Motor, Kia to build American-made Electric Vehicles

Hyundai Motor will offer a line of American-made electric vehicles to U.S. consumers starting next year. Hyundai and Kia will monitor the market conditions and U.S. government EV policy to finalize its plan to enhance its U.S. production facilities and gradually expand its local EV production. Continue reading

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Honda Motor Posts FY 2021 Operating Profit of ¥660.2 Billion

Consolidated profit for the year attributable to owners of the parent company  faced a year-on-year increase that amounted to 657.4 billion yen, due also to an increase in the share of profit of investments accounted for using the equity method. Continue reading

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Mazda FY 2021 Financial Results – Net Income -81%

Mazda’s global sales volume from April 2020 through March 2021 decreased 9.3% year-on-year because of decreased sales in Europe and other regions. China and the US posted ~7% gains. Continue reading

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Equivalent Gas Tax or Fee on EVs to Offset Lost Revenue?

CBO said that if Congress were to levy an annual fee on EVs in an amount that is approximately proportionate with the amount paid in gasoline tax? Taking as a starting point an average driver of a light duty passenger vehicle with a gasoline engine, how much revenue could be raised during the next five years? Moreover  what percent of the anticipated shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund would that be? Continue reading

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