Category Archives: connected vehicles

BYD builds its 5 millionth EV in China

BYD in Shenzhen, China has built its 5 millionth new energy vehicle – a DENZA N7 – on 9 August 2023 causing it to become the first automaker in the world to achieve this milestone. BYD* spent 13 years producing … Continue reading

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Apple Software Veteran Peter Stern Joins Ford Motor

Ford and other former members of the old-style auto blacksmithing business – cast it, stamp it, weld it, machine it and put it together –  has been confronted with the need to cost effectively deal with so-called connected vehicles. The traditional way of pitting suppliers against one another and buying at lowest cost has failed since the software of the many individual computer modules on current vehicles isn’t always compatible with other computerized systems – creating in effect an electronic Tower of Babble. Continue reading

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Cadillac Escalading the 2025 SUV EV Wars

Cadillac (NYSE:GM) showed today its first-ever all-electric full-size SUV, the 2025 Escalade IQ. It has a Cadillac-estimated 450 miles of range (footnote 1) , Super Cruise driver assistance technology, bi-directional charging capability, different interior and exterior designs, and zero tailpipe emissions. The Power folding third row allows for seven total passengers and folds flat for more storage. The so-called eTrunk compartment under the hood has 12 cubic feet of storage. Pricing starts at ~$130,000 including destination charges. Continue reading

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Vehicle-to-Home Bidirectional Charging Coming on All GM EVs

General Motors (NYSE:GM) said today that it will expand vehicle-to-home (V2H) bidirectional charging technology across its retail portfolio of Ultium-based electric vehicles by model year 2026. The first vehicles to receive the technology include the previously announced 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST, followed by the 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1, 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV, 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ and the upcoming Cadillac ESCALADE IQ.

Information on additional availability of V2H technology and specific timing of V2H rollout to individual vehicle models will be provided in future updates. Just bring money. The question is how much? Continue reading

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World Debut of the Acura ZDX at Monterey Car Week

The largish – grotesque to some AutoInformed readers – ZDX is being co-developed with GM using the highly flexible global EV platform powered by Ultium batteries. What fun for brand managers – a common platform for Cadillac and Acura SUVs? Acura eventually will launch additional EV models starting in 2026 based on the company’s own global EV Architecture. Continue reading

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First Look – 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota (NYSE: TM) has finally officially acknowledged that its longest-running nameplate will return to the North American after a three-year hiatus. Moreover,  the off-road vehicle is less expensive with a MSRP in the mid-$50,000 range. (The Lexus LX 600 version of the platform is on sale now in the US at ~$100,000.) Now built off of the less expensive TNGA-F global truck platform, the new Land Cruiser is available with the range-topping i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain producing 326 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. Continue reading

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Porsche to Buy All of IT Consultancy MHP

The global auto industry is in the midst of a digital transformation after a century of blacksmithing metals. Internal processes, customer interactions, computer-based charging or other services are all becoming competitive requirements. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Posts $3.8B Q2 Earnings on 12% Revenue Increase

“The shift to powerful digital experiences and breakthrough EVs is underway and going to be volatile, so being able to guide customers through and adapt to the pace of adoption are big advantages for us,” said Ford CEO Jim Farley. “Ford+ is making us more resilient, efficient and profitable, which you can see in Ford Pro’s breakout second-quarter revenue improvement (22%) and EBIT margin (15%),” Fairly said selectively. Ford’s electric business – Model e – is forecast to lose ~$4.5 billion during 2023. It lost $1.2 billion during Q2 or $40,000 a vehicle. Continue reading

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SEC Issues  Rules on Cybersecurity Risks

“Whether a company loses a factory in a fire — or millions of files in a cybersecurity incident — it may be material to investors,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “Currently, many public companies provide cybersecurity disclosure to investors. I think companies and investors alike, however, would benefit if this disclosure were made in a more consistent, comparable, and decision-useful way. Through helping to ensure that companies disclose material cybersecurity information, today’s rules will benefit investors, companies, and the markets connecting them.” Continue reading

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Seven Automakers to Build North American Charging Network

The awakened policy shift from partisanship toward cooperation in saving the planet for the pernicious effects of climate change, aka global warming, is the latest beneficial result of the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which in part is using once eschewed and mocked national industrial policy to effectively serve all – as in We the People – in the US. The socialist aspects of the policy also have larger global benefits as well. Continue reading

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Artificial Intelligence – J.D. Power and Palantir Technologies

J.D. Power, a data and analytics company today announced a collaboration with Palantir Technologies Inc., (NYSE: PLTR) to develop generative artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics solutions that it claimed, “will facilitate deeper insights and more strategic decision making by … Continue reading

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Chevrolet Bolt Returning as Affordable EV

“Our customers love today’s Bolt. It has been delivering record sales and some of the highest customer satisfaction and loyalty scores in the industry,” said Barra. “It’s also an important source of conquest sales for the company and for Chevrolet. We will keep the momentum going by delivering a new Bolt…and we will execute it more quickly compared to an all-new program with significantly lower engineering expense and capital investment by updating the vehicle with Ultium and Ultifi technologies and by applying our ‘winning with simplicity’ discipline.” Continue reading

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Consumer Rights Nil in New Autonomous Vehicle Bills?

The Center for Auto Safety says one of the proposals, the SELF DRIVE Act, “neglects to include any consumer protections that prevent the use of binding arbitration clauses in contracts involving autonomous vehicles.” As is common in Washington the legislation is misleadingly named. However, there is a need to explore the issue as there are arguments on many aspects of technology and systems that can save lives and reduce traffic congestion even though AutoInformed remains skeptical about the ability of politicians to do so with a regard for We the People  as opposed to We the Congress who are paid large sums by corporate interests. Continue reading

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Stellantis, Saft Show Battery Integrating Inverter and Charger

Integrating the inverter and charger functions creates a battery that is more efficient, which enhances the battery electric vehicle (BEV) range and is more reliable and less costly. It also increases space in the vehicle. Continue reading

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VW Patents High-Speed Wireless EV Charging System

“We are accelerating innovation within electric vehicles and contributing to more sustainable transportation in America by focusing our efforts on some of the most transformative automotive research being done in the country,” said Pablo Di Si, President and CEO at Volkswagen Group of America Inc. “Our technology teams in Tennessee are a great example. There, we are tapping American ingenuity fostered by the unique blend of world-class academic research and Volkswagen’s leading industry capabilities.” Continue reading

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