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Category Archives: manufacturing
Bosch to Build First Automated Battery Recycling Plant
The Bosch Group estimates that electric vehicles will comprise ~70% of all newly registered passenger cars in Europe by 2030. This is increasing demand for batteries and for the recycling of the raw materials they contain, such as lithium, cobalt, … Continue reading
GM Defense Gets US Army OK for Infantry Squad Vehicle
“We do not anticipate changes in production volume through September 2023,” said a GM Defense spokesperson. “Achieving full rate production affirms the engineering and manufacturing processes that support the Infantry Squad Vehicle are meeting our U.S. Army customer needs and that production can be scaled to meet increased demand in the future. This important milestone adds credibility to the ISV program and validates our continued efforts to successfully deliver advanced commercial technologies to soldiers.” Continue reading
Chinese Vehicle Sales Still Slumping
However, the cumulative LV production from January to February in the world’s largest market, fell by -14% YoY. At the component level, passenger vehicle production in February increased by 12% YoY while cumulative PV production to February decreased by 14% YoY, the same as the decrease in LV overall. Light Commercial Vehicle output at 255,000 was up 9% YoY. but down by -17% YTD. The February selling rate was 21 million units/year, down 11% from a weak January, and the lowest rate since the Shanghai lockdown of April 2022. In YoY terms, however, sales (i.e., wholesales) increased by 14.3% against a low base, due to the timing of the Chinese New Year, said LMC. Continue reading
Mazda Adding Renewable Solar Power to Japanese Plants
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (MITI) provides subsidies to cover a portion of the expense of installing solar power generation facilities in cases where consumers of electric power coordinated with an electric power producer to establish such facilities. “These subsidies are intended to promote such collaborations and encourage wider adoption of independent initiatives to establish renewable energy sources, contributing to a reliable, long-term, supply-demand balance in energy use during the period up until 2030, thereby supporting the achievement of ambitious targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.” Continue reading
Posted in energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, manufacturing, milestones, mobility company, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Choshu Industry, Hironaka Taketo, Ken Zino, Mazda Motor Corporation, Power Purchase Agreement, The Chugoku Electric Power, Toyo Seat
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Ford Motor BlueOval City – 6000 Jobs go to Tennessee
BlueOval City will make Ford’s second-generation electric truck, code-named Project T3 with the capacity of 500,000 EV trucks a year at full production. Tennessee is a “right to work” (for less?) state, which means workers don’t have to be unionized. Tennessee sent at least $500 million in incentives from its taxpayers to close the deal announced back in September of 2021.
It’s ironic that the state of Michigan today repealed the state’s right to work law – the birthplace and longstanding home of Ford Motor. “Today, we are coming together to restore workers’ rights, protect Michiganders on the job, and grow Michigan’s middle class,” Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer said when signing the legislation. Continue reading
Stellantis to Spend ~€130M in the Eisenach Assembly for EVs
Opel announced last fall that it would revive GSe as a new sub-brand for electrified models with GSe now standing for Grand Sport electric. The Opel Grandland GSe follows the Astra GSe and the Astra Sports Tourer GSe. Opel claims it is a high-performance, plug-in hybrid with electric all-wheel-drive in the SUV compact class, arguably the fastest growing segment in Europe and Asia. The Opel Grandland currently produced at Eisenach includes plug-in hybrid variants. Opel wants a fully electric lineup by 2028. Continue reading
John Dion to be Chief Transformation Officer at Struggling Ford
Ford Motor reported a disappointing 2022 full-year net loss of $2.0 billion. During Q4 of 2022 Ford posted an adjusted EBIT $10.4 billion, and operating cash flow $1.2 billion for the quarter, $6.9 billion for the year. This was in stark contrast to GM, which reported a record $14.5 billion in earnings for 2022. (autoinformed.com: GM Posts Record $14.5 Billion in Earnings During 2022) “We should have done much better last year,” said CEO Jim Farley at the time. “We left about $2 billion in profits on the table that were within our control, and we’re going to correct that with improved execution and performance.” Continue reading
BMW Manufacturing Spartanburg Supports 43,000 SC Jobs
The plant’s direct employment base also accounts for 4.8% of all manufacturing jobs across South Carolina. The former Confederate state of South Carolina is currently enmeshed in battle over whether or not to impose the death penalty for abortions. BMW Manufacturing has a Family Health Center at its South Carolina plant for all BMW workers, retirees and their dependents with occupational, primary care services, as well as vision, dental and physical therapy. The combination of cost savings and the benefits of having medical services all in one location offer the company’s non-unionized workforce a progressive option in their healthcare management. The center is a $5 million investment in a 25,000 square foot facility. To say that this would be a politically sensitive at a woke German automaker is an understatement. Continue reading
More Ford Recalls Published – Millions of Vehicles Involved
According to the latest safety defect recalls made public this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aka NHTSA, Ford Motor Company is also recalling numerous vehicles that have not been published by AutoInformed. These include recalls for windshield wipers, brake calipers, brake hoses, and towing trailer tail lights. In some cases millions of vehicles are involved. Continue reading
American Honda Recalls 450,000 Vehicles for Bad Seat Belts
Registered owners of all affected vehicles will be contacted by mail and asked to take their vehicle to an authorized Honda dealer. The vehicles covered by the safety defect recall are: 2017-2020 model-year CR-V, 2018-2019 Accord and Accord Hybrid, 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019 Insight, and 2019-2020 Acura RDX vehicles. Continue reading
Mazda Exporting US-made CX-50 to Mexico from Toyota JV
Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced it has begun to export its US-assembled CX-50 crossover to Mexico, where it only has 18 years of operation. The CX-50 is assembled at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM), a joint venture in Huntsville, … Continue reading
Ford Motor Recalls 2023 Model Year Transit Vans
These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems, Ford said in the required NHTSA falling just made public. Ford said it is aware of 35 reports related to this safety defect received between 14 January 2023 and 11 February 2023. Continue reading
Ford Axle Recalls on 2023 F-150, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator
The driver may hear a loud noise when the pinion breaks or as the drive shaft and flange hit the frame cross member and stability bar after pinion fracture. The failure mode could occur at any time in 4×4 application but is expected to occur primarily while in reverse as the pinion is subject to higher loads. Continue reading
NHTSA Opens Tesla Probe for Steering Wheels Falling Off
In the filing, ODI said both vehicles received an end of line repair requiring removal and re-installation of the steering wheel. A friction fit maintained the connection between the steering wheel and the column splines during operation until separation. Sudden separation occurred when the force exerted on the steering wheel overcame the resistance of the friction fit while the vehicles were in motion. Both known incidents occurred at low vehicle mileage. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, manufacturing, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Ken Zino, NHTSA PE23003, odi
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Toyota, Huntsville Utilities Announce 168-acre Solar Plan
The solar project is expected to generate 62,000 megawatt hours annually, reducing ~22,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year. That’s enough solar energy to power more than 5600 U.S. homes. This project is the latest step towards achieving Toyota’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality in its operations by 2035. The solar facility is scheduled to begin generating solar energy in summer of 2024. Continue reading →