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Category Archives: news analysis
GM to Sell Lansing Battery Plant to LG Energy Solution
General Motors (NYSE: GM) said today that it has reached a non-binding agreement to sell its stake in the nearly completed Ultium Cells LLC battery cell plant in Lansing, Michigan to its joint venture partner LG Energy Solution.* The transaction is expected to close in the 2025 first quarter, subject to customary closing conditions.
“Our EV profitability is rapidly improving thanks in part to our strategic decision to build battery cells in the U.S. with LG Energy Solution. It will be years before some of our competitors approach this level of performance,” said Paul Jacobson, GM executive vice president and CFO. “We believe we have the right cell and manufacturing capabilities in place to grow with the EV market in a capital efficient manner. When completed, this transaction will also help LG Energy Solution meet demand by leveraging capacity that’s nearly ready to come online and it will make GM even more efficient.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, electronics, environment, global warming, mobility company, news analysis, public health, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, LG Energy Solution, Paul Jacobson, prismatic battery cells, X @KenAutoinformed
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Steering Loss – Toyota Recalls Corolla and Corolla Hybrids
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 8057 model year 2023-2024 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles for the loss of steering control, according to documents made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Due to cracks developed during the manufacturing process, the steering intermediate shaft assembly may fracture and possibly result in the shaft detaching from the steering column,” Toyota told NHTSA in the required safety defect recall filing. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls
Tagged 2023-2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid recalls, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, JTEKT Corporation Toyota City Japan, Ken Zino, NHTSA Recall 24V878 or 24V-878, Toyota recall 24TB13/24TA13, X @KenAutoinformed
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Mercedes-Benz USA Recall – Sunroofs Flying Off
Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling 33,456 model year 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles because the glass sunroof panel from Webasto Roof & Components may not be properly secured and can detach, according to the required safety defect filing made public this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls
Tagged 22V-954, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, Mercedes-Benz USA Recalls, NHTSA 24V874 or 24V-874, Webasto Roof & Components, X @KenAutoinformed
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Carlos Tavares Out as Stellantis CEO
Stellantis (NYSE: STLA ) in an unusual but not surprising Sunday release said that the Company’s Board of Directors, under the Chairmanship of John Elkann, has accepted Carlos Tavares’ resignation on 1 December 2024 as Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. The process to appoint the new permanent Chief Executive Officer is well under way, as AutoInformed* previously reported, managed by a Special Committee of the Board. It will conclude within the first half of 2025. Until then, a new Interim Executive Committee, chaired by John Elkann, will be established. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, financial results, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, people, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, carlos tavares, John Elkann, Ken Zino, NYSE: STLA, X @KenAutoinformed
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Bernie Ecclestone Selling His F1 Car Collection
“I have been collecting these cars for more than 50 years, and I have only ever bought the best of any example. Whilst many other collectors over the years have opted for sports cars, my passion has always been for Grand Prix and Formula 1 cars,” said Ecclestone. “A Grand Prix and in particular a Formula 1 car is far more important than any road car or other form of race car, as it is the pinnacle of the sport, and all the cars I have bought over the years have fantastic race histories and are rare works of art.”
“I love all of my cars but the time has come for me to start thinking about what will happen to them should I no longer be here, and that is why I have decided to sell them. After collecting and owning them for so long, I would like to know where they have gone and not leave them for my wife to deal with should I not be around,” said Ecclestone. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, milestones, news analysis, performance, racing, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Bernie Ecclestone, Grand Prix and Formula 1 cars, Ken Zino, Tom Hartley Jnr Ltd, Tom Hartley Jr., X @KenAutoinformed
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F1 – Qatar Investment Authority Buys Into Sauber
QIA was founded in 2005 to invest and manage the state reserve funds. QIA is among the largest and most active sovereign wealth funds globally. QIA invests across a wide range of asset classes and regions as well as in partnership with institutions around the world “to build a global and diversified investment portfolio with a long-term perspective that can deliver sustainable returns and contribute to the prosperity of the State of Qatar.” It is the subject of controversies, including its dealings with Russia, embezzlement charges of former executives, its ownership of Heathrow airport, the PGA tournaments, the football World Cup, among others. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, milestones, news analysis, racing, shows and events
Tagged AUDI AG, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Gabriel Bortoleto, Gernot Döllner, Jonathan Wheatley, Ken Zino, Mattia Binotto, Mohammed Al-Sowaidi, Nico Hülkenberg, Qatar Investment Authority, Sauber Motorsport AG, X @KenAutoinformed
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Battery Electric Vehicle Sales In EU Slumping
Roughly half of all European markets saw a drop in battery electric vehicle sales through September 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. There was a slight improvement in Q3.
“This was contrary to consensus market projections. Battery electric vehicle sales in the EU experienced a year-on-year decline of 4% during the first nine months, prompting most OEMs to re-evaluate and rescale their investment plans and strategies towards electrification,” said Vivek Satheesh, a powertrain analyst at the respected GlobalData consultancy. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, environment, global warming, labor issues, manufacturing, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, BEV sales in Europe, Chinese trade war, GlobalData, Ken Zino, Vivek Satheesh, X @KenAutoinformed
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U.S. November New Vehicle Sales – 16M SAAR
The election has sparked much speculation about the potential effects of a new Trump mis-administration on the auto market, particularly concerning electric vehicles and emissions standards given the general economic incompetence of Trump ‘s first term that destroyed the economy and jobs, as well as abandoning valuable global alliances and scoffing at climate change as a “Chinese Hoax,” AutoInformed observes. Continue reading
Annals of Marketing – Broad Arrow Auctions and BMW
Thus Broad Arrow Auctions makes its overseas live auction debut following annual North American sales events, including the Monterey Jet Center Auction and The Amelia Auction, where Broad Arrow is the official auction house of The Amelia (Concours d’Elegance). At each of these auctions, Broad Arrow claims rapid growth, continuing to increase total sales and the average value of cars sold year-over-year.
Founded in 1929, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is one of the world’s oldest concours d’elegance events. Hosted by BMW Group Classic and Grand Hotel Villa d’Este, Saturday’s tickets for the events at Villa d’Este are limited, while the parade of Historic Cars is open to the public on Sunday at Villa Erba. Broad Arrow’s auction will be held on Saturday 24 May 2025 at Villa Erba. Continue reading
Honda – Global Expansion of Electric Motorcycles
Honda in Tokyo today announced two electric personal commuters in India continuing 2024 as the first year for its global expansion of electric motorcycles. The new ACTIVA e and QC1 are the 12th and 13th models, respectively, of Honda’s “30 electric models to be launched globally by 2030” target. The ACTIVA e is equipped with two Honda Mobile Power Pack e with swappable batteries as its power source. QC1, has a fixed battery.
“Both ACTIVA e: and QC1 will be manufactured in India, strengthening the electric commuter lineup to meet the growing needs for electric mobility in the Indian market. In addition, Honda Power Pack Energy India Private Limited will operate Honda e:Swap, a battery sharing service, in three major Indian cities (Bengaluru, the National Capital Territory of Delhi, and Mumbai [footnote 3], providing customers mobility experience with more peace of mind,” Honda said. Continue reading
Posted in design and styling, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, environment, global warming, mobility company, motorcycles, news analysis, public health, shows and events, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Bengaluru, Delhi, Honda ACTIVA e, Honda QC1, Ken Zino, Mumbai, X @KenAutoinformed
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Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles – Japan vs Korea
“This rivalry is more than a market battle – it’s a bid for energy independence and environmental sustainability. FCEVs (fuel cell electric vehicles) offer several advantages over traditional fossil-fuel vehicles and even BEVs (battery electric vehicles), such as longer range and faster refueling, making them a potentially transformative solution, especially for long-haul and heavy-duty applications,” GlobalData said. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, news analysis, public health, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, battery electric vehicles, FCEVs, fuel cell electric vehicles, GlobalData, hydrogen fuel, hydrogen infrastructure, Ken Zino, X @KenAutoinformed
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EPA – US Fuel Economy Record High. CO2 Record Low
“This annual report indicates EPA’s commitment to provide the public with information about new light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas emissions, fuel economy, technology data, and auto manufacturers’ performance in meeting the nation’s emissions standards. EPA’s annual Automotive Trends Report is separate from the agency’s regulatory process, which is far more complex and has been subject to political and judicial interference funded by special interest groups. – AutoCrat.” Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, milestones, news analysis, public health, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, EPA Annual Automotive Trends Report, Ken Zino, Michael S. Regan, X @KenAutoinformed
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General Motors via Cadillac F1 Bound in 2026
The move comes after Max Verstappen took the 2024 driver’s title driving for Red Bull at Las Vegas over the past weekend. An announcement of some sort was widely rumored in the paddock. This starts another era in F1 as Cadillac would be the first new team to join F1 since 2016 and the eleventh team on the grid. In addition to the Cadillac F1 partnership with GM, TWG Global owns and operates Andretti Global, Wayne Taylor Racing, and Spire Motorsports. [It will also open up a couple of driver’s seats in the world’s most expensive motor sports series. Seven different drivers won more than one race in 2024, which has two races remaining. Gentleman, let the driver speculation intrigue begin. Gentlewoman? – AutoCrat] Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, news analysis, people, performance, racing
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Cadillac Formula 1 Team Formula One, Dan Towriss, Formula 1, Ken Zino, Mario Andretti, Mark Walter, Max Verstappen, X @KenAutoinformed
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Genesis, Hyundai, Kia recalls for Sudden Power Loss
Hyundai Motor is recalling Genesis, Hyundai and Kia models from the 2022 though 2025 models years because of sudden power loss. Warning symptoms may occur during “fail-safe” mode driving over period of ~20-40 minutes through various illumination of dashboard MIL; an audible chime; warning messages displayed in vehicle information display(s); and noticeable degradation in vehicle motive power or speed.
In the required filing made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it said “the Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) may become damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery, which can result in a loss of drive power.” The vehicle’s “fail-safe” mode will trigger upon detection of a fault associated with over-voltage induced at the start and end of the vehicle’s battery charging cycle or thermal loading during charging/driving. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electronics, engineering, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety, software recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Genesis recall 025G, Hyundai recall 272, Integrated Charging Control Unit, Ken Zino, Kia recall SC327, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA 24V-200, NHTSA 24V-204, NHTSA 24V867 0r 24V-867, NHTSA 24V868 or 24V-868, software recalls, X @KenAutoinformed
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Porsche Motorsport and Iron Dames in WEC
Porsche Motorsport said today that during 2025 with the start of the Asian Le Mans Series next weekend in Sepang (Malaysia). Four fast female drivers will compete in four top series at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 R. Michelle Gatting from Denmark, Rahel Frey from Switzerland, Sarah Bovy from Belgium and Célia Martin from France will race for the Iron Dames squad in Asia, Europe and the USA. The schedule also includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans as part of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Iron Dames is now in a partnership with Porsche – in essence a factory supported racing team.
“Porsche stands for a culture of equal opportunities and diversity. Encouraging women to get involved in motorsport and then supporting them in open competition is something we value highly. In this context, we’ve seen that the Iron Dames project is well-structured and was very successful in recent years,” said Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “Since our customer teams have already celebrated victories with the Iron Dames, we’re now taking the next logical step. We’re very confident that the collaboration in all series will reap excellent results and we can highlight our contribution to supporting female racing drivers with victories and podium finishes.” Continue reading →