Category Archives: news analysis

Beware! Catalytic Converters are Pursued by Thieves

Posted on 10 June 2026 by Ken Zino

“There are a wide range of vehicles impacted, and most of these are pickup trucks and SUVs, which tend to sit higher off the ground, making it easier for thieves to get in and out,” said Patrick Olsen, Editor-in-Chief at CARFAX. “Experts also tell us that while thieves can make anywhere from $25-$300 for a standard catalytic converter, converters from hybrid vehicles can sell for up to $1400 because they have even more of those precious metals inside.” Continue reading →

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Magna CEO Swamy Kotagiri Speaking on Decisions That Will Shape the Next Decade of Automotive Manufacturing

Posted on 9 June 2026 by Ken Zino

“There is no single future. We are no longer moving towards one predictable outcome. We are navigating in multiple plausible futures or paths at a time, and you see that in the different adoption curves. Across regions, you see different investment logic across companies and obviously different policy priorities by margin. Electrification is a good example. The direction is clear for the long term. But the pace and the path are not uniform, and that creates fragmentation. Product mix evolves differently by region. We are seeing that investment timing varies. Industrial policies influence footprint decisions in real time.

“Historically, success came from getting the forecast right. Today’s success comes from staying effective when the forecast is wrong. So the shift is pretty fundamental from optimizing for one expected future to building systems that can perform across several realities. So that’s a different capability and increasingly a competitive one,” said Magna CEO Swamy Kotagiri. Continue reading →

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First Look – Audi Tazio Nuvolari Hybrid Super Car

Posted on 8 June 2026 by Ken Zino

Audi has shown its first supercar with, ahem, a high-performance hybrid powertrain. This is technological progress of a sort with an as yet unknown response from potential customers. Deliveries of the supercar, limited to 499 units, will begin in the first half of 2027. It is the fastest and most powerful production vehicle in the brand’s history.

“With the Audi Nuvolari, we are accelerating technological progress,” claimed Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG. “It shows what is possible when the focus is on technology, performance, and execution through teamwork – and when we achieve progress together.” Continue reading →

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Trump Thumped – U.S. Air Carriers Fuel Costs Climb 26%!

Posted on 8 June 2026 by Ken Zino

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics [BTS  is part of the Department of Transportation – AutoCrat.] released today the April 2026 fuel cost and consumption numbers of U.S. Air Carriers. The airlines used 1.573 billion gallons of fuel, 2.6% less fuel than in March 2026 (1.615 billion) and 0.2% less fuel than April 2025 (1.575B).*

“Total fuel expenditure ($6.47B) of U.S. scheduled service airlines was up 26.2% from March 2026 ($5.12B) and up 78.0% from April 2025 ($3.63B). The cost per gallon of fuel in April 2026 ($4.11) was up 94 cents (29.6%) from March 2026 ($3.17) and up 181 cents (78.2%) from April 2025 ($2.31),” BTS said. All fuel consumption data is in regard to fuel paid for by the carrier. Continue reading →

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Ralph Nader Arises Again in Uber Legal Accountability Bout

Posted on 5 June 2026 by Ken Zino

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader has released an open letter to Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi condemning the company’s efforts to limit legal accountability for crashes involving rideshare drivers and autonomous vehicles. It objects to Uber’s push for federal legislation sponsored by Representative Vince Fong (Republican – Bakersfield, CA) that would limit the company’s legal exposure for crashes involving drivers using its platform. Continue reading →

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Nissan to Build Chinese Chery Vehicles in UK?

Posted on 3 June 2026 by Ken Zino

Nissan (7201T and NSANY ADR) and Chery International UK (9973.HK) said today they have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the study of contract manufacturing for Nissan to manufacture Chery International UK passenger vehicles at its Sunderland Plant. … Continue reading →

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Goodyear to Make Tires for Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle

Posted on 3 June 2026 by Ken Zino

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT) said today that it is returning to the Moon.* As part of NASA’s Artemis program, Goodyear will supply advanced lunar tires for Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), projected to support astronaut … Continue reading →

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Honda Hybrid-Electric Vehicles Set U.S. May Sales Record

Posted on 2 June 2026 by Ken Zino

American Honda Motor Company (NYSE: HMC) said today that it posted a May 2026 sales increase of 9.9% at 148,903 units, with year-to-date sales reaching 623,139. Honda hybrid-electric vehicles set a new monthly sales record of 42,583 units, led by the CR-V hybrid setting a new May sales record, accounting for 54% of model sales in May, with Accord at 50% hybrid mix and Civic sales at 31% hybrid.

“A strong lineup of affordable and fuel-efficient vehicles powered American Honda to strong May sales results,” AHM said. Continue reading →

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BTS – May 2026 Fuel Prices Are Sky-High Up 32-50%

Posted on 2 June 2026 by Ken Zino

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released monthly motor fuels prices for May 2026. The news shows the dire straits motorists are in with the prices at the pump confirming the ongoing trend under the Trump mis-administration. This comes as Iran on Monday has charged the Trump administration with ceasefire violations in Lebanon, saying it will close the Strait of Hormuz and stop swapping messages with the U.S. through intermediaries.

“In May 2026, the average price for regular motor gasoline was $4.48 per gallon; up 9.2% from April 2026 and up 42.2% from May 2025. The average price for diesel no. 2 was $5.60 in May 2026, up 1.8% from April 2026, and up 60.0% from May 2025,” BTS said. Continue reading →

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Wheels Off? GM Front Wheel Bolt Recall on 24-in Wheels

Posted on 1 June 2026 by Ken Zino

If a bolt breaks or completely loosens during vehicle operation, additional load could be placed on the three remaining bolts and lead to partial loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Continue reading →

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Airbag Failures – American Honda Recalls ~99,000 Vehicles

Posted on 1 June 2026 by Ken Zino

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling ~99,000 Acura and Honda models because the front passenger seat weight-sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the airbags to deploy unintentionally during a crash. This is an expansion of a previous recall for the same safety defect.

“In the event of a crash, the front passenger frontal and knee airbags may deploy despite the presence of an occupant (infant in child seat, child, or person smaller than AF5) for whom deployment should be suppressed, increasing the risk of injury.” Honda said in the mandatory safety defect filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning. Continue reading →

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UAW Members at American Axle’s Three Rivers Plant on Strike

Posted on 1 June 2026 by Ken Zino

“After the company now known as Dauch Corporation failed to offer a fair deal after weeks of negotiations, nearly 1000 UAW Local 2093 members walked out on strike in Three Rivers, MI starting Monday 1 June at 12:01 am. Mass picket lines started at 6:00 am,” the UAW said. Continue reading →

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California Air Resources Board Tweaks Cap-and-Invest

Posted on 1 June 2026 by Ken Zino

“At a moment when climate policy is under attack and global economic upheaval is creating real uncertainty, this rule-making is critically important for California,” said CARB Chair Lauren Sanchez. “California has both an opportunity and a responsibility to lead with consistency. By moving forward today, we are responding to real affordability concerns while sending a clear and unwavering signal to the world that we remain committed to long-term investment in clean energy, good jobs, and healthier communities.” Continue reading →

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Trump-conomics – May 2026 U.S. Auto Sales Forecast Flat

Posted on 29 May 2026 by Ken Zino

U.S. new-vehicle sales volume in May is expected to be mostly flat from year-ago levels, increasing a modest 0.1%, according to the latest forecast from Cox Automotive. There are 26 selling days this May, which is the same as last month, but one less than May last year.*

“May sales appear to be holding up despite significant economic uncertainty,” Cox Automotive Senior Economist Charlie Chesbrough said. “New-vehicle buyers today are more affluent than ever, so they may not be as impacted by inflationary pressures as much as other consumers who are more acutely feeling the sharply higher fuel costs. If the economy and stock market can remain on this growing but volatile path, new-vehicle sales will likely follow. However, those are two large necessities during extremely volatile times.” Continue reading →

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Teen Drivers – Good Vehicle Buys With Solid Safety Credentials

Posted on 27 May 2026 by Ken Zino

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports (CR) said today they have identified 45 used vehicles starting under $10,000 that offer good crash protection and are suitable for teen drivers. Another 29 vehicles that also have highly rated headlights and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection can be found for under $20,000. Continue reading →

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