Category Archives: news analysis

Stellantis Adds Another $55 Million to Archer Aviation

Posted on 2 July 2024 by Ken Zino

“Few things rival the excitement of seeing a dream take flight. I applaud the innovation, expertise and hard work of the engineering and manufacturing teams from Stellantis and Archer,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. “With this additional investment in Archer, we remain on course for a future where freedom of mobility extends beyond today’s roads.” Continue reading →

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Ford Motor Recalls More than 550,000 F-150 Pickups

Posted on 1 July 2024 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 550,000 2014 model F-150 vehicles, the National High Traffic Safety Administration said today. A loss of the signal between the transmission output shaft speed sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into first gear at any vehicle speed. A downshift to first gear without warning could result in a loss of vehicle control, obviously increasing the risk of a crash. Continue reading →

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First Gen Four BMW 1 Series Made in Leipzig

Posted on 1 July 2024 by Ken Zino

The first of the fourth-generation BMW 1 Series came off the production line at BMW Group Plant Leipzig today. BMW said  it was a 120 model in Alpine White for a customer in Germany.* The new BMW 1 Series is due for market launch in October 2024. When first introduced in 2007, the 1-series was a successful bet that a small hatchback doesn’t need to equate to cheap. Continue reading →

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Honda CR-V Fuel Cell EV – $389 a Month!

Posted on 28 June 2024 by Ken Zino

Honda this week announced lease options for the 2025 Honda CR-V e:FCEV, America’s first production plug-in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle. The zero-emissions compact CUV will be available in California starting 9 July, with three leasing options, at $389, $459, and $489 per month. This is a form of space age NASA advanced technology at Honda prices without the requisite trip to the moon, unless you have those views about California. Continue reading →

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EVs, PHEVs Worse Than Gas Vehicles On Power 2024 IQS

Posted on 27 June 2024 by Ken Zino

“Proponents of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) often state these vehicles should be less problematic and require fewer repairs than gas-powered vehicles since they have fewer parts and systems. However, newly incorporated repair data shows BEVs, as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), require more repairs than gas-powered vehicles in all repair categories. “Owners of cutting edge, tech-filled BEVs and PHEVs are experiencing problems that are of a severity level high enough for them to take their new vehicle to the dealership at a rate three times higher than that of gas-powered vehicle owners,” Hanley said. Continue reading →

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May 2024 Car Sales Drop 3% in EU

Posted on 21 June 2024 by Ken Zino

Registrations of battery-electric (BEV) cars declined by 12% to 114,308. The total EV market share dropping to 12.5%. Belgium – now the third-largest market by volume for BEVs – and France were the only key markets to record growth, at 44.8% and 5.4%, respectively. Germany (-30.6%) and the Netherlands (-11.7%) had significant declines. From January to May, a total of 556,276 new battery-electric cars were registered. This is a 2% increase from the same period last, according to the ACEA trade group. Continue reading →

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May 2024 Global Light Vehicle Sales Rate Up Slightly

Posted on 20 June 2024 by Ken Zino

“Key markets, China and the US, benefited from improved selling rates versus the previous month. In Europe, there was little change for the West of the region in its month-over-month (MoM) selling rate evolution. While Eastern Europe made progress, with the latter once again supported by recovery in Russia. In Japan, the selling rate declined notably as supply issues persist,” the GlobalData light-vehicles sales forecast team said. Continue reading →

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Stellantis Updates Circular Economy Initiatives at IARC

Posted on 19 June 2024 by Ken Zino

“Since the introduction of SUSTAINera, in 2022, we achieved very positive results in areas such as parts re-manufacturing, battery recycling and end-of-life vehicles”, said Alison Jones, Senior Vice President of Stellantis’ Global Circular Economy, who delivered a keynote presentation at International Automotive Recycling Congress (IARC), in Antwerp, Belgium. “We remain committed to our target to increase recycling revenues by ten times and achieve more than €2 billion in total circular economy revenues by 2030 – fully in line with Stellantis’ Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan.” Continue reading →

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Surprising Shifts in the 2024 American-Made Index

Posted on 18 June 2024 by Ken Zino

A Cars.com survey found more than half of in market car shoppers are willing to pay more for people, if it creates more U.S. jobs. The question is how much more are they willing to pay? And I’m happy to tell you that the answer is a lot more. Car shoppers cars.com surveyed said 56% are willing to pay more for a vehicle if it creates more U.S. jobs. Of those, 58% say they’re willing to pay an additional 10% considering the overall expense of vehicles. Consumers desire to support jobs in the US is something that automakers and dealers should be more aware of,” said Cars.com Editor-in-Chief Jenni Newman at an Automotive Press Association Briefing that AutoInformed was part of. Continue reading →

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Chinese Trade Wars – EU Adds High Tariffs on EV Imports

Posted on 18 June 2024 by Ken Zino

“Fair competition is good,” Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President, recently said. “What we don’t like is when China floods our market with massively subsidized electric cars. And we have to tackle this, we have to protect our industry,” said von der Leyen. Like covid, trade wars with China, which has extremely competitive EV technologies and vehicles, are now a pandemic. The tariffs are subject to revision. And lobbying… Continue reading →

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Chinese Trade Wars – Exports Growing, Prices Dropping

Posted on 17 June 2024 by Ken Zino

Two very real problems are increasing for non-Chinese global automakers. First, is the penetration rate. This is the market share of the vehicles that are the future of the companies that will survive what is an historic reshaping of a global industry. Here, so-called New Electric Vehicles – [NEVs – battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and range-extended electric vehicles combined] that have been heavy promoted, subsidized and pushed forward by the Chinese government are now accounting a 43% share in April, an historic high. The economies of scale are enormous and a clear Chinese competitive advantage. Continue reading →

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Stellantis Promise or Puff? – Clean, Safe, Affordable Mobility

Posted on 13 June 2024 by Ken Zino

No matter how nuanced a view you take, Jeep is central to the plan. The China Leapmotor Strategy is either daft – given the expanding global trade war with China or dictated by reality. Perhaps more significant in this moment, Stellantis re-affirmed its 2024 financial guidance and capital return plan, which promises double-digit Adjusted Operating Income (AOI) margin and positive industrial free cash flows. Stellantis will provide  ≥€7.7 billion in dividends and buybacks during 2024. Continue reading →

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EPA 2031 CAFE – EVs, PHEVs, Hybrids Will Grow

Posted on 13 June 2024 by Ken Zino

For those of you who inhabit the Trump Washington swamp and have misinformation fever, Trump did not decrease the standards as he promised. Incremental increases were slowed down a bit. Enter the Biden Administration, which basically went back to the sharp CAFE increases that occurred under the Obama Administration. Simply put, CAFE will increase because of the significant fines for non-compliance now in place. Continue reading →

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Porsche 2024 Annual Meeting Sweep. Dividend Doubled

Posted on 8 June 2024 by Ken Zino

“In 2023, Porsche impressed while realizing all its ambitious forecasts. Our financial position is robust and, even in uncertain times, we remain highly profitable. For Porsche, 2024 is a year of new product launches, with the biggest model launch program in the company’s history. In the past months we have launched new models for five model series. We are thereby laying the foundations today for our profits tomorrow – and for future dividends,” said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Eases CAFE Regs For 2027-2031 Model Years

Posted on 7 June 2024 by Ken Zino

“Not only will these new standards save Americans money at the pump every time they fill up, they will also decrease harmful pollution and make America less reliant on foreign oil,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “These standards will save car owners more than $600 in gasoline costs over the lifetime of their vehicle.” Continue reading →

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