Category Archives: news analysis

October Global Light Vehicle Sales at 94 Million Annually

The Global Light Vehicle (LV) selling rate for October was largely in line with an upwardly adjusted September figure, at 94 million units annually. Year-over Year (YoY) the market was up nearly ~11% last month, and up more than 10% YTD, according to data just released by the GlobalData Light Vehicle Sales Forecasting Team. Continue reading

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Distracted Driving Laws – Hands Free Results Vary

“In the first few months, reporters write about it, the government runs campaigns for it, and police officers actively educate drivers about it. Over time though, resources and attention shift to other areas,” said Cambridge Analytics. Continue reading

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Mercedes-Benz Opens First North American EV Charging Hub

Mercedes-Benz USA said today that its first Charging Hub* opened at its headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Additional charging hubs will open across Texas and the Southeast by the end of 2023. Continue reading

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Annals of Marketing – Nissan Z Nismo Sleepwear?

Athletic street wear designer Daniel Patrick has collaborated with Nissan to launch a limited line of performance-oriented sleepwear, Nissan said today. The  so-called Fast Asleep capsule collection takes inspiration it’s said from NISMO, Nissan’s in-house motorsports and performance division. During … Continue reading

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Polestar 4 Production Starts at Geely Hangzhou Bay Plant

“Polestar 4 stands out in design and performance, a remarkable SUV coupé in many ways. It is the first Polestar to feature a virtual rear window with world-class digital rear-view mirror. This car plays a very important role in our growing line-up of exclusive performance EVs. It illustrates the value of our diversified and asset-light approach, making use of our partner and major shareholder’s development and manufacturing expertise,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. Continue reading

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General Motors is the Latest Formula One Powertrain Maker

GM’s development and testing of prototype technology is already underway. Engineering a F1 power unit will advance GM’s expertise in areas including electrification, hybrid technology, sustainable fuels, high efficiency internal combustion engines, advanced controls and software systems, GM said. These likely were the talking points used to sell the expensive program to the GM Board of Directors. Continue reading

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UAW Freeloaders – Hyundai Ups Wages of US Factory Workers

Hyundai today announced wage increases for its production team members at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) and Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia. HMMA has been producing vehicles in Montgomery, Alabama since 2005. HMGMA, Hyundai’s EV-dedicated plant in Bryan County, Georgia, is scheduled to begin production in early 2025. In a move mirroring similar ones by non-unionized Toyota Motor and Honda in the US following the UAW Detroit Three contract sweep, wages will increase ~25%. There are ~ 4000 production workers at HMMA. Continue reading

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Biden-Harris Administration Begins National Spectrum Strategy

“Spectrum is a limited resource that enables the everyday and the extraordinary – from checking the weather on our phone to traveling into space. As demand for this resource increases, the US will continue to lead the world in spectrum innovation, and President Biden’s bold vision for spectrum policy will provide the foundation for that leadership,” said US. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, a Biden appointee. Continue reading

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McLaren and Blu Wireless to Create Racing Video Streams

The technology it’s claimed has been successfully tested over the last 12 months across multiple tests in the UK and North America, including demonstrating multiple HD video links on race cars traveling at speeds above 165 mph. Potentially this will be a new marketing tool for racing organizations to connect with fans. It also has the potential to increase the sophistication of the growing use of computerized racing strategies. Continue reading

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The 1840 Census First Collected Data on Male Veterans

“Although it had been nearly 60 years since the American Revolution had ended, the compendium listed the surviving pensioners, including widows, of that war,” said Jonathan Vespa a demographer in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division. “In the 18 decades that followed, the data that the Census Bureau collected about veterans continually shifted and expanded, providing a historical record of just how much the definition of military service has been redefined over centuries. Who was counted as a veteran depended on when and where a man served in the U.S. armed forces. And, yes, for most of the nation’s history, only men were considered veterans.” Continue reading

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US Airline Employment Above Pre-Pandemic Levels

US scheduled-service passenger airlines employed 533,238 workers in September 2023 or 66% of the industry-wide total. Passenger airlines added 2938 employees in September 2023 for a twenty-ninth consecutive month of job growth dating back to May 2021 as the Biden Administration economic recovery continues. Southwest led scheduled passenger carriers, adding 882 employees. United Air Lines added 736, and Delta Airlines added 708. Continue reading

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Mazda Posts Net Income of $7.2 Billion for First Half of Japanese Fiscal Year

“Through the introduction of our Large product CX-90, following the introduction of the CX-60, and ongoing strong performance of mainstay products such as the CX-5, global sales volume increased 20% from the prior year. Other contributing factors were an improvement in market mix with a 40% year-on-year increase in sales in North America, mainly in the high-profit US market,” said Masahiro Moro, President and CEO Mazda Motor Corporation. Continue reading

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Bosch Shows 6 kW Motorcycle EV Drive Motor with Inverter

“With production starting in 2025, the new Bosch 6 kW motor will enable manufacturers to electrify two-wheeler segments that have so far tended to feature combustion-engine technology. In this way, we’re meeting not only demands for everyday mobility needs in cities, but also the desire for riding enjoyment outside urban centers,” said Liersch. Continue reading

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US Vehicle Sales Satisfaction Up Slightly in 2023

The lingering effects of the pandemic are gone, prompting improved customer satisfaction with the vehicle purchase process, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study, SM released today.* Increasing new-vehicle inventory on dealers’ lots and accompanying … Continue reading

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GM Announces Niron Magnetics Partnership for EV Motors

Niron’s proprietary Clean Earth Magnet® technology is based on iron nitride, a plentiful and affordable material with “real potential for commercial use in future EVs,” GM said. The permanent magnets in EV motor rotors are typically made from rare earth minerals such as terbium, dysprosium, praseodymium and neodymium, which are expensive and currently processed almost entirely overseas. A late model car can use hundreds of magnets. This technology can cut their material cost in half it’s claimed. Continue reading

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