Category Archives: news analysis

Botched Vaccinations Haunt EU Vehicle Sales During May

Volkswagen Group took its second highest monthly market share since 2001. The German manufacturer’s share totaled 28.14% during May, second only to April 2020 when had  29.23% as competitive sales were hit to a greater degree by the onset of the pandemic in Europe. The results in May were due to strong performance from brands such as Audi, Skoda, Seat, and Cupra, formerly known as SEAT Sport. Total sales were boosted by increasing consumer demand for EVs and SUVs – with Volkswagen Group now leading in Europe across both segments. Continue reading

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NHTSA Shouldn’t Cut National Autonomous Vehicle Regs!

AutoInformed thinks that more than US auto industry jobs are at stake here. AV technology can reduce congestion, improve safety for passengers and pedestrians, and spur unknown innovations to help the United States lead the global automotive industry. Continue reading

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EU Parliament Confirms Deal on Climate Neutrality by 2050

This transforms the European Green Deal’s political commitment to EU climate neutrality by 2050 into a binding obligation. It gives European citizens and businesses the legal certainty and predictability they need to plan for this transition. After 2050, the EU will aim for negative emissions. Parliament has played a significant role in pushing for more ambitious EU climate legislation and declared a climate emergency on 28 November 2019. Continue reading

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Mazda “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030.” We’re Not Kidding

Marketing babble alert> “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030”  is built from Mazda’s revised Medium-Term Management Plan and its desire to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, both of which were announced in the past year. Continue reading

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Ford Buys Electriphi to Provide Ford Pro Commercial Customers with Charging and Energy Management

The Electriphi acquisition comes as Ford prepares for the launch of all-electric versions of two of its high-volume commercial vehicles – the Transit van and F-150 pickup. Ford will start shipping E-Transit to customers later this year; F-150 Lightning Pro will be available in spring 2022. Continue reading

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Toyota’s Woven Capital Invests in Ridecell for Mobility Services

“Ridecell is accelerating the digital transformation of a key part of the mobility industry―creating a comprehensive platform that connects fleets and automates workflow at scale,” claimed Michiko Kato, Principal, Woven Capital. Continue reading

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GM Ups Bet by $35B in Autonomous, Electric Vehicle Games

The seemingly bottomless pit of capital being consumed in the race to survive the connected, green and autonomous vehicle wars has grown deeper with General Motors saying today it will increase its EV and AV investments from 2020 through 2025 to $35 billion. This is a – gulp – 75% increase from its initial pledge announced prior to the ongoing pandemic. Continue reading

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Mexican-Built 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid Shrinks Size, Price

To AutoInformed, it looks like a clever updating and use of the former Mazda-derived Ranger pickup. Ford Motor, of course, once dominated the compact pickup truck market in the U.S. until years of product neglect combined with an assault by Toyota and Nissan pushed it to a footnote in the segment. Continue reading

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US Battery Electric Vehicle Market – Progress or Proliferation? Tesla has a 75% Share. Is the Nissan LEAF a Best Buy?

The Nissan LEAF was the first modern pure EV when it launched in 2010. Since then the US battery electric vehicle market has added roughly 20 different models with prices ranging from ~$21,000 to more than $160,000. The question for consumers is this progress or just proliferation? Well, as always, it depends on what you consider. Continue reading

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The Growing Non-Exclusive Dieselgate Club – Fraud Charges Also in France for Renault on Diesel Emissions Levels

The investigation opened on 12 January 2017 on older generations of diesel vehicles, Renault s.a.s. was placed under examination on 8 June 2021 on the charge of deceit, aka fraud. Investigators accused Renault of “fraudulent strategies” used by top managers for more than 25 years to falsify the emission test results, including its longtime chief Carlos Ghosn. The EU Parliament adopted legislation last November that will allow US-style class action lawsuits against companies accused of wide-scale fraud. Continue reading

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Stellantis – Diesel Emissions Probes for Consumer Fraud

The Stellantis Group, which was established in January 2021, also said it will continue its predecessors’ policies and cooperate fully with the justice system in order to resolve this matter expeditiously. It, of course, has no other good options. Stay tuned for the next chapter of Dieselgate, where major automakers used software to cheat on emissions tests. Continue reading

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CARB Revives Incentives for Clean Trucks and Buses

This year HVIP will be fulfilled in waves, allowing the opportunity for more fleets to participate, especially smaller fleets CARB said. Half of the funds will be released immediately. Remaining funds will be made available two months later, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday 10 August 2021. Class 8 trucks performing drayage operations, as well as vehicles purchased by public agencies are exempt from this pause. Continue reading

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State, Local Governments Increase Green Spending

Some specific preservation programs include protection of soil and water resources, including controlling beach erosion, managing dams to prevent floods, educating the public about conservation and generating hydroelectric energy. While expenditures rose, a five-year comparison (from 2016 to 2020) showed a 5.7% decline in part-time employment and a 0.3% decrease in full-time employment. Continue reading

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May US Light Vehicle Sales – Start of an Affordability Slump?

But there is more going on here, AutoInformed opines, given current market conditions. While automakers and the business press have been chasing the semi-conductor shortage, many claim May’s drop in sales are the effects of a supply and demand imbalance. However, the vehicle mix of highly-equipped vehicles, plentiful low-interest-rate money, and the headlong rush into electric vehicles – priced above an average working person’s ability to carry the loan – are starting to make light vehicles unaffordable to the working and middle classes. Continue reading

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Manufacturing – Not Online Shopping – Leads E-Commerce

Any way you look at it, this is another strong argument for the Biden Administration infrastructure initiative that is opposed by the insurrection party that once upon a time was considered friendly to business. Want to make America great again? Well, invest in people, education and infrastructure. Continue reading

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