Category Archives: auto news

GM BrightDrop Expands to Canada with Ingersoll EV Plant

With taxpayer-financed support from both Canadian governments, GM has retooled the CAMI Assembly plant become the new global manufacturing home of BrightDrop’s fully electric delivery vans starting with the BrightDrop Zevo 600 electric delivery van. CAMI expects to produce 50,000 Zevo vans annually by 2025. Scaled production is expected to begin with Zevo 600 models in January 2023 and Zevo 400 models in late 2023. In the US, BrightDrop completed delivery of the first Zevo 600s to FedEx last year. Continue reading

Posted in electric vehicles, environment, global warming, manufacturing, milestones | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stellantis Autonomy Disability Program for People with Motor Disabilities Now Expanding to all European Brands

Created in Italy by the Fiat brand, the Autonomy program will be extended to all brands in the European markets where the Group maintains a presence. Autonomy has been active in Italy since 1995, with 15 Mobility Centers – specialist facilities where people with disabilities can find the medical and technical advice they need to apply for a special driving license. Partnerships with the main converters in the industry are key to the program. Continue reading

Posted in marketing, mobility company, people, transportation | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

November US Light Vehicle Sales Up. Uncertainty Remains

General Motors led the market, with a 17.6% share, 2.4 pp ahead of Toyota Group. Stellantis saw the largest YoY decline of the major automakers, down by 13.2% YoY. Honda Group continued to struggle with a -6.1% YoY drop. Continue reading

Posted in economy, news analysis, sales | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Biden Administration Prevents Nationwide Rail Shutdown

Once again the  President appears to have out-foxed unwitting Republican obstructionists. In response to a question about paid sick leave, he said, “As soon as I can convince our Republicans to see the light.” Thereby once again using success to highlight opposition policy failures.

Biden also took the opportunity to reiterate the economic progress the Administration continues to make after the unending disasters and corruption of the previous Republican Administration. Republicans were thumped in the mid-term elections of course. Continue reading

Posted in labor issues, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

RAM Pickup EV to be Shown. Peugeot Returning to US?

More interesting is Peugeot. The brand has not said it is returning to the US market, so why is the reveal here? “The Peugeot Inception Concept will showcase how the brand takes advantage of the next generation of cockpit platforms to re-invent the whole automobile experience, redesigning the interior space and reshaping driving gestures around the next generation of the Peugeot i-Cockpit,” the release said. Continue reading

Posted in concept, electric vehicles, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Auto, Other Industries Pushing for Rail Strike Intervention. Biden Asking for Action from Do Nothing Senate Republicans

President Biden: “Let me say that again: without action this week, disruptions to our auto supply chains, our ability to move food to tables, and our ability to remove hazardous waste from gasoline refineries will begin. The Senate must move quickly and send a bill to my desk for my signature immediately.” Continue reading

Posted in labor issues, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Federal Reserve Chair Powell Says Inflation Remains Too High

The remarks today are important to the US auto industry since it is responsible for a total of 10.3 million American jobs, or about 8% of private-sector employment as well as $650 billion in direct, indirect, and induced paychecks, according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation*. More than $272 billion annually is contributed in the form of federal, state, and local tax revenues. This includes more than $70 billion in income taxes and $10 billion in corporate profit taxes.

Auto companies in our view need to demonstrate a degree of flexibility and speed of analysis and reaction that – much like the Covid Pandemic and Putin’s war against Ukraine – were not part of the usual operating procedures. Continue reading

Posted in economy, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Honda to Build CR-V Fuel-Cell in US

The new CR-V-based FCEV might become North America’s first production vehicle to combine a plug-in feature with FCEV technology in one model, which enables the driver to charge the onboard battery to deliver EV driving around town with the option of hydrogen refueling for longer trips. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, electric vehicles, environment, global warming, milestones, new vehicle | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Recycling – Hyundai N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo at 2022 Automobility LA

Consider the  N vision 2025 that first appeared in an earlier life as we recall at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Then it was a prototype-build as the Vision Gran Turismo project to commemorate Hyundai’s 50th anniversary coming in 2017. Continue reading

Posted in news analysis | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Porsche Supercup Remains Formula 1® Support Series

Both parties have extended the agreement for eight years until 2030. For the 2023 season, the international one-make cup will use the  375 kW (510 PS or 503 horsepower) Porsche 911. During the eight races of the 2022 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, 28 registered competitors and 25 guest drivers competed. Continue reading

Posted in marketing, performance, racing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mercedes-Benz First Automaker Issuing Green Panda Bonds

A so-called green bond is a fixed-income financial instrument used to support climate-related or environmental projects. They may or not be tax free. The Green Panda Bond further reflects what Daimler said is the openness and innovation of the Chinese capital market in ESG sectors.

In our view it also shows how out of touch the Republican party of No Hope, aka nope) is on environmental and economic matters with its denial of climate change and so far futile attempts to kill such instruments in the US and punish corporate issuers. Continue reading

Posted in electric vehicles, environment, financial results, global warming, milestones | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

EU Commercial Vehicle Registrations -8.5% in October

In a demonstration of  the murky answer to the question “is the ongoing European-recession glass half-empty or half-full?”, ACEA* said today that the EU market for new commercial vehicles continued to scuffle, declining for the sixteenth month in a row at -8.5% vehicles.

However, year-to-date registrations of new commercial vehicles across the European Union contracted by 16.8% to 1.3 million units. So things are improving somewhat since the rate of decline is decreasing. Moreover, the truck and bus segments performed better than in October 2021. Continue reading

Posted in economy, news analysis, sales | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Stellantis Overhauling European Dealer Network in 2023

In essence, electrification is a challenge facing all global automakers. Currently in the US Ford Motor is facing a major dealer revolt over its proposed electrification model. At Stellantis – the mega merger of FCA and PSA companies – the problem is acute – with its Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep®, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall automotive brands, as well as Free2move and Leasys services – the multi-brand distribution network is, well, complex. Continue reading

Posted in customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, marketing, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

November US New Vehicle Sales Forecast Record Consumer Spending of $42.8B. Global Sales Good, but Fluid

New-vehicle transaction prices continue to rise, but slower than earlier this year. The average price in November will set a record for the month of $45,872, an increase of 3.1% from a year ago. The record transaction prices mean that buyers are predicted to spend nearly $42.8 billion on new vehicles this month, the highest level ever for the month of November and a 7.0% increase from November 2021 as the Biden Administration recovery continues. Continue reading

Posted in economy, manufacturing, sales | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hypercar Hype – Praga Bohema Prototype Shown

“Yet it is also comfortable and practical for head-turning road trips,” Praga said. The Bohema’s interior has a narrow, aerodynamically defined cockpit that it’s claimed seats two, 6.5-feet-tall adults with fully adjustable driver’s seat, steering wheel and pedals, generous luggage space, aircon and useful rear visibility. Only 89 of the $1.31million cars will be built with “potential” sales and aftersales partners in countries including Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, UAE, UK and the US. Continue reading

Posted in performance, racing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment