Category Archives: auto news

Vehicle Quality Flaws at 36-Year Record High

Initial vehicle quality drastically declined setting a record, according to the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Initial Quality StudySM (IQS)*. The disruptions caused by the pandemic: supply chain issues, record-high vehicle prices and personnel dislocations, contributed to quality woes. Compared with … Continue reading

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Mercedes-Benz and Unions Agree on EV Production Plans

This means that the Works Council and the powerful IG Metall union, which represents the industrial sector in Europe’s largest economy, supports how the factories are being allocated. The production portfolio already includes six all-electric Mercedes-EQ models. These are being bult at six locations on three continents. Continue reading

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Bentley Mulliner to Build 12 New 1929-30 Le Mans Winners

The most successful Bentley racing car of its era, the Speed Six is one of the most important Bentleys in history, not only further demonstrating the marque’s world-beating performance credentials but also proving the concept of what is still known as the Grand Tourer – a fast car that remained comfortable and luxurious, and capable of covering huge distances with ease. Continue reading

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Toyota to Build Suzuki SUV in India for Both Brands

The powertrains offered in India, will be equipped with a mild hybrid developed by Suzuki and a full hybrid developed by Toyota. “By bringing together strengths of both Toyota and Suzuki through the collaboration, the two companies will be able to provide a wide variety of vehicle electrification technologies to customers and contribute to the acceleration of electrification and the realization of a carbon-neutral society in India,” the companies said in a joint release. Continue reading

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Stellantis to be 2nd Largest Shareholder in Vulcan Energy

The equity investment will go towards Vulcan’s planned production expansion drilling in its producing Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field (URVBF). Vulcan is already producing geothermal energy from its URVBF and plans to produce lithium hydroxide with zero fossil fuels and net zero carbon footprint as part of the Zero Carbon Lithium Project. Continue reading

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Infotainment: Mercedes-Benz Group and ZYNC

Through ZYNC, Mercedes-Benz customers will be able to access a range of third-party global and local streaming services. The first application of ZYNC is planned for the end of this year in the EQS and S-Class in Europe, with rollout in further models and markets planned for 2023. Continue reading

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Nissan and Wallbox to Offer Home EV Charging

The Pulsar Plus charger, the company’s best-seller, is said to be one of the smallest smart universal EV chargers in North America. It can be installed in homes, apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings. Continue reading

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Automaker Profits Post-Covid Hiding Supplier Weakness

The continued trend delivers a “complex backdrop for an industry committing $526 billion through 2026,” AlixPartners’ analysis finds, to fund the shift to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). The transition, now taking place amid a weakening economic outlook, could cost automakers and suppliers $70 billion if not effectively managed, the analysis finds. There are several implications for consumers here – not all of them benign. Continue reading

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Ford Europe Says Valencia Will Make Next Gen EVs

In the problematic world of labor relations, Ford is also moving ahead on the $2 billion conversion of its Cologne, Germany, operations to begin producing electric passenger vehicles starting in 2023. Continue reading

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EV Consideration is Up but Skepticism is a Challenge

AutoInformed notes once again that Republican Party opposition to the Build Back Better Bill, which has substantial funding for charging stations needed to help automakers sell EVs, is yet another puzzling position reversal for a party that is now against supporting business? Continue reading

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Toyota, Redwood Materials to Recycle Electric Vehicle Batteries

Redwood Materials claims it is reducing the environmental footprint and cost of lithium-ion batteries by offering large-scale sources of domestic anode and cathode materials produced from recycled batteries. Redwood receives more than ~6 GWh of end-of-life batteries annually for recycling, which are then refined and remanufactured into critical battery materials. The company plans to increase production of anode and cathode components in the US to 100 GWh annually by 2025, enough to produce more than one million electric vehicles a year. Continue reading

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Hyundai Motor, Michelin MoU to Develop Tires for Premium EVs

It appears a prime motivator of the new research is on tire performance to accommodate the increases in vehicle weight that will occur as automakers rush to convert or spawn EVs in the utility vehicle and luxury segments, which generally speaking are larger and less efficient than their counterparts in the more modestly priced car segments. As the size, weight and range of EVs continue to increase, so do the demands placed on the tires. Continue reading

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Safety Performance of Advanced Vehicle Technologies Murky

The set of crashes, which automakers and operators reported to NHTSA from the time the SGO was issued last June, are clearly important. They provide NHTSA with direct information about crashes that occur with vehicles that have various levels of automated driving systems deployed at least 30 seconds before a crash occurred. Continue reading

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Europe’s Diesel Addiction Continues Starting with Germany

This was “in a depressed market that is suffering not only from supply issues, but perhaps starting to feel the beginnings of a consumer slowdown, although that is thought to be a relatively minor part of the problem as the order backlog remains significant,” the respected LMC Automotive* consultancy said today. Continue reading

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Le Mans 2022 – Toyota, Porsche, Jota, Aston Martin Win

Toyota Gazoo Racing brought its winning record at LeMans to an extraordinary total of five this year in the top Hypercar class. The number of kilometers traversed by the winning #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid was 5,177.17 at an average of … Continue reading

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