Category Archives: auto news

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

Posted in connected vehicles, electric vehicles, financial results, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in global warming, labor issues, manufacturing, mobility company, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

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

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

Posted in electric vehicles | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, environment, mobility company, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, news analysis, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

GM Defense Expands into Global Markets

GM Defense uses commercial technologies to develop products to aid the fighting of wars. GM Defense can scale to nearly any level of production while providing its military customers access to maintenance and support on a global scale. Continue reading

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

Cadillac to Return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans After 22 Years

The prototype has a new Cadillac 5.5-liter DOHC engine package working in conjunction with the LMDh common hybrid system.T he engineering challenge remaining – of course – is to bring the old success of Cadillac’s DPi V.R, which won two titles and four consecutive Rolex 24s in its six years in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship, to the new car. Continue reading

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

IIHS Says Toyota Tacoma 2022 MY Marginal in Crash Test

Still, this was an improvement. The marginal rating applies to vehicles built after October 2021, when Toyota modified the rear leaf springs. Vehicles built prior to that date are rated poor. In an earlier test of a vehicle built before the changes, one of the rear leaf springs punctured the fuel tank, resulting in a fire risk and an automatic downgrade. Continue reading

Posted in engineering, safety | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Aftermarket Services Beat Dealers Again in Latest Survey

The study, now in its third year following its debut in 2019, measures customer satisfaction with aftermarket service facilities, providing a numerical index ranking of the highest-performing facilities in the U.S. aftermarket doing full-service maintenance and repair; quick oil changes; and tire replacement. Continue reading

Posted in aftermarket, customer satisfaction | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Digital Media Decimating Print Publishing Revenues

The explosive growth of digital media and technology continues to have a ruinous impact on print publishing industry revenues, the US Census Bureau said today. Continue reading

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

Stellantis Gets Lithium Supply for NA EVs

CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen Project in California’s Imperial County will recover lithium from geothermal brines using renewable energy and steam to produce battery grade lithium products in a closed-loop process, eliminating the need for evaporation brine ponds, open pit mines, and fossil-fueled processing, Stellantis claimed. Continue reading

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

US EV Purchase Consideration Up. Income Matters

However, “The addition of new EV models has moved the needle on consumer consideration,” said Stewart Stropp, senior director of automotive retail at J.D. Power. “In fact, several new models from perennial mass market brands are at the top of that consideration list. Even so, more remains to be done in terms of transitioning from early to mass adoption. Though the study findings show a shift in favor of EVs, about 76% of new-vehicle shoppers say they are not ‘very likely’ to consider buying one.” Continue reading

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