Category Archives: auto news

IIHS – Minivan Second Row Seating Safety Marginal

“Back seat safety is important for all vehicles, but it’s especially vital for those, like minivans, that customers are choosing specifically to transport their families,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “It’s disappointing that automakers haven’t acted faster to apply the best available technology to the second row in this vehicle class.” Continue reading

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High Noon – UAW Big Three Strike Expands Friday

“I have been clear with the Big Three every step of the way. And I’m going to be crystal clear again right now. If we don’t make serious progress by noon on Friday, September 22nd, more locals will be called on to Stand Up and join the strike. That will mark more than a week since our first members walked out. And that will mark more than a week of the Big Three failing to make progress in negotiations toward reaching a deal that does right by our members, Fain said. Continue reading

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Unifor says Likelihood of Ford Strike at Midnight Increases But at Midnight It then Moved a Day Forward

“As of now a tentative agreement has not been reached. While we remain at the table the likelihood of a strike increases with each passing hour. Unifor has advised more than 5600 members at Ford facilities in Canada to prepare for all scenarios, including strike action,”  said Payne. Continue reading

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UAW Big Three Strike Continues

“They pretend that the sky will fall if we get our fair share of the quarter of a trillion dollars the Big Three has made over the past decade,” UAW President Shawn Fain says in the video. “They want to say that our righteous fight for a higher quality of life for the working class would wreck the economy. We’re not going to wreck the economy; we’re going to wreck their economy because it only works for the billionaire class.” Fain is the first president in UAW history directly elected by members. Continue reading

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UAW on Strike at Select Ford, GM, Stellantis Plants

At all of the US Big Three companies – as of now – their new or slightly revised offers when made public are so far short of the UAW requests that they might as well be non-existent. We will have to wait as things unfold. Big Three executives appear to have thought that business as usual would allow them to continue to do business. Well, not today,,,

Moreover there are signs that a resurgent labor movement in other sectors will support the UAW with selective strikes. Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said today “The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, including our members in the carhaul industry, stand in solidarity with the United Auto Workers to get the best contract possible from America’s biggest automakers. Just as the Teamsters saw at UPS, record profits at any company must result in record contracts for the workers who make those profits possible…. All UAW members deserve respect at work and dignity in retirement. They deserve strong wages in a new contract that rewards them for everything they do for the Big Three and to keep this country moving. You can be sure there is no division in America’s labor movement today. And you are urged to remember that Teamsters don’t cross picket lines.” Continue reading

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August Global Light Vehicle Sales Up Again

“The USA, Western and Eastern European countries all registered double digit YoY growth, partly due to 2022 being a weak base and partly because of an alleviation in supply-side issues. Chinese sales grew 5.2%, driven by a booming export sector. However, the domestic PV market in China fell slightly because of subdued consumer confidence,” GlobalData said. Continue reading

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UAW to Start Selective Big Three Strikes at Midnight

UAW President Shawn Fain last night with an audience of ~30,000 on YouTube spoke for more than 50 minutes. His message was simple. “Let’s Stand up and let’s make history,” Fain said. The history he is talking about starts at midnight tonight when the UAW for the first time ever is striking all of the so-called Big Three companies – Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. With defiant language Fain laid out the latest twist in the UAW strategy to “stop the Big Three from killing jobs.” Rather than the traditional single target company, there will be selective and ongoing strikes at all of the companies. Continue reading

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EV Grid Unlock – BMW, Ford, Honda Create ChargeScape

BMW Group, Ford Motor Company and American Honda Motor Company today announced that they have entered into an agreement to create ChargeScape, LLC, a new equally owned company that will create a single, platform connecting electric utilities, automakers and interested … Continue reading

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Elena Ford and William Clay Ford III in New Roles at Ford Motor

Ford also announced that Lisa Materazzo, previously Toyota’s top marketing executive in North America, is joining Ford as global chief marketing officer effective today, reporting to Ford President and CEO Jim Farley. At Toyota, Materazzo also held positions at Lexus and Scion. At Ford, Materazzo will lead advanced product planning and all marketing activities across Ford Blue, Ford Model e and Ford Pro. She will also oversee Ford Performance and Lincoln. Senior Marketing positions have experienced some churn at Ford recently. Continue reading

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Audi E-Tron and Porsche Taycan EVs Recalled for Battery Fires

Battery fires pose a public health threat since they cannot be extinguished with conventional first-responder tools. Continue reading

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UAW Says First Stellantis Contract Offer is Deeply Unfair

“This is a responsible and strong offer that positions us to continue providing good jobs for our employees today and in the next generation here in the U.S. It also protects the company’s future ability to continue to compete globally in an industry that is rapidly transitioning to electric vehicles. Because we know this is important to you and your families, we remain committed to bargaining in good faith and reaching a fair agreement,” Stewart said. Continue reading

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Stellantis Opens Its First Battery Technology Center in Italy

“We are in the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redefine mobility, providing smart and sustainable solutions for our customers,” claimed Ned Curic, Stellantis Chief Engineering and Technology Officer. “Our new Battery Technology Center at Mirafiori brings together the tools and talented people we need to design, test, verify and produce class-leading products that will meet our customers’ needs and accelerate bringing class-leading electric vehicles to customers around the world.” Continue reading

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Honda Joins North American Charging Standard Parade

NACS, aka the Tesla connector, was introduced more than a decade ago by Tesla with its unique pin or plug design that can use both a/c and d/c charging. Continue reading

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UAW Pans GM’s First Contract Offer

The GM, and Ford and Stellantis contracts expire on 11:59 pm 14. September. GM did not post or acknowledge the offer letter on its Investor Relations website.

“After refusing to bargain in good faith for the past six weeks, only after having federal labor board charges filed against them, GM has come to the table with an insulting proposal that doesn’t come close to an equitable agreement for America’s autoworkers,” said Shawn Fain UAW President this morning. “GM either doesn’t care or isn’t listening when we say we need economic justice at GM by 11:59pm on September 14th. The clock is ticking. Stop wasting our members’ time. Tick tock.” Continue reading

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Toyota, FuelCell Energy Make Renewable Hydrogen, Electricity

“FuelCell Energy is committed to helping our customers surpass their clean energy objectives. By working with FuelCell Energy, Toyota is making a powerful statement that hydrogen-based energy is good for business, local communities, and the environment. We are extremely pleased to showcase the versatility and sophistication of our fuel cell technology and to play a role in supporting Toyota’s environmental commitments,” said FuelCell Energy CEO Jason Few. Continue reading

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