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Category Archives: economy
Honda EV Hub in Ohio is Retooling
Non-unionized Toyota Motor, Honda and Hyundai, among other manufacturers in the US, have been increasing wages in an attempt to stop what appears to be impending successful UAW organizing efforts at plants owned by off-shore automakers following the UAW Detroit Three contract sweep last October. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, connected vehicles, economy, electric vehicles, environment, labor issues, manufacturing, mobility company, news analysis
Tagged american honda, Anna Engine Plant, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, East Liberty Auto Plant, Ken Zino, Marysville Auto Plant
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EPA – U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Increase in 2022
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released its latest annual Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks (GHG Inventory),* which presents an overview of annual greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2022. Net U.S. greenhouse gas emissions were 5,489 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2022, a 1.3% increase in emissions from 2021. EPA said the increase is mostly due to higher energy use in 2022, reflecting the continued recovery in economic activity following the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Crucially, emissions have declined 17% overall since 2005. Continue reading
Posted in economy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, news analysis, public health
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, carbon dioxide, hydrofluorocarbons, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Joseph Goffman, Ken Zino, methane, nitrogen trifluoride, nitrous oxide, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
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March Western European Passenger Vehicle Sales Up. But…
The Western Europe passenger vehicle (PV) selling rate slipped backwards in March, to 11.3 million units/year, with 1.3 million vehicle registrations, according to the respected GlobalData* consultancy. This is 2.5% below March of 2023. However, year-to-date (YTD) sales increased by … Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, manufacturing, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis, results
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, GlobalData, Ken Zino, March EU passenger vehicle sales, March Western European Passenger Vehicle Sales
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More US Jobs Coming from Chips and Science Act
With investments such as those at TSMC Arizona, the United States is now on track to produce roughly 20% of the world’s leading-edge chips by 2030. With total capital expenditures of more than $65 billion, TSMC Arizona’s investment is the largest foreign direct investment in a greenfield project in U.S. history. Continue reading
Posted in economy, electric vehicles, electronics, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis
Tagged 2 Nanometer or More Advanced Chips, AMD, apple, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Bidenomics, CHIPS and Science Act, Dr. Mark Liu, Ken Zino, large-scale datacenters, machine learning, NVIDIA, President Joe Biden, Qualcomm, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, The U.S. Department of Commerce, TSMC Arizona Corporation
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Mercedes-Benz Alabama Workers Ask NLRB for Union Vote
Energy appears to be on the side of the union. Alabama has been a so-called “right to work state (for less?) since 2016, meaning that union-membership is not required for employment. By late February, less than two months after Mercedes workers went public with their drive to join the UAW, a majority of them had signed union cards.
The Mercedes workers are part of the growing national movement of non-union autoworkers organizing to join the UAW in the wake of the historic Stand Up Strike victory at the Big Three auto companies last fall. More than 10,000 non-union autoworkers have signed union cards in recent months, with public campaigns launched at Mercedes, Volkswagen, Hyundai in Montgomery, Ala., and Toyota in Troy, Mo. Workers at least two dozen other facilities are also actively organizing. The main event in this fight will likely be at Tesla in AutoInformed’s view with Twitter owner Elon Musk, mustering all the anti-worker tweets he can. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, economy, labor issues, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis, people
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, elon musk, Ken Zino, Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa Alabama, National Labor Relations Board, tesla, uaw
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US Auto Sales Hitting Streak – 20 Months of Growth in March
US Light Vehicle (LV) sales grew 5.5% year-on-year (YoY) in March to 1.44 million units, according to an analysis just released by the respected GlobalData consultancy.* This means that under the Biden Administration the economy had another month of YoY … Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, marketing, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden Administration economy, Bidenomics, David Oakley, GlobalData, Jeff Schuster, Ken Zino, March 2024 US light vehicle sales
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Baltimore Bridge – Japanese, Korean, German Makers at Risk
“Japan, Korea and Germany are the main origins for vehicles entering the US market, so brands with heavy production concentrations in those locations have the potential to be impacted more significantly, especially those in Europe,” said the GlobalData* consultancy. “It is no surprise that Hyundai and Toyota were the top importers, though General Motors (GM) was the third largest, with vehicles coming from Korea and China. VW Group is among the top 5 importers, while BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Stellantis are also exposed to potential disruption.” Continue reading
Heavy-Duty Emissions Standards – Missed Opportunity?
“The final rule also leaves more work to be done, and state legislatures should spur use of electric and other zero-emission trucks by adopting the Advanced Clean Truck rule. By delaying the final standards for sleeper cabs until model year 2030 vehicles, EPA missed out on the additional climate and health benefits that would have started accruing much earlier from some of the highest-polluting vehicles on the roads. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, economy, electric vehicles, energy, environment, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, milestones, news analysis, public health, transportation
Tagged ACEEE, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden-Harris Administration, Daivie Ghosh, federal highway administration, Ken Zino, National Highway Freight Network, National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy, The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, US Department of Energy, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles
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Greenhouse Gas Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles Set
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced final national greenhouse gas pollution standards for heavy-duty vehicles for model years 2027 through 2032 – the “Greenhouse Gas* Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3.” Trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles are central to the economy by moving goods and freight as well as providing services for industry, transit, among other sectors. Heavy-duty vehicles account for 25% of all greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, which is itself the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Under these new standards, the heavy-duty industry is expected to realize annualized savings of $3.5 billion compared to annualized costs of about $1.1 billion from 2027 through 2055 Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, milestones, news analysis, public health, transportation
Tagged air toxics, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden-Harris Administration, catastrophic wildfires, climate change, coastal flooding, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles, greenhouse gas pollution, Inflation Reduction Act, Ken Zino, nitrogen oxides, nox, particulate matter, PM
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Auto Industry Continues to Rebound from Pandemic Lows
Cox Automotive* experts on a media call today said U.S. new-vehicle sales in Q1 will increase 5.6% year-over -year (YoY) and reach 3.8 million units. The YoY increase in Q1 sales implies that the new-vehicle market in the U.S. continues to recover slowly from the 10-year low – 13.8 million total sales – recorded in 2022. AutoInformed notes that the Biden Administration recovery continues despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to harm the economy by keeping interest rates unduly high. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, manufacturing, marketing, news analysis
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden Administration economic recovery, Charlie Chesbrough, Cox Automotive, Jonathan Smoke, Ken Zino, Stephanie Valdez Streaty
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Suniva, Heliene to Make First U.S. Domestic Content Solar Cells
“With this strategic partnership Heliene and Suniva are well-positioned to rapidly scale domestic cell and module manufacturing to meet the surging demand for secure and reliable domestically made crystalline PV modules. Currently, all U.S.-made solar crystalline modules use only imported cells. This partnership will directly address that gap in the U.S. solar supply chain and help strengthen manufacturing capacity to meet increased demand for domestic products,” the companies said in a joint released timed to coincide with a visit by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at Suniva yesterday. Continue reading
Posted in economy, electric vehicles, electronics, energy, environment, global warming, manufacturing, milestones, news, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden Administration economic recovery, Cristiano Amoruso, Domestic Content Bonus Investment Tax Credit, Heliene, Ken Zino, making American manufacturing great again, Martin Pochtaruk, renewable energy, Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen, solar polar, Suniva
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March US Vehicle Sales Up. Record Q1 Consumer Spending!
Total US new-vehicle sales for March 2024, are projected to reach 1,525,700 units, a 12.1% increase from March 2023, according to a joint forecast today from J.D. Power and GlobalData.* The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total new-vehicle sales is expected to be 16.4 million units, up 1.6 million units from March 2023. New-vehicle total sales for Q1 2024 are projected at 3,830,500 units, a 4.5% increase from Q1 2023 when adjusted for selling days as the Biden Administration recovery continues.
New-vehicle retail sales for March 2024 are also expected to increase when compared with March 2023. Retail sales of new vehicles are forecast at 1,225,000 units, a 10.7% increase from March 2023. New-vehicle retail sales for Q1 2024 are projected at 3,066,500 units, a 4.5% increase from Q1 2023 when adjusted for selling days. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, marketing, milestones, news, news analysis, results, sales, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Bidenomics, David Oakley, Elizabeth Krear, GlobalData, j.d power, Ken Zino, March US new vehicle sales, Thomas King
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Department of Commerce Proposes $8.5B Intel Funding
The U.S. Department of Commerce and Intel Corporation have reached a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $8.5 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen the U.S. supply chain and re-establish American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, the Biden-Harris Administration said today. This is the Department of Commerce’s fourth PMT announcement under the CHIPS and Science Act. So-called leading-edge chips power the most sophisticated technology extant, including developing AI and building critical military systems and weapons.
“There is no one who cares more about revitalizing American manufacturing than President Biden, and today’s announcement is a massive step towards ensuring America’s leadership in manufacturing for the 21st century. With this agreement, we are helping to incentivize over $100 billion in investments from Intel – marking one of the largest investments ever in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, which will create over 30,000 good-paying jobs and ignite the next generation of innovation,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, autonomous cars, autonomous vehicles, economy, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis, software defined vehicles, software defined vehicles
Tagged artificial intelligence, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden-Harris Administration, CHIPS and Science Act, Gina Raimondo, Intel, Intel 18A, Ken Zino, Pat Gelsinger, semi-conductors, U.S. Department of Commerce
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EPA Finalizes Vehicle Pollution Standards for 2027-32
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced final national pollution standards for passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles for model years 2027 through 2032 and beyond. The standards will have significant effects on the types of vehicles available, how much they cost to buy, own and operate, as well as the economy and public health in a politically dysfunctional country. Let the lawsuits commence, particularly from anti-environmentalists, the Republican party, and fossil fuel funded groups.
“With transportation as the largest source of U.S. climate emissions, these strongest-ever pollution standards for cars solidify America’s leadership in building a clean transportation future and creating good-paying American jobs, all while advancing President Biden’s historic climate agenda,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The standards will slash over 7 billion tons of climate pollution, improve air quality in overburdened communities, and give drivers more clean vehicle choices while saving them money. Under President Biden’s leadership, this Administration is pairing strong standards with historic investments to revitalize domestic manufacturing, strengthen domestic supply chains and create good-paying jobs.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, energy, engineering, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, litigation, manufacturing, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, public health, transportation
Tagged Alliance for Automotive Innovation, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden-Harris Administration, cafe, epa, greenhouse gas emissions, greenhouse gas standards, Inflation Reduction Act, John Bozzella, Ken Zino, uaw
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UAW Practice Picketing at Daimler Truck in the US South
Daimler Truck workers from six different local unions in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee continue to conduct so-called “practice pickets” to demonstrate that they are strike-ready when their contract expires on 26 April. Practice pickets are not work stoppages or walkouts am no entrances will be obstructed. Workers will report to their shifts as usual. Continue reading →