Category Archives: global warming

Classic Land Rover Defender Coming to U.S. as an EV

Posted on 19 June 2025 by Ken Zino

“We’ve always believed that great design should last – and with the right technology, it can have a second life that’s even more meaningful,” said Osman Boyner, Founder and CEO of BEDEO. “Partnering with Monarch Defender feels natural; we both share a deep respect for the Defender’s legacy, and a passion for pushing things forward. This partnership is about bringing our technology to the right hands. Monarch Defender understands what makes the Defender so special to people – and they know how to elevate that experience without losing its soul.” Continue reading →

Posted in aftermarket, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, global warming, new vehicle, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Honda Joins American Red Cross Disaster Giving List

Posted on 18 June 2025 by Ken Zino

“We are proud to build on our longstanding commitment to American Red Cross disaster recovery efforts,” said Jennifer Thomas, senior vice president of Corporate Affairs, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Through the Annual Disaster Giving Program, we will strengthen the ability of the Red Cross to provide immediate support when it is needed in communities across America, where Honda associates, customers, dealers and suppliers live and work.” Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, environment, global warming, news, news analysis, people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nissan Shows All-New Third-Generation LEAF

Posted on 17 June 2025 by Ken Zino

Nissan Motor Company (7201T and NSANY ADR) today unveiled the all-new 2026 LEAF. The all-new LEAF will reach U.S. Nissan dealerships in the Fall, with other markets to follow, subject to the of the man who would be King, aka Donald Trump. The all-new Nissan LEAF will be assembled for the U.S. and Canada markets alongside the Ariya at Nissan’s Tochigi plant in Japan.

“Completely reimagined with clean, dynamic body lines, the third-generation LEAF combines a sleek profile with an SUV-like stance. Inside, a refined, minimalist cabin is optimized for roominess, comfort and wellbeing to accommodate all of life’s journeys. With over 15 years of proven dependability and the customer insights of almost 700,000 global sales, the all-new LEAF builds on the model’s DNA of reliable, affordable and attractive EV ownership, delivering strong value for the mass-market,” Nissan said. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, marketing, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, public health, shows and events, Trump Truth Tests | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

CARB Blasts Trump’s Attack on California Clean Air Act

Posted on 12 June 2025 by Ken Zino

Today the California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph responded to President Trump signing” illegal actions” attacking California’s Clean Air Act waivers for Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks, and Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle Omnibus. The California Attorney General is challenging the actions in Federal court.

“Despite the President’s signature, this remains an unconstitutional, illegal, and foolish attempt to undermine California’s clean air protections. We welcome Governor Newsom’s and California Attorney General Bonta’s prompt legal action and look forward to judicial review. In the meantime, CARB will use every tool at its disposal to continue our critical work to clean the air and address the climate crisis. The health and well-being of all Californians depends on it– especially those who live in underserved communities with unhealthy air. We look forward to engaging with the state legislature, stakeholders, and the public as we follow the Governor’s executive order to further advance the state’s clean vehicle transition,” said Liane Randolph. Continue reading →

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, litigation, news, news analysis, public health, Trump Truth Tests | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Milestones – Toyota Indiana Builds 1-Millionth Hybrid

Posted on 12 June 2025 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor (NYSE: TM and 7203.T) celebrated today the manufacturing of the 1-millionth hybrid vehicle at the Princeton Indiana plant. The Sienna van has been assembled at Toyota Indiana since 2003, with the all-hybrid model being the latest iteration built by the plant’s 7650 team members.

“It’s a significant achievement to reach this milestone and something our team members should be proud of,” said Jason Puckett, president of Toyota Indiana. “The all-hybrid Sienna demonstrates our commitment to electrification and remains a top-selling vehicle in Toyota’s lineup.” Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, global warming, manufacturing, marketing, milestones, mobility company, news, public health, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GM to Invest $888M in V8 Gas Engines

Posted on 28 May 2025 by Ken Zino

General Motors (NYSE: GM) said Tuesday that it plans to invest $888 million in its Tonawanda Propulsion plant to support the production of the sixth generation of GM’s V8 engines, used in full-size trucks and SUVs. The money is for new machinery, equipment, and tools, as well as facility renovations. GM makes money – thousands up thousand of U.S. Dollars a unit – on selling full-size pickup trucks and SUVs with fossil fueled engines. This a prudent move that will help offset the significant costs incurred during the slow walk to non-fossil fueled propulsion systems.

“Our significant investments in GM’s Tonawanda Propulsion plant show our commitment to strengthening American manufacturing and supporting jobs in the U.S.,” said Mary Barra, Chair and CEO. “GM’s Buffalo plant has been in operation for 87 years and is continuing to innovate the engines we build there to make them more fuel efficient and higher performing, which will help us deliver world-class trucks and SUVs to our customers for years to come.” Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, global warming, manufacturing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

CARB – U.S. Senate Dumping Clean Air Act Waivers Illegal

Posted on 22 May 2025 by Ken Zino

The California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph today reacted to a vote by the U.S. Senate purporting to disapprove California’s Clean Air Act waivers for Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks and Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle Omnibus using the Congressional Review Act (CRA).

“California profoundly disagrees with today’s unconstitutional, illegal and foolish vote attempting to undermine critical clean air protections. It’s an assault on states’ rights the federal administration claims to support that puts national air quality standards out of reach and will have devastating effects for the 150 million Americans who breathe unhealthy air every day,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, economy, environment, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, litigation, news analysis, people, public health, transportation, Trump Truth Tests | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Toyota Debuts 2026 RAV4 Compact SUV

Posted on 21 May 2025 by Ken Zino

The 2026 RAV4 also joins Toyota’s list of exclusively electrified models. It will be available with Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) or Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) powertrains. RAV4 also launches new technologies for Toyota, including the Arene software development platform, a new version of the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, and updates to the Toyota Safety Sense active safety suite. Toyota might say customer choice is paramount, but it comes with a bewildering array of options and packages to climb over that are the antonym of the once famous Honda tagline “We Make it Simple.” Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, connected vehicles, electric vehicles, engineering, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, marketing, news analysis, shows and events, software defined vehicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Toyota Shows All Electric bZ Woodland Mid-size SUV

Posted on 15 May 2025 by Ken Zino

Toyota (NYSE: TM and 7203.T) today showed a new addition to its expansive Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) lineup with the first-ever 2026 model year bZ Woodland. The mid-size SUV has standard all-wheel drive with X-MODE®. The combined system net output is a claimed 375 horsepower with a manufacturer-estimated all electric driving range rating of up-to 260 miles. It also brings additional midsize SUV utility, with 8.3-inches of ground clearance, 3,500-pound towing capacity, and available All Terrain tires. The bZ Woodland is the third BEV recently announced by Toyota.* It joins the refreshed bZ small SUV and the all-new C-HR compact crossover, bringing the total number of electrified models in the Toyota lineup to 21 vehicles in a choice of BEV, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid, and Fuel Cell (CA and Hawaii only) powertrains. (Ranges and charging times will vary depending on weather and other factors.) Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, global warming, mobility company, new vehicle, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Demand for Electric Vehicles in U.S. Stable

Posted on 15 May 2025 by Ken Zino

Consumer demand for electric vehicles (EVs) has remained stable, according to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration (EVC) Study,SM released today.* The study shows that 24% of vehicle shoppers say they are “very likely” to consider purchasing an EV and 35% say they are “somewhat likely,” both of which remain unchanged from a year ago. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, global warming, news analysis, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GM and LG Energy Solution to Make Prismatic Cells in U.S.

Posted on 13 May 2025 by Ken Zino

General Motors (NYSE: GM) said today that it will with LG Energy Solution (KRX: 373220),* commercialize lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic battery cells for future GM electric trucks and full-size SUVs. The announcement could be a battery technology breakthrough with significant sales and marketing advantages. This builds on a partnership between the two companies to develop prismatic battery cell technology and related chemistries.

“GM aims to become the first automaker to deploy LMR batteries in EVs. Ultium Cells, a GM and LG Energy Solution joint venture, plans to start commercial production of LMR prismatic cells in the United States by 2028, with pre-production expected to begin at an LG Energy Solution facility by late 2027. The final production-design of these LMR battery cells will be validated at GM’s Battery Cell Development Center in Warren, MI, which is expected to open earlier that year, as well as LG Energy Solution’s facility,” GM said. Continue reading →

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, energy, engineering, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, manufacturing, milestones, mobility company, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mazda Japanese BEVs to Adopt North American Charging Standard

Posted on 9 May 2025 by Ken Zino

Mazda Motor Corporation (MMC 7261.T)* today announced that a deal was reached with embattled Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) to adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) for charging ports on the company’s battery electric vehicles (BEV) launched in Japan from 2027 onward. Earlier this year, Mazda said that it will build a new module pack plant for automotive cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The new plant will produce modules and packs of automotive cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells procured from Panasonic Energy Co. The completed battery packs will be installed in Mazda’s first battery EV that uses a dedicated EV platform and will be manufactured at Mazda’s Hiroshima plant. The annual production capacity is planned to be 10 GWh. This could see a U.S. export version, but there’s the ever-changing Trump trade barriers in play. The former Auto Alliance joint venture in Michigan is now a Ford Mustang plant and given Mazda’s strained relations with Ford, as well as Ford’s own struggles with Trump tariffs, it’s a highly unlikely source of Mazda BEVs in AutoInformed’s view.

Tesla itself presents another problem for U.S. sales, AutoInformed opines. Tesla said in late April that 2025 profits during Q1 plunged from $1.39 billion to $409 million. This was a drastic drop from analyst guess-timates as Elon Musk’s DOGE chainsaw kicked back on the company and slashed revenue from $21.3 billion to $19.3 billion. Amidst the carnage of lower customer deliveries, lower margins and lower profits, Elon Musk also claimed that he was leaving DOGE behind as his major work there was finished. Musk will only be spending a day or so weekly on the unpopular Trump DOGE executive order. However, the Tesla brand is unquestionably damaged. Tesla links could be highly toxic, the automotive brand equivalent of an EPA superfund cleanup site. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, global warming, mobility company, news analysis, people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

CARB – Cap and Trade Funds ~$33 Billion of Climate Fixes

Posted on 7 May 2025 by Ken Zino

Nearly $33 billion has been raised to fund so-called climate solutions in communities across the state with money from the state’s Cap-and-Trade Program, according to a new report published by the California Air Resources Board (CARB)* today. The annual report provides detailed information about California Climate Investments, which tracks funds generated by cap and trade auction proceeds and allocated to 117 programs by the State  Legislature.

“California is proving that cutting pollution creates jobs and boosts communities. By holding polluters accountable, we’re sending billions of dollars back to communities and back to people’s wallets through credits on utility bills,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “And we’ve got the receipts: healthier and cleaner communities and thousands of good paying jobs.” Continue reading →

Posted in economy, environment, global warming, news, news analysis, public health, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

FuelCell Energy and Toyota Get DOE’s Better Project Award

Posted on 1 May 2025 by Ken Zino

FuelCell Energy and Toyota Motor North America (NYSE: TM) today announced that the first-of-its-kind “Tri-gen” facility at the Port of Long Beach has received the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2025 Better Project Award.* Commissioned by Toyota and owned and operated by FuelCell Energy, Tri-gen produces three products for port vehicle processing operations at Toyota Logistics Services: renewable electricity, renewable hydrogen and usable water.

The Better Project Award is said to recognize accomplishments at individual facilities for innovative and industry-leading accomplishments in implementing energy, water, and waste reduction efficiency measures. Continue reading →

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, economy, engineering, environment, global warming, news analysis, public health, shows and events, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GM 2025 Guidance – Trump Tariff Exposure $4-5 Billion!

Posted on 1 May 2025 by Ken Zino

General Motors (NYSE: GM) this morning issued its 2025 full year earnings guidance after a delay earlier this week caused by the ongoing chaos of the Trump tariff pandemic. While the goals and rhetoric  of the current mis-administration continue to fluctuate wildly behind a non-transparent word barrage of lies, false facts, and ignorant assertions, General Motors remains focused and amazingly consistent in stating its goals and steps taken to achieve them given the growing Trump disease infested swamp in Washington.

“We are updating our full-year EBIT-adjusted guidance to a range of $10 billion – $12.5 billion, including a current tariff exposure of $4 billion – $5 billion,” said GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra. “We look forward to maintaining our strong dialogue with the Administration on trade and other policies as they continue to evolve. As you know, there are ongoing discussions with key trade partners that may also have an impact. We will continue to be nimble and disciplined and update you as we know more.” Continue reading →

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, AutoInformed Editorial, economy, electric vehicles, financial results, global warming, labor issues, manufacturing, mobility company, news analysis, shows and events, transportation, Trump Truth Tests | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment