Category Archives: environment

Large European Job Cuts Coming at Ford, Again

Posted on 20 November 2024 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) announced today its restructuring plans to create a badly needed more “cost-competitive structure.” The main focus is the health of Ford’s passenger vehicle business in Europe, where it incurred significant losses for years. Ford is also lagging in the European shift to electrified vehicles, and new competition – especially Chinese – has been disruptive. Through Q3 of 2024, Ford sales are down ~18% in Europe. Continue reading →

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Toyota Huntsville Finishes 168-acre Solar Array

Posted on 19 November 2024 by Ken Zino

Toyota (NYSE: TM) and Toyota Tsusho America (TAI) and Huntsville Utilities have completed 168-acre solar project. The renewable energy produced will generate ~70 % of Toyota Alabama’s total energy. It is in keeping with the automaker’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality at all of its North American facilities by 2035. In total, the array will generate approximately 62,000 megawatt hours of energy annually, reducing an estimated 22,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year.

“Toyota is committed to clean and sustainable power. We know that the collective future for our community and our team members depends on clean mobility, clean air, clean water, and biodiversity,” said Jason Puckett, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama. “We are thankful for our partners on this project who have created a model of environmental stewardship in North Alabama.” Continue reading →

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National Recycling Plan Advancing Circular Economy

Posted on 15 November 2024 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today said its “National Recycling Strategy” is advancing through implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.* EPA is central to the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to build a circular economy thereby creating jobs and helping the environment. Since 1997, EPA has celebrated the nation’s progress on recycling. This year, EPA is encouraging organizations and individuals to continue expanding the ways they reduce, reuse and recycle. Together with investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s work has helped to transform recycling and solid waste management across the nation. It was not immediately clear if the incoming Administration is the result of recycled garbage. Continue reading →

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Stellantis Embraces and Adapts HVO Diesel Fuel

Posted on 11 November 2024 by Ken Zino

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA)* said today that its entire assortment of cars and light-duty commercial vehicles is fully compatible with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) diesel fuel. HVO diesel has the same performance as traditional diesel and is derived from renewable sources, such as vegetable oils or animal fats.

“The hydrogenation process used to produce HVO results in a cleaner, sulfur-free fuel with significantly reduced levels of aromatic compounds and pollutants, making it a sustainable and environmentally friendly option,” Stellantis claimed.

Well, yes, but with caveats, AutoInformed observes. Some sustainable-fuel industries are still budding. McKinsey & Company research says that most sustainable fuels (other than clean hydrogen) are projected to see significant growth by 2030. By 2050, McKinsey expects demand for sustainable fuels to quadruple. Depending on net-zero objectives across countries, the share of demand for sustainable fuels could account for as much as 37% of all energy used in the transportation sector. [The respected McKinsey consultancy has many ongoing studies on Sustainability and Oil & Gas Practices. – AutoCrat] Continue reading →

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Trump Presidency Effects on Auto Industry – All Bad?

Posted on 6 November 2024 by Ken Zino

After the election of Donald Trump, Jeff Schuster, Vice President Research Automotive at the GlobalData* consultancy, offered thoughts some of the changes expected in the US automotive industry from Trump 2.0. Fasten your safety belts! AutoInformed thinks it’s going to be a bumpy job, climate and economy threatening ride.

“Automotive is one of the sectors that could see a significant mid-term impact from the new Trump presidency in the areas of Trade, Electric Vehicle Transition and Regulations, “said Schuster this morning. Continue reading →

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Toyota Motor, Joby Aviation Meet at Toyota’s Technical Center

Posted on 4 November 2024 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor Corporation and Joby Aviation executives came together at Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Shizuoka, Japan on Saturday 2 November. Present were Akio Toyoda, chairman Toyota Group, and Joby CEO and founder, JoeBen Bevirt, along with Joby’s air taxi, an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL*). After its first flights in Japan on previous day, the plan was to get senior executives on board, so to speak.

However, the weather kept them on the ground. Nonetheless, their aspirations still soared upward. “Since its founding, Toyota has been working to realize a society in which everyone can move freely. About 100 years ago, in 1925, Sakichi Toyoda, founder of the Toyota Group, offered a prize to encourage the development of a storage battery that could provide enough performance ‘to fly an airplane across the Pacific Ocean.’ Since then, Toyota has continued to focus on the challenge of air mobility through the generations,” Toyota said in a release likely prepared when the Sun was shining. Continue reading →

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Software Defined Vehicles – NTT, Toyota Motor Link Together

Posted on 31 October 2024 by Ken Zino

NTT and Toyota Motor Corporation said today in Japan that they have agreed toa  joint initiative in the field of mobility and AI/telecommunications with the aim of realizing a society with zero traffic accidents. (read Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on: Connected Cars – Toyota and NTT Want Standardization)

“Through their previous collaborations, the two companies have confirmed that they share common values, such as contributing to society through technological and industrial development, a people-centered approach, and global contributions that start in Japan. This time, they will further deepen their collaboration with the aim of achieving a ‘society with zero traffic accidents’ as the first step towards realizing a prosperous mobility society where safety and freedom are in harmony,” the release said. Continue reading →

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Valero Refining Company Fined $82 Million in California

Posted on 31 October 2024 by Ken Zino

The penalty arises from a 2019 inspection that found unreported emissions from the facility’s hydrogen system containing harmful organic compounds in violation of Air District regulations. These organic compounds contributed to the Bay Area’s regional smog and particulate pollution problems. They contained benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene, or BTEX, compounds, which cause cancer, reproductive harm and other toxic health effects. Air District inspectors discovered that refinery management had known since at least 2003 that emissions from the hydrogen system contained these harmful and toxic air contaminants but did not report them or take any steps to prevent them. The refinery emitted an estimated 8400 tons of these organic compounds in total over this period in violation of Air District regulations – an average of more than 2.7 tons for each day on which a violation occurred, more than 360 times the legal limit. Continue reading →

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Volvo Cars Joins Tesla Supercharger Network in North America

Posted on 30 October 2024 by Ken Zino

Volvo Cars* (VOLCAR B:STO) said this week that drivers of its fully electric vehicles including the new EX90 flagship SUV will have access to more than 17,800 Tesla Supercharger stations in the U.S. and Canada.**

“As part of our journey to electrification, we want to make life with an electric car, including our new flagship EX90, as seamless as possible,” said Mike Cottone, President, Volvo Car USA and Canada. Continue reading →

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IIHS – Lax Helmet Laws Kill More Than 20,000 Motorcyclists

Posted on 25 October 2024 by Ken Zino

More than 20,000 motorcyclists who died in crashes in the U.S. since the mid-1970s would have survived if stronger helmet laws had been in place, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. Briefly, If every state had required all riders to wear helmets from 1976 to 2022, a total of 22,058 motorcyclists’ lives could have been saved. The number represents 11% of all rider fatalities during those years.

“Requiring all riders to wear helmets is a commonsense rule not that different from requiring people in cars to buckle up,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “We have an obligation to protect everyone on our roadways through smart policy.” Continue reading →

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Dodge Charger Daytona Cars to use Solid State Batteries

Posted on 23 October 2024 by Ken Zino

Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA) and privately held Factorial Energy said today that their partnership to accelerate the development and deployment of next-generation electric vehicles (EVs) powered by Factorial’s solid-state battery technology* will begin with the launching of a demonstration fleet of all-new Dodge Charger Daytona vehicles based on the STLA Large platform incorporating solid-state batteries in 2026. Critics of solid state batteries maintain the thus far valid assertion that there is no clear path to mass production. Perhaps this will alter that perception at some pint in the future. But demonstration fleets are not mass production. Read AutoInformed.com on – Solid-State Cell Technology – All Hype No Production Way? Continue reading →

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BMW Group Plants Dingolfing, Regensburg Going Photovoltaic

Posted on 21 October 2024 by Ken Zino

BMW said today that Group Plants Dingolfing and Regensburg will obtain electricity generated from renewable energy directly from their own roofs. Dingolfing’s rooftop PV system, with a capacity of 11.1 MWp, will be one of the most powerful in Germany. To achieve this objective, the premium automotive manufacturer is renting roof space at its two plant sites in Eastern Bavaria to Sunrock Holding Deutschland GmbH, which will generate electricity using photovoltaics and make it available to the plants under direct supply contracts from 2025 onward.

“With this project, we are not only creating one of Germany’s biggest rooftop photovoltaic systems – we are also promoting the generation of renewable energy directly on site at BMW Group plant locations,” said Nicole Haft-Zboril, head of BMW Group Real Estate Management. Continue reading →

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Hemlock Semiconductor to Open New Plant in Michigan

Posted on 21 October 2024 by Ken Zino

Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan today confirmed that the Biden-Harris administration provided the proposed direct funding of $325 million to Michigan-based manufacturer Hemlock Semiconductor (HSC)*

“HSC is one of many Michigan-based companies that is helping us lead the future of advanced manufacturing. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration’s bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act and the U.S. Department of Commerce, we are ensuring HSC’s global leadership in the powerful domestic supply chain to manufacture semiconductor chips needed for everything from computers and phones to AI applications. Together, we are strengthening national and economic security by ensuring supply chains, good-paying jobs, and cutting-edge investments are where they belong—here at home. Let’s build the future we all want—one where America leads,” said Whitmer. Continue reading →

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Mercedes-Benz Opens Battery Recycling Plant in Kuppenheim

Posted on 21 October 2024 by Ken Zino

“Mercedes-Benz has set itself the goal of building the most desirable cars in a sustainable way. As a pioneer in automotive engineering, Europe’s first integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical battery recycling factory marks a key milestone towards enhancing raw-materials sustainability. Together with our partners from industry and science, we are sending a strong signal of innovative strength for sustainable electric mobility and value creation in Germany and Europe,” said Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Continue reading →

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Motorcycle Gang Members Charged with Violent Racketeering

Posted on 17 October 2024 by Ken Zino

This investigation was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Continue reading →

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