Category Archives: news

Ford Motor Q3 Earnings to Take $1B Cost Hit

While some of the problems are of Ford’s own creation, completing affected vehicles will shift some revenue and earnings to Q4. Now Ford says that 40,000 to 45,000 vehicles – comprised largely of high-margin trucks and SUVs – will be completed and sold to dealers during Q4. In the slight of hand of automaker accounting practices, revenue is booked when a vehicle is shipped to the dealer, not sold to the end user. Continue reading

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BrightDrop eCart – GM Suddenly Joins Grocery Industry

Kroger, a large grocery chain, is scheduled to be the first customer to introduce the so-called BrightDrop Trace Grocery into its e-commerce operations beginning this year. Trace Grocery is available to order in limited quantities today, with full availability expected in 2024. BrightDrop and Kroger completed an initial pilot program in Lexington and Versailles, Kentucky. During this pilot, it’s claimed “Kroger experienced a noticeable improvement in the customer and associate experience.” Continue reading

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Mercedes-Benz to Build Wind Farm at Papenburg Test Track

The wind will keep blowing as M-B with a partner plans to build a “ double-digit number of wind turbines by the middle of the decade. Mercedes-Benz is also planning a long-term power purchase agreement with a partner, equivalent to a “triple-digit million euros amount.” Continue reading

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August EU Car Sales Increased after 13 Months of Decline

During August, the European new car market returned to growth (+4.4%), bringing an end to thirteen months of consecutive decline. Nonetheless, with 650,305 units registered this remains far below pre-pandemic levels. All the key EU markets positively contributed to the region’s growth, with gains seen in Italy (+9.9%), Spain (+9.1%), France (+3.8%) and Germany (+3.0%). Continue reading

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EPA Releases Final Smog Air Quality Standards. More Inspection Programs and Reformulated Fuel Areas Coming?

These final rules establish new time periods and next steps states must take to improve ozone air quality in remaining non-attainment areas. EPA said its final decisions are based on a scientific evaluation of certified, publicly-available air quality monitoring data for the years 2018-2020. From a vehicle owner’s viewpoint this means certain areas will have to implement inspection and maintenance programs and/or use reformulated fuels. Continue reading

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GM – $491M Goes to Indiana For EV Parts Making

The announcement was made yesterday as President Biden was in Detroit saying: “American manufacturing is back. Detroit is back. America is back. And, folks, we’re proving it’s never, ever, ever a good bet to bet against the American people. Never, never, never.” …  “And, by the way, American manufacturing is roaring back. Just since I’ve been in office, we’ve already created 10 million new jobs – more jobs in that time period than any time in American history. (Applause.) The unemployment rate is 3.7%, near a 50-year low… Guess what? First year in office, we reduced the deficit by $350 billion. (Applause.)  And guess what? This year – this year, we’re on track, at the end of the fiscal year, to reduce the deficit by over $1 trillion.” Biden certainly had valid points. Continue reading

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Detroit Auto Show on the Path of Dinosaurs?

Instead this year as the show moved to warmer times there was a pervading atmosphere of what could be the demise of the show at Cobo Hall – now Huntington Place, which was refurbished at great taxpayer expense to ensure the future of the show. We shall see. Continue reading

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New Mustang Debuts After Media Day at NAIAS

In a surprising example of fair-weather automaker debuts, the movement of the struggling Detroit Auto Show – aka NAIAS – to September of 2022, allowed FMC to skip media day at the Auto Show and debut the new Mustang after press previews ended with the traditional Automotive Press Association welcoming opening night reception. Continue reading

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GM to Sponsor Bolt EV Road Trip From Detroit to NYC

“The climate crisis is hitting Black and front-line communities first and worst. The Climate Equity Collaborative and this partnership will help us ensure that efforts to address the changing climate and generational environment injustices reflect the perspectives and needs of impacted communities.” Continue reading

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The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV – a $30,000 Breakthrough?

“We are at a turning point where EVs will be the mainstream choice for the next generation of customers and Equinox EV will lead this charge for us,” said Mary Barra, Chair and CEO of General Motors. “With the flexibility of GM’s Ultium Platform, we are bringing to market vehicles at nearly every price point and for every purpose.” We agree. Simply put the 2024 Equinox EV has range, space and technology. Quality is also likely to be high as well. Continue reading

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Hispano Suiza Coming to New York City Concours

Hispano Suiza claims it accepted the invitation from the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District, to be “the featured attraction” of their Men´s Style Month. Madison Avenue has pretentions of being “the main luxury district in the United States, where the most important fashion and jewelry boutiques are located.” Continue reading

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Jeep Shows Recon and Wagoneer Electric SUVs

The Jeep brand showed the first images of two fully electric SUVs, all-new Jeep Recon and Wagoneer, code-named Wagoneer S, planned for North America and other regions around the world. Stellantis also said that the all-new, all-electric Jeep Avenger will launch in Europe early next year after its debut at the Paris Motor Show on October 17. Continue reading

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Nissan OKs First Bi-Directional Charger for LEAF

Usage of the approved charger will not impact the LEAF’s battery warranty. Moreover, in theory,  it allows some business owners to use a Nissan LEAF to help reduce energy costs. Bi-directional charging technology means that it is possible to charge the LEAF and also send energy stored in the vehicle battery back to the building or the grid. This could save money with their local electric utility, as well as cut the total cost of ownership of the vehicle. Continue reading

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US Transportation Unemployment Below Pre-Pandemic Rate

The August 2022 rate fell 1.8 percentage points from 6.4% in August 2021 and was below the pre-pandemic August level of 4.8% in August 2019. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level – an all-time record high – during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May 2020 and July 2020 under the Trump Administration. Continue reading

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Honda and Hanwa Combine to Buy Battery Metals

Through the Hanwa partnership, Honda said it will ensure stable procurement in the medium to long term, of essential metals necessary for batteries such as nickel, cobalt and lithium, with the mined resources secured by Hanwa. It’s the latest move in what has become and EV battery ‘Gold Rush’ albeit centered on nickel, cobalt, and lithium. It remains problematic that China is well entrenched in EV research and development, manufacturing and various processes needed to support EVs. Continue reading

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