Category Archives: news

Group Renault Debuts Hydrogen in Light Commercial Vehicles

Posted on 22 October 2019 by Ken Zino

The hydrogen fuel cell provides the additional energy for up to 3 times more range than 100% electric vehicles, with a charging time of only 5 to 10 minutes. However, the crucial WLTP emission certification is not yet completed. Automakers in the EU – and ultimately globally – are being forced to offer zero-emission vehicles to comply with new regulations to cut emissions. The current preferred choice, of course, is a battery-electric hybrid system. Toyota and Hyundai sell hydrogen light-commercial vehicles. Continue reading →

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Mitsubishi Electric Claims Level 4 Autonomous Driving Without High Definition Maps or Auto Parking

Posted on 21 October 2019 by Ken Zino

Mitsubishi Electric said it expects to realize fully autonomous driving in designated areas (Autonomous Driving Level 4 > see SAE Autonomous Driving Levels) by implementing proprietary traffic-control technologies, which are currently deployed for both railways and aircrafts, and artificial-intelligence (AI) technology dubbed MAISART. (roughly – Mitsubishi AI creates State-of-the-ART in technology) Continue reading →

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SEMA Sues U.S. DOT for Stopping Replica Car Law

Posted on 18 October 2019 by Ken Zino

Another Agency run by President Trump’s political appointees is allegedly defying a 2015 law – the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) – passed by Congress to let low-volume automakers sell up to 325 replica cars each year that resemble production vehicles manufactured at least 25 years ago. Continue reading →

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John Doonan Leaves Mazda Racing for IMSA Presidency

Posted on 18 October 2019 by Ken Zino

Since his first day on the job is next Monday, the quick driver change in an undercut pit stop likely caught Mazda unaware, since it remained on the trailer with no simultaneous release or web site acknowledgement. Continue reading →

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GM-UAW Negotiators Have Tentative Agreement

Posted on 16 October 2019 by Ken Zino

Actually, the agreement will not be ratified until UAW-GM membership across the U.S. votes to approve it. Continue reading →

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September New Passenger Car Registrations Up in European Union, But Trend is Downward

Posted on 16 October 2019 by Ken Zino

During the first nine months of 2019, EU new car registrations were down 1.6% compared to the same period the year before. Despite demand recovering across the European Union in September, Germany (+2.5%) was the only major market to post positive results so far this year. Spain (‐7.4%) saw the strongest drop, followed by the United Kingdom (‐2.5%), Italy (‐1.6%) and France (‐1.3%). Continue reading →

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Global Light Vehicle Sales Fall Again in September

Posted on 15 October 2019 by Ken Zino

The selling rate drop in September seems partly the result of further changes to the WLTP** emissions testing in Europe, which may have pulled sales forward to August, at the expense of September. In China, LV sales dropped once again. Unfavorable calendar effects thwarted any chance of YoY growth in the US, even though the selling rate was good. Continue reading →

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Ghosn Shakeout is Ongoing as Thierry Bolloré, CEO Renault SA, is Fired by the Board of Directors

Posted on 13 October 2019 by Ken Zino

The Carlos Ghosn matter has turned into farce as investigations into Nissan and its JVs with Renault  0n corporate governance practices post Carlos Ghosn revealed layers of incompetence and/or malfeasance, as well as various degrees of criminal activity that are rarely observed in western corporations. Continue reading →

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CAR – Estimated Costs of the UAW-GM Strike are Low

Posted on 11 October 2019 by Ken Zino

CAR estimates the U.S. employment multiplier for UAW-GM jobs is 11.5.This means that when UAW-GM workers are at work producing vehicles, engines, transmissions, stampings, parts, and components, every UAW-GM job supports 10.5 other jobs in the U.S. economy, with 3.2 of those jobs in the production-focused U.S. supplier sector.
Continue reading →

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Western European Passenger Car Sales Weak

Posted on 4 October 2019 by Ken Zino

The introduction of WLTP in September 2018 distorted the market in August and September last year, with a high base effect in August and a low base effect for September as it became clear that diesels were dirty and not meeting emission standards. Continue reading →

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US Medical Uninsured Rate and Number Up from 2017

Posted on 4 October 2019 by Ken Zino

Healthcare of course is one of the key issues in the ongoing UAW GM strike. Continue reading →

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Q3 Ford Motor US Sales Continue Slump

Posted on 2 October 2019 by Ken Zino

Ford, as always,  tried  a positive spin claiming it was a transition year of its phasing out of cars – Focus, C-Max, Taurus – with a changeovers ongoing in the all new Explorer and Escape, which are undergoing complex launches that in our view are showing mixed results. The freshened Escape went on sale last week. The new platform Explorer launch is going slowly with hopes that sales will expand in Q4. How Ford ran out of inventory of Explorers is puzzling, However given the history we bet quality issues loomed large. But pay no attention to that man behind the curtain… Continue reading →

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Amazon Selling Level 2 Electric Vehicle Home Chargers

Posted on 1 October 2019 by Ken Zino

The Electrify America Electric Vehicle Home Charger is compatible with all electric vehicles available in the North American market today. It has a charging power of up to 7.6kW – about 6 times faster than the typical Level 1 charger provided to some new EV owners, depending on vehicle make and model. Continue reading →

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Weak Chinese Retail Sales in August Delay Recovery

Posted on 1 October 2019 by Ken Zino

Chinese passenger production improved in August, with a drop of  -0.7% to 1.66 mn units, recovering from the double-digit declines seen in recent months. LCV output fell by – 0.9% to 0.24 mn units. LV output was down by 0.8% YoY, on total build of 1.90 mn units. Now that vehicle stocks have been unwound, OEMs no longer are carrying bloated inventories and are preparing to resume normal production rhythms, says LMC. However, LMC decided to make a further cut to the passenger vehicle growth forecast for 2019, from -5.5% to -7.4%. This is bad news for the global economy in general and the Detroit Three. Continue reading →

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Ford Restructuring – Mahindra Joint Venture Announced

Posted on 1 October 2019 by Ken Zino

The joint venture will be responsible for expanding the Ford brand in India and exporting its products to Ford entities globally. Ford will continue to own the Ford brand, and its branded vehicles will be distributed through the current Ford India dealer network. Mahindra will continue to own the Mahindra brand and operate its own independent dealer network in India. Continue reading →

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