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Category Archives: results
Honda at 800,000 Hybrids as Toyota Reaches 400,000 in Europe
In the U.S. alone Toyota has 1,000,000 Prius owners. Moreover Toyota has built a substantial environmental reputation as the global leader in hybrid vehicles with sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrids now well over 3,000,000 vehicles.
In spite of clear fuel economy benefits and high U.S. fuel prices, hybrids remain a tiny portion of the U.S. auto market – a little over 2% of sales because mainstream buyers refuse to pay a premium amounting to several thousand dollars over a comparable gasoline-fueled car. Plug in hybrids with expensive lithium ion battery packs will compound the problem. The Prius plug-in coming this year adds another $4,000 to the cost of the standard Prius hybrid. Continue reading
Nissan to Build $2 Billion Plant In Aguascalientes Mexico
The announcement comes as the United Auto Workers union is developing plans to once again try to organize transplants in the United States, where Nissan has two other plants. The UAW has been unsuccessful in previous organizing attempts, and its lack of international alliances with other unions is a decided disadvantage.The lack of exports from UAW organized Detroit Three plants is preventing the creation of middle class jobs in the U.S. – now clearly the issue in the upcoming presidential election. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, manufacturing, milestones, news, news analysis
Tagged aguascalientes, auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, carlos ghosn, Ken Zino, march, nafta, nissan americas, nissan mexico, sentra, tiida, tsuru, uaw, versa
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U.S. New Auto Sales to Drop in January for Third Month
Retail transactions are thought to be the most accurate measurement of underlying consumer demand for new vehicles, so the New Year starts for automakers with mixed results. A weak recovery of some sorts is underway, but auto sales are nowhere near their pre Great Recession levels where the retail SAAR was routinely above 14 million units. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged 2012 auto sales, auto informed, auto sales, autoinformed.com, automotive news, j.d power, january results, Ken Zino, results
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Hewlett-Packard Fined $425,000 for Not Reporting Defective Lithium Ion Batteries that Seriously Injured Consumers
The controversy is of interest to the auto industry since its use of lithium ion batteries in electrical vehicles and hybrids is growing at exponential rate, with millions of battery packs soon to be on U.S. roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed its investigation of fires in Chevrolet Volt EVs last week. Nevertheless many consumers remain wary of the emerging technology and it remains to be seen if the Volt brand is damaged. Continue reading
Toyota Leads Auto Brands in New Consumer Perception Study
What this really means to auto marketers is unclear as automakers are facing another tough year in the U.S. as the economy languishes and long-term unemployment remains at record highs not seen since the Great Depression. Preliminary sales data for January indicate another weak month for automakers who are now watching brand reputations level out. Continue reading
Tougher DOT Airline Regulations Take Effect This Week
In addition, airlines will be required to promptly notify passengers of flight delays of over 30 minutes, as well as flight cancellations and diversions, and they will generally be prohibited from increasing the price of passengers’ ticket after it is bought. Continue reading
Beware of Super Bowl Air Travel Ticket Scams DOT Warns
DOT’s rules state that if a tour was described as including a game ticket and you do not receive one, you are entitled to a full refund of the entire package price upon your return. Continue reading
GM is World’s Largest Automaker Led by Chevrolet Sales
This makes GM the global sales leader once again. In 2011, the Volkswagen Group sold more than eight million vehicles for the first time in a twelve-month period, a total of 8.16 million vehicles (2010: 7.14; +14.3%). Natural disaster impeded Toyota has not reported final numbers yet but will move from first where it has been since 2008 to third. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, GM, gm global sales results, Ken Zino, results
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Average Age of U.S. Vehicles Reaches Record High
Perhaps more significantly for automakers, 2011 ended the U.S. vehicle population decline that has occurred annually since 2008. This worrisome trend meant households were decreasing the number of vehicles. According to Polk, the total vehicles in operation – VIO – in July 2011 was just over 240.5 million, an increase of 500,000 units over July in the previous year, and nearly equal to 2009 VIO. The highest VIO on record was achieved in July 2008, when more than 242 million passenger cars and light trucks were on America’s roads. The financial markets collapsed that fall. Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, news analysis, results, transportation
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, average vehicle age, Ken Zino, polk, vio
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Pickups, Compacts and Crossovers Lead Top Ten U.S. Sales
Three of the models, including the Ford F-Series – the top-volume model in the U.S. for the 30th straight year – were Ford products, while General Motors and Toyota Group each produced two of the 10 models with the highest sales volumes in the US market last year. Renault-Nissan Group and Fiat-Chrysler’s Ram each built one of the best-sellers. Continue reading
UK Starts Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Project with Automakers, Utilities and Gas Suppliers – Cars on Road Promised by 2014
The allure of fuel cells remains efficiency, roughly 50-60% compared to an internal combustion engine’s ~20%. Emissions are also attractive – no pollutants at the tailpipe and some studies indicate a drastically reduced overall well-to-wheel emissions when compared with today’s fossil fuel engines. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, daimler ag, fuel cell ukh2mobility, fuel cells, hyundai motor company, johnson matthey, Ken Zino, nissan motor manufacturing (uk), sa air products, the boc group, UK H2 Mobility
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NHTSA Scolds Ford over Minivan Torque Converter Recall
In an unusual acknowledgement of the Ford recall (11S25 or 12V-006) just made public, NHTSA said Ford made assertions – also unusual in my experience – in its required defect filing that are untrue and violate federal safety regulations. Continue reading
European Auto Sales down in 2011 for Fourth Straight Year
For the year American automakers General Motors finished fourth with a flat 8.7% share. Fifth place Ford Motor (8%, a slight decline) made no sales progress either, even though both companies have introduced a series of new models. Sixth place Fiat – the owner of Chrysler courtesy of American taxpayers – continues to struggle along with Italy, off almost a full percentage point in share to 7.1%. One bright spot – Jeep sales are up 63% from an admittedly small base to more than 22,000 units. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, news, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged 2011 results, acea, auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, eu, european auto sales, eurozone sales, hyundai, Ken Zino, Korean fta, marchionne, results eu results
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Tom Stephens GM Vice Chair and Chief Technology Officer to Retire
The retirement is major development at a recovering GM since Stephens was an extremely knowledgeable, no nonsense ‘car guy.’ Stephens started in 1969 as an hourly employee at the Chevrolet Engineering Center in Warren, Mich., under a University of Michigan Student Co-op Program. The affable Stephens – with some hearing loss from years of working in engine dynamometer test cells – got things done, and done well in the face of GM’s huge and largely inert bureaucracy. Stephens always pushed for the best product possible, according to GM insiders, even when he didn’t have the clout needed to effect change. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, milestones, news analysis, people
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, chevrolet volt, GM, Ken Zino, northstar, small block v8, tom stephens
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BMW Delivers First All-Electric Active E in the US
The fully electric Active E with its lithium-ion batteries have a claimed a driving range of up to 100 miles on a full charge. With an output of 170 horsepower, maximum torque of 184 lb-ft from a standstill, BMW said Active E accelerates from 0–60 mph in under nine seconds. If the driver is a lead-foot – or is that now lithium foot? and/or the weather is cold – the Bimmer won’t go that far, of course. All such mileage claims await independent verification. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, fuel economy or emissions, news, news analysis
Tagged active e, auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, bmw active e, bmw ev study, electric vehicles, EVs, i3, Ken Zino, mini e, u.c. davis plug-in hybrid & electric vehicle research center
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