Category Archives: results

Strange Clean Energy Bedfellows – GM and Hyundai

Posted on 12 September 2024 by Ken Zino

General Motors (NYSE: GM) and Hyundai Motor Company (KRX: 005380 KS) said today that they have signed an agreement to explore future collaboration across key strategic areas. The culturally different companies will look at joint product development, manufacturing and future clean energy technologies. They will also review prospects for combined sourcing in battery raw materials, steel and other areas. What this immediately calls into question is GM’s existing similar agreements with Honda Motor. Continue reading →

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, electronics, energy, engineering, environment, global warming, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis, public health, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stellantis to Invest +$406M in Three Michigan Plants for EVs

Posted on 11 September 2024 by Ken Zino

“Sterling Heights Assembly has performed an incredible transformation in record time and I want to thank our colleagues for this great achievement,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. “Gearing up to build our first-ever Ram electric truck and the range-extended version in Michigan is a meaningful moment of pride for our teams. With these investments supporting both Jeep and Ram, we’re adding innovations to our Michigan manufacturing footprint to support a multi-energy approach that is laser-focused on customer demand.” Continue reading →

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

Volkswagen Group Recalls 2021-2024 ID.4 Models

Posted on 10 September 2024 by Ken Zino

The affected vehicles may have been built with door handles that do not meet the factory specifications for protection against water ingress. Water ingress into the printed circuit board can lead to malfunctions causing an “open command” – signaling an open command by the door handle when the handle is not being activated by a person. An open door on a moving vehicle puts occupants at risk of injury, and can cause damage to objects and people who may be outside of the vehicle. If the recall problem is present in the vehicle, occupants may notice an audible clicking noise , similar to the sound of a vehicle door being locked/unlocked by the key fob. The planned recall remedy and series production countermeasures are still under development. It is not corrected yet in production. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electronics, engineering, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

North Carolina Parts Seller Fined for Emission Defeat Devices

Posted on 10 September 2024 by Ken Zino

North Carolina automotive parts manufacturer and seller, Rudy’s Performance Parts Inc. (Rudy’s), and its owner, Aaron Rudolf, have agreed to pay a total of $10 million in criminal fines and civil penalties for manufacturing, selling and installing devices, commonly known as “defeat devices,” used to remove or disable required emissions controls in motor vehicles, the U.S. Department of justice said today.

“Defeat devices, such as those sold by Rudy’s, can lead to pollution at high levels that pose health risks and harm the environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This plea agreement and civil settlement show that we will take strong action to enforce the Clean Air Act and emissions controls requirements for motor vehicles.” Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, electronics, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, manufacturing, news analysis, people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Toyota’s Next-Gen Battery Plan Certified by METI

Posted on 6 September 2024 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor Corporation said today that the development and production plans for its next-generation batteries (performance version) and all-solid-state batteries were certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) as part of the Japanese government’s “Supply Assurance Plan for Batteries. Certification was granted for (1) production of next-generation batteries (performance version) at Prime Planet Energy & Solutions, Inc. (PPES), (2) production of next-generation batteries (performance version) at Primearth EV Energy Co., Ltd. (PEVE)* and (3) R&D and production of all-solid-state batteries.

“By advancing battery development and production in Japan, Toyota aims to contribute to the further development of the industry and the strengthening of the production infrastructure of batteries. Additionally, by enhancing the competitiveness of batteries, Toyota seeks to improve the marketability of electrified vehicles and achieve carbon neutrality through a multi-pathway approach,” Toyota said in a release. Continue reading →

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

Mazda and Panasonic Link on Cylindrical Lithium-Ion Batteries

Posted on 6 September 2024 by Ken Zino

Panasonic Energy Company and Mazda Motor Corporation today announced that they will prepare for the supply of next-generation cylindrical automotive lithium-ion batteries, in anticipation of their installation in Mazda’s battery electric vehicles with scheduled production from 2027 onward. In a release they said this follows their formerly concluded agreement and reflects their aim of establishing a medium- to long-term partnership.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry also approved today their joint project for the expansion of battery production and technology development as part of its plan for establishing a stable supply of batteries. The Japanese government has positioned storage batteries as a strategic asset for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and is working to expand the domestic battery supply chains and improve industrial competitiveness. Continue reading →

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, electronics, environment, global warming, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis, public health, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

U.S. Light Vehicle Sales in August 2024 Disappoint

Posted on 5 September 2024 by Ken Zino

U.S. light vehicle sales totaled 1.42 million in August, the GlobalData* consultancy said today. The annualized selling rate for the month was 15.1 million a year, down from 16.0 million a year in July. The daily selling rate was estimated at 50,600 units per day in August, down from 51,400 in July. Expectations were high coming into the month, given the inclusion of Labor Day in August for the first time since 2019.** Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, economy, marketing, news analysis, results, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

August U.S. Auto Sales Highest Year-to-Date

Posted on 4 September 2024 by Ken Zino

After U.S. Labor Day holiday weekend sales, initial August new-vehicle sales results, as expected, are indicating healthy volume gains, according to Cox Automotive.* Full results will be in by the end of the week, but early reports suggest the extra selling days helped the auto market navigate August with strength, according to Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke  in his latest Auto Market Report released this morning.

“New- and used-vehicle sales volumes are at the highest level for 2024. With growing demand, supply has tightened, and prices are creeping up. For the first time this year, the popular 3-year-old product – a staple of the used-vehicle business our team tracks closely – experienced a price increase in both the wholesale and retail markets,” said Smoke. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, economy, marketing, news analysis, results, sales, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chinese Auto Industry Steady in July?

Posted on 3 September 2024 by Ken Zino

The Chinese automotive industry’s economic operations remained fundamentally stable in July, with just a minor dip in monthly production and sales, according to an analysis of the world’s largest auto market just released by the respected GlobalData* consultancy. Domestic light vehicle (LV) sales, excluding exports, totaled 1.8 million units, reflecting a significant year-on-year (YoY) decrease of 10.4% and a month-on-month (MoM) decline of 12.5%, affected by the high comparative base of the same month last year. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, environment, manufacturing, marketing, news analysis, results, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Various Ford and Lincoln Recalls for Sudden Engine Failures

Posted on 2 September 2024 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling  2021-2022 Bronco, F-150, Edge, Explorer, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with either a 2.7L or 3.0L Nano EcoBoost engine. The engine intake valves may break while driving, which can result in engine failure and a sudden loss of drive power.

Based on an analysis of returned fractured valves from failed engines, Ford identified that the potential root cause of the failures was engine intake valve failure due to valves that exceeded the designed specification for hardness, were brittle, and more likely to fracture. Ford determined that this was due to the supplier’s grinding processes and the sensitivity of the intake valve material to grinding processes that were not within control specifications. The intake valve material was changed for vehicles produced after 31 October 2021. The new material increased the valve’s robustness to keeper groove grinding processes outside of control specifications. Continue reading →

Posted in customer satisfaction, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jaguar Again Recalls I-Pace Models for Battery Fires

Posted on 2 September 2024 by Ken Zino

Jaguar Land Rover is conducting a  safety defect  recall campaign involving 2019 MY Jaguar I-Pace* vehicles built at the Graz Vehicle Assembly Plant from 9 January 2018 through 14 March 2019. The basis for the recall population is all Jaguar I-Pace 19 model year vehicles not included in the Jaguar H484 safety defect recall. The batteries in question were from LG Energy Solution in Poland. Recalled vehicles will receive a software update that will change the maximum state of charge of the battery to 80%. A permanent remedy is under development.

Owners are advised to park and charge their vehicle outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete and for 30 days after the repair has been completed. As an interim repair, dealers will update the battery energy control module software, free of charge as required by US safety regulations. The final fix is currently under development. Continue reading →

Posted in customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Slight Labor Day Jump Forecast for August US Auto Sales

Posted on 30 August 2024 by Ken Zino

Absolute new-vehicle sales for August 2024, including retail and non-retail transactions, are set to reach 1,437,954, a 4.2% increase from August 2023 on a selling day adjusted basis, according to a joint forecast from J.D. Power and GlobalData.* August 2024 has 28 selling days, one more than August 2023. Comparing the same sales volume without adjusting for the number of selling days translates to an increase of 8.1% from 2023.

“New-vehicle sales in August are up from a year ago, as expected. A key element of the improvement is that this year, the Labor Day holiday weekend falls within the August** sales reporting period instead of September where it normally falls,” said Thomas King, president of the data and analytics division at J.D. Power. “While the sales results for August will be positive, the seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR), which corrects for Labor Day timing, is relatively modest at just 15.3 million units.” Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, economy, marketing, news analysis, results, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GM BrightDrop Electric Commercial Vans To Join Chevrolet

Posted on 29 August 2024 by Ken Zino

General Motors (NYSE: GM) said today that it is moving its BrightDrop electric commercial vans* under the Chevrolet brand. The shift brings BrightDrop EVs to Chevrolet’s broad commercial vehicle sales and service dealer network. BrightDrop EVs offer GM-estimated 272 miles of combined city/highway range** and advanced features to help keep drivers safe and alert. This give BrightDrop customers access to one of the industry’s largest and most extensive commercial sales and service networks. All Chevrolet dealers will sell BrightDrop vans if they meet certain commercial EV requirements.

“With the addition of BrightDrop to the Chevrolet lineup, we are combining advanced EV technology with the dependability and widespread accessibility that only Chevrolet can offer,” said Scott Bell, vice president, Chevrolet. “This move strengthens our EV offerings and reaffirms our role as a leading commercial brand that enables businesses large and small to get work done.” Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, environment, marketing, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, shows and events, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MINI Cooper SE 2 Doors Recalled for Battery Fires

Posted on 26 August 2024 by Ken Zino

BMW of North America is recalling 2020-2024 MINI Hardtop 2 Door Cooper SE vehicles. Faults may occur in the high voltage battery or high voltage system, resulting in a short circuit, according to recall documents made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“This may lead to an overheating of the high voltage battery and, in rare cases a thermal event [fire] even when the vehicle is not in operation,” BMW said in the required safety defect recall filing. Continue reading →

Posted in customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BMW Fire Recalls on More Than 720,000 Vehicles

Posted on 26 August 2024 by Ken Zino

BMW of North America, LLC. is recalling 720,796 vehicles because of an electrical system safety defect that can cause fires. Pierburg Pump Technology GmbH made the defective water pump that leaks.

“The recalled vehicles have been manufactured with a water pump that, due to insufficient sealing, could, over time, be susceptible to fluid ingress at the electrical plug connector, according to documents made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading →

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment