Category Archives: results

EPA Automotive Trends – 2021 Fuel Economy at Record High. Emissions at Record Low.

Without question advancements in technology and government regulations are prodding industry to reach these carbon reduction achievements. In model year 2021, hybrid vehicles reached a new high of 9% of all production. These vehicles can use a larger battery to recapture braking energy and provide power when necessary, allowing for a smaller, more efficiently operated engine. Continue reading

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November Global Light Vehicle Selling Rate Lessens

In crude registration terms, November rose 3.2% YoY (year-on-year) to 7 million units. The year-to-date (YTD) figure now stands at under 1% below the corresponding period in 2021, though this is a weak base for comparison., LMC noted. China’s market decelerated sharply in November. In YoY terms, sales fell by 7% in November, ending five straight months of strong rebound. North America and Europe are still struggling YTD as supply-side factors continue to hamper sales. Continue reading

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Biden Admin Making American Manufacturing Great Again

It is the latest fulfillment of the Biden Administration’s pledge to protecting American jobs, as well as the Constitution, in stark contrast to the last mis-administration. In Michigan, the Department of Energy also launched next steps in the Battery Workforce Initiative (BWI), a program geared toward supporting workforce training for good clean energy manufacturing jobs and the development of strategies to bring supply chains back home from overseas. Continue reading

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November Breaks Covid Fever in Western Europe Sales

The Western Europe passenger vehicle selling rate rose from 10.3 million units/year in October to 12.2 million units/year in November – the second strongest performance of the year behind August, according to data just released by the LMC Automotive consultancy*. … Continue reading

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GM BrightDrop Expands to Canada with Ingersoll EV Plant

With taxpayer-financed support from both Canadian governments, GM has retooled the CAMI Assembly plant become the new global manufacturing home of BrightDrop’s fully electric delivery vans starting with the BrightDrop Zevo 600 electric delivery van. CAMI expects to produce 50,000 Zevo vans annually by 2025. Scaled production is expected to begin with Zevo 600 models in January 2023 and Zevo 400 models in late 2023. In the US, BrightDrop completed delivery of the first Zevo 600s to FedEx last year. Continue reading

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November US Light Vehicle Sales Up. Uncertainty Remains

General Motors led the market, with a 17.6% share, 2.4 pp ahead of Toyota Group. Stellantis saw the largest YoY decline of the major automakers, down by 13.2% YoY. Honda Group continued to struggle with a -6.1% YoY drop. Continue reading

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Honda to Build CR-V Fuel-Cell in US

The new CR-V-based FCEV might become North America’s first production vehicle to combine a plug-in feature with FCEV technology in one model, which enables the driver to charge the onboard battery to deliver EV driving around town with the option of hydrogen refueling for longer trips. Continue reading

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Ford Expands Escape, Bronco Sport Engine-Fire Recalls

Ford in the required filing made public today by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the safety defect concerned prior under-hood fire reports from oil separator inspections associated with NHTSA Recall 22V-19. Ford reviewed two under-hood fire reports from a 2022 model-year Escape and 2022 model-year Bronco Sport vehicle with the 1.5-liter ‘Dragon’ engine. Continue reading

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Mercedes-Benz First Automaker Issuing Green Panda Bonds

A so-called green bond is a fixed-income financial instrument used to support climate-related or environmental projects. They may or not be tax free. The Green Panda Bond further reflects what Daimler said is the openness and innovation of the Chinese capital market in ESG sectors.

In our view it also shows how out of touch the Republican party of No Hope, aka nope) is on environmental and economic matters with its denial of climate change and so far futile attempts to kill such instruments in the US and punish corporate issuers. Continue reading

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EU Commercial Vehicle Registrations -8.5% in October

In a demonstration of  the murky answer to the question “is the ongoing European-recession glass half-empty or half-full?”, ACEA* said today that the EU market for new commercial vehicles continued to scuffle, declining for the sixteenth month in a row at -8.5% vehicles.

However, year-to-date registrations of new commercial vehicles across the European Union contracted by 16.8% to 1.3 million units. So things are improving somewhat since the rate of decline is decreasing. Moreover, the truck and bus segments performed better than in October 2021. Continue reading

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Stellantis Overhauling European Dealer Network in 2023

In essence, electrification is a challenge facing all global automakers. Currently in the US Ford Motor is facing a major dealer revolt over its proposed electrification model. At Stellantis – the mega merger of FCA and PSA companies – the problem is acute – with its Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep®, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall automotive brands, as well as Free2move and Leasys services – the multi-brand distribution network is, well, complex. Continue reading

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November US New Vehicle Sales Forecast Record Consumer Spending of $42.8B. Global Sales Good, but Fluid

New-vehicle transaction prices continue to rise, but slower than earlier this year. The average price in November will set a record for the month of $45,872, an increase of 3.1% from a year ago. The record transaction prices mean that buyers are predicted to spend nearly $42.8 billion on new vehicles this month, the highest level ever for the month of November and a 7.0% increase from November 2021 as the Biden Administration recovery continues. Continue reading

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Ford Recalls 2021-22 F-150s for Wiper Motor Failures Again

Some of the vehicles recalled were previously recalled for the same problem. NHTSA appears to have played a strong part in the latest recall because of complaints from people to NHTSA* The newest NHTSA Campaign Number is 22V842000. Continue reading

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Death of the Diesel – CARB Tightens Off-Road Equipment Regs

The amendments will require fleets to phase-out use of the oldest and highest polluting off-road diesel vehicles in California; prohibit the addition of high-emitting vehicles to a fleet; and require the use of R99 or R100 renewable diesel in off-road diesel vehicles. These vehicles are the second largest mobile source of NOx in California, only exceeded by trucks on roads and highways, aka on-road trucks. Continue reading

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