CARB Environmental Justice Advisory Committee Renewed

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) today announced the reappointment of all 13 members to its ongoing Environmental Justice Advisory Committee (EJAC*). The Committee is comprised of representatives from California communities most heavily impacted by air pollution, including disadvantaged communities with minority or low-income populations.

“These appointments demonstrate the Board’s commitment to integrating environmental justice and equity as a cornerstone of CARB’s climate programs,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. “We know climate change impacts vulnerable communities the most. Each of these members brings a unique perspective from their communities. By partnering together, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address historic inequities by advancing environmental justice and equity in our implementation of the Scoping Plan.” Continue reading

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NHTSA Prompts Expansion of Hyundai, Kia Fire Recall

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Fires! Park 2020-22 Hyundai Palisades, Kia Tellurides Outside

A good place to park until the recall repair is performed.

Hyundai Motor America and Kia America have issued expanded recalls for unexpected fires on more than 570,000 vehicles. The Korean companies are urging owners to park their vehicles outside and away from homes and other structures until the recall fix is applied, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today in a rare “critical recall alert,” the second one for this life-threatening safety defect. This safety recall is a direct result of NHTSA’s monitoring of recall NHTSA 22V-633, NHTSA said.

The affected vehicles are model years 2022-2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz, 2019-2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe Hybrid, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid, and 2022-2023 Kia Carnival. !Critical Vehicle Recall Information! Continue reading

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March US Auto Sales Forecast Up. Q1 to Set Spending Record

Total new-vehicle sales for March 2023, including retail and non-retail transactions, are forecast at 1,330,700, a 6.2% increase from March 2022, according to data just released from J.D. Power and LMC Automotive*. New-vehicle total sales for Q1 2023 are projected to reach 3,526,700 units, a 7.3% increase from Q1 2022 when adjusted for selling days. New-vehicle transaction prices continue to rise, with the average price reaching a March record of $45,818.

“March is shaping up to be yet another positive month for the industry. With retail sales forecasted to be up nearly 2%, along with average transaction prices tracking up 3.5%, consumers are on pace to spend nearly $50 billion this month, an increase of 5.5% from what they spent on new vehicles a year ago,” said Thomas King, president of the data and analytics division at J.D. Power. Continue reading

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Ford Motor New Financial Reporting – Billions in EV Losses

Ford Motor this morning told  investors and analysts how the company is now organized and operating, adding that it will report financial results – based on three new global business segments that are focused on different automotive customers, rather than by geographic regions. Ford Motor reported a disappointing 2022 full-year net loss of $2.0 billion. During Q4 of 2022 Ford posted an adjusted EBIT $10.4 billion, and operating cash flow $1.2 billion for the quarter, $6.9 billion for the year. This was in stark contrast to GM, which reported a record $14.5 billion in earnings for 2022. (autoinformed.com on: Ford Misses Q4 and Full Year 2022 Forecasts. Loses $2B)

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Ford Motor New Financial Reporting - Billions in EV Losses

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Part of today’s presentation showed Ford’s nascent electric vehicle venture – Ford Model e – lost $3 billion before taxes during 2021 and 2022. More such losses are coming in the near term. Helping stem the tide of red ink, Ford Blue – its traditional internal combustion business – is forecast to post a $7 billion pretax profit in 2023, marginally better than last year. Ford Pro is forecast to earn $6 billion before taxes, almost double 2022 earnings. Other business units include corporate, Ford Credit and Ford Next, dubbed a new business incubator. (autoinformed.com on: John Dion to be Chief Transformation Officer at Struggling Ford; Ford Motor Structure Threatens Viability. Vast Reorg Coming) Continue reading

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Gen Six Chevy Camaro Stops Production in January

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Gen Six Chevy Camaro Stops Production in January 2024

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After nine model years in the market, with hundreds of thousands sold, the sixth generation Chevrolet Camaro will retire at the conclusion of model year 2024.The final sixth generation Camaros will come off the assembly line at the Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in Michigan in January 2024, Chevrolet said today in Detroit. There will be a successor to the pony car, err muscle car that followed the Mustang, which comes in coupe and soft-top convertible configurations.

“As we prepare to say goodbye to the current generation Camaro, it is difficult to overstate our gratitude to every Camaro customer, Camaro assembly line employee and race fan,” said Scott Bell, vice president, Global Chevrolet. “While we are not announcing an immediate successor today, rest assured, this is not the end of Camaro’s story.” Continue reading

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Auto Rag Trade – Hyundai Re:Style 2023 Haute Couture

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Auto Rag Trade – Hyundai Re:Style 2023 Haute Couture

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Hyundai Motor Company in South Korea today announced ‘Re:Style 2023’* with designer Jeremy Scott.  ‘Re:Style,’ claims to be an eco-friendly upcycled fashion platform with internationally known designers “to transform automotive waste into fashion items.” This year’s collection is an haute couture collection by Jeremy Scott made with discarded materials from Hyundai Motor’s electric vehicles, together with the deadstock fabrics. New materials derived from parts such as wheels, seat belts, tail lights and wipers are also part of the collection.

Hyundai Re:Style Exhibition’ will be presented at AP Again in Seongsu-dong for three weeks starting 23 March, following a private gala preview event later tonight. As the first ‘Re:Style’ exhibition to be held in Korea, the opening is also in line with the global launch of the all-new KONA Electric. Continue reading

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Stellantis to Spend ~€130M in the Eisenach Assembly for EVs

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Milestones:75 millionth Opel - Grandland GSe

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Stellantis (NYSE: STLA Euronext Milan STLAM / Euronext Paris STLAP) announced today in Amsterdam that it will invest ~€130 million in the Eisenach Assembly Plant* in Germany, producer of the Opel Grandland compact sport utility vehicle. Eisenach Assembly will make the battery electric vehicle (BEV) replacement vehicle that will be built on the all-new STLA Medium platform. Production of the new BEV is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2024.

Opel announced last fall that it would revive GSe as a new sub-brand for electrified models with GSe now standing for Grand Sport electric. The Opel Grandland GSe follows the Astra GSe and the Astra Sports Tourer GSe. Opel claims it is a high-performance, plug-in hybrid with electric all-wheel-drive in the SUV compact class, arguably the fastest growing segment in Europe and Asia. The Opel Grandland currently produced at Eisenach includes plug-in hybrid variants. Opel wants a fully electric lineup by 2028. (autoinformed.com on: Milestones: 75 millionth Opel – Grandland GSe) Continue reading

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John Dion to be Chief Transformation Officer at Struggling Ford

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on John Dion to be Chief Transformation Officer at Struggling Ford

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Ford Motor (NYSE: F) said today in Dearborn that a new senior leader, John Dion, will join the company as chief transformation officer on 3April, reporting to Ford CEO Jim Farley. “Dion will oversee global deployment of methodologies and tools based on Lean manufacturing and related concepts, capabilities that are central to realizing the value-creation and growth potential of the company’s Ford+ plan,” Ford said in a press release.

Ford Motor reported a disappointing 2022 full-year net loss of $2.0 billion. During Q4 of 2022 Ford posted an adjusted EBIT $10.4 billion, and operating cash flow $1.2 billion for the quarter, $6.9 billion for the year. This was in stark contrast to GM, which reported a record $14.5 billion in earnings for 2022. (autoinformed.com: GM Posts Record $14.5 Billion in Earnings During 2022; More Ford Recalls Published – Millions of Vehicles Involved) “We should have done much better last year,” said CEO Jim Farley at the time. “We left about $2 billion in profits on the table that were within our control, and we’re going to correct that with improved execution and performance.” Continue reading

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BMW Manufacturing Spartanburg Supports 43,000 SC Jobs

BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg, the largest BMW Group plant globally, has an annual economic impact of ~ $26.7 billion. This comes from a study just released by the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. The annual economic impact is for all goods and services produced in the state both directly and indirectly. The plant makes BMW X3, X3 M, X5, X5 M and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles; the BMW X4, X4 M, X6 and X6 M Sports Activity Coupes; and the all-new BMW XM.

The plant’s direct employment base also accounts for 4.8% of all manufacturing jobs across South Carolina. The former Confederate state of South Carolina is currently enmeshed in battle over whether or not to impose the death penalty for abortions. BMW Manufacturing has a Family Health Center at its South Carolina plant for all BMW workers, retirees and their dependents with occupational, primary care services, as well as vision, dental and physical therapy. The combination of cost savings and the benefits of having medical services in one location offer the company’s non-unionized workforce a progressive option in their healthcare management. The center is a $5 million investment in a 25,000 square foot facility. To say that this would be a politically sensitive at a woke German automaker is an understatement. (autoinformed.com on: BMW Opens Health Center at its South Carolina SUV Plant) Continue reading

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More Ford Recalls Published – Millions of Vehicles Involved

According to the latest safety defect recalls made public this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aka NHTSA, Ford Motor Company is also recalling numerous vehicles that have not been published by AutoInformed. These include recalls for windshield wipers, brake calipers, brake hoses, and towing trailer tail lights. In some cases millions of vehicles are involved. Owners Should contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. Information is also available at  www.nhtsa.gov.

The largest recall involves more than 1.28 million 2013-2018 model year Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans because the front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid. Ford’s number for this recall is 23S12; NHTSA 23V162. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Recalling Bronco SUVs Again

Ford Motor Company is recalling 2021-2022 Bronco SUVs equipped with 8-inch SYNC infotainment screens that were previously recalled and repaired under NHTSA recall 22V-825. The rearview camera image may still be displayed after a “backing event has ended,” Ford said in the required NHTSA filing made public this morning. The Bronco SUVs fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, “Rear Visibility.”

Affected Bronco SUVs are equipped with 8-inch low-level SYNC infotainment screens and have had a previous Ford safety recall 22C27 performed. Information as to the applicability of this action to specific vehicles “can best be obtained by either calling Ford’s toll-free line (1-866-436-7332) or by contacting a local Ford or Lincoln dealer who can obtain specific information regarding the vehicles from the Ford On-line Automotive Service Information System (OASIS) database,” Ford said in the filing. Continue reading

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American Honda Recalls 450,000 Vehicles for Bad Seat Belts

American Honda Motor Company is recalling ~450,000 Honda and Acura vehicles because a manufacturing problem with the front seat belts may cause the seat belt buckle channel to interfere with the release button, preventing the seat belt buckle from latching. Autoliv Safety Technology of Auburn Hills Michigan is the supplier.

Registered owners of all affected vehicles will be contacted by mail and asked to take their vehicle to an authorized Honda dealer. The vehicles covered by the safety defect recall are: 2017-2020 model-year CR-V, 2018-2019 Accord and Accord Hybrid, 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019 Insight, and 2019-2020 Acura RDX vehicles. Continue reading

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Ford Recalls Steering on Bronco Wildtrak, Bronco Raptor

Ford Motor is recalling 2023 model-year Bronco Wildtrak and 2022 Bronco Raptor SUVs because internal damage to the steering gear may require increased steering effort or cause the steering wheel to lock-up. In details just made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the required filing, Ford said owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy is performed. Ford is also recalling 2021-2022 Bronco models for different safety defect.*

However, owner notification letters are not expected to be mailed until 27 March 2023. Nexteer Automotive in Auburn Hills Michigan is the supplier of the steering gear. Continue reading

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New Mercedes-Benz GLB Mild Hybrid Shown in Europe

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on New Mercedes-Benz GLB Mild Hybrid Shown in Europe

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In Stuttgart today Mercedes Benz released European photos of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLB mild hybrid that will appear in US showrooms later in 2023. Basically it’s a freshening of the compact SUV with a redesigned front bumper and contoured side graphics. There are now new full-LED headlights and taillights, along with a range of expanded options, including two additional wheel designs in 18- and 20-inch sizes and new Starling Blue Metallic paint.

Inside the 2024 GLB is an improved interior, which has two 10.25-inch displays for the instrument cluster and multimedia screens. The steering wheel is upholstered in Nappa leather as standard, and customers can specify a heated steering wheel with the AMG Line interior for the first time. Continue reading

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Higher US Electricity Rates Lowers EV Charging Satisfaction

The growing electric vehicle (EV*) marketplace is seeing rising electricity rates partly due to US inflation. This has resulted in lower satisfaction with home charging, according to the J.D. Power 2023 US Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Home Charging Study,SM released today. More than two-thirds (68%) of EV owners use a Level 2 permanently mounted station, but their overall satisfaction declined 12 points year-over-year to 740 on a 1000-point scale.

“Whether you’re an automaker, dealer or utility company participating in the EV ecosystem, improving the EV owner experience with respect to home charging should be a common goal shared by all,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power. Continue reading

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