Mercedes-Benz to Build Wind Farm at Papenburg Test Track

Posted on 19 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Mercedes-Benz to Build Wind Farm at Papenburg Test Track - Courtesy of and Copyright M-B

Another advancement – not pr puff – against global warming.

Mercedes-Benz  said today that it plans to build a wind farm at its test track in Papenburg in northern Germany with an output of more than 100 MW to cover ~15% of the annual electricity demand of Mercedes-Benz Group* AG in Germany.

The wind will keep blowing as M-B with a partner plans to build a “double-digit number of wind turbines by the middle of the decade. Mercedes-Benz is also planning a long-term power purchase agreement with a partner, equivalent to a “triple-digit million euros amount.” 
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August EU Car Sales Increased after 13 Months of Decline

Posted on 16 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on August European Car Sales Increased after 13 Months of Decline

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During July 2022, new car registrations in the European Union decreased again (-10.4%), even with low base of comparison caused by the ongoing semiconductor shortage according to ACEA* today. All the four major EU markets performed worse than one year ago, with Germany (-12.9%) and Spain (-12.5%) posting the strongest declines.

However, during August, the European new car market returned to growth (+4.4%), bringing an end to thirteen months of consecutive decline. Continue reading →

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EPA Releases Final Smog Air Quality Standards. More Inspection Programs and Reformulated Fuel Areas Coming?

Posted on 16 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on EPA Releases Final Smog Air Quality Standards. More Inspection Programs and Reformulated Fuel Areas Coming?EPA Releases Final Smog Air Quality Standards. More Inspection and Maintenance Programs and Reformulated Fuel Areas Coming?AutoInformed.com

More than 90 million live in areas that don’t meet air quality health standards for ground-level ozone or smog.

EPA today announced the final determinations for whether certain areas have met the 2008 or 2015 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone, as required by the Clean Air Act. EPA is finalizing determinations regarding the air quality progress of six non-attainment areas classified as “Serious” for the 2008 ozone NAAQS, and for 28 non-attainment areas classified as “Marginal” for the 2015 ozone NAAQS.

These final rules establish new time periods and next steps states must take to improve ozone air quality in remaining non-attainment areas. EPA said its final decisions are based on a scientific evaluation of certified, publicly-available air quality monitoring data for the years 2018-2020. From a vehicle owner’s viewpoint of his means certain areas will have to implement inspection and maintenance programs and/or use reformulated fuels.* Continue reading →

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GM – $491M Goes to Indiana For EV Parts Making

Posted on 16 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on GM - $491M Goes to Indiana For EV Parts Making

Making the middle class great again….

General Motors (NYSE:GM) will spend $491 million at its Marion, Indiana metal stamping operations to prepare for making steel and aluminum parts for future products, including electric vehicles, built at multiple GM assembly plants. 

The announcement was made yesterday as President Biden was in Detroit saying: “American manufacturing is back. Detroit is back. America is back. And, folks, we’re proving it’s never, ever, ever a good bet to bet against the American people. Never, never, never.” …  “And, by the way, American manufacturing is roaring back. Just since I’ve been in office, we’ve already created 10 million new jobs – more jobs in that time period than any time in American history. (Applause.) The unemployment rate is 3.7%, near a 50-year low… Guess what? First year in office, we reduced the deficit by $350 billion. (Applause.)  And guess what? This year – this year, we’re on track, at the end of the fiscal year, to reduce the deficit by over $1 trillion.” Biden certainly had valid points. Continue reading →

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Detroit Auto Show on the Path of Dinosaurs?

Posted on 15 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Detroit Auto Show on the Path of Dinosaurs?

A bleak picture. We’ll see what happens to the show.

President Joe Biden’s visit  to the Detroit Auto Show – aka NAIAS – closed the show floor for hour upon hours during what traditionally was an exciting and new-product dense press preview day.* Well, that was once upon a time. This for decades used to start the lead up to the paid-attendance public days in an attempt to spur buying interest during the dark days of winter.

Instead, this year as the show moved to warmer times there was a pervading atmosphere of what could be the demise of the show at Cobo Hall – now Huntington Place, which was refurbished at great taxpayer expense to ensure the future of the show. Continue reading →

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New Mustang Debuts After Media Day at NAIAS

Posted on 15 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on New Mustang Debuts After Media Day at NAIAS

Some much for previews at the Detroit Auto Show.

In a surprising example of fair-weather automaker debuts, the movement of the struggling Detroit Auto Show – aka NAIAS – to September of 2022, allowed FMC to skip media day at the Auto Show and debut the new Mustang after press previews ended with the traditional Automotive Press Association welcoming opening night reception.

Mustang was arguably the only product news of substance yesterday. President Joe Biden’s visit, which closed the show floor for hours to the media added to an atmosphere of impending demise of the show at Cobo Hall – now Huntington Place, which was refurbished at great taxpayer expense to ensure the future of the show. The seventh generation of the vehicle that literally coined the name pony car is the true to its heritage with a digital cockpit as well as advanced turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines. Continue reading →

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GM to Sponsor Bolt EV Road Trip From Detroit to NYC

Posted on 13 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on GM to Sponsor Bolt EV Road Trip From Detroit to NYC

GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra drives the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV onto the stage 11 January 2016 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) announced today that it has joined the National Wildlife Federation as a founding member of the new Climate Equity Collaborative*, a scheme focused on addressing the disproportionate impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities and youth. As part  of the lead up to Climate Week GM will stage an EV road trip** from the Detroit Auto Show to New York City with climate advocate, musician and UN Youth Leader AY Young.

“Too often, the people and communities most vulnerable to climate change are left out of conversations that impact their lives,” said Kristen Siemen, GM’s vice president of Sustainable Workplaces and chief sustainability officer. “We’re proud to be a founding member of the Climate Equity Collaborative, and we invite other companies to join us in this movement to take stronger, more inclusive action on climate change.” Continue reading →

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IndyCar: Palou in Honda Wins at Laguna Seca. Power in Chevy Wins Series Championship Ousting Palou

Posted on 12 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on IndyCar: Palou in Honda Wins Laguna. Power in Chevy Wins Series

Third-place finisher Will Power with 12 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes and five pole starts in the 17 races became the NTT IndyCar Series champion for 2022.

With action filled racing that tested driver skills, crew performance, as well as tire selection and spit-stop strategy calls, the 2022 IndyCar racing season ended yesterday in California. It was the most entertaining season in recent memory.

Reigning 2021 champ, Alex Palou lost the series title, but he ironically took his first victory of the season in the NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou clearly controlled the race with his untouchable pace beating second place finisher Josef Newgarden by 30.3812 seconds. This was the largest margin of victory this season by more than 24 seconds.
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The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV – a $30,000 Breakthrough?

Posted on 9 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on The 2024 Equinox EV - a $30,000 Breakthrough?

The 2024 Equinox EV has range, space and technology. Quality is also likely to be high as well.

Chevrolet says that the all-new 2024 Equinox EV will be an affordable all-electric SUV to help customers transition to an EV with the lowest entry price thus far in the compact SUV segment, which like all EV segments is dominated by luxury vehicle pricing.

With a starting price of ~$30,0001 on the 1LT, the Equinox EV plugs Chevrolet into the critical compact SUV segment and is expected to be the most affordable EV in its class11. Equinox EV joins an electrified portfolio that covers major segments, including full-size trucks (Silverado EV), mid-size (Blazer EV) and compact SUVs (Bolt EV and Bolt EUV). It can also come with an optional GM-estimated 300 miles of range on a full charge2. It will go on sale in the Fall of 2023. Continue reading →

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Hispano Suiza Coming to New York City Concours

Posted on 9 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Hispano Suiza Coming to New York City Concours

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Hispano Suiza* will be the main sponsor of “The New York City Concours,” an exhibition of classic cars in Manhattan on September 17. The Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulogne will be on 72nd Street between Madison and Fifth Avenue. The US has a role to play, so to speak, in the expansion of Hispano Suiza internationally.

Hispano Suiza says it accepted the invitation from the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District, to be “the featured attraction” of their Men´s Style Month. Madison Avenue has pretentions of being “the main luxury district in the United States, where the most important fashion and jewelry boutiques are located.” Continue reading →

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Jeep Shows Recon and Wagoneer Electric SUVs

Posted on 8 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Jeep Shows Recon and Wagoneer Electric SUVs

Well, it has a Jeep grille.

Stellantis (NYSE / MTA / Euronext Paris: STLA) today said that its next generation of fully electric 4xe vehicles includes four all-electric SUVs in North America and in Europe by 2025. (AutoInformed.com on Finally – First Jeep EV Teased by Stellantis)

The Jeep brand showed the first images of two fully electric SUVs, all-new Jeep Recon and Wagoneer, code-named Wagoneer S, planned for North America and other regions around the world. Stellantis also said that the all-new, all-electric Jeep Avenger will launch in Europe early next year after its debut at the Paris Motor Show on October 17. Continue reading →

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Nissan OKs First Bi-Directional Charger for LEAF

Posted on 7 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Nissan OKs First Bi-Directional Charger for LEAF - Courtesy of and Copyright Nissan all rights reserved

A two-way fleet, so to speak…

Nissan said today that working with Fermata Energy* it approved the first bi-directional charger for use with the LEAF in the US. With Nissan’s approval and its UL 9741 certification for bi-directional charging systems, the Fermata Energy FE-15 charger is now verified to be compatible with the Nissan LEAF.

Usage of the approved charger will not impact the LEAF’s battery warranty. Moreover, in theory,  it allows some business owners to use a Nissan LEAF to help reduce energy costs. Bi-directional charging technology means that it is possible to charge the LEAF and also send energy stored in the vehicle battery back to the building or the grid. This could save money with their local electric utility, as well as cut the total cost of ownership of the vehicle.
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Mecum Auctions Returns to Chattanooga Motorcar Festival

Posted on 6 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Mecum Auctions Returns to Chattanooga Motorcar Festival

Time to have some auto related fun again.

The Chattanooga Motorcar Festival said today that Mecum Auctions is returning to Chattanooga as part of the October 14-16 Chattanooga Motorcar Festival for the second straight year. The auction will take place on the same weekend as the Mecum Chicago 2022 auction, the first time a singular collector car auction company has staged auctions in two different cities on the same dates.

Following last year’s sales of $18.7 million and 84% sell of the nearly 550 vehicles consigned to the inaugural Mecum auction in Chattanooga in 2021, the world’s largest collector car auction company will return with ~600 American muscle cars, classics, Corvettes, trucks, exotics, Hot Rods, customs among other vehicles to cross the auction block at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
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US Transportation Unemployment Below Pre-Pandemic Rate

Posted on 6 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on US Transportation Unemployment Below Pre-Pandemic Rate

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The unemployment rate in the U.S. transportation sector was 4.6% in August 2022,* according to Bureau of Labor Statistics  data updated on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics Unemployment in Transportation dashboard.

The August 2022 rate fell 1.8 percentage points from 6.4% in August 2021 and was below the pre-pandemic August level of 4.8% in August 2019. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level – an all-time record high – during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May 2020 and July 2020 under the Trump Administration. The voted out President of course made many false statements about Covid in those dark days of denial.
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Honda and Hanwa Combine to Buy Battery Metals

Posted on 6 September 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Honda and Hanwa Combine to Buy Battery Metals

Hanwa has handled materials for rechargeable battery manufacturing since the 1990s. In addition to nickel and cobalt, Hanwa is also focusing on lithium by investing in the Bacanora Lithium.

Honda Motor Co. said in Japan yesterday that it has established a strategic partnership with Hanwa* Co., a Japanese trading company, to buy essential metals for batteries necessary for its electrified vehicles.

Through the Hanwa partnership, Honda said it will ensure stable procurement in the medium to long term, of essential metals necessary for batteries such as nickel, cobalt and lithium, with the mined resources secured by Hanwa. It’s the latest move in what has become and EV battery ‘Gold Rush’ albeit centered on nickel, cobalt, and lithium. It remains problematic that China is well entrenched in EV research and development, manufacturing and various processes needed to support EVs.
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