BWT Alpine F1 Team Reveals Its 2022 A522 Contender

Posted on 21 February 2022 by Ken Zino

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on BWT Alpine F1 Team Reveals Its 2022 A522 ContenderThe BWT Alpine F1 Team revealed its contender for the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship today in what is now the Renault Group hometown, Paris. That’s France not Texas. During 2022, Alpine remains active in motorsports with a presence at Formula 1, the Hypercar class, the FIA R-GT and other competitions such as the Alpine Elf Europa Cup. With regulations changing for the new Formula One season, the Alpine F1 Team plans to channel the encouraging initial results from the Alonso‑Ocon pairing in 2021. (AutoInformed: Renault Sport Cars Becomes Alpine Cars; Alpine 2021 – Year One Sales Increase on a Minuscule Base)

Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo and Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi showed the A522 prior to what is, arguably – turbo era?, the largest change in regulations in Formula 1’s 72-year history The A522 livery is a combination of the historic blue of Alpine and pink hues of title partner BWT. Luca de Meo and Laurent Rossi were joined on stage by new Formula 1 Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer.

The team confirmed single race winner Esteban Ocon and two-time World Drivers’ Champion Fernando Alonso will drive for a second consecutive season. Oscar Piastri is the team’s Reserve Driver in 2022 after his Formula 2 title last year and subsequent ascension from the Alpine Academy. (Esteban Ocon joins Renault F1 Team. Nico Hulkenberg?) Continue reading →

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Hagerty International Links with UK’s Manor Park Classics

Posted on 21 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Hagerty International Links with UK’s Manor Park Classics

Rather informal old chap compared to bespoke Sotheby’s raiments.

Hagerty International* today announced a new partnership with Manor Park Classics, a Cheshire-based auction house in North West England that is close to the Oulton Park track, er circuit. As part of the agreement, Hagerty will have a “branded and physical presence” at 6 auctions planned for 2022, as well as offering insurance incentives to clients who purchase a vehicle via Manor Park Classic auctions, sales, and events.

“Both parties have an exciting range of experiences, sales and activities planned for 2022 making this partnership both energetic and relevant, and we look forward to working together throughout the year ahead,” said Mark Roper, Managing Director for Hagerty International. (AutoInformed: Hagerty Debuts as a Publicly Traded NYSE Company) Continue reading →

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‘Press Release’ EVs – Volta Trucks Raises €230M

Posted on 21 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Press Release EVs - Volta Trucks Raises €230M Capital Funding

The capital will fund all engineering and operations until after the start of production.

Volta Trucks, an ambitious startup in Stockholm, Sweden that claims it will become a full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, today announced the conclusion of its Series C funding round with a €230 million capital obtained. The funding was led by New York-based Luxor Capital, while initial seed investor, Byggmästare Anders J Ahlström of Stockholm, added to its holding in the company. Previous Series B investor, Agility, a provider of supply chain services also joined the funding appeal. (AutoInformed –  Volta Trucks Fully-Electric Commercial Zero to Debut in Italy)

Volta is claiming a “Europe-first principles within its Road-to-Zero Emissions strategy, with Volta Trucks set to launch four full-electric commercial vehicles and increase its projected sales volumes to more than 27,000 by 2025.” Given the competition from existing truck makers, this is ambitious – and only a promise until production begins. Following an order of electric trucks from DB Schenker in late 2021, pre-orders for the Volta Zero now exceed 5,000 vehicles, with a value of more than €1.2 billion, Volta claims. (AutoInformed- Production Starts on Prototype Volta Electric Truck) Continue reading →

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Majorities of Americans Say Union Membership Decline is Bad

Posted on 20 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed on Majorities of Americans Say Union Membership Decline is Bad for Country

Click to Enlarge.

Majorities of Americans continue to see the long-term decline in the share of workers represented by unions as a bad thing for both the country and working people in the United States, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January 2022. The share of U.S. workers who belong to a union has fallen since 1983, when 20% of American workers were union members. In 2021 10.3% of U.S. workers were in a union. Views of the impact of the decline in union membership on the country and working people have changed little since last year.

 “In the survey, 58% of U.S. adults say the large reduction over the past several decades in the percentage of workers who are represented by unions has been somewhat or very bad for the country, while 61% say this has been bad for working people,” said Ted Van Green* of Pew Research. ( AutoInformed: Labor Day – Majorities of Americans Say Unions Good) Continue reading →

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Power Plants Continue to Befoul Our Air During 2021

Posted on 18 February 2022 by Ken Zino

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Power Plants Continue to Befoul the Air During 2021The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released publicly available, annual data on 2021 emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and mercury from power plants in the lower 48 states. Emissions in 2021 were higher than 2020, EPA said because of  a rebound in coal-fired generation as natural gas prices and energy demand increased. Worse emissions increased at rates much higher than the demand for electricity.

Compared to 2020, the 2021 data show a 6% increase in NOx emissions, a 20% increase in SO2  emissions, a 7% increase in CO2 emissions, and a 13% increase in mercury emissions. Ozone season (May 1 to September 30) NOX  emissions increased by 5%. Overall, based on the first 11 months of 2021, electricity demand only increased by 3% compared to 2020. Compared to 2019, 2021 emissions fell between 3% and 11%, reflecting a longer trend of decreasing annual emissions.  Continue reading →

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Global Light Vehicle Sales Improved in January 2022

Posted on 18 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Global Light Vehicle Sales Improved in January 2022

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The Global Light Vehicle selling rate improved to 84 mn units/year in January of  2022, up 3% year-over-year, according to consultancy LMC Automotive. Nonetheless, LMC noted that supply chain issues remain the “key headwind for demand, though last month also saw the rapid spread of Omicron deal a blow to some potential market activity.

“Reports of an improving supply environment in some markets, including China, means the worst of the crisis is likely over, it remains the key headwind to sales during 2022, overshadowing concerns over inflation and a more subdued economic outlook.” Continue reading →

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Honda Motor to Make Sweeping Organizational Changes in April to Survive and Sustain Itself as a Mobility Company

Posted on 18 February 2022 by Ken Zino

Honda Motor Co. today in Japan announced sweeping organizational changes on 1April 2022 that it says will “transform itself into a mobility company focused on services and solutions that can achieve new growth and new value creation.” It is trying to realize its announced target of carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities Honda is involved in by 2050.

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Honda Motor to Make Sweeping Organizational Changes in April to Sustain itself as a Mobility Company

Click to Enlarge.

Translation: The changes are needed to survive the electrification business, new business, and combined solution business, which will require bolstering the development of software, as well as the strengthening the development of core electrification technologies. Continue reading →

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Redwood, Ford, Volvo Recycling EV Batteries from California

Posted on 17 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Redwood Materials, Ford, Volvo start Recycling EV Batteries from California

California is the home of the largest existing fleet of EVs in the US. It’s also the conscience of America on treating our planet with respect.

Redwood, an obscure startup company in Carson City, Nevada led by the former Tesla chief technology officer J.B. Straubel, said today it is launching a pilot electric vehicle battery-recycling program in California, to establish a recovery system that is “efficient, safe and effective for end-of-life hybrid and electric vehicle battery packs.”

Ford Motor Company and Volvo Cars are the first automakers to directly support the program, but Redwood will accept all lithium-ion (Li-ion) and nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries in the state and allow other automakers to join the program. Notably absent today is Honda, which started recycling rare-earth metals from batteries a decade ago, as well as Volkswagen Group, General Motors and others. (Ford – EVs Present Environmental, Human Rights Issues) Continue reading →

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Brabham Branding launches Formula 1 Simulators for Gamers

Posted on 16 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Brabham Branding launches Formula 1 Simulators for gamers

Just bring money- even sim racing is expensive.

Brabham Branding and Base Performance Simulators (BPS) today launched a limited run of special edition simulators. The marketing goal is to celebrate the renowned history of Brabham in motor racing while bring the racing cars into the e-sports age. Each simulator pays homage to three famous Formula 1 Brabham cars: Jack’s BT19 , the BT46B Fan Car and Nelson Piquet’s BT52. They can be bought through Base Performance at £24,990.00 or ~$33,940.

Base Performance was founded by veteran sportscar racer Darren Turner in 2010 and has become one of the UK’s leading driver development simulator companies. Before that, Turner shared back-to-back Le Mans 24 Hours victories with David Brabham, Jack’s youngest son, as part of Aston Martin Racing’s factory GT1 program in 2007 and 2008. Continue reading →

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BMW Manufacturing is Largest US Auto Exporter Again

Posted on 16 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on BMW Manufacturing is Largest US Auto Exporter Again

Keeping the US economy afloat.

Forget Trump’s wrong assertion [lie?] that trade is a zero-sum game and failed trade war,* BMW Manufacturing led the US in automotive exports by value for the eighth consecutive year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. During 2021, BMW Plant Spartanburg exported 257,876 BMWs with a total export value of more than $10.1 billion.

The BMWs produced in Spartanburg, South Carolina, were exported to about 120 countries primarily through the Port of Charleston, SC (nearly 219,000 units), through five additional southeastern ports and by rail to Canada. The top five export countries from BMW Manufacturing were China (24.1% of export volume), Germany (12.3%), South Korea (9.4%), Canada (5.6%), and Great Britain (5.4%). Continue reading →

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Whither Diesel? – Viable Fuel or Blah, Blah, Blah…

Posted on 15 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Whither Diesel? - Viable Fuel or Blah, Blah, Blah…

The fuel economy benefits of diesels come with many undesirable or deadly effects.

Speaking to the International Motor Press Association* today Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, and Keith Brandis, from Volvo Group’s** Chief Technology office, both made provocative claims that diesel fuel and diesel trucks have a much bigger future than EV advocates, environmentalists and public policy nerds assume.

At first this seems more blah, blah, blah around doing something about Global Warming and extreme, deadly weather caused by burning fossil fuels. However, both had reasoned observations backed by data for what turned out to be a rarity in our poisoned political climate of resentments and wanton constitutional destruction that is burning far hotter – way beyond any inferno caused by CO2. Continue reading →

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Connected Cars – State Farm and Ford to Offer UBI Coverage

Posted on 15 February 2022 by Ken Zino

State Farm and Ford said today they will launch Drive Safe & Save for connected Ford or Lincoln vehicles to benefit from usage-based insurance or UBI. State Farm customers can opt into the State Farm UBI program, Drive Safe & Save, which adjusts premiums to an individual vehicle’s mileage and customer driving behavior.

Eligible 2020 Model Year and newer connected Ford and Lincoln vehicles, with the consent of the owner, can share information directly with State Farm to enable Drive Safe & Save. The more customers improve their driving behaviors, the greater the insurance discount they may obtain, the companies claim. Continue reading →

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NHTSA – Consumer Alert for Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Fires

Posted on 15 February 2022 by Ken Zino

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on NHTSA - Consumer Alert for Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Fires NHTSA once again has issued a consumer alert about charging and fire problems with EVs. This morning NHTSA said that Chrysler, now part of Stellantis, recommends that owners of Model Year 2017-2018 Pacifica plug-in hybrid electric vehicles park their vans outside and away from homes, even if the vehicle is turned off, until their vehicles have been repaired, due to the risk of fire. Owners should also not charge their vehicles. They should continue to park outside and refrain from charging until a remedy is identified. The root cause is unknown.

The potentially affected van production began on August 12, 2016, when production of Chrysler Pacifica PHEVs began, and ended on August 7, 2018, when 2018 MY production ended. The suspect population was determined using vehicle manufacturing records. Similar vehicles not included in this recall are not PHEVs or were built after the suspect vehicle production period. Continue reading →

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A lot of Truckin’ Money – Tundra Ad Campaign Launches

Posted on 14 February 2022 by Ken Zino

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on A lot of Truckin’ Money - Tundra Ad Campaign LaunchesThe campaign for the all-new Tundra, “Born For This,” marks Toyota’s largest U.S. campaign to date as the gen-3 pickup looks to build on its success in the full-size truck segment, the Japanese automaker and sales leader in the US said today. The first ad debuted yesterday as an event (organized violence separated by committee meetings?) took place in Inglewood California. (AutoInformed: First Place! Toyota Ousts GM as US Sales End 2021 at 14.9m; First Look: Gen 3 2022 Toyota Tundra)

“This campaign showcases the unstoppable independence of the all-new Tundra,” claimed Lisa Materazzo, group vice president, Toyota Marketing, Toyota Motor North America. “‘Born For This’ celebrates our most capable, dependable and advanced truck yet – exactly what our guests have been waiting for – and the all-new Tundra is born to deliver.” (AutoInformed: First Look: Gen 3 2022 Toyota Tundra; First 2022 Toyota Tundra Built in Texas) Continue reading →

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GM is Doubling its Climate Equity Fund

Posted on 14 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Chevrolet Introduces 2024 Silverado EV pickup

Giving Ford’s Lightning a run for it’s EV money?

General Motors announced today it will expand on its philanthropic commitment to equitable climate action by doubling its Climate Equity Fund, dedicating a total of $50 million to help close equity gaps in the transition to electric vehicles and other sustainable technology. This is in addition to the company’s pledge to invest $35 billion globally in EV and AV programs, research, technology, manufacturing and charging infrastructure.

In early 2021, GM announced that it plans to become carbon neutral in its global products and operations by 2040 and is working toward a transition to 100% zero tailpipe emissions for new light-duty vehicles by 2035. The company plans to introduce more than 30 electric vehicle models globally by 2025. (AutoInformed: EVs – at $7B GM Makes Largest Announcement in History) Continue reading →

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