January 2022 US Sales Off 9%. Chips, Supply Chain Issues Bite

Posted on 3 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on January 2022 US Sales Drop 9%. Chips, Supply Chain Issues Bite

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Limited inventories pulled down US sales in January to just over 1 million units, according to the LMC Automotive consultancy. This was the scrawniest January since 2014. However, the -9% YoY decline marks the smallest percentage loss since monthly sales turned negative in the summer of 2021, said LMC. (Read AutoInformed on January US New Vehicle Sales to Decline. Profits, Prices Up; NADA Predicts 2022 New-Vehicle Sales of 15.4M, up 3.4%)

 The annualized selling rate, aka SAAR, improved from the average during the last six months. At 15.2 million units/year, this was the strongest SAAR since the 15.4-million-unit level in June 2021. Nevertheless, the average daily volume fell short of 42,000 units, but was consistent with the average daily volume of Q4 2021. Plus ca change… Continue reading →

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GM Posts Record $10.4B Earnings in 2021

Posted on 2 February 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on GM Posts Record $10.3B Earnings in 2021

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GM posted record 2021 Earnings and EBIT-adjusted margins during 2021 in spite of a challenging semiconductor and supply chain hazards from the global Covid calamity. Q4 earnings were almost $2 billion. GM earned $10.4 billion for the year, excluding special items, compared to $7.1 billion in 2020.

Part of the record results came from execution by an all-star management team of a timely strategy, part from strong demand for what in AutoInformed’s view are the strongest product lines in GM’s history. However, vehicles it sold globally dropped to 6.3 million, -8% from 2020 and a drop of -18% from Covid-free 2019. (First Place! Toyota Ousts GM as US Sales End 2021 at 14.9m; GMC Shows Sierra Denali Ultimate and AT4X – $$$$$) Continue reading →

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First Wireless EV Charging Road Slated for Michigan

Posted on 1 February 2022 by Ken Zino

Electreon has been selected to build the first public wireless in-road EV charging system on a one-mile section of road in Detroit, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said today. More than half of Michigan’s automotive suppliers conduct automated vehicle testing in the state. Michigan has ~600 miles of roadway equipped for connected vehicle testing and is building the road of the future with a new 40-mile connected corridor project being led by MDOT and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification. (Ford Testing Autonomous Delivery of Food in Detroit; Michigan and Cavnue to Create Autonomous Vehicle Lanes Linking Ann Arbor and Detroit)

“As we aim to lead the future of mobility and electrification by boosting electric vehicle production and lowering consumer costs, a wireless in-road charging system is the next piece to the puzzle for sustainability,” said Governor Whitmer. Continue reading →

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Rolex 24 – Cold Beginning to Start a Sizzling Racing Season

Posted on 31 January 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Rolex 24 - Cold Beginning for a Sizzling Racing Season

Castroneves’ second consecutive Rolex 24 victory.

With a record entry list of 61 cars running, bumping, swapping paint while pushing flat out after the green flag dropped at a cold Daytona, the 2022 sports car racing season in the US debuted. In IMSA racing, races are tilted toward racing – with gaps reset during Full-Course Yellow periods with faster classes waived though the pack for the restart. It makes for fierce competition throughout and rarely any stints of boredom for fans. (AutoInformed – IMSA Rolex 24 at Daytona – 61 Cars Entered

Acura took a one-two finish in the top DPi class. Helio Castroneves held the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-05 ahead of the field during the final 30 minutes to give MSR and co-drivers Tom Blomqvist, Oliver Jarvis and Simon Pagenaud victory Sunday in the 60th anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona. They drove 2709.160 miles. (Full results click here) Continue reading →

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Nissan Recalling 690,000 Rogue SUVs for Fires

Posted on 31 January 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Nissan Recalling 690,000 Rogue SUVs for Fires

Known safety problem. Unknown fix.

Nissan North America is recalling 2014-2016 Rogue SUVs because an electrical connector for the under-dash harness may corrode due to water and salt intrusion from the driver’s side foot well. The worst case from this safety defect is a fire. Rogues vehicles manufactured later are unaffected because a change was made after MY 2016 at each of the plants to remove the harness tape. No other Nissan or Infiniti vehicles are affected because the harness layout and tape used are specific to the Rogue.

In affected Rogues, if water and salt collect in the driver’s side foot well, it may wick up the dash side harness tape and enter the connector. If the connector becomes corroded, electrical current may continue to flow between the connector terminals, potentially causing the driver’s power seat or power window to become inoperative, AWD warning light illumination, battery discharge, and/or thermal damage to the connector. In the worst-case condition, a fire can occur. Continue reading →

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Bad Airbags – Kia Recalls 411,000 Model Year 2017-19 Vehicles

Posted on 31 January 2022 by Ken Zino

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling ~411000 2017-2019 model Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles for defective airbags. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover can contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash. Some owners will have no warning that there is a problem. Non-deployment of airbags where deployment is necessary increases the risk of injury or death, of course.

In the required filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Kia claimed that “variances in the manufacturing of the ACU” can cause contact between the ACU cover and the Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) chip on the ACU’s Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and cause damage to the EEPROM’s soldering joints resulting in an open circuit. Continue reading →

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Stellantis Doubles China Sales, Bolsters and Consolidates Aftermarket as Jeep Sales Plunge

Posted on 28 January 2022 by Ken Zino

Stellantis improved its business in China during 2021 calling it a solid foundation for long-term expansion. In an announcement that foreshadows details on Stellantis’ plan for the Chinese market that will be announced as part of a global strategic plan on 1 March 2022, the French conglomerate said Dongfeng Motor* sold more than 100,000 vehicles in 2021. This doubled the annual sales volume of 2020. Of these more than 100,000 Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën derived vehicles, about 9,300 New Energy Vehicles (NEV) were sold, which has made DPCA a net contributor of NEV and CAFC (Corporate Average Fuel Consumption) credits of Stellantis in China.

It also noted that the Jeep brand’s Wrangler had record sales in 2021 but neglected to mention that overall Jeep sales of 20,357 (-49%) declined for the fourth straight year. The Jeep product lineup, however, was recognized as No. 1 in APEAL and Vehicle Dependability (VDS) and No.2 in Initial Quality (IQS) by JD Power’s study among mainstream brands in China. Continue reading →

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January US New Vehicle Sales to Decline. Profits, Prices Up

Posted on 28 January 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on January US New Vehicle Sales to Decline. Profits, Prices Up

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New-vehicle retail sales for January 2022 are predicted to decline when compared with January 2021, according to a joint forecast from J.D. Power and LMC Automotive. Retail sales of new vehicles this month are expected to reach 828,900 units, an 8.3% decrease compared with January 2021*. Total new-vehicle sales for January 2022, including retail and non-retail transactions, are projected to reach 932,100 units, a -15.6% decrease from January 2021. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total new-vehicle sales is expected to be 14.1 million units, a drop of 2.6 million units from 2021. Continue reading →

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Late to the Daytona Grid – Ford to Run in GT3 in 2024

Posted on 28 January 2022 by Ken Zino

Ford Performance said today in Daytona that an  all-new Mustang GT3 race car will compete in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) 2024 race season, including the 24 Hours of Daytona. The new Mustang effort, announced in advance of this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, will be a joint program between Ford Performance and racing collaborator Multimatic Motorsports.  This will mean Ford will race against Porsche 911s and Mercedes AMG GTs, among others. Ford has been endurance racing for 58 years of global endurance, including NASCAR and Australian Supercars today. Lately on this side of the pond, it’s more involved with personal and commercial-use trucks. Continue reading →

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Stellantis to Repay Early €6.3B Fiat Credit Facility

Posted on 28 January 2022 by Ken Zino

Stellantis N.V. announced today that FCA Italy S.p.A., a wholly owned subsidiary, and Stellantis’ other Italian subsidiaries, have repaid the €6.3 billion credit facility to Intesa Sanpaolo. The credit facility, entered into in June 2020, was structured to support the restart and “transformation of Italy’s automotive sector” after the COVID-19 outbreak rocked the automotive world and its establishment.

By providing badly needed liquidity to the FCA’s businesses in Italy and to its Italian suppliers. The facility was helpful in the restart of industrial production. Stellantis also said it provided continuity for key investment projects to provide a sustainable future for the automotive sector in Italy.

Stellantis is “now in a position to repay the facility” in advance of its original maturity date of March 2023 while continuing its investment projects. The facility was 80% guaranteed by SACE, Italy’s Export Credit Agency, under the Italian Government’s Liquidity Decree (“Decreto Liquidità”), as overseen by the Ministry of Economy and Finance – MEF, and the Ministry of Economic Development – MISE.

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Ford Pro Using Lightning EVs in Pilot Farming Study

Posted on 27 January 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Ford Pro Using Lightning EVs in Pilot Farming Study

Some vehicles log 50,000 miles a year.

Ford Pro is participating in a pilot program that will supply three Sonoma County farms in California with so-called Ford Pro solutions, including F-150 Lightning Pro pickups and E-Transit cargo vans to their business.

Pilot program farms are being outfitted with Ford Pro charging stations to complement the solar power  in use since 2014 that has been a part of a search for sustainability by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, a group of more than 1,800 grape farmers. (Read AutoInformed on Ford Buys Electriphi to Provide Ford Pro Commercial Customers with Charging and Energy Management; GM’s Ultium Charge 360 Fleet Customers Can Now Access Preferred Electric Vehicle Charging Providers; GM Debuts New Business Elite Program for Fleet Customers)

The pilot program is launching with Bevill Vineyard Management and Vino Farms in Healdsburg, and Dutton Ranch in Sebastopol, which collectively represent about 4,000 acres in the vineyard-rich Russian River Valley. Wanda Young, Ford Pro global chief marketing officer, anticipates the program will expand in the coming months to include other farming operations in the county. Continue reading →

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First Mazda CX-50 off line at Toyota JV in Alabama

Posted on 26 January 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on First Mazda CX-50 off line at Toyota JV in Alabama

What’s missing in this picture? Hint, look for a union label.

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) produced the first 2023 Mazda CX-50 at Mazda’s new Huntsville, Alabama plant. Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) is a $2.3 billion joint venture between Mazda Motor and Toyota. The CX-50 is made for the North American market. (AutoInformed – Mazda, Toyota Building 2022 Corolla Cross in Alabama)

MTM began operation in September 2021 and can produce 300,000 vehicles annually – 150,000 units each for both Toyota and Mazda. The plant will employ up to 4,000 workers. Several thousand workers are expected to be employed by suppliers in non-union shops. Alabama, aside from its history of racism and white supremacy, is a right to work*” (for less?) state, which means workers don’t have to be unionized.** Continue reading →

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Corvette Racing at Daytona – Same or Different?

Posted on 26 January 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Corvette Racing at Daytona - Same or Different?

Corvette Racing returns to Daytona after a 1-2 finish in the 2021 24-hour race.

Corvette Racing begins its 24th season of competition this weekend with the Rolex 24 at Daytona to start the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. It’s the same race – twice ‘round the clock with the toughest, longest race of the season as the opener. Not for the faint hearted. However, this year is different. The racing ‘Vette C8.R GTD is built to new specifications. (AutoInformed – Corvette Racing Entering Two C8.Rs for Daytona Rolex 24; Corvette Racing Goes Global – IMSA, FIA WEC in 2022)

“It’s a single event for our side of the garage before we go off to the WEC. But Daytona still has that big atmosphere and big levels of anticipation of what’s coming and what’s ahead of you,” said Nick Tandy, no. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. Continue reading →

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Kia America – EV6 Starts at $33,400 with Taxpayer Funding

Posted on 25 January 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Kia America - 2022 EV6 Starts at $33,400 with Taxpayer Funding

Kia EV6 delivers up to an estimated 300-miles of all-electric range.

Kia America today said the 2022 EV6 starts at $33,400 after the $7,500 federal vehicle tax credit. In addition, the EV6 may also qualify for various state incentives, including single rider carpool lane access in California. These exclude a destination charge of $1215. Prices range  up to, gulp, $55,900. EV6 comes in three trim levels: Light, Wind and GT-Line. The Light trim will be offered in rear-wheel drive. Wind and sporty GT-Line variants will be available in rear-wheel drive and Dual Motor e-AWD configurations.

The first dedicated Kia battery-electric vehicle comes to the US in a few weeks after a global reveal last March. EV6 goes on sale in all 50 states, but the performance GT version won’t be available until late 2022. So much for Kia’s original positioning as the sporty brand within the Hyundai Korean auto conglomerate.
 Continue reading →

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EVs – at $7B GM Makes Largest Announcement in History

Posted on 25 January 2022 by Ken Zino

Ultium Cells Lansing is GM’s third Ultium battery cell site in the US, after two battery cell plants being constructed in Ohio and Tennessee.

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) announced today an investment of $7 billion in four Michigan manufacturing sites, “creating 4,000 new jobs and retaining 1,000, and significantly increasing battery cell and electric truck manufacturing capacity. This is the single largest investment announcement in GM history.” Michigan taxpayers contributed to the plan.*

The investment includes construction of a new Ultium Cells battery cell plant in Lansing and the conversion of GM’s assembly plant in Orion Township for production of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and the electric GMC Sierra. Orion is GM’s second assembly plant scheduled to build full-size electric pickups, which translates to 600,000 full-size electric pickups in the U.S. annually. Consider Ford an increasingly threatened leader in full-size pickup truck sales: Ford is now increasing the production planning target for its electric F-150 to only 150,000 a year. (AutoInformed.com on Chevrolet Introduces 2024 Silverado EV ; Biden Bets on Detroit, Union Workers at GM’s EV Factory ZERO; Washington Diddles. India Puts Billions into Securing EV Jobs) Continue reading →

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