Toyota to Spend $3.4B for US Battery Manufacturing

Posted on 18 October 2021 by Ken Zino

Toyota announced today in Japan that it will invest $3.4 billion (¥380B) in automotive batteries in the United States through 2030. The capital spending is for developing and localizing automotive battery production, including those for battery electric vehicles. It is part of the global total of $13.5 billion (¥1.5T) for spending on battery development and production announced last month by TMC. Globally, Toyota has sold more than 18.7 million electrified vehicles, including 4.5 million in the US. (Toyota JV Will See SUV EV Branded Subaru Solterra in 2022)

Toyota Motor North America also announced today that it will establish a new company and build an automotive battery plant together with Toyota Tsusho in the US. Production is expected to start in 2025, the project includes an investment of approximately $1.29 billion until 2031, which includes funds that will be used to develop land and build facilities, resulting in the creation of 1,750 new American jobs. Continue reading →

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GM Plant Workers Face Threats After Voting Out Corrupt Union

Posted on 16 October 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on GM’s Silao Plant Workers Face Threats After Voting Out Corrupt Union

Democracy in action. Click to Enlarge.

Workers who voted to reject their collective agreement controlled by the Miguel Trujillo López union – affiliated to the business-friendly Confederation of Mexican Workers – has resulted in threats and harassment because they support a new, independent union, according to IndustriALL, a global consortium of union workers. General Motors has not replied to AutoInformed’s requests for comment. (GM Workers in Mexico Reject Corrupt Union to Form New One)

On 17 and 18 August, workers at the General Motors (GM) plant in Silao, Mexico, voted against the current collective bargaining agreement, which since 2008 has been controlled by Tereso Medina, general secretary of the Miguel Trujillo López union, affiliated the Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM). A total of 6,480 workers cast their ballot. There were 2,623 votes in favor of the agreement, 3,214 against, and 39 spoiled ballots. As a result, the current collective agreement is in the process of being scrapped. Workers will not lose any of their rights, and their benefits and working conditions will remain the same until new representatives are elected. Continue reading →

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Porsche Record Deliveries – Up 13% Jan – Sept 2021

Posted on 15 October 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Porsche Record Deliveries Up 13% Jan - Sept 2021

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Between January and September 2021, Porsche delivered 217,198 vehicles worldwide, setting a new record despite Covid and semi-conductor woes. This represented a 13% increase for the sports car and SUV manufacturer.

Demand rose across all sales regions, with the US again recording particularly strong growth under the policies of the Biden Administration.

Porsche Cayenne remains the most popular model, with 62,451 delivered, followed by the Macan with 61,944 units, a 12 % increase. The fully electric Taycan posted 28,640 cars being delivered to customers. Now in its second full year on the market, it is – gasp – equal to 911 sports car, 27,972 of which were delivered in the first three quarters – an increase 10%. The 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman were purchased by 15,916 customers, a rise of 1% compared to the same period last year. Deliveries of the Panamera also remained at 20,275, an increase of 1% y-o-y. Continue reading →

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France – HYVIA JV Unveils First Hydrogen Prototype

Posted on 14 October 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on HYVIA unveils its first hydrogen prototypes

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Hyvia today showed a Renault Master Van H2-TECH prototype that it claims enables zero CO2 emissions*, increased range, and fast refueling time. It is a large van for transporting goods and packages, with 12m3 of cargo volume and a range of up to 500km that will be made in France and on sale in 2022 if all goes well.

Next prototypes to come include a Master Chassis Cab H2-TECH,a large van with more cargo space (19m3) and a range of about 250km; Master Citybus H2-TECH, an urban minibus that can carry up to 15 passengers for businesses, municipalities, and local public services, with a range of about 300km. Continue reading →

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Stellantis on SAE Level 3 Public Road Autonomous Driving

Posted on 14 October 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Kia battery-electric EV6

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Stellantis has made known its contributions to the L3Pilot automated driving project at the L3Pilot final event in Hamburg, Germany, in conjunction with ITS World Congress. The four-year project is critical to automated driving data collection and validation in order to perform extensive tests of SAE Level 3 autonomy technology functions.

At SAE Level 3, the driver does not need to monitor the driving circumstances constantly but must take back control when the system requests. L3Pilot, the flagship research and innovation project in Europe, is arguably one of the most important for the future of automated driving since it is focused on testing and evaluating the technology as a safe and efficient means of transportation in real traffic conditions. It also assessed technical aspects, driving behavior, user acceptance and impact on traffic and safety. Continue reading →

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China: Nippon Steel Sues Toyota over Steel Sheet Patent

Posted on 14 October 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Nippon Steel Sues Toyota on Electromagnetic Steel Sheet Patent

About the only place Toyota appears vulnerable is China, where war memories cause problems.

Nippon Steel is suing Toyota for violating its electromagnetic1 steel sheet patent. Toyota in a characteristically Japanese reply said today “that such matters should be discussed between material manufacturers, and we have learned of this lawsuit with great regret.”

The conflict arises from Baoshan Iron & Steel, based in Shanghai, China, and a subsidiary of state-owned China Baowu Steel Group. It is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Toyota uses Baoshan steel sheet. It comes at a time when the Biden Administration is wrestling with US trade policy with China. The former administration started a trade war that cost US jobs, damaged the agricultural sector, and was a disaster for the US auto industry in China, the world’s largest vehicle market. It is also involved in a dispute about whether proposed lavish EV buyer tax credits should apply to imported and non-union made electric vehicles. Continue reading →

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Honda Aircraft Shows First Light Jet Able to Cross US Nonstop

Posted on 13 October 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Honda Aircraft Shows First Light Jet Able to Cross US Non-Stop

Hello Cessna and Gulfstream. Click for more.

Honda Aircraft Company today unveiled the “HondaJet 2600 Concept” with a range of 2,625 nautical miles making it the world’s first light jet capable of nonstop US transcontinental flight. If produced it will have a high-speed cruise of 450 knots and a class-leading ceiling of 47,000 feet.

The HondaJet 2600 also has the tallest cabin height. It has class-leading pressurization with a cabin altitude of 6,363 feet at its max operating altitude. HondaJet 2600 will offer 3 types of modular and customizable cabin configurations. (Read AutoInformed.com on: HondaJet Sales First in Class for Second Consecutive Year, First HondaJet now In Private Service and HondaJet China Expanding Operations) Continue reading →

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LG Electronics to Reimburse GM for $1.9B Bolt EV Recall Costs

Posted on 12 October 2021 by Ken Zino

General Motors (NYSE: GM) announced today it has reached an agreement whereby LG Electronics will reimburse GM for costs and expenses associated with the recall of Chevrolet Bolt EVs and EUVs due to manufacturing defects in battery modules supplied by LG. (Confirmed: General Motors to Recall more Bolt EVs at $1B Cost; NHTSA – Urgent Fire Recall Again on 2017-2019 Chevrolet Bolts; GM and LG Energy to Build Second Battery Cell Plant in US)

As a result of the agreement, GM will recognize an estimated recovery in its third-quarter earnings that will offset $1.9 billion of $2.0 billion in charges associated with the recalls. Continue reading →

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Operator Error – Ford Recalls 2021 Bronco for Bad Airbags

Posted on 11 October 2021 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor is recalling 2021 Bronco vehicles for unsafe airbags. During passenger air bag deployment, an air bag vent could open prematurely and result in an improper deployment. The new Bronco trucks fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Crash Protection.” The defect was traced to a Mexican assembler who improperly folded the airbags. (Ford Bronco Production Underway at Michigan Assembly Plant) Continue reading →

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Stellantis EV Trifecta – $229 Million to Three Kokomo Plants

Posted on 7 October 2021 by Ken Zino

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) today said it would invest a total of $229 million in three of its Kokomo, Indiana, plants to help the company reach its goal of achieving 40% low-emission vehicle sales in the U.S. by 2030. This announcement, which will retain 662 jobs, comes three months after the company laid out its long-term electrification strategy, where it committed to investing $35 billion through 2025 in electrification and software. (Stellantis Ups Electrification Strategy by $35.54 Billion)

In the U.S., Stellantis’ LEV mix for passenger cars and light-duty trucks is expected to be more than 40% by 2030. In the U.S., Stellantis’ LEV mix for passenger cars and light-duty trucks is expected to be more than 40% by 2030. The Company is targeting for the total cost of ownership – not buying price – of EVs to be equivalent to internal combustion engine vehicles by 2026. (Toyota, Subaru at Shanghai Introduce Latest Joint-Venture EVs, Volkswagen ID.4 – Most Affordable AWD Electric Vehicle in US?, Renault Group to Launch 10 Battery-Electric Vehicles by 2025) Continue reading →

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Endurance Racing – Alpine Signatech in LMDh from 2024

Posted on 7 October 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Alpine will compete in the LMDh premier class – aka Hypercar - starting in 2024

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Alpine says it will continue and extend its endurance program. The brand will compete in the LMDh premier class1 – aka Hypercar – starting in 2024 with the support of Signatech, which is currently working with the Alpine F1 Team.

A French team – Alpine Elf Matmut took the third podium spot at LeMans this year, with the Alpine A480 Gibson driven by Andre Negrao, Nicolas Lapierre and Matthieu Vaxiviere finishing four laps behind the race-winning Toyota.
 Continue reading →

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Dealer Demise? The Hyundai Amazon Digital Retail Experience

Posted on 7 October 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on The Hyundai Amazon Digital Retail Experience

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Hyundai and Amazon Ads are modifying car shopping with new features launching today on Hyundai’s Evolve showroom on Amazon. The expansion of the digital showroom allows shoppers to discover available vehicles at participating dealers and begin the vehicle selection process directly on Amazon.

How long the dealers remain part of the process is an interesting question. “Customers can configure and estimate the price of their desired Hyundai vehicle, locate real-time inventory and contact dealers to complete the sale,” Hyundai said in a release. (Kia America Dabbles with On-Demand, At-Home Car Shopping) Continue reading →

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September West EU Car Sales in Severe Supply Slump

Posted on 7 October 2021 by Ken Zino

The West European passenger car selling rate dropped to 9.7 million  units annually during September. This was a sharp drop from the 11.9 mn units/year in August, according to consultancy LMC Automotive.

“The latest monthly results are clear evidence of the major sourcing issues that are haunting global vehicle production currently, with dealerships unable to meet consumer demand. Adding to market headwinds, those vehicles that are available are generally higher priced, as OEMs look to target the production of higher margin products,” said LMC. Continue reading →

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GM’s Dual Platform Strategy – Doubling Revenues by 2030?

Posted on 6 October 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on GM’s Dual Platform Strategy – Doubling Revenues by 2030

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General Motors (NYSE: GM) told investors today that it plans to double annual revenues by the end of the decade while growing EBIT-adjusted margins as it transitions to an all-electric future. GM has already announced plans to invest $35 billion through 2025 in all-electric and autonomous vehicles and launch more than 30 new EVs globally, of course

However, the success of the prediction will depend on GM smoothly transitioning from internal combustion engines, traditional blacksmithing manufacturing, while keeping dealers and training them for what is the most significant transformation the auto industry has ever seen. This is how science fiction becomes science fact with GM selling more than one million EVs by 2025; 30 million connected vehicles in North America on the road by 2030. Along the way the United States and ultimately the world will turn into an environmental culture that uses technology to make things cleaner and safer. Continue reading →

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GM to Invest in New Battery Building to Lower EV Costs

Posted on 5 October 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on GM to Invest in New Battery Building to Lower EV Costs

The future is electric, so to speak.

General Motors today said that the Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center will be located on the campus of GM’s Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. The all-new building “will significantly expand the company’s battery technology operations and accelerate development and commercialization of longer range, more affordable electric vehicle batteries,” GM said in a release. GM will also use the facility to integrate the work of GM-affiliated battery innovators, helping the company to reach its stated goal of at least 60 % lower battery costs with the next generation of Ultium.

The latest GM announcement comes just one day after it said it reached a deal with Wolfspeed (to develop and provide silicon carbide power devices for GM’s future electric vehicle programs. Wolfspeed’s silicon carbide devices will allow GM to “install more efficient EV propulsion systems that will extend the range” of its growing EV portfolio. Continue reading →

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