Volkswagen Breaks Ground on Expanded US EV Production

Posted on 13 November 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on Volkswagen Chattanooga - EV Production

Expanded EV Production at Chattanooga site begins in 2022, Volkswagen’s North American assembly base for electric vehicles.

Volkswagen of America today marked the start of construction for its electric vehicle production facility at Chattanooga. The company also announced it intends to build a 198,000–square-foot plant for the assembly of battery packs for EVs at the Chattanooga site.

Volkswagen began EV production earlier this month in Zwickau, Germany, and will then roll out assembly worldwide, including in Anting and Foshan, in China, in 2020 and in the German cities of Emden and Hanover by 2022. The Chattanooga site will be VW’s North-American hub for EV manufacturing. Continue reading →

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Hyundai Motor Group Refines Active Noise Control

Posted on 12 November 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on active noise cancellation

Cabin quietness becomes more important as internal combustion vehicles are phased out.

Hyundai Motor Group has announced the development of what it claims reduces noise within the cabin of a vehicle. RANC builds on the Group’s current Active Noise Control (ANC) technology, which reduces noise by emitting soundwaves inverted to incoming noise thereby cancelling each other out. ANC is a well-known technology that analyses inside cabin sound to decrease engine and road noise, versus the older passive method of blocking noise through sound insulation.

There is almost no powertrain noise from electric and fuel cell electric vehicles, so mitigating road and wind noise becomes more vital. Using RANC can significantly reduce road noise and create a serene cabin for future electric and fuel cell electric vehicles. The technology will begin to be applied to an upcoming Genesis model.
Continue reading →

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Nissan Motor Net Income Dives -73.5% to 65.4 Billion Yen

Posted on 12 November 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInfrmed.com on Nissan FY 2019 Financial Results

Click to Enlarge.

Nissan Motor Co. today announced financial results for the six-month period ending September 30, 2019 that showed consolidated net revenue of 5.00 trillion yen, consolidated operating profit was 31.6 billion yen, with an operating profit margin of 0.6%. The Renault Nissan Alliance remains in turmoil over issues surrounding the Carlos Ghosn departure. (Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa Forced Out Over Ghosn Matter)

First half net income1 decreased by, gulp, 73.5% to 65.4 billion yen. The board of directors today set an extraordinary meeting of shareholders to be held in February 2020 to consider proposals for current directors leaving their positions and for new director nominees. The committee took into consideration candidate recommendations from Nissan (Makoto Uchida and Jun Seki), Renault (Pierre Fleuriot), and Nissan and Renault jointly (Ashwani Gupta).
 Continue reading →

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FCA-PSA Merger – Surviving Platforms and Powertrains

Posted on 12 November 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com

Click to Enlarge. Courtesy Auto Forecast Solutions.

If the proposed FCA-PSA merger goes forward it’s a complicated  way to spread costs as a consolation would result in FCA-PSA group emerging as the fourth-largest Global Automaker. Its annual production volume would be +8 million Light Vehicles per year. It would be larger than Hyundai Group, General Motors, Ford and Honda. It could compete with the current Global Big Three – Volkswagen Group, Toyota and Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi.

Consultancy AutoForecast Solutions says that right now FCA primarily uses four global front-drive platforms for passenger cars and crossovers. (autoforecastsolutions.com) Continue reading →

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FCA US Recalls More Than 107,000 Diesels for Engine Fires

Posted on 9 November 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on fires on Ram EcoDiesel engines

EGR coolers may fail from fatigue.

FCA US is recalling 2014-2019 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel engines because of fires starting in the center of the engine, between the intake manifold and the fuel rail. FCA  has been aware of the problem since last May when its Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance organization opened an investigation into engine compartment fires in Ram 1500 3.0L Eco Diesel trucks.

Thus far no fix is proposed even though the company is aware of four injuries related to the safety defect. Continue reading →

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New Executives For Safety, AV, Strategy, and Ford Credit

Posted on 7 November 2019 by Ken Zino

Autoinformed.con on Ford Executive ChangesFord Motor Company has made public the retirement of two longtime executives, new assignments for two corporate officers, and promotions to senior positions for three people at the company.

Kim Pittel, Ford’s vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, will retire on Dec. 1, ending a 34-year career.  For the past four years, Pittel has led the execution of the company’s global environment and safety strategy, policy and performance. In previous assignments, Pittel’s responsibilities included development and launch of Ford Mustang, Escape, Focus and Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ models; Global Transmission and Driveline Engineering; Quality in North and South America; and Global Supplier Technical Assistance. Continue reading →

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FCA + PSA = Massive Job Losses

Posted on 6 November 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on FCA PSA Merger

Cost reduction is said to be one of the main reasons for this merger. Capacity reduction through plant closings is likely. Click to Enlarge.

The exorbitantly expensive world of developing clean vehicles is on view in the proposed FCA-PSA Group mergers. The business case is simply put as a way to spread costs as a consolation would result in FCA-PSA group emerging as the fourth-largest Global automaker. Its annual production volume would be +8 million Light Vehicles per year. It would be larger than Hyundai Group, General Motors, Ford and Honda. It could compete with the current Global Big Three – Volkswagen Group, Toyota and Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi.

Consultancy LMC observes that the high Research & Development expenditure involving platform creation and merging, electrification, as well as other safety, emission and autonomous driving technologies, “is expected to remain a drag on industry profitability over the course of the next decade, and further consolidation is likely.” Continue reading →

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Lithium Mustang Project at SEMA

Posted on 5 November 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on Ford Webasto Lithium Mustang Concept - SEMA 2019

A collaboration between Ford and Webasto, Mustang Lithium project vehicle generates more than 1000 ft.-lbs. of instant torque and more than 900 horsepower.

Blue and white shades of a corporate dilemma are on display at SEMA today as Ford and Webasto revealed the Mustang Lithium, a battery electric Mustang fastback prototype. Ford initially backed the Trump’s administration’s plan to seize states’ rights from California and a dozen other states by backing a dirtier emission standard that will exacerbate global warming. Then it agreed to meet revised California standards,

Why the standards are a problem to Ford,  and other automakers, involves the cost of cleaning up its vehicles as it continues to profitably sell thirsty CO-producing large pickup trucks and SUVS while ceding the more efficient car business to offshore competitors. But in a breath of fresh air for air quality, a consortium of automakers and California have agreed on a voluntary framework to reduce emissions that can serve as an alternative path forward for clean vehicle standards nationwide. Automakers who agreed to the framework are Ford, Honda, BMW of North America and Volkswagen Group of America.

Electrification can be a boon to performance enthusiasts as witnessed by a so-called Phi-Power dual-core electric motor and dual power inverters – fueled by an 800-volt Webasto battery system that can discharge a mega-watt of electrical energy. At 800 volts, that’s twice the voltage of most electric cars on the road today. Continue reading →

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Hamilton Now 6-Time F1 Championship Driver

Posted on 4 November 2019 by Ken Zino
AtoInformed.com on Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Mexican GP 2019. Lewis Hamilton World Championship

Sunday’s result marks the eighth podium for Lewis at the United States Grand Prix, breaking Michael Schumacher’s record for most podiums at the race.

The stars at night were big and bright deep in the heart of Texas for Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton who clinched his 6th world championship in the Lone Star state yesterday after an amazing demonstration of maintaining control and nursing worn tires for miles and miles of Texas until he crossed the finish line in second place after starting fifth on the grid.

Valtteri Bottas starting on the pole raced to his seventh victory in Formula One, his fourth of the 2019 season and first at the Circuit of the Americas. Bottas posted his seventh victory in Formula One, his fourth of the 2019 season and first at the Circuit of the Americas. Max Verstappen took his seventh podium finish of the year with third place. Continue reading →

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UAW Negotiators Send Tentative Agreement to Ford Council

Posted on 31 October 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on the UAW

How long are the jobs and the remaining plants sustainable are unknowns.

The UAW Ford National Negotiators, UAW President Gary Jones along with UAW Vice President Rory Gamble, Director of the Ford Department, have reached a proposed tentative agreement. Ford Motor confirmed the announcement, but not the rumored closing of the Romeo plant and possibly others.

“Out of respect for our members, we will refrain from commenting or releasing full details of the agreement until the UAW-Ford Council leaders meet and review the details,” said Gamble. Continue reading →

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Akio Toyoda Wants Mobility Centered on People

Posted on 30 October 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on 2019 Tokyo Motor Show

Toyota’s production-ready Ultra-compact battery electric vehicle due for launch in Japan in 2020.

Akio Toyoda at a press briefing during the always wacky Tokyo Motor Show wanted to talk about people, not the cars that are the foundation of the global automaker he leads. However, instead of the usual marketing babble, a 21st century view emerged as a laughing Toyoda posed questions in these vastly uncharted times of bold new automobility, artificial intelligence and electrified vehicles.

In the midst of the collective industry madness that is on expensive display during Motor Shows, Toyoda observed that “when various kinds of information are linked, one would expect communities, society, and, of course, cars, to become more centered on people.” Continue reading →

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General Motors Q3 Earnings Hit Hard – $1.3B – by UAW Strike

Posted on 29 October 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on GM Q3 2019 Financial Results

Crucial will be what the other Detroit Three- FCA and Ford – subsequently report. Click to Enlarge.

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today reported disastrous Q3 2019 EPS-diluted of $1.60 and EPS-diluted-adjusted of $1.72, reduced by –$0.52 from UAW strike impact, and -$0.15 from Lyft and PSA revaluations on income of $2.3 billion, and revenue of $35.5 billion.

GM North America EBIT-adjusted was $3.0 billion. The net strike impact to GMNA was -$1.0 billion. However, this had $0.3 billion of “favorable timing items” and North America EBIT-adj. margin of 10.8% from full-size trucks and record crossover sales. GM’s breakeven point now requires an industry volume of 10-11 million units.

GM said it would not be able to makeup lost production and revenue losses this year. About two weeks of vehicle production was lost. GM predicts the 2019 calendar-year impact of the strike to be approximately -$2.00 per diluted-share. Worrisome items included increased warranty costs on larger vehicles – trucks -that totaled $700,000,000.
 Continue reading →

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Deadly Takata Airbags – Toyota Recalls +900K Vehicles Again

Posted on 28 October 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on deadly Takata airbag inflators

Earlier attempts by now bankrupt Takata to limit the size of the recall failed.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing, aka Toyota, is recalling more than 928,000 vehicles because their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. (Takata Pleads Guilty of Falsifying Data on Airbag Shrapnel)

Thus, Toyota is recalling a recall on 97 models. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. (NHTSA Hastens Replacements of Deadly Takata Air Bags) Continue reading →

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UAW Members Okay Contract with GM. Ford Motor Next

Posted on 26 October 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on UAW GM Contract

Good observation brother and sister, unless you’re a member of the 2%…

Late yesterday General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) announced that employees at 55 UAW-represented sites across the U.S. approved a new four-year contract, ending the longest automotive strike in 50 years.

“General Motors members have spoken,” said Terry Dittes, UAW Vice President and Director of the UAW-GM Department. “We are all so incredibly proud of UAW-GM members who captured the hearts and minds of a nation. Their sacrifice and courageous stand addressed the two-tier wages structure and permanent temporary worker classification that has plagued working class Americans.” The new agreement provides GM hourly workers with better than average wages, benefits and a profit-sharing package.

The contract achieved most but not all of the demands, notably Lordstown will no longer be a GM plant. Hours later, UAW President Gary Jones said that the union will proceed with pattern bargaining at Ford where large areas of an agreement have already been reached weeks ago and were awaiting the GM pattern for completion.
 Continue reading →

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China – SEC Charges 18 Traders for Stock Manipulation

Posted on 23 October 2019 by Ken Zino
AutoInformed.com on U.S national economic objectives

The U.S. State Department is looking out for who?

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed an emergency action and obtained an asset freeze against eighteen traders in a scheme to manipulate more than 3,000 U.S.-listed securities for $31 million in illicit profits.

The SEC alleges that the traders, primarily based in China, manipulated the prices of thousands of “thinly traded securities by creating the false appearance of trading interest and activity in those stocks, thereby enabling them to reap illicit profits by artificially boosting or depressing stock prices.”
 Continue reading →

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