Marketing by Regulation – Are Hybrid Electric Vans a Practical Solution for Cleaner Air in European Cities?

AutoInformed.com on EU CO2 Regulations

Ford is the No. 1 commercial brand in Europe. Ford Transit range sales rose by 11.8% in the first quarter of 2019 compared to last year, with total sales of 81,700.

Ford of Europe notes that three months since the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) in London, a year-long trial in the U.K. capital suggest that plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) commercial vehicles “could present the most practical, readily available option for businesses trying to meet clean-air targets in cities.”

The taxpayer subsidized trial – supported by £4.7 million grant from the U.K. Government-funded Advanced Propulsion Centre – consisted of 20 Ford Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid vans covering 150,000 miles during a 12-month period. The trial sought to test whether businesses could carry out the typical daily duties of their dirty diesel-powered vehicles, while maximizing the use of zero-emissions electric-only mode in gasoline hybrids. Continue reading

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Privateers – Toyota Gazoo Racing to Sell GR Supra GT4 in 2020

AutoInformed.com on Toyota GR Supra GT4 - July 2019 Announcement

Toyota claims it will strengthen its focus on customer motorsports to allow people to freely participate in races, and to develop cars using the feedback gained through race participation.

Toyota Gazoo Racing will launch the GR Supra GT4, a car for customer teams in 2020*1. The announcement comes after the unveiling of the GR Supra GT4 Concept at the Geneva International Motor Show in March, and the participation of the GR Supra at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in June.

The GT4 category*2 is popular with private race teams around the world due to its low cost and ease of entry. GT4 cars are eligible to participate in a variety of races across the globe, including the Super Taikyu Series in Japan, the GT4 European Series and the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring in Europe, and the Michelin Pilot Challenge Series in the U.S. Continue reading

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Fourth of July 2019 – Time to Rid Ourselves of Despots Again

AutoInformed.com Independence Day

American ideals embodied in our laws say we will be free of despots and kings.

The Declaration of Independence was approved today on the Fourth of July 1776 by the Continental Congress. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston comprised the Committee of Five that drafted our enduring manuscript. Jefferson, rightly regarded as the clearest, most eloquent writer, created what remains one of our core documents. It simply states that all of us equals could work at Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Remember 1776 when 13 colonies embarked on a distinguished experiment in self-governance as an independent, autonomous nation because the course of human events made it necessary to separate ourselves from our unjust rulers. That was the foundation of something immense and thus far enduring. The colonies had but 2.5 million people at that time reporting English and other ancestry. Small numbers in today’s world, but they were people with far bigger aspirations, following far bigger ideas. Continue reading

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Lotus at Goodwood Confirms Type 130 Named EVIJA

AutoInformed.com on Lotus 25 - Jimmy Clark - Image Courtesy of Classic Team LotusLotus at the Goodwood Festival of Speed revealed the name of its new all-electric mega-bucks car, calling on fans to visit its stand for a glimpse of EVIJA. Due to start production in 2020, the world’s first – maybe, how about Chinese? – British EV hypercar will be the first major Lotus model launch under the ownership of Geely.

Pronounced ‘ev-eye-a’ it means ‘the first in existence’ or ‘the living one.’ During these interesting times Lotus maintains a reputation for its pioneering approach in both automotive and motorsport. Continue reading

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Traffic Jam – Record 48.9m Independence Day Travel

AutoInformed.com on Independence Day 2019 Travel ForecastMore Americans than ever recorded by AAA, ~49 million, plan to travel this Independence Day holiday. For the record-high 41.4 million Americans who will travel by automobile this Independence Day, INRIX predicts drivers could face delays as much as four times a normal commute, with Wednesday, July 3 the worst day on the roads. Nationwide, delays are expected to increase by approximately 9%.

Overall travel volume for the holiday is expected to rise 4.1% over last year, with an additional 1.9 million people planning road trips and other vacations to celebrate America’s birthday. Continue reading

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NADA Predicts Q2 2019 US Auto Sales Will be Down Again

AutoInformed.com

The average monthly payment gap between new and used vehicles continues to increase.

US auto sales in June finish up at a SAAR of 17 million units, which would represent roughly a 1-2% decrease from June of last year, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association. This would be the third month this year with a SAAR of 17 million units or more. The U.S. light-vehicle SAAR for the first half of the year is expected to be 17.0 million units, according to GM Chief Economist Elaine Buckberg. Light trucks will account for more than 70% of all new vehicles sold.

“Sales have declined relative to 2018 each month this year, but overall, not more than we expected,” said Patrick Manzi, senior economist NADA. Transaction prices on both cars and light trucks continued to rise and set new records. According to the latest NADA Average Dealership Financial Profile Series from April 2019, the average new-vehicle transaction price was $36,642, up 3.3% compared to this time last year. Continue reading

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The Asian Party is Over for Automakers

AutoInformed.com on U.S national economic objectives

China slump – what’s good for China is good for the USA or at least the moneyed elites?

Once again global automakers are facing an economic change that challenges old assumptions – in this case Asian growth offsets declines in other major markets. Consultancy LMC Automotive notes that during 2016  Light Vehicle sales in Asia-Pacific (along with Central America) climbed at the fastest rate in the world, growing by 9% year-on-year (YoY), versus YoY increases of 7% in Europe and just 2% in North America.”

The growth was mostly Chinese, but  India also helped.  The Chinese was  expanding by 13% YoY, following single-digit growth in the previous two years. Likewise, Light Vehicle demand in India accelerated by 7% YoY.

No doubt this hurts Asia-based automakers , but the  VW Group, Daimler Group, BMW Group and General Motors – are clearly endangered, because the region accounts for a significant share of their global volume. Continue reading

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Supreme Court Upholds Unconscious Driver Blood Drawing

AutoInformed.com on DUID

“When a driver is unconscious and cannot be given a breath test, the exigent-circumstances doctrine generally permits a blood test without a warrant.”

A new, divided from the Republican controlled SCOTUS upholds the ability for traffic officers to draw blood from suspected, unconscious drunk drivers without a warrant. Partly due to Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, many police agencies are adopting e-warrant systems to speed up the warrant process and avoid these complex situations. The blood analysis showed Mitchell’s BAC to be above the legal limit, and he was charged with violating two drunk-driving laws.

Gerald Mitchell was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated after a preliminary breath test registered a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) that was triple Wisconsin’s legal limit for driving. Continue reading

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Anheuser Busch Pays $500,000 to Settle Air Quality Violations

AutoInformed.com on CARB v Anheuser Busch

An alternative emissions problem?

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) launched an investigation into Anheuser Busch  March 2015 and discovered that the St. Louis-based brewing company had failed to properly self-inspect 19 diesel trucks, as required by the Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP), to ensure they met state smoke emission standards. Anheuser Busch has now been fined $500,000 for violating California’s air pollution laws.

In addition, CARB staff discovered that Anheuser Busch was not in compliance with the State’s Truck and Bus Regulation because they failed to meet required compliance deadlines. The company’s fleet headquarters is in San Diego. Continue reading

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Audi, Ferrari, Maserati Recalling Defective Airbags

Audi, Ferrari and Maserati are recalling more than 140,000 vehicles from 2015 to 2019 model years because the airbags are unsafe with either sudden deployment or no deployment during operation.

The Audi defect (19V415) is caused a loose contact. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may detect an error and switch off the passenger airbag even though the seat may be occupied. Continue reading

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California Air Resources Board Has Airport Shuttles Transitioning to Zero-Emission Technology by 2035

AutoInformed.com on CARB RegulatedAirport Shuttles

Major airports in New York City, New Jersey, Atlanta, Kansas City, Indianapolis, and Raleigh, North Carolina are deploying zero-emission shuttles. These projects also demonstrate the technological and market readiness of ZEVs for airport operations.

The California Air Resources Board after a hearing has approved a rule that will require fixed route airport shuttles serving the state’s 13 largest airports to transition to 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2035. The sweeping regulation applies to public and private fleets, including parking facilities, rental car agencies and hotels.

Combined, on-order and currently operating ZEV shuttles represent more than 15% of all airport shuttles in California, but increased adoption of these technologies is needed to meet air quality and climate goals.
Continue reading

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First Half of 2019 to Deliver Lowest US Retail Sales Since 2013

New-vehicle retail sales in June are projected to fall from a year ago as Transaction Prices, Dealer Profitability rise to record Levels. According to a forecast developed jointly by J.D. Power and LMC Automotive, June retail sales are predicted to reach 1,149,900 units, a 2.9% decrease compared with June 2018. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate or SAAR for retail sales is expected to be 13.3 million units, down 500,000 from a year ago. New-vehicle retail sales through the first half of 2019 are projected to reach 6,477,400 units, a 3.3% decrease from 2018.

  1. J.D. Power and LMC Automotive U.S. Sales and SAAR ComparisonsAutoInformed.com on J.D. Power LMCAutomotive - June 2019 US Sales Forecast
  2. Total sales in June are projected at 1,471,900 units, a 1.5% decrease compared with June 2018.
  3.  SAAR total sales is expected to be 16.8 million units, down 500,000 from a year ago.

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Driving 2020 Explorer: Big Size and Complexity, Bigger Price

AutoInformed.com on Driving the 2020 Explorer ST and Hybrid

As the Mass grows in the F=MA Newtonian equation, so does the Force required. This translates to a lot of power consumed just getting the SUV moving and keeping it relocating. Some EPA ratings are pending so key factors in affordability, the ownership journey and resell value are unknown.

The new 2020 model year Explorer is a 4300-4700 lbs. 6-passenger unibody truck, with stronger construction, the broadest model lineup ever, more powerful EcoBoost engines and increased towing capacity. Powertrain offerings now include a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 projected to produce 365 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque using 93-octane gas, making this the most powerful Explorer ever. It’s also the most expensive, most complex Explorer ever, even though the all-new rear-wheel-drive and AWD platform is shared by the Ford Police Interceptor Utility and the all-new 2020 Lincoln Aviator* and upcoming revisions to the Mustang.

Two days of driving the new Explorers on and off-road in Oregon show it to be capable, well-mannered via its electronic controls, and big, oh so big. This becomes apparent in the ‘performance’ ST model, which is the antithesis of a maxim from the man who designed the Ford Trimotor airplane: Simplicate and add lightness. This in the past has well served many an engineer or designer or racer.   Continue reading

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Nissan Shareholders Elect 7 Independent Directors Out of 11

AutoInformed.com on Ghosn Scandal

President Hiroto Saikawa was voted in again despite some shareholder protests. Is he at the center of a conspiracy or just bad corporate governance combined with Nissan infighting?

Nissan Motor held its 120th Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders this week at the National Convention Hall of Yokohama. The meeting was attended by 2,814 shareholders and ran for three hours and 22 minutes.

At the meeting, shareholders approved all the resolutions:

  • Appropriation of retained earnings for the 120th fiscal year
  • Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation of the Company
  • Election of 11 directors following the expiration of the term of all existing directors

Continue reading

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