Renault and Nissan Shuffle Alliance Holdings

Posted on 31 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Renault Nissan Shuffle Alliance Holdings

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Renault Group* (Euronext: RNO) and Nissan (7201T and NSANY ADR) today announced new business projects for the evolving remains of the failed Renault Nissan Alliance. Renault Group would own 100% of Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Ltd (RNAIPL) by acquiring the 51% shareholding currently held by financially ailing Nissan. Nissan said it will maintain a presence in India with a focus on increasing market coverage. At its heart the shuffle involves complex product programs across global markets, once again requiring cooperation among diverse and distinct corporate cultures that have a troubled past working together. **

“RNAIPL would continue to produce Nissan models, including the New Nissan Magnite, and will serve as a crucial pillar for the company’s future expansion plans. Nissan chooses Renault Group to develop and produce a derivative of Twingo, designed by Nissan. The New Alliance Agreement would be amended to increase the flexibility of each party regarding their cross-shareholdings by setting the lock-up undertaking at 10% (instead of 15% currently). Nissan would be released from its commitment to invest in Ampere while continuing the agreed product projects,” the companies said in a joint release. Continue reading →

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Toyota 2025 Mirai Fuel-Cell Sedan Due in Spring

Posted on 28 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Toyota 2025 Mirai Fuel-Cell Car Due in Spring

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Toyota (NYSE: TM) today said that the 2025 Toyota Mirai** is expected to arrive at Toyota dealerships this Spring with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $51,795, excluding additional fees such as the Dealer Processing and Handling fee of $1095. The 2025 Toyota Mirai – Japanese for Future – will only be offered in the XLE grade, which will include an expanded list of standard features such as a Panoramic View Monitor, Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking, front-seat foot illumination, Digital Key capability [see footnotes*] and dual-tone heated outside mirrors.

“Mirai has an EPA-Estimated Driving Range Rating of 402 Miles running on hydrogen from onboard tanks and oxygen from the outside air to generate power for the vehicle,” Toyota said. “In essence, the Mirai is a ‘plug-less’ electric vehicle. A Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) generates its own electricity onboard from hydrogen, with water as the only tailpipe emission. The fuel cell system combines stored hydrogen, along with oxygen from the air, and then a chemical reaction produces electric current and water, which drops out of a vent pipe beneath the car. Continue reading →

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Porsche Adding Wider Range of Apps and Services

Posted on 28 March 2025 by Ken Zino
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Porsche AG (P911.DE) said this week that  it is optimizing its hardware for improved performance so that its App center offers  a wider range of services, including Dolby Atmos® for an immersive sound,  the integration of the Amazon Alexa® voice assistant among other things. It will also be offering Porsche Connect at no charge for 10 years on the purchase of new Porsche models. Thus Porsche known for its automotive performance technology is finally updating its digital age technology.*

“With the start of the new model year, the 911, Taycan, Panamera and Cayenne model series will benefit from significant improvements in infotainment technology and an expanded range of new functions in this area,” Porsche said. Continue reading →

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GMC 2026 Sierra EV – Bring Money

Posted on 27 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on GMC 2026 Sierra EV - Bring Money

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GMC (NYSE: GM) today introduced the 2026 Sierra EV with a wide range of trims, capability, and battery configurations, giving customers more choice than in an electric GMC pickup due in showrooms this summer. The premium Elevation and offroad AT4 trims join the Denali to complete a lineup that now has a starting MSRP of $64,495 including $2095 DFC. The top of the line AT4 will start at an MSRP of $81,395. [footnote 1]*

“With these additional trims and customer options, the Sierra EV is positioned right in the heart of the premium truck market,” said Jaclyn McQuaid, global vice president, Buick GMC. “The combination of Elevation, AT4, and Denali represent the most popular expressions of Sierra, accounting for more than 2 out of 3 of all Sierra light-duty sales. The result is a compelling all-electric lineup for those customers looking for cutting-edge technology, capability and refinement.” Continue reading →

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More Americans likely to Back PBS, NPR Funding

Posted on 27 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on More Americans likely to Back PBS, NPR Funding

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Chief executives of NPR and PBS faced questions yesterday in Congressional hearing [ or Republican media stunt to deflect attention from the Signalgate disclosure  showing Secretary of Defense Hegseth’s revelation of detailed classified information war plans in an unsecured chat app with an Atlantic journalist as part of the group? –  AutoCrat] as Congress considers legislation prohibiting federal funding for the public broadcasters. About a quarter of U.S. adults (24%) say Congress should remove federal funding from NPR and PBS, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted March 10-16.* A larger share (43%) say NPR and PBS should continue to receive funding from the federal government, while 33% say they are not sure.

“The funding structures for NPR and PBS are complicated, and much of their revenue comes from non-government sources like member donations and corporate sponsorships. But the proposed bill would ban all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which has received $535 million annually in recent federal budgets. The CPB helps to fund NPR and PBS both directly and through individual local public media stations, many of which pay NPR and PBS in the form of membership or programming fees,” PEW observed. Continue reading →

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Two-Faced UAW Endorsement of Trump’s Tariff Wars

Posted on 27 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Two-Faced UAW Endorsement of Trump’s Tariff Wars

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Late yesterday the UAW issued a complicated and nuanced endorsement of king Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs on the auto industry. The 25% tariff covers cars and car parts or components imported into the United States. They are planned to take effect on 3 April, Trump decreed yesterday. Simply put roughly half of all vehicles sold in the U.S. are imported. Furthermore, ~60% of the parts used to assemble vehicles in the country are imported. (Read AutoInformed.com on: April Fool’s Day – Trump Tariffs Hurting Economy and UAW Files Labor Charges Against Donald Trump And Elon Musk for Attempting to Intimidate and Threaten Workers and Donald Trump is a Scab – UAW Endorses President Biden)*

“This afternoon, the Trump administration announced major tariffs on passenger cars and trucks entering the U.S. market, marking the beginning of the end of a thirty-plus year “free trade” disaster. This is a long-overdue shift away from a harmful economic framework that has devastated the working class and driven a race to the bottom across borders in the auto industry. It signals a return to policies that prioritize the workers who build this country – rather than the greed of ruthless corporations,” UAW president Shawn Fain said under a news item headed – “In a Victory for Autoworkers, Auto Tariffs Mark the Beginning of the End of NAFTA and the ‘Free Trade’ Disaster.” Continue reading →

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April Fool’s Day – Trump Tariffs Hurting Economy

Posted on 26 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on April Fool’s Day - Trump Tariffs Hurting Economy

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The U.S. economy is at a turning point with the erratic actions of what AutoInformed* observes is the Trump mis-administration threatening our economic health. We are looking at a global trade war leading to a recession or if past Republican economic policies are any indication – a depression. The latest Cox Automotive Industry Forecast** conducted this morning reinforces that view. Brother can you spare a dime?

“We are at an interesting crossroads here in late Q one 2025,” said Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist at Cox. “at the end of last year my wish for you all was that the economy and the auto market would perform to the upside. Today we will be talking about sides, but  downward forecasts and darker downsides. The economy and auto market have been relatively strong over the last 6 months. The problem which we will be getting into is that a substantial change in trade through massive increases in tariffs will be highly disruptive to North American vehicle production and could lead to a full scale global trade war and a much weaker the economy. We’re not there yet but we’re a week away from moves that make the dark side more likely,” Smoke said. Continue reading →

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Electric Vehicle Sales Outpacing Public Chargers

Posted on 26 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Electric Vehicle Sales Outpacing Public Chargers

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Electric vehicles sold in the US during Q4 of 2024 comprised ~11% of all light duty vehicle sales. This is the highest quarter on record.* This also represents a 0.3 percentage-point market share increase from the 3rd quarter of 2024, according to an analysis released today by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade and lobbying group for automakers. There were about 433,843 EV sales from 144 different electric vehicle models sold in the 4th quarter alone of last year. Battery electric vehicles make up the majority of those, but plug-in electric as well as hybrid vehicle sales have been growing as well.

“Prices have still remained higher for electric vehicles than the average by about $6000. This is data from Kelley Blue Book,” the Alliance said. “Even with some of the federal and state incentives, we’re still at $6000 to $10,000 more for an electric vehicle than the overall industry average sales price.” Continue reading →

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EU February 2025 Car Sales Drop. Tesla Tanks

Posted on 25 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on EU February 2025 Cars Drop. Tesla Tanks

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During February 2025 European new car sales dropped -3% according to registration data released today by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, aka ACEA derived from its French name. Year-to-date February 2025, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 15.2% of total EU market share, signifying an increase from the low baseline of 11.5% in the comparable period of January-February 2024. Hybrid-electric vehicles surged, capturing 35.2% of the market and remaining the preferred choice among EU consumers. Meanwhile, the combined market share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 38.8%, down from 48.5% over the same period in 2024.

“Notably, the bloc’s major markets saw declines, with Italy (-6%), Germany (-4.6%), and France (-3.3%). Spain conversely recorded an 8.4% increase,” ACEA said. Buried in the data, but not noted by ACEA is Tesla sales dropped significantly for the second straight month in Europe. Year to date Tesla is off 49% dropping from 37,311 in 2024 to 19,046 in 2025. This as the Chinese assault on the European market is just beginning. Continue reading →

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Genesis Offers Free NACS Adapters

Posted on 25 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Genesis Offers Free NACS Adapters

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Genesis (Hyundai Motor Group KRX: 005380 KS) today announced that current U.S. EV owners* who purchased their vehicle on or before 31 January 2025 will begin receiving emails inviting them to redeem their complimentary North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapters starting the week of 7 April. This Genesis authorized adapter gives Combined Charging System (CCS1) port GV60, Electrified GV70 and Electrified G80 owners access to an additional 20,000 NACS DC fast chargers in the U.S. at the Tesla Supercharger Network.

“At Genesis, we pride ourselves on providing customers with the best possible ownership experience,” said Tedros Mengiste, chief operating officer, Genesis Motor North America. “By offering complimentary NACS adapters, we will make charging even more convenient for our current EV owners. This reinforces our commitment to treating every customer as our ‘son-nim,’ or honored guest.” Continue reading →

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Aston Martin Debuts Vanquish Volante

Posted on 25 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Aston Martin Debuts Vanquish Volante

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Aston Martin in Gaydon today announced the arrival of the new Vanquish Volante. It is the fastest, most powerful open top (Brit speak: convertible – AutoCrat) series production Aston Martin to date. It shares with the coupe the claim as the fastest, most powerful front-engine production car on sale today.

“For 60 years, Aston Martin Volantes have defined the art of elegant, sporting, open-top motoring. With its stunning looks and outstanding V12 engine producing more power than any other front-engine production car on sale, Vanquish Volante has taken this philosophy to an entirely new level. At Aston Martin we are proud to be doing such justice to our heritage while, as the unprecedented performance of the Vanquish Volante shows, keeping our eyes firmly focused on the future,” said a chuffed Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Adrian Hallmark. Continue reading →

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Renesas Electronics Shows New Bluetooth Chip

Posted on 25 March 2025 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Renesas Electronics Shows New Bluetooth Chip

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Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723) today introduced a new Bluetooth chip that combines a radio transceiver, an Arm® M0+ micro-controller, memory, peripherals and security features in a compact SoC (system on a chip) design.*

“The DA14533, the first automotive-qualified device in the company’s Bluetooth® Low Energy system-on-chip (SoC) family, includes advanced power management features to simplify system integration and reduce power consumption,” Renesas said. Continue reading →

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Ford Super Duty Pickup Recall – Detaching Steering Columns

Posted on 24 March 2025 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling ~12,000 2025 model year Super Duty F-250, F-350, and F-450 vehicles. The steering column shifter may have been improperly welded  by Nexteer Corporation Mexico and detach from the steering column.

“If the shifter mechanism detaches while the vehicle is not in park, the driver will be unable to engage park. In this case, the vehicle may roll if the parking brake is not manually applied, increasing the risk of a crash. The driver will receive audible warnings and a cluster message indicating that the vehicle is not in park when they open the door or shut off the ignition. If there is a physical key, the driver will notice that the key cannot be removed and is retained in the ignition. The vehicle cluster will remain awake and the driver will receive these audible warnings and cluster message even if the vehicle is shut off,” Ford said in the required safety defect recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this morning. Continue reading →

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Ford Motor Recalls another Previous Recall

Posted on 24 March 2025 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling ~50,000 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under NHTSA recall number 23V342. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying. [Ford is also recalling 2021-2022 Edge vehicles, 2025 Escape SUVs previously repaired incorrectly under NHTSA recall number 22V151. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank or distorted image when the vehicle is in reverse. Ford’s number for these recalls is 25S28 – AutoCrat.]

“According to Ford’s records certain 2020 – 2023 model year Ford Explorer, 2020 -2023 Lincoln Aviator, and 2020 – 2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles did not have the remedy for Safety Recall 23S23 / 23V342 installed correctly but were recorded as having the repair successfully completed. Because the correct software update remedy may not be installed on the vehicle, the underlying condition specified in Safety Recall 23S23 / 23V342 may still exist, and customers may intermittently experience either a rear camera blue image or a full blue or black image on the SYNC screen when the vehicle is placed in reverse, or when the 360-degree view is selected and available during low- speed operation,” Ford said in the required safety defect recall filing made public this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls a Prior Sudden Loss of Power Recall

Posted on 24 March 2025 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling more than 12,000  2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 24V-267. The body and power train control modules may fail to detect a change in the 12-volt battery state of charge. (Read AutoInformed.com on: Ford Bronco Recalls – Shocks and Batteries)

“Affected vehicles may not contain the remedy Powertrain Control Module and/or Body Control Module software for recall 24S24,” Ford said in the mandatory safety defect filing made public this morning by the apparently still functioning National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading →

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