Milestones 2025 – the Goodyear Blimp 100th Anniversary

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Milestones 2025 - the Goodyear Blimp 100th Anniversary

Click for more.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT) will celebrate the 100th anniversary in 2025 of the Goodyear Blimp with flights over more cities to appearances at new events, and chances for fans to fly. There will also be “limited-edition collectors’ items.” The celebrations started at 111th annual Rose Bowl game on New Year’s Day, an event that also marks the 70th anniversary of aerial coverage at the Rose Bowl Stadium. (AutoInformed: Goodyear Wingfoot Two Arrives in California by Year End)

“Starting with the blimp Pilgrim in 1925, Goodyear Blimps have served as a public relations vehicle to drive brand awareness for the company and delight fans in communities across the country,” Goodyear said. Continue reading

Posted in aftermarket, aviation, marketing, milestones, news, shows and events, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Census Bureau – U.S. Population at ~341,145,670

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Census Bureau - U.S. Population at ~341,145,670

Click to enlarge.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the U.S. population was  341,145,670 at midnight EST, on 1 January 2025. This is an increase of 2,640,171 (0.78%) from 1 Jan 2024, and 9,696,329 (2.93%) from Census Day on 1 April 2020. The Census Bureau’s Population Clock displays simulated real-time growth of the U.S. and world populations.

“During January 2025, the United States is expected to experience one birth every 9.0 seconds and one death every 9.4 seconds. Meanwhile, net international migration is expected to add one person to the U.S. population every 23.2 seconds. The combination of births, deaths and net international migration increases the U.S. population by one person every 21.2 seconds,” the Census Bureau said. Continue reading

Posted in environment, news, news analysis, people, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First Look – EPA AirNow Mobile App

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on First Look - EPA AirNow Mobile App

Click to enlarge.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has updated the AirNow mobile app to allow optional so-called push notifications of the local Air Quality Index (AQI) forecasts for the next day. Exposure to ground-level ozone can cause respiratory issues, aggravate asthma and other lung diseases, and may lead to missed days of work or school, emergency room visits, and premature deaths. These costly public health impacts can be especially harmful to children and older adults, disproportionately affecting people of color, families with low-incomes, and other vulnerable populations. (AutoInformed:EPA Reviewing Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards)

“State and local air agencies issue AQI forecasts as a public service to help people plan their outdoor activities. The agencies provide them to EPA, which shares them on the AirNow app and Airnow.gov website. Until now, AirNow users had to remember to check the app or website to see their forecasts; with the updates to the AirNow mobile app, people can opt to be notified when the daily forecast reaches an AQI category of their choosing,” EPA said. Continue reading

Posted in environment, milestones, news, news analysis, public health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Significant 2024 Automotive Stories and Trends

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Significant Automotive Stories and TrendsOnce again at the beginning of 2025 AutoInformed notes – matter-of-factly – that its vision is 20-20 on the consequences of long past occurrences. However, in the here and now our perception is cloudy. We do not have the advantages of historians re-assessing events years later with help from other news outlets, blogs, letters, memoirs, magazines and whatever new forms of expressed thought emerge. Thus far the most valued revisions and nuanced interpretations appear in books and essays after more documents and perspectives surface from the players or perpetrators engaged in them. These are not yet available, and under Trump 2.0 they would likely be banned anyway.

Nonetheless, AutoInformed still attempts to bring insights into events of the time and how they affect Automobility. When we get it right, a richer perspective emerges that observes that the past is a partial but sometimes significant influence on the events or chaos of the present. With these in mind, here’s our take on the last annum of automobility, from electrified vehicles to global warming, to trade and tariffs and, alas, to the return of American fascism and the re-establishment of an American plutocracy. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, AutoInformed Editorial, car sharing, connected vehicles, economy, environment, fools 'n frauds, global warming, labor issues, manufacturing, marketing, news, news analysis, sales, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

US Electrified Vehicle Sales Soar in 2024

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on US Electrified Vehicle Sales Soar in 2024

Click to enlarge.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released its monthly update to National Transportation Statistics (NTS), a guide to historical national-level transportation trends. Of interest to AutoInformed are trends in Gasoline Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Sales; the Average Age of Automobiles and Trucks in Operation; and U.S.-Canadian and U.S.-Mexican Border Land-Freight Gateway Travel and Goods Movement.

A trend of note is that during the last three years, sales of Hybrids, EVs and PHEVs have come close to doubling, representing ~2,500,000 in annual sales during 2024. Continue reading

Posted in electric vehicles, environment, global warming, news analysis, sales, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Private Equity Buys Comau. Stellantis has Minor Stake

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Private Equity Buys Comau. Stellantis has Minor Stake

Click on a robot for more.

Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA ) has confirmed that One Equity Partners – a private equity firm – has completed its majority investment in Comau S.p.A. a global company specializing in industrial automation and advanced robotics. Headquartered in Turin, Italy, Comau has an international network of 7 innovation centers and 12 manufacturing plants that span 12 countries and employ 3,700 people. It’s the latest move at struggling Stellantis to clean up its ailing automotive pursuits.*

“I want to express my gratitude to Comau’s employees for providing innovative products and services to all its customers,” said Stellantis Chairman John Elkann in a pro-forma statement. “I am confident that Comau, under its new ownership, has the right leadership, strategy and operational discipline to create sustainable, long-term value for all its stakeholders, from Italy to the world.” Continue reading

Posted in auto news, car sharing, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BMW i Ventures Buys into Phoenix Tailings

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on BMW i Ventures Buys into Phoenix Tailings

Click for more.

BMW i Ventures* announced today an investment in Phoenix Tailings, a inventive metals production company dedicated to creating a zero-waste, zero-emission future. The Series B financing, which was led by Envisioning Partners and included additional participation from Yamaha Motor Ventures and Escape Velocity, will enable Phoenix Tailings to scale its rare earth processing operations to produce ~200 tons of rare earth metals annually. The output can be used in electric motor magnets, batteries, semiconductors,among other applications.

Phoenix Tailings** says it was “founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts  to transform how critical metals are produced – metals essential to the technologies that power modern society.” The nascent firm was heavily subsided by U.S. taxpayers via the United States Departments of Energy and Defense, as well as the State of Massachusetts. With the monies, Phoenix Tailings secured initial off-take agreements, validated its technology to process mining waste, and hired a team of workers to make the metals. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, car sharing, connected vehicles, economy, electric vehicles, electronics, environment, global warming, insurance, manufacturing, milestones, news, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kia Recalls 2024-2025 model year EV9s

Kia America is recalling ~23,000 2024-2025 model year EV9 vehicles. In the required safety recall filing made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Kia said that the second- and third-row seat mounting bolts may be missing. Affected vehicles were manufactured at the Kia Autoland Gwangmyeong assembly plant in South Korea from 25 September 2023 through 15 October 2024.

“Seats with missing seat mounting bolts may not properly restrain an occupant during certain collisions, thereby increasing the risk of injury,” Kia told NHTSA. “Missing seat mounting bolts are due to plant assembly worker error.” Continue reading

Posted in auto news, car sharing, customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Another Ford F-150 Safety Recall – Steering Loss

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling ~12,000 2023-2024 model year F-150 Lightning* BEV vehicles, according to mandatory filing documents ( 49 CFR §573) made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this morning. Ford does not make public its recalls. The Lightning’s front upper control arm ball joint nut may not have been tightened properly, allowing the front upper control arm to detach from the knuckle assembly.

“Certain vehicles may have an improperly torqued nut on the ball joint which secures the front upper control arm to the knuckle assembly. An improperly torqued nut on the ball joint can result in separation of the front upper control arm from the knuckle assembly. Ford told NHTSA. “If the upper control arm ball joint nut is loose or missing, the front upper control arm can separate from the knuckle assembly, which can cause the driver to experience a partial loss of directional control, increasing a risk of a crash,” Ford told NHTSA. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, car sharing, customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hyundai Claims EV Altitude Change Record

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Hyundai Claims EV Altitude Change Record

Click to enlarge.

Hyundai Motor Company said today that an IONIQ 5 recorded a record-breaking total elevation change of 5802 meters over a +4900 km run across India. The publicity route began in Umling La in Ladakh, through steep Himalaya mountain passes, to the finish in the coastal region of Kuttanad, Kerala. (Read AutoInformed.com on: Hyundai Revises Ioniq EV for 2022 with New Platform)

“We are incredibly proud to see the Hyundai IONIQ 5 create history by achieving the Guinness World Record™ for the Greatest altitude change by an electric car,” said Unsoo Kim, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor India. Continue reading

Posted in awards, electric vehicles, marketing, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Annals of Marketing – Honda Prelude Returns as Hybrid

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Annals of Marketing - Honda Prelude Returns as Hybrid

Click for more.

Honda has announced that an all-new hybrid-electric Prelude* sports coupe will be re-introduced to the U.S. market late next year, presumably as a 2026 model. The first Prelude appeared in November 1978. This new one will debut Honda S+ Shift, claimed to be anew drive mode that “further advances Linear Shift Control to deliver maximum levels of driver engagement.”

The return of the Honda Prelude as a hybrid-electric sports model demonstrates our continued commitment to offer a variety of exhilarating products to meet the needs of our customers,” said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales. “The first three products in the Honda lineup in the 1970s were Civic, Accord and Prelude, and soon all three will be back together again in our passenger car lineup as hybrids.” Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, awards, car sharing, global warming, marketing, mobility company, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Greetings from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Greetings from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room

Joy to the world.

This fall, First Lady Jill Biden expanded and enhanced the public tour of the White House. The Diplomatic Reception Room, used to welcome foreign dignitaries, and home to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous fireside chats, is now open to the general public for the first time. Holiday florals and fruit are on display in this room, as a recognition of the importance of hospitality and grace to peaceful diplomacy.

“The holidays have always held a special place in our hearts, and we’ve loved opening the doors of the People’s House wider and wider each year, continuing the spirit of goodwill and gratitude. America’s story is your story, and we hope you feel at home here,” said President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. Continue reading

Posted in AutoInformed Editorial, milestones, news, news analysis, people, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ram ProMaster Diesel Engines – CARB Fines FCA $4.2M

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) said this week it has reached a settlement agreement with FCA US LLC (FCA) of Auburn Hills, Mich., for $4,185,820 for violations of CARB’s air quality regulations. The FCA vehicles concerned include model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 Ram ProMaster 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with 3-liter inline-4 diesel engines.*

“CARB’s robust compliance testing ensures that auto manufacturers sell the exact vehicles that received certification for sale within California, without alterations made to skirt the state’s regulations and release excess emissions that harm air quality and public health,” said CARB Executive Officer Dr. Steven Cliff. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, awards, car sharing, environment, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, news analysis, public health, recalls | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Volkswagen Settles – Union Jobs Safe Until 2030

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Volkswagen Settles - Union Jobs Safe Until 2030

Click for more.

Volkswagen AG (VOW.F) and its IG Metall* and Works Council employee representatives for Passenger Cars, Commercial Vehicles and Group Components as well as its Audi and other brands have concluded a joint agreement – dubbed ‘Zukunft Volkswagen’ (Future) – that guarantees jobs as it reduces production capacities at Volkswagen AG’s German locations. Ultimately, but not now, the workforce will be cut by more than 35,000 at Volkswagen’s German locations by 2030. This includes a newly formulated “job security plan” through to 2030 at the troubled automaker.

“Cost savings for Volkswagen AG of more than €15 billion per year in the medium term,” VW said. “Of this, over €4 billion per year will come from the present negotiations on labor costs, structural and production measures and plant utilization. Labor cost effects alone amount to €1.5 billion per year.” However, the capital markets remain skeptical taking a wait and see attitude about VW’s ability to compete with higher quality and less expensive brands. AutoInformed notes that this is a five-year bet on the come line or the promise that material cost savings will be secured. VW stock closed yesterday at €88.85. A year ago on 23 December it was €93.95. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, car sharing, electric vehicles, financial results, labor issues, manufacturing, milestones, mobility company, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GAC Honda Automobile Plant Starts Making EVs

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on GAC Honda Automobile Plant Starts Making EVs in China

Click to enlarge.

Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., a wholly-owned Honda subsidiary in China, announced today that GAC Honda Automobile Co., Ltd. (GAC Honda), a Honda automobile production and sales joint venture in China, began operation of its newly-constructed plant for new energy vehicle (NEV) production, named the Development District NEV Factory. The new factory is located in the Guangzhou Economic and Technological Development District in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China. Under communist Chinese industrial policy 50% of the JV is owned by GAC.

The latest NEV production plant has state of the art production equipment to achieve a highly efficient, smart, and low-carbon production system. The stamping and welding processes completely eliminated logistics personnel by automating parts logistics. AI-based welding strength inspection was adopted for the first time at any Honda plant. In the assembly process, approximately 30% of the entire process is automated to achieve a highly efficient production line. Continue reading

Posted in connected vehicles, economy, electric vehicles, environment, global warming, manufacturing, news analysis, public health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment