Prius Prime Changes its Name to Prius Plug-in Hybrid for 2025

Posted on 26 September 2024 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Prius Prime Changes its Name to Prius Plug-in Hybrid for 2025

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Toyota (NYSE:TM) said today that the 2025 model year version of Prius Prime will be rebranded as the  Prius Plug-in Hybrid. The change to the Prius Plug-in is intended to help consumers easily identify the powertrain choices among Prius models. The 2025 Prius Plug-in Hybrid will also adopt a “PHEV” badge on the rear, indicating its Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle powertrain. It will be available in three grades: SE, XSE and XSE Premium. Pricing was omitted. Back in 2022 when a new Prius Prime model was introduced, with a manufacturer estimated EV range of up to 44 miles and a 6.6-second 0-60 time, it was a flexible vehicle short and longer trips. The 2025 with a 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, the SE grade has a manufacturer-estimated 44-mile all-electric driving range rating. While the XSE and XSE Premium have a manufacturer-estimated 40 mile all-electric driving range rating.

“When those long commutes are inevitable, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid puts Toyota’s fifth generation Toyota Hybrid System to work, combining a highly efficient 2.0-liter engine and electric motor generators for an efficient driving experience with a manufacturer-estimated of up to 52 MPG combined rating. It also has impressive horsepower and torque with 220 net-combined hybrid system horsepower and 139 lb.-ft. of torque,” Toyota said. Continue reading →

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GM Milford Proving Centennial Noted

Posted on 25 September 2024 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on GM Milford Proving Centennial Noted

Engineers during the early days at Milford. Click for more.

More than 7,000 General Motors employees, retirees, and their families gathered at the company’s Milford Proving Ground site in southeastern Michigan last Saturday to mark the 100th anniversary of the company’s flagship vehicle testing facility.

“The Milford Proving Ground is at the heart of GM’s long history of innovation that has revolutionized the auto industry, from safety technology to Super Cruise – it’s where vehicles get better, and it’s where I started my career as a summer intern working on V6 noise and vibration,” said Mark Reuss, president, General Motors. “Today, we celebrate 100 years of Milford and look forward to its next century of leadership in vehicle testing and development.” Continue reading →

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Environmental Justice Climate Corps Launches

Posted on 25 September 2024 by Ken Zino

In commemoration of Climate Week NYC, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and AmeriCorps announced the Environmental Justice Climate Corps. This is a new partnership launched as part of President Biden’s American Climate Corps “to open doors for people to serve in careers that benefit disadvantaged and other low-income communities.” It also reaffirms the Administration’s commitment to creating pathways to middle class jobs and is a step to implementing the Biden-Harris Administration’s Executive Order to Promote Good Jobs by supporting workforce development through the American Climate Corps.*

“Our partnership is a first-of-its-kind effort within the federal government to expand pathways into environmental justice careers,” said Michael S. Regan, EPA Administrator. “This program will create opportunities for young people through President Biden’s American Climate Corps that will help folks in overburdened communities access and benefit from historic funding secured under the President’s Investing in America agenda.” Continue reading →

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C’est Fou – Chinese EVs Will Be at 2024 Paris Motor Show

Posted on 25 September 2024 by Ken Zino

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) today announced it will participate in the 90th edition of the Mondial de l’Auto 2024 (Paris Motor Show) from 14 – 20  October with its three traditional brands – Citroën, Peugeot, and Alfa Romeo. More controversial will be the Chinese brand, Leapmotor making its debut at the show.

Leapmotor Founder, Chairman and CEO Zhu Jiangming, together with Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, will unveil the all-new B10, a C-segment SUV, expanding its product line-up in Europe’s core segment through this distinctive partnership in the automotive industry. Continue reading →

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Stellantis Holds Media Drive for Chinese Leapmotor EVs

Posted on 24 September 2024 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Stellantis Holds Media Drive for Chinese Leapmotor EVs

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The first European Media Drive is now taking place in Milan for the C10 and T03 models of the Leapmotor brand, a Chinese company in the technology field which has the highest growth in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sector.* The event, held in Milan and Lake Maggiore, marks the official debut of Leapmotor International in Europe. In a controversial move in October of 2023 Stellantis took 51% of a joint venture with Leapmotor that gives it exclusive rights to build, export and sell Leapmotor EVs outside China.**

“Stellantis will invest more than €50 billion during the next 10 years in the field of electrification and will do everything it can to reach the targets set out in its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, including the achievement of a 100% sales mix of BEV vehicles in Europe by 2030 and 50% of BEV passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in the United States. To reach these sales goals, the company is ensuring around 400 GWh of battery capacity with the support of six battery factories in North America and Europe. Stellantis aims to become a zero carbon-emissions company across all sectors by 2038, with a percentage offsetting for an amount of the remaining emissions,” the company formed by the merger of FCA and PSA said today. Continue reading →

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Connected Car Wars – Biden Takes on China and Russia

Posted on 23 September 2024 by Ken Zino

President Biden today announced today “strong action to protect America from the national security risks associated with connected vehicle technologies from countries of concern.” The Department of Commerce is issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would, if finalized as proposed, prohibit the sale or import of connected vehicles that incorporate certain technology and the import of particular components themselves from countries of concern, specifically the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia.*

“Connected vehicles provide many benefits — from promoting vehicle safety to assisting drivers with navigation — but they also pose new and growing threats. These technologies include computer systems that control vehicle movement and collect sensitive driver and passenger data as well as cameras and sensors that enable automated driving systems and record detailed information about American infrastructure. Now more than ever, vehicles are directly connected into our country’s digital networks,” The White House said. Continue reading →

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Annals of Marketing – VW Gewürz Ketchup Brand

Posted on 23 September 2024 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Annals of Marketing - VW Gewürz Ketchup Brand

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Volkswagen of America announced today that VW part number 00010 ZDK-259-101, VW Gewürz Ketchup Brand, a condiment used to dress VW currywurst, will be available in the U.S. for a limited time. The public can claim their own bottle, distributed through DriverGear retail operation, starting today at no cost while supplies last.

“This year we’re celebrating more than a big anniversary of selling cars,” said Rachael Zaluzec, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience and Brand Marketing, Volkswagen of America. “We’re celebrating stories, memories, passion, and all the fun, and unexpected things that make Volkswagen the brand we are today —things like our Gewürz Ketchup Brand condiment.” Continue reading →

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Solid-State Cell Technology – All Hype No Production Way?

Posted on 23 September 2024 by Ken Zino

“With a stream of major cell suppliers regularly announcing ‘major’ breakthroughs in solid-state cell technology, it is proving difficult to discern the reality of the state of play at present.” This from GlobalData’s dedicated research platform, the Automotive Intelligence Center, which was released today as an analyst’s comment.*

“The harsh reality is that 90% of news, plans and solid-state plant activity appears to be bogus, as start of production (SOP) dates slip or vanish, with this being particularly true of information coming from China,” said Oliver Petschenyk Powertrain Analyst at GlobalData. Continue reading →

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Unifor GM Members Ratify New Contract for CAMI Assembly

Posted on 23 September 2024 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Unifor GM Members Ratify New Contract for CAMI Assembly

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Unifor members working at the CAMI Assembly and Battery Assembly plants over the past week ratified a new collective agreement with General Motors.* There are pay increases, supporting Unifor’s Detroit Three pattern agreement and eliminates a historic pay lag with counterparts at other Canadian GM facilities. Unifor Local 88 members voted 95.7% in favor to ratify the new two-year agreement, which will expire on September 20, 2026. Local 88 represents more than 1300 members at CAMI Assembly and Battery Assembly who manufacture the Chevrolet BrightDrop EV 600 and EV 400 and Ultium battery modules.

“We are pleased our team members at CAMI Assembly, the manufacturing home of the Chevrolet BrightDrop electric van, have ratified a new agreement that supports our employees and our business. Thank you to the entire Unifor bargaining committee and our GM Canada labor team for your leadership and collaboration,” said Kristian Aquilina, GM Canada President and Managing Director. Continue reading →

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California Economy Booms as Greenhouse Gases Decline

Posted on 20 September 2024 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on California Economy Booms as Greenhouse Gases Decline

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A report* released today by the California Air Resources Board shows that for 2022 greenhouse gas emissions dropped across most sectors and is the equivalent of removing more than 2.2 million gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicles off California’s roads for one year. Between 2000 to 2022, emissions fell by 20% while California’s gross domestic product increased by 78%. This shows the effectiveness of the state’s climate change and air quality programs, which will be rejected by climate deniers and fossil fuel lobbying funding organizations, political candidates or parties.

“California is proving that climate action goes hand-in-hand with economic growth. We’ve slashed carbon pollution by a whopping 20% since the turn of the century all while building the world’s fifth largest economy. Cleaner air, more good jobs – that’s the California way,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. Continue reading →

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GM Recalls 450,000 Vehicles for Brake Control Software Failure

Posted on 20 September 2024 by Ken Zino

General Motors is recalling 449,671 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2023-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, and Escalade ESV vehicles. The electronic brake control module software may fail to display a warning light when a loss of brake fluid occurs. These vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, “Light Vehicle Brake Systems.” The recall safety defect is caused by a mismatch between the electronic brake control module (eBCM) software and eBCM calibrations.

“A driver may not receive an indicator of a loss of brake fluid before the level is below FMVSS 135’s requirement. In the event of a brake fluid leak, the vehicle’s brake pedal performance may degrade before the BRAKE telltale timely illuminates in accordance with FMVSS 135, increasing the risk of a crash. In the event of a brake fluid leak, affected vehicles still meet FMVSS 135’s stopping-distance requirements,” GM said in the required NHTSA filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this morning. Continue reading →

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Shell Opens First Charging Station for Electric Trucks in UK

Posted on 19 September 2024 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Shell Opens First Charging Station for Electric Trucks in UK

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Shell has opened its first electric public charging station in the UK for trucks, at the Markham Moor Truck Stop in Nottinghamshire, according to The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).* The site, which Shell acquired in 2022 , is situated along the A1, about 25 miles south of Doncaster and 25 miles Southeast of Sheffield.  and is passed by more than 8000 heavy goods vehicles (HGV) a day. It has a 400kWh fast charging station, with two connectors, powered using 100% renewable electricity, which enables two vehicles to charge at once.

“The opening marks an important step in supporting the transition to electric heavy goods vehicles,” said Euan Moir, Head of UK Fleet Solutions at Shell. “The future of commercial road transport will look mostly electric. That electric future is already coming to fruition in the UK.” Continue reading →

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August 2024 EU Car Registrations Plummet

Posted on 19 September 2024 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on August 2024 EU Car Registrations Plummet

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During August 2024, new EU car registrations saw a sharp decrease (-18.3%) with negative results across the region’s four major markets: double-digit losses were witnessed in Germany (-27.8% at 197,322), France (-24.3% at 85,977), and Italy (-13.4% at 69,161), with the Spanish market declining by 6.5% at 52,322, the ACEA* trade group said today.

Year-to-Date new car registrations increased by 1.4%, at ~7.2 million units. Spain (+4.5% at 671,551) and Italy (+3.8% at 69,161) showed positive but modest performance. French and German markets stagnated (-0.5% at 1,126,900 and -0.3% at 1,907,226 respectively). Continue reading →

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BMW and Redwood Materials to Recycle Lithium-Ion Batteries

Posted on 19 September 2024 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on BMW and Redwood Materials to Recycle Lithium-Ion Batteries

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BMW North America and Redwood Materials* announced today a partnership to recycle lithium-ion batteries from electric, plug-in hybrid, and mild hybrid BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad in the U.S. The partnership is said to demonstrate a shared commitment to sustainability as the next step towards creating a closed-loop circular value chain for lithium-ion batteries in the U.S.

“Together with Redwood Materials, BMW is laying the groundwork for the creation of a fully circular battery supply chain in the U.S.,” said Denise Melville, Head of Sustainability, BMW of North America. “We have said before that the future of BMW was electric, digital, and circular, and this agreement brings us a step closer to meeting that goal.” Continue reading →

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Stellantis Signs New European Work Council Agreement

Posted on 19 September 2024 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Stellantis Signs New European Work Council Agreement

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Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) said this morning that it signed a new European Works Council (EWC) agreement yesterday. Next, 37 new European Works Council members will be designated in the coming weeks to build the EWC, supporting more than 100,000 employees representing 13 countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and the UK as consultive member.*

“We are confident that this agreement lays the foundation for Stellantis’ European social structure, setting the stage for our shared future,” said Stellantis Chief Human Resources & Transformation Officer Xavier Chéreau. “Our unified European Works Council will play a pivotal role in managing the strategic transformation that the automotive industry will undergo in the coming years.” Continue reading →

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