SEC Sues Musk for Blatant Refusal of Subpoena

Posted on 5 October 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on NHTSA Releases Data on Safety Performance of Advanced Vehicle Technologies

The SEC is continuing its investigation.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today announced that it is seeking a court order directing Elon Musk to comply with an investigative subpoena calling for his appearance for testimony, which Musk failed to comply with.

The filing in US Court for the Northern District of California concerns an ongoing investigation by the SEC regarding, among other things, potential violations of various provisions of the federal securities laws in connection with Musk’s 2022 purchases of Twitter stock, and Musk’s 2022 statements and SEC filings relating to Twitter. According to the filing, the SEC seeks Musk’s testimony to obtain information not already in the SEC’s possession that is relevant to its legitimate and lawful investigation. Continue reading →

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Automakers Want US Taxpayer Subsidies for Aluminum

Posted on 5 October 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on President Biden at COP 27 Renews US Leadership on Solving the Climate Crisis

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The Department of Energy “must invest in American-made clean aluminum” to retain and create manufacturing jobs, reduce industrial emissions, and expand a vitally important industry, according to a letter sent to US Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

Among “not without abundant self-interested signatories” of the just revealed note are Ford, General Motors, Rivian and SunPower, as well as some large beer and soft drink makers who use but don’t always support the recycling of aluminum cans. They want money from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to expand and secure an affordable supply of clean energy.* Continue reading →

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GM Employees in India Start Hunger Strike

Posted on 5 October 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on GM Employees in India Start Hunger Strike

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The GM employee’s union in India started “an indefinite relay hunger strike” on 2 October, demanding that the workforce of General Motors’ Talegaon plant be absorbed by Hyundai Motors India as the plant is sold. General Motors Employees Union in India is affiliated to IndustriALL through Shramik Ekta Mahasangh.

“The earlier agreement signed with GM management that ensures job protection of workers must be honored. We have no choice but to protest since the state government has repeatedly ignored our requests to reach an agreement with all the parties involved,” said Kishor Somwanshi, Shramik Ekta Mahasangh president. Continue reading →

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CALTY Design Reveals Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser

Posted on 5 October 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on CALTY Design Reveals Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser

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CALTY Design Research, the American base of Toyota’s global design network (NYSE:TM), marked five decades of creation today by revealing the Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser. The BLC concept has so-called adaptive technology and heritage design cues from the original FJ40 Land Cruiser, CALTY said in a Newport Beach, CA.

“California was a youthful, vibrant epicenter of fresh ideas, a cool car culture, and the glamorous movie industry that inspired CALTY to create innovative designs and establish new trends,” said Kevin Hunter, president of CALTY Design Research. Continue reading →

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LG Energy Solution, Toyota Sign Long-Term Battery Deal

Posted on 4 October 2023 by Ken Zino

LG Energy Solution* (KRX: 373220) and Toyota Motor North America (NYSE: TM) today announced that they have signed a supply agreement for lithium-ion battery modules to be used in Toyota battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that will be assembled in the United States. LG will supply Toyota with 20GWh of high-nickel NCMA battery modules annually from 2025.

“At Toyota, our goal is to reduce carbon emissions as much as possible, as fast as possible,” said Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa, president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America. “Having secure supplies of lithium-ion batteries at scale with a long-term relationship to support Toyota’s multi-pathway approach and growth plans for BEVs in North America is critical to achieve our manufacturing and carbon reduction plans.” Continue reading →

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What Strike? September US Vehicle Market Grows Sharply

Posted on 4 October 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on What Strike? September US Vehicle Market Grows Sharply

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US light vehicle (LV) sales grew by 19.7% year-on-year (YoY) in September, to 1.34 million units, according to the latest analysis by the respected GlobalData consultancy.* The UAW Big Three Strike that began halfway through September has thus far had little apparent effect. However, YoY comparisons are supercharged because of a low base of weak September 2022 sales. Ironically, Labor Day sales appears to bolstered sales. (AutoInformed: Labor Day – UAW Struggles Are Key to The American Dream)

“Recent headlines around the US auto industry have been focused on the UAW strike, but that impact will be delayed as the targeted OEMs continue to sell existing inventory. While one or two specific models are likely already seeing a negative effect on sales due to low days’ supply, on a wider scale the strikes may have spurred activity in September by nudging customers to make purchases before stocks run out. Still, sales were robust even among non-union OEMs, suggesting that longer-term trends around improved vehicle availability and a strong contribution from Premium brands – especially Tesla – also played a significant role,” said David Oakley, Manager, Americas Sales Forecasts, GlobalData. Continue reading →

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Ford Motor 2023 Q3 Sales up 8%

Posted on 4 October 2023 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) today posted a sales increase of 7.7% for Q3 of 2023. Ford said it was the No. 1 selling truck manufacturer again in Q3 and year-to-date. With 825,179 pickups and vans sold through September of this year, Ford said it has outsold GM’s pickups and vans by ~64,000 vehicles. Ford’s overall Q3 truck sales, including pickups and vans, are up 15.3% compared to 2022 on sales of 275,554 vehicles. Gains came from the new Super Duty pickups (up 17.6%), Maverick (+83.4%) and Transit (+28.3%). However the F-150 did not lead its segment at sales of ~37,000 with its lowest market share in a year. (AutoInformed: GM Posts 21% US Q3 Sales Increase)

“We saw strong balanced sales growth providing choice to our customers in the third quarter, with growth coming from our gas engine, electric, hybrid and commercial van lineup,” said Andrew Frick, vice president, sales, distribution and trucks. “Ford’s truck lineup remains the industry’s top seller.” Continue reading →

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Chinese Light Vehicle Sales Up Again

Posted on 3 October 2023 by Ken Zino

Chinese Light Vehicle (LV) wholesales in August came in at 2.56 million units with growth of 7% YoY, according to the latest data and analysis from GlobalData.* Total passenger vehicle (PV) wholesale volume reached 2.32 million units with growth of 7% in the month. Simultaneously, the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV ) sector recovered well, increasing by 11% year-on-year (YoY) to a total of 243,000 units. On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, PV sales increased by 8%, and LCV sales also increased by 5% in August, in the world’s largest vehicle market.

“Since the beginning of this year, cumulative LV wholesales have reached 17.95 million units, an increase of 7%. Total LV production in August was 2.50 million units, increasing by 7% YoY. PV output (89% of total LV production) was 2.26 million units in August, which was 58,000 less than the wholesale volume. PV output in August was up by 6% YoY and increasing by 6% YTD,” according to the Asia-Pacific Light Vehicle Sales Forecasting Team. Continue reading →

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GM Posts 21% US Q3 Sales Increase

Posted on 3 October 2023 by Ken Zino

General Motors (NYSE: GM) today posted strong Q3 sales results in the US with 674,336 vehicles sold and a market share gain of ~1%. There was a 16% retail sales increase year-over-year. The strong results were centered around its thriving truck and SUV lines, which fully participated in the ongoing Biden Administration economic recovery.

Full-size pickups had the best year-to-date sales since 2007 as Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra combined sales grew 29%. This makes for 7 consecutive quarters of industry leadership based on preliminary results until Ford and Stellantis have posted. GG estimated that the Seasonally Adjusted Annual Selling Rate (SAAR) was 15.5 million light vehicles for the US industry total. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Expands Ford Engine Failure Probe to 700,000 Vehicles

Posted on 2 October 2023 by Ken Zino

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation released today documents that shows it has expanded a reliminary Ford engine failure inquiry to an engineering analysis that covers more than 700,000 vehicles and questions Ford’s previous attempts to fix the safety defect. Explorer, Bronco, Edge Lincoln Nautilus, Aviator SUVs, as well as The F-150 pickup truck from 2021-2022 model years are susceptible to sudden loss of engine power.

During the preliminary inquiry investigation, several contributing factors were identified which can lead to the fracturing of the intake valves in the engines involved.* Ford acknowledged that a fractured intake valve can result in catastrophic engine failure and a loss of motive power and noted that following a valve fracture, a vehicle typically requires a full engine replacement. Continue reading →

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Toyota Motor Enters Six Teams in Rebelle Rally

Posted on 2 October 2023 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor North America (NYSE:TM) said today that it will have six teams competing in the 2023 Rebelle Rally. The annual off-road navigation rally, exclusively for women competitors, covers ~1400 miles of challenging terrain across the Nevada and California desert and takes place from 12-21 October 2023. Toyota’s teams will compete using a fleet consisting of six vehicles comprised of various grades among the company’s popular off-road options.

“The Rebelle Rally provides the perfect platform for Toyota team members to demonstrate their passion for learning and problem solving, develop their driving skills, navigate treacherous terrains, and work together as a cohesive unit,” said Kristen Tabar, group vice president, Advanced Mobility Research and Development at TMNA. Continue reading →

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One-Third of UK Motorists Name Their Car

Posted on 2 October 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on One-Third of UK Motorists Name Their Car

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One in three UK motorists have given a nickname to their car based on its registration plate, color, or make and model; and 34% of nickname-givers say cars without a light-hearted epithet are “missing something.” This from a Volkswagen survey released today on National Name Your Car Day in the UK. Among amusing car nicknames British motorists have adopted are The Beast, The Flying Banana – and Flo – because its plate started with FL0. The poll of 1500 motorists found 32% believe a car can have “a real personality.”

“Naming your car isn’t just a tradition, it’s a celebration of the bond you share – and it’s clear from all the feedback we’ve seen on our social media channels that Volkswagen owners really love their cars,” said Fiona Jones, Social Media Manager at Volkswagen UK. “Every car has a story and giving it a nickname somehow makes it more human. It’s a companion and a real part of the family. We’ve always known we have a strong fanbase, but it’s been particularly heart-warming to see so many stories coming through from owners during this project.” Continue reading →

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UAW Strike Expands as Ford and GM Execs Squawk

Posted on 30 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on UAW Strike Expands as Ford and GM Execs Squawk

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Yesterday afternoon the UAW expanded its Big Three strike to Ford’s Chicago Assembly (Explorer, Lincoln Aviator SUVs) and GM’s Lansing Delta Township plants (Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse crossovers). There was no additional strike action announced at Stellantis, because of “considerable progress in bargaining” moments before UAW president Shawn Fain talked to members on a Face Book live broadcast. “Stellantis made significant progress on the 2009 COLA, the right to not cross a picket line, as well as the right to strike over product commitments, plant closures, and outsourcing moratoriums,” Fain said. Then he went on.

“To be clear, negotiations have not broken down. We are still talking with all three companies. I am still very hopeful that we can reach a deal that reflects the incredible sacrifices and contributions our members have made over the last decade. But I also know that what we win at the bargaining table depends on the power we build on the job. It’s time to use that power. That is why I’m calling on an additional 7000 members across Ford and GM to go on strike starting at noon Eastern today,” said Fain. Continue reading →

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Honda, Acura – New Deals with Evgo, Electrify America

Posted on 28 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Honda, Acura - New Deals with Evgo, Electrify America

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American Honda Motor today announced that it has reached agreements with EVgo and Electrify America, plus roaming network partners, giving Honda and Acura EV customers access to more of the largest charging networks in North America.

These latest agreements are in addition to the recent announcement that Honda will adopt the NACS charging standard with Honda and Acura EVs gaining access to the Tesla Supercharger network. Combined with the  joint venture that Honda established with six other major automakers to create a high-powered charging network, US Honda and Acura EV customers will be able to use the majority of public American DC fast chargers starting in 2024 and can expect ~100,000 DC charge points available to them by 2030. Continue reading →

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Census Bureau Releases Data on US Fleet after 18 Year Gap

Posted on 28 September 2023 by Ken Zino

The US Census Bureau today released data on the nation’s inventory and use of selected vehicles. The Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS) is a collaboration with the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics and Federal Highway Administration, the Department of Energy; and the Census. For automakers it contains a wealth of data about miles driven, fuel economy and actual use patterns, which are key to product development, marketing, corporate forecasting, among other things.

This is the first release of the physical and operational characteristics of the nation’s vehicle population since 2004. The survey was first conducted in 1963 and then every five years from 1967 to 2002. Prior to 1997, VIUS was known as the Truck Inventory and Use Survey (TIUS). It was renamed as the survey expanded to include more types of vehicles. The survey was revived with data collection in 2022. Continue reading →

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