Lexus Shows Hydrogen-Powered ROV Concept

Posted on 20 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Lexus Shows Hydrogen-Powered ROV Concept

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Lexus said in Japan that it will launch a customer experience program aimed at the future practical application of  its Recreational Off-highway Vehicle ROV Concept (ROV).* This is the first Lexus with hydrogen powered engine. In developing the ROV, the stated goal was to offer a distinctive driving experience not possible with regular passenger cars.

“This was achieved through a compact body size and exceptional off-road capabilities, which allows for an exhilarating driving experience and a chance to connect with the grandeur of nature. By using a hydrogen engine, the ROV aims a balance between environmental consciousness and the thrill of feeling the heartbeat of an engine,” Lexus International President, Takashi Watanabe said at a model preview for 2023 products. Continue reading →

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EU August Sales – BEVs Soar to 20% Market Share

Posted on 20 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on EU August Sales - BEVs Soar to 20% Market Share

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EU new car registrations increased ~21% in August with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) passing 20% share for the first time in history, according to the ACEA* trade group. During August 2023, there were 787,626 registered units, marking the thirteenth consecutive month of growth.

“Despite August typically being a slower month for car sales, double-digit gains indicate that the EU market is rebounding from last year’s component shortages. There were double-digit percentage gains in most markets, including the three largest: Germany (+37.3%), France (+24.3%), and Italy (+11.9%), ACEA said. Continue reading →

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EPA Launches More Climate Pollution Reduction Grants

Posted on 20 September 2023 by Ken Zino

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the availability of $4.6 billion in competitive grants to fund state, local, and Tribal programs and policies that cut climate pollution, advance environmental justice, and implement clean energy benefits across the country. EPA claimed that as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda – central to Bidenomics –  the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) competitions will use community-driven solutions to the climate crisis, helping to accelerate America’s clean energy transition.

“Communities across the Mid-Atlantic Region will benefit as states and other partners use this historic funding to develop solutions to reduce the negative impacts of climate change and help create healthier, more resilient places to live, work and thrive,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. Continue reading →

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Unifor Has Provisional Contract Agreement with Ford Motor

Posted on 19 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Unifor Has Provisional Contract Agreement with Ford Motor

“We leveraged our union’s most powerful weapon: the right to strike.”

Unifor said at 9:30 pm tonight that it has reached a tentative agreement with Ford Motor Company, covering more than 5600 members at Canadian Ford facilities. Terms were not disclosed, and it is subject to approval by Unifor members at Ford Motor (NYSE: F) in ratification meetings to be held in the “near future.” This means that negotiations can now proceed with General Motors and Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler – FCA), which were suspended when Ford became the target company.

“We believe that this tentative agreement, endorsed by the entire master bargaining committee, addresses all of the items raised by members in preparation for this round of collective bargaining,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We believe that this agreement will solidify the foundations on which we will continue to bargain gains for generations of autoworkers in Canada.” Continue reading →

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IIHS – Minivan Second Row Seating Safety Marginal

Posted on 19 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on IIHS - Minivan Second Row Seating Safety Marginal

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None of the four minivans evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety earns an acceptable or good rating in the updated moderate overlap front crash test, which now emphasizes back seat safety. The Chrysler Pacifica, Kia Carnival and Toyota Sienna are rated marginal, while the Honda Odyssey is rated poor. All except the Sienna also lack seat belt reminders for the second-row seats, IIHS said in a release today. Even with these ratings, the back seat remains the safest place for children, who can be injured by an inflating front airbag, and the rating does not apply to children secured properly in child safety seats.

“Back seat safety is important for all vehicles, but it’s especially vital for those, like minivans, that customers are choosing specifically to transport their families,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “It’s disappointing that automakers haven’t acted faster to apply the best available technology to the second row in this vehicle class.” Continue reading →

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High Noon – UAW Big Three Strike Expands Friday

Posted on 19 September 2023 by Ken Zino

In a video posted on the UAW’s social media sites, President Shawn Fain has announced a new strike deadline of this Friday 22 September at noon. If Ford, General Motors or Stellantis have not made substantial progress toward a fair agreement, the UAW will call on more members to join the Stand Up Strike. Between now and then, UAW members on strike will remain on strike. The new targets will be announced Friday morning. 

“Those on the job will keep monitoring for unilateral changes made by management, which are not allowed under an expired contract. Keep organizing rallies. Keep organizing red shirt days. Keep up the energy and keep showing the companies that you are ready to join the strike if necessary,” Fain said. Continue reading →

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Unifor says Likelihood of Ford Strike at Midnight Increases But at Midnight It then Moved a Day Forward

Posted on 19 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Unifor Picks Ford Motor Company as Detroit Three Target

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Unifor National President Lana Payne said that “Unifor bargaining committees continue to negotiate with Ford Motor Company ahead of the union’s midnight strike deadline. “Unifor’s priorities remain the same. Pensions. Wages. EV transition. Investment.”

“As of now a tentative agreement has not been reached. While we remain at the table the likelihood of a strike increases with each passing hour. Unifor has advised more than 5600 members at Ford facilities in Canada to prepare for all scenarios, including strike action,” said Payne. However, Unifor is extending negotiations with Ford Motor Company for a 24-hour period. The union subsequently said it received a substantive offer from Ford Motor minutes before the original deadline and bargaining is continuing. Unifor members should continue to maintain strike readiness. So the next strike deadline is Midnight 19 September. Maybe… Continue reading →

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UAW Big Three Strike Continues

Posted on 18 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on UAW Big Three Strike Continues

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As the UAW Big Three Strike continues tonight, the union released late this afternoon a new video called “Corporate Greed,” explaining what’s driving the ongoing strike at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. It has footage from the union’s rally  in downtown Detroit on Friday, when thousands of UAW members and supporters gathered on the first day of their historic work action, which is called the “Stand Up Strike.” The video is here. A recent Gallup poll said that 75% of Americans back UAW members in their negotiations with the Big Three. Just 19% side with the companies.(AutoInformed: UAW on Strike at Select Ford, GM, Stellantis Plants; Unifor say Likelihood of Ford Strike at Midnight Increases)

“They pretend that the sky will fall if we get our fair share of the quarter of a trillion dollars the Big Three has made over the past decade,” UAW President Shawn Fain says in the video. “They want to say that our righteous fight for a higher quality of life for the working class would wreck the economy. We’re not going to wreck the economy; we’re going to wreck their economy because it only works for the billionaire class.” Fain is the first president in UAW history directly elected by members. Continue reading →

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UAW on Strike at Select Ford, GM, Stellantis Plants

Posted on 15 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on UAW on Strike at Select Ford, GM, Stellantis Plants

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UAW represented members stopped working at three plants of the Big Three last night in an epic struggle that likely will drag on through at least tomorrow.  Today, top UAW officials are on the picket lines, including the UAW International executive board, UAW reformist President Shawn Fain – the first president in UAW history directly elected by members –  UAW vice presidents and national negotiators. One visit is at a UAW Ford facility in Detroit that Ford is trying to close. Surely Michigan Assembly close by in Wayne will be included.

At all of the US Big Three companies as of now their new or slightly revised offers when made public are so far short of the UAW requests that they might as well be non-existent. We will have to wait as things unfold. Big Three executives appear to have thought that business as usual would allow them to continue to do business. Well, not today…* (AutoInformed: Big Three UAW Strike Could Top $5B in Losses) Continue reading →

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August Global Light Vehicle Sales Up Again

Posted on 15 September 2023 by Ken Zino

The Global Light Vehicle (LV) selling rate rose for the sixth consecutive month in August, reaching 99 million units/year, from a revised figure of 97 million units/year in July, according to statistics just made public by the GlobalData* consultancy. With 7.3 million units sold in August, the market has grown 9.6% year-over-year (YoY), with 57 million units sold year-to-date (YTD). The YTD figure has also exceeded the YTD Aug 2022 total by 10.3%.

“The USA, Western and Eastern European countries all registered double digit YoY growth, partly due to 2022 being a weak base and partly because of an alleviation in supply-side issues. Chinese sales grew 5.2%, driven by a booming export sector. However, the domestic PV market in China fell slightly because of subdued consumer confidence,” GlobalData said. Continue reading →

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UAW to Start Selective Big Three Strikes at Midnight

Posted on 14 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on UAW to Start Selective Big Three Strikes at Midnight

The labor movement fight for economic justice continues on.

UAW President Shawn Fain last night with an audience of ~30,000 on Facebook spoke for more than 50 minutes. His message was simple. “Let’s Stand up and let’s make history,” Fain said. He said the Big Three offers were “outrageously unrealistic.” The history he is talking about starts at midnight tonight when the UAW for the first time ever is striking all of the so-called Big Three companies – Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. With defiant language Fain laid out the latest twist in the UAW strategy to “stop the Big Three from killing jobs.” Rather than the traditional single target company, there will be selective and ongoing strikes at all of the companies.

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on UAW to Start Selective Big Three Strikes at Midnight

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This is a deft move that will stretch the UAW strike fund as most of its ~150,000 workers will remain on the job, but bring immense pressure on the management of the auto companies and their numerous suppliers. The back of the envelope calculation is this: UAW strike pay is $500 per week and will also protect health insurance premiums. The union strike fund is ~$825 million. With selective strikes this can last a long time rather than becoming exhausted in say ~3 months with an industry wide strike. Continue reading →

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First Look – 2024 GMC Acadia SUV

Posted on 13 September 2023 by Ken Zino
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GMC today revealed the new Acadia, a mid-size SUV in the brand’s line of SUVs and crossovers. The 2024 Acadia is longer, wider and taller than its predecessor, with an all-new interior, changed exterior design, more technology and standard safety equipment. It will be built in Lansing, Michigan and is due next spring.

“GMC’s brand mission is to be a leader in capability, professional grade refinement and technological innovation,” said Duncan Aldred, global vice president, Buick and GMC. “The all-new Acadia showcases all that … and it’s a blueprint of what’s to come for the GMC SUV portfolio.” Continue reading →

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First Look – 2025 Cadillac CT5

Posted on 13 September 2023 by Ken Zino
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Cadillac introduced a refreshed 2025 CT5 sedan at the North American International Detroit Auto Show, one of the few automakers to  participate in a dwindling event. The 2025 CT5 has a revised front fascia, and offers more comfort, safety and technology items as standard equipment. The CT5 will be produced at GM’s Lansing Grand River Assembly facility in Michigan10, with production to begin in spring 2024. Additional details and pricing will be announced in the future. The refreshed 2025 Cadillac CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing will also be announced at a later date.

“CT5’s importance in Cadillac’s portfolio cannot be overstated,” said John Roth, vice president, Global Cadillac. “Globally, CT5 is having its best sales year, ever. The 2025 CT5 stays true to what customers love about this vehicle.” Continue reading →

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EV Grid Unlock – BMW, Ford, Honda Create ChargeScape

Posted on 12 September 2023 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on EV Grid Unlock - BMW, Ford, Honda Create ChargeScape

Cooperation – not partisanship…

BMW Group, Ford Motor Company and American Honda Motor Company today announced that they have entered into an agreement to create ChargeScape, LLC, a new equally owned company that will create a single, platform connecting electric utilities, automakers and interested electric vehicle customers. Simply put, EV customers can reduce their personal carbon footprints by using wind or solar power for recharging while supporting grid resiliency. The closing of the transaction and subsequent formation of ChargeScape is pending regulatory approvals, with the company expected to be operational early next year.

This awakened move putting group cooperation above individual, narrow corporate interests is a win for all involved. By helping EV customers and the electric utility industry in the US and Canada, ChargeScape will create new value that EVs can provide to the electric grid, while enabling EV customers to earn financial benefits through a variety of managed charging and energy-sharing services never before possible with traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. This ameliorates a central problem for utilities that typically do not know or have an easy and cost-effective way to identify the quickly expanding number of EV customers in their service territory. The auto companies can do it for the utilities at little to no cost. The size of the negative effects on the deal by the pending Republican led US government shutdown are unknown at this time. Continue reading →

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Elena Ford and William Clay Ford III in New Roles at Ford Motor

Posted on 12 September 2023 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) announced today that Elena Ford, Ford’s chief customer experience officer, is now named chief dealer engagement officer, effective immediately. In this role, Ms. Ford will work with Ford’s 10,000 dealers worldwide to “accelerate their transformation into a competitive differentiator across Ford’s global businesses.” The stated goal is “to increase the consistency and efficiency of Ford’s global dealer council’s governance, improve retail facilities, modernize training and development, become more diverse, further raise community engagement, and amplify best practices.”

Ford also announced that Lisa Materazzo, previously Toyota’s top marketing executive in North America, is joining Ford as global chief marketing officer effective today, reporting to Ford President and CEO Jim Farley. At Toyota, Materazzo also held positions at Lexus and Scion. At Ford, Materazzo will lead advanced product planning and all marketing activities across Ford Blue, Ford Model e and Ford Pro. She will also oversee Ford Performance and Lincoln. Senior Marketing positions have experienced some churn at Ford recently. Continue reading →

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