Tag Archives: autoinformed.com

December US Auto Sales Forecast – Lower Volume with Record Prices, Profits

Consumers are projected to spend $50.6 billion on new vehicles this month, the second highest on record for the month of December and the fifth-highest amount for any month on record during the ongoing Biden Administration recovery. Continue reading

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IMSA – Porsche Virtually Shows LMDh Car

They were  the first images of an actual race car from any of the five manufacturers committed to competing in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship’s new top-tier prototype class – LMDh – when it debuts in 2023. Porsche is partnering with Team Penske and chassis maker Multimatic on the project as Porsche Penske Motorsport. The team will compete in both the WeatherTech Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship. For the first time in some 30 years, it will be possible to compete for overall victories in the endurance classics at Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona with cars of identical construction. The 500 kW and 680 PS (or ~670 hp that they admit to – Autocrat) hybrid racing car is scheduled to complete numerous test runs in 2022. Continue reading

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FAA Warns Broadband Could Pose Safety Threat to Airlines

Broadband deployment is currently underway but there is scarce data on it’s actually safety effects on flying. In short, your smartphone or someone else’s or the Verizon and AT&T cellphone towers (they own the frequencies that appears to be the most problematic with potential overlap interference) could kill you if it affects airline navigation, particularly in the safety critical instrument-approach-to-landing phase of flying. The device does not have to be in use on the plane. “There have not yet been proven reports of harmful interference due to wireless broadband operations internationally, although this issue is continuing to be studied,” said the FAA. Broadband is also being proposed by some automakers and suppliers as a way to wirelessly recharge electric vehicles. Continue reading

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Nikola to Pay $125 Million to SEC on Fraud Charges

The SEC’s order says that “before Nikola had produced a single commercial product, Milton embarked on a public relations campaign aimed at inflating and maintaining Nikola’s stock price. Milton’s statements in tweets and media appearances falsely gave investors the impression that Nikola had reached certain product and technological milestones.” Continue reading

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Lotus Elise, Exige, Evora Production Ends

Combined, they represent almost half of the total production of Lotus in its 73-year history. In addition, 9,715 sports cars were built for Lotus’ third-party clients, including GM and Tesla. Continue reading

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GM Stalks $20B Electric Conversion Market

It’s the latest step in GM’s breakthrough commitment to electric vehicles that have fossil-fueled equity analysts living in the past questioning a strategy they clearly don’t understand given their questions during GM earnings calls. They are in a different cloud, so to speak. Continue reading

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Non-Spy Shot – Maserati MC20 Convertible

Maserati claims that as with the MC20 coupé, the new model remains one of a kind, at least so far. The body is made exclusively of carbon fiber and composite materials. This engineering likely will be used for all the configurations planned: coupé, convertible and, in the Global Warming regulated future, electric. Continue reading

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Census – US Population Growth Slowest Ever

Given our urgent need to be internationally competitive and the staunch Republican opposition to helping poor families and young children in favor of tax cuts for the super wealthy, the news comes at a particularly bad time for the Party of Nope , aka Republicans or the grand old white NOPe. When will they put country over ideological allegiance to what is now the party of insurrection and treason? Continue reading

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Toyota AZ Proving Grounds Now Accessible to Other Makers?

This is an unusual move in AutoInformed’s view because testing grounds by their very definition are involved with the operation and testing of future products that are usually closely guarded secrets. It might be the latest example of the extreme demands on capital and resources that automakers are grappling with as the industry rushes headlong into the unknown future of mobility involving autonomous and electric vehicles. It is one way to offset some of enormous and ongoing costs involved. Continue reading

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Recalls – Unintended Acceleration on Hyundai Ioniq EVs

During operation, Ioniqs may enter a “fail-safe” mode causing the “EV Ready” lamp to flash, accompanied with reduced acceleration and overall power output. While in this “fail-safe” mode, a slow, unintended acceleration incident can occur following full accelerator pedal release, if according to Hyundai, a specific set of sequences are met. The sequence steps being (1) the accelerator pedal is rapidly cycled at the moment the “fail-safe” mode is initially engaged, (2) followed by a sustained period of 100% accelerator pedal application and lastly (3) an abrupt release of the accelerator pedal. The braking and steering systems are fully functional during the “fail-safe” mode. Continue reading

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Goodyear’s Aftermarket EV Tire. Web Ordering Skips Stores

Goodyear says it will expand the ElectricDrive product line in 2022. The initial release of the EDGT is size 255/45R19 104W XL. They will be available only through goodyear.com. and fits some of the most popular EV high-performance models. Continue reading

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Volkswagen Spending $20M on 50-State EV Dealer Fitness

Volkswagen also has started an EV Technician Retention Program to support dealers by increasing training, “incentivize their highly skilled technicians, and recruit new talent equipped at addressing the EV shift.” The program enables Volkswagen and participating dealers to financially reward dealership technicians with a retention bonus of $2,000 per year, “empowering them to gain new individual certifications to enhance their skills and build up cexpertise for the ID.4 and all coming electric Volkswagens. Continue reading

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Building Back – FAA First-Year Airport Funding $2.89B

Many of these enhancements are crucial for automakers, suppliers and millions of workers as just in time delivery practices have collided with the non-vaccinated covid resurgence and the semiconductor shortage. The money will come from the Airport Infrastructure Grant program, one of three new aviation programs created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The law provides $15 billion over five years. The FAA estimates the backlog of airport modernization and safety projects totals $43.6 billion. Continue reading

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GMC Teases Electric Sierra Denali Pickup

As with the upcoming GMC HUMMER EV, the electric Sierra will be purposefully built on the Ultium Platform with the premium materials. The truck will be revealed next year and will be assembled in General Motors’ Factory ZERO Assembly Plant in Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan. Continue reading

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Toyota – Annual Global Sales of  3.5Mn Battery EVs by 2030

This is a sweeping claim, emulating GM’s breakthrough EV announcement in January, is by a giant company that sells more than 100 models of engine-only vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell electric vehicles in more than 170 countries and regions under the Toyota brand. The Lexus brand has more than 30 models of engine-only vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in more than 90 countries and regions. Continue reading

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