Tag Archives: autoinformed.com

May 2024 Global Light Vehicle Sales Rate Up Slightly

“Key markets, China and the US, benefited from improved selling rates versus the previous month. In Europe, there was little change for the West of the region in its month-over-month (MoM) selling rate evolution. While Eastern Europe made progress, with the latter once again supported by recovery in Russia. In Japan, the selling rate declined notably as supply issues persist,” the GlobalData light-vehicles sales forecast team said. Continue reading

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Stellantis Updates Circular Economy Initiatives at IARC

“Since the introduction of SUSTAINera, in 2022, we achieved very positive results in areas such as parts re-manufacturing, battery recycling and end-of-life vehicles”, said Alison Jones, Senior Vice President of Stellantis’ Global Circular Economy, who delivered a keynote presentation at International Automotive Recycling Congress (IARC), in Antwerp, Belgium. “We remain committed to our target to increase recycling revenues by ten times and achieve more than €2 billion in total circular economy revenues by 2030 – fully in line with Stellantis’ Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan.” Continue reading

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Surprising Shifts in the 2024 American-Made Index

A Cars.com survey found more than half of in market car shoppers are willing to pay more for people, if it creates more U.S. jobs. The question is how much more are they willing to pay? And I’m happy to tell you that the answer is a lot more. Car shoppers cars.com surveyed said 56% are willing to pay more for a vehicle if it creates more U.S. jobs. Of those, 58% say they’re willing to pay an additional 10% considering the overall expense of vehicles. Consumers desire to support jobs in the US is something that automakers and dealers should be more aware of,” said Cars.com Editor-in-Chief Jenni Newman at an Automotive Press Association Briefing that AutoInformed was part of. Continue reading

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Chinese Trade Wars – EU Adds High Tariffs on EV Imports

“Fair competition is good,” Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President, recently said. “What we don’t like is when China floods our market with massively subsidized electric cars. And we have to tackle this, we have to protect our industry,” said von der Leyen. Like covid, trade wars with China, which has extremely competitive EV technologies and vehicles, are now a pandemic. The tariffs are subject to revision. And lobbying… Continue reading

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Chinese Trade Wars – Exports Growing, Prices Dropping

Two very real problems are increasing for non-Chinese global automakers. First, is the penetration rate. This is the market share of the vehicles that are the future of the companies that will survive what is an historic reshaping of a global industry. Here, so-called New Electric Vehicles – [NEVs – battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and range-extended electric vehicles combined] that have been heavy promoted, subsidized and pushed forward by the Chinese government are now accounting a 43% share in April, an historic high. The economies of scale are enormous and a clear Chinese competitive advantage. Continue reading

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Stellantis Promise or Puff? – Clean, Safe, Affordable Mobility

No matter how nuanced a view you take, Jeep is central to the plan. The China Leapmotor Strategy is either daft – given the expanding global trade war with China or dictated by reality. Perhaps more significant in this moment, Stellantis re-affirmed its 2024 financial guidance and capital return plan, which promises double-digit Adjusted Operating Income (AOI) margin and positive industrial free cash flows. Stellantis will provide  ≥€7.7 billion in dividends and buybacks during 2024. Continue reading

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EPA 2031 CAFE – EVs, PHEVs, Hybrids Will Grow

For those of you who inhabit the Trump Washington swamp and have misinformation fever, Trump did not decrease the standards as he promised. Incremental increases were slowed down a bit. Enter the Biden Administration, which basically went back to the sharp CAFE increases that occurred under the Obama Administration. Simply put, CAFE will increase because of the significant fines for non-compliance now in place. Continue reading

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Porsche 2024 Annual Meeting Sweep. Dividend Doubled

“In 2023, Porsche impressed while realizing all its ambitious forecasts. Our financial position is robust and, even in uncertain times, we remain highly profitable. For Porsche, 2024 is a year of new product launches, with the biggest model launch program in the company’s history. In the past months we have launched new models for five model series. We are thereby laying the foundations today for our profits tomorrow – and for future dividends,” said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board. Continue reading

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NHTSA Eases CAFE Regs For 2027-2031 Model Years

“Not only will these new standards save Americans money at the pump every time they fill up, they will also decrease harmful pollution and make America less reliant on foreign oil,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “These standards will save car owners more than $600 in gasoline costs over the lifetime of their vehicle.” Continue reading

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NHTSA Fire Alert – Park Outside! 2020-2024 Kia Tellurides

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today in a Consumer Alert that Kia America has issued a “park outside” recall for 462,869 model year 2020-2024 Telluride vehicle. There is a risk of fire while parked or driving in the vehicles. Kia is advising owners to park their vehicles outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair has been completed. Continue reading

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Milestones – Three Millionth Subaru Outback

The first-generation Outback, was a more expensive variant of the Legacy wagon, with two-tone paint, white-letter tires, large fog lights, and a raised roof. Equipped with a 2.5-liter Boxer engine, symmetrical all-wheel drive and 7.5 inches of ground clearance, it was a crossover support utility of sorts. During 30 years of production, Outback has won many awards and has been an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick for 16 years running (2009-2024). Renowned for its reliability, 97% of Outbacks sold in the last 10 years are still on the road today. Continue reading

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GM Annual Meeting Vote Strongly Endorses Board’s Strategy

The first item of business was  the election of 12 directors Each year the shareholders elect directors to serve for the coming year until their successors are elected.* The vote tally was based on the preliminary report provided by the Inspector of Elections, for the first item of business, the election of directors, all of the company’s director nominees were elected. Directors received on average a favorable vote of 97% of the votes cast (it will be official with exact numbers when an SEC filing is made.) More importantly in AutoInformed’s opinion is that all dissident shareholder proposals following that the Board recommended a vote against were soundly defeated. Continue reading

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Toyota to Expand Huntsville Engine Plant

The Huntsville-assembled engines power the Corolla, Corolla Cross, Highlander, RAV4, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra. Toyota Alabama is the company’s largest engine producer in North America, employing more than 2000 non-union workers who assembled more than 770,000 engines in 2023. Continue reading

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US Light Vehicle Sales Strong in May

“May is usually an important month for the automotive industry, with warmer temperatures and Memorial Day sales events traditionally bringing consumers out to buy vehicles. This year was no different, with incentives being significantly higher than a year ago, allowing for some buyers to make deals that were not possible when inventory levels were low,” said David Oakley, Manager, Americas Sales Forecasts, GlobalData. Continue reading

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Mazda Releases Certification Results in Japanese Fraud Cases

Mazda Motor Corporation (MMC) in Hiroshima today said it investigated all of its 2403 tests (*1) for applications for Type Designation as requested by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT Notification No. 2018). “The investigation results confirmed irregularities in a total of five tests in two test categories, which was reported to the Ministry on 30 May. The irregularities identified this time encompass 150,878 units produced and 149,313 units sold. (*2),” Mazda said. Continue reading

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