Interesting Car/Truck Manufacturer News

[Weather Man]

The regular OEM's would be fried and Tesla just laughs. Their cars burst into flames, and nothing happens. If it happened to Ford or anyone else there would be a hard stop sale and do not drive directive issued by the Feds. Such a joke.
http://www.autoblog.com/?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000618

Autoblog
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Tesla employees told to communicate verbally about complaints to avoid written record, leaked documents show​

Story by Insider • 3h ago

• A Tesla whistleblower leaked thousands of internal company files to a German newspaper.
• Handelsblatt published a series of stories detailing unreported customer complaints and possible data mishandling.
• One of the leaked documents contained a Tesla policy to only discuss customer complaints verbally, not in writing.

Autoblog
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Tesla leak reveals thousands of customer complaints about random acceleration, phantom braking​

 

[Weather Man]

The Hyundai and KIA lots are packed and they just keep turning and burning.

Hyundai Motor America reports 18% rise in May 2023 sales, eco-friendly vehicle sales up 93% Y/Y​

HYMTF -0.20%Jun. 01, 2023 9:19 AM ET1 Comment

• Hyundai Motor America (OTCPK:HYMTF) reported sales growth of 18% Y/Y to 70,001 units for the month of May.
• Hyundai saw best-ever total sales in May for Elantra HEV +152%, Elantra N +70%, IONIQ 5 +28%, Santa Fe HEV +266%, Tucson PHEV +206%, Tucson HEV +95% and Santa Cruz +12%.
• Hyundai fleet sales were 5,931 and represented 8.5% of total volume for the month.
• Retail sales jumped 8% Y/Y to 64,070 units.
• Hyundai eco-friendly vehicle sales of 12,097 represented 19% of retail and a 93% Y/Y increase.
• "Hyundai's eco-friendly sales performed exceptionally well in May, contributing significantly to our strong retail and total sales results," said Randy Parker, CEO, Hyundai Motor America. "Our commitment to delivering an outstanding buying experience remains our main focus, guided by exceptional products and retail partners."

 

[Weather Man]

Honda got some supply chain stuff figured out.

American Honda sales rise 58% in May​

HMC +1.07%Jun. 01, 2023 11:57 AM ET

• Honda Motors (NYSE:HMC) reported U.S. sales grew 58.2% Y/Y to 119,445 units in May.
• Car sales +78% Y/Y and trucks sales +49.5% Y/Y for the month.
• Honda division sales for the month of May increased 53.2% Y/Y to 105,740 units: Cars +71.5% Y/Y and Trucks +45.2% Y/Y.
• Acura sales for the month up 112.2% Y/Y to 13,705 units: Cars +145.5% and Trucks +196.9%.
• Sales of electrified vehicles soared 257.7% to 32,087 units in May.
• On YTD basis, total U.S. sales surged 19.5% to 520,034 units.
• “It’s exciting to see what can happen when the best product lineup in the history of the Honda and Acura brands is matched by stronger supply,” said Mamadou Diallo, senior vice president of Auto Sales at American Honda Motor Co. Inc. “With our production associates dedicated to filling the product pipeline, our dealers are doing a great job of selling into inventory to meet pent-up demand from our Honda and Acura customers.”

 

[jvandy50]

FP700 Package Unlocks Raptor R Power, Extra Style From Regular F-150

New Ford Performance package gives 5.0-liter V-8 F-150 the gift of 700 stylish horsepower.

www.motortrend.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Weather Man]

Benzinga
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GM, Ford Supplier To Slash 8,000 Jobs In Cost-Cutting Efforts​

Story by Anan Ashraf • 5h ago
‎


GM, Ford Supplier To Slash 8,000 Jobs In Cost-Cutting Efforts© Provided by Benzinga
Automotive safety supplier Autoliv Inc (NYSE:ALV) said on Thursday that it will reduce both its direct and indirect workforce by about 11% in an attempt to cut costs.
What Happened: Under the cost-cutting initiative, the company will cut about 6,000 direct positions and 2,000 indirect positions. About 1,000 indirect positions will be reduced solely in Europe wherein the company intends to close several sites.
The first headcount reductions will occur in 2023, the company said in a statement, while adding that the initiative will be completed by 2025.
“The headcount reduction will affect people based in our offices, technical centers, and plants, including leadership positions at all levels," said CEO Mikael Bratt.
Why It Matters: Meanwhile, the company is continuing to negotiate with customers, which includes automakers Ford Motors, Volkswagen and General Motors, among other, on price increases.

 

[Weather Man]

People better start paying attention, but maybe the Green indoctrination has made EV stupidity meltdown inevitable


motor1.com
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Stellantis Limits Allocations Of Combustion-Only Vehicles In 14 States​

Story by Angel Sergeev • 58m ago

Full screen
1 of 12 Photos in Gallery© Motor1.com Copyright

2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe​

2024 Jeep Wrangler Grille© Motor1.com Copyright

You can still buy a gasoline-powered Jeep Wrangler, though.​

Stellantis has reportedly stopped stocking combustion-only vehicles in 14 states around the United States. The decision comes following emissions guidelines set by the California Air Resources Board that exceed nationwide standards. That doesn’t mean that customers in these 14 states won’t be able to order a gasoline-powered vehicle from Stellantis, though.

The automaker announced it has stopped allocations of models with internal combustion engines and no electric support to dealerships unless there are specific customer orders. On the other hand, dealers in non-CARB states are no longer able to receive deliveries of plug-in hybrid models without customer orders.
The states that follow emissions guidelines set by the California Air Resources Board are Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.
"I think many of us expected when the CARB rules actually kick in in 2026 in a meaningful way that we'd have some allocation challenges," Brian Maas, president of the California New Car Dealers Association, told Automotive News. "The fact that it's happening in the middle of 2023 is a bit of a surprise. People are going to go to Reno and Vegas and Phoenix to get ICE Wranglers, if that's what they want."

 

[Weather Man]

Long haul trucking will have to transition to hydrogen to meet the mandates. The gas and oil companies are already setting up the pipeline infrastructure nationwide to meet that demand. If you own gas stations anywhere in the USA, you better be on board with hydrogen or you die. The hydrogen fill up business model means your store stays relevant. Be interesting to watch how consumers roll. I think hydrogen is the clear winner everywhere not a city or that did a bad job installing EV's.
https://carbuzz.com/

CarBuzz
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Toyota Says Next-Gen Fuel Cell Will Be 50 Percent Cheaper By 2026​

Story by Jacob Oliva • 1h ago

Big things are in store for Toyota in the zero tailpipe emission market starting in 2026. The Japanese automaker will roll out its next-generation fuel cell, which promises to deliver a 50 percent fuel cell stack cost reduction, 20 percent more range, and less maintenance compared to diesel engines.

That would be a significant step towards evolving the use of hydrogen in the automotive industry. In the words of Toyota, the price of hydrogen is still high. So to make it commercially available, cost reductions must be introduced, and the brand said it is already working on it.

In a recent technical briefing session, Toyota said it is addressing the rapid market changes in the fuel cell segment with a new organization called Hydrogen Factory. This aims to make quick decisions under a single leader, from sales and marketing to development and production.

 

[Weather Man]

InsideHook
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Rail Cars Could Lead to More Delays in Automotive Sales​

Story by Tobias Carroll • 58m ago



Rail cars© Mario Tama/Getty Images

For car and truck buyers in the United States and elsewhere, the last few years have seen an abundance in delays getting new vehicles to their owners. This included the effects of a chip shortage, which led to a substantial fluctuation in the prices of some used cars. You might have thought that these delays were behind us and that production and delivery days were a thing of the past. Unfortunately, there seems to be yet another delay coming down the track.

Or, in this case, not coming down the track. Citing reports from the Detroit Free Press, Jalopnik points to a shortage in rail cars as something that might have a substantial impact on automotive markets. A recent Jalopnik article cited the staggering figure of 70,000 vehicles for which there are simply not enough rail cars to transport.

The Detroit Free Press cited one industry source who suggested that numerous Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras are in need of transportation and would otherwise be ready to be delivered to dealerships around the country.

Jalopnik’s Lawrence Hodge notes that rail cars designed to transport vehicles already make up a significant portion of the nation’s supply. And, in a conundrum familiar to anyone who has wondered why New York City can’t add more subway cars fast enough, simply buying more rail cars is easier said than done; these types of rail cars take several years to build.

All of which is to say, if you notice more delays in getting new cars to dealers and drivers — there’s a reason for that.

 

[Weather Man]

Interesting reason behind Stellantis pulling lot ICE from CARB states.

MSN

The Delaware Business Times first reported on the issue after finding out a dealer in Delaware "said he received notification last week from the brand’s parent company, Stellantis, that he could not receive regular shipments of two popular Jeep gasoline-powered models to stock on his lot 'because we are considered a ‘California state.'" The models cited were the two-door Wrangler Sport and Wrangler Rubicon, and the four-door Wrangler Sport, Sahara, and Rubicon. Instead, he'd be getting plenty of the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe. The Dodge Durang R/T and SRT trims also joined the dealer's forbidden list. As the story suggests, Delaware hasn't adopted CARB standards yet. State governor John Carney has said he plans on doing so.

Of note, this isn't about the new zero-emissions-vehicle standards coming into force in 2026. The roots of this go back to 2019, when California was duking it out with the Trump administration over the ability to set its own emissions standards. The short story is that the Trump administration rolled back the ramp-up of fuel economy standards set by the previous Obama administration, and had revoked California's EPA waiver allowing the state to set its chosen levels. California went back to the Obama administration standards, then signed agreements with five automakers — Ford, Honda, BMW, and Volkswagen Group of America initially, then adding Volvo — that agreed to abide by a slightly relaxed set of those Obama-era standards for the years 2021 through 2026. The deal was called the California Framework.

Stellantis wouldn't be an official entity until a year later. The automaker asked California in 2021 if it could join the agreement, California turned down the request, saying it wasn't accepting more parties.


That's the history, which brings us to the allocation matter today. The agreement between CARB and the five automakers contained a clause that allowed the automakers to calculate their CARB-state emissions levels using their nationwide sales, not just their sales in CARB states. In the contract's section on Ford, a paragraph 29 states, "Ford agrees to maintain an average yearly reduction in GHG emissions from its fleet sold nationwide (light-duty passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles) for model years 2021 through 2026." That is, Ford's sales of the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E nationwide help offset the emissions of the standard F-150s and Expeditions Ford sells in CARB states. The other four California Framework automakers can do the equivalent with their model lines. Carmakers not a party to the framework have to do the emissions math based only on sales in California and the other 14 states. GM and Toyota aren't parties to the 2019 framework and at first challenged California's rulemaking ability. Both have since agreed to support California's efforts.

 

[Weather Man]

NEW FORD MUSTANG GT3 USES A COYOTE-BASED 5.4L V8 ENGINE© Muscle Cars and Trucks

 

[GTSpartan]

New study: 2 Detroit automakers rank for top quality, while Ford is below average

While more and more people seem to be having problems with their vehicles, two of the Detroit Three automakers are delivering top quality right along with the best Asian and European brands.

Yet Ford and Lincoln products fail to rank among the best in any vehicle segment, and both actually fall below average overall, according to the widely respected 2023 U.S. Initial Quality Study by J.D. Power released Thursday. Results from these studies are often tied to executive performance bonuses because they objectively assess the industry.

Problems with driving didn't change, overall, but quality declined in all other categories, primarily features, controls and displays — followed by infotainment, the study revealed in its 37th year.

General Motors received the most awards for its individual models with seven, while Hyundai won five and Toyota Motor Corp. won four. Meanwhile, Chevrolet and Kia tied with the most vehicle segment awards with four.

The study measures problems per 100 vehicles. So, for example, Dodge ranked as the top brand with 140 customer reported problems per vehicle overall while Buick ranked third with 162 problems. Vehicles have seen a rise, overall, of 30 problems per 100 vehicles over the past two years. Technology plays a role but it's just one factor.

The newer the vehicle, the more hassles and headaches reported by customers, the study showed.

GM ranked higher than Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Land Rover in certain categories. Meanwhile, Ram Truck won the top ranking for light duty pickup truck. Ford and Jeep tied for midsize pickup, based on customer experience.

Results are based on responses received from 93,380 people who purchased or leased new 2023 model-year vehicles who were surveyed early in their ownership period. The 223-question survey taken February through May of this year asked about infotainment, features, controls and displays; exterior; driving assistance; interior; powertrain; seats, driving experience and climate. The study is designed to help automakers identify issues and improve.

Overall, Stellantis held the top three best brand rankings with Dodge, Ram and Alfa Romeo. GM brands Buick, Chevrolet and GMC rounded out the top six. While Lexus scored well, Toyota found itself below average and ranked just above Ford.

These are the winning categories, listed in order of ranking:

Best vehicle brands, mass market​

• Dodge
• Ram
• Buick

Best vehicle brands, premium​

• Alfa Romeo
• Porsche
• Cadillac

Best cars​

• Overall: Nissan Maxima
• Small: Kia Rio
• Small premium: Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz CLA, BMW 2 Series
• Compact premium: Lexus IS, Cadillac CT4, BMW 4 Series
• Compact sporty: MINI Cooper
• Large premium: MBW 8 Series
• Midsize: Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu
• Midsize premium: Kia Stinger, Cadillac CT5, Lexus ES
• Midsize sporty: Chevrolet Camaro
• Premium sporty: Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche 911, Porsche 718
• Upper Midsize premium: Genesis G80, Mercedes Benz E-Class, Audi A6/BMW 5 Series (tie)

Best SUVs​

• Small: Buick Encore GX, Kia Soul, Ford Bronco Sport
• Small premium: Audi C8, Lexus UX, Mercedes-Benz GLA
• Compact: GMC Terrain, Jeep Wrangler, Subaru Forester
• Compact premium: Alfa Romeo Stelvio, BMW X4, Cadillac XT4
• Midsize: Nissan Murano, Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Passport
• Midsize premium: Lexus GX, Lincoln Nautilus, Cadillac XT5
• Upper Midsize: Toyota 4Runner, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia
• Upper Midsize premium: Cadillac XT6, BMW X6, BMW X5
• Large SUV: Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon
• Large premium: Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes-Benz GLS, Land Rover Range Rover

 

[Weather Man]

Ford’s joint venture to build vehicle batteries with South Korean company SK On just received a $9.2 billion boost from the U.S. Energy Department.

The low-cost loan comes from the government's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program and will assist the collaboration in building three new battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky capable of collectively producing more than 120 gigawatt hours annually, the Department of Energy said.

MSN

 

[kazman]

Why are tax dollars being given... oh, nevermind.


Just shoot me.

 

[Weather Man]

Why are tax dollars being given... oh, nevermind.


Just shoot me.

Ford gets lower priced capital and the Feds get EV's faster, win for Biden and the Greens. Win for Ford if people actually buy their EV's.

 

[Weather Man]

Lordstown Motors stock plunges 52% after bankruptcy filing, Foxconn lawsuit​

RIDE -7.21%Jun. 27, 2023 5:24 AM ET6 Comments
Lordstown Motors (NASDAQ:RIDE) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, sending its stock ~52% lower before the bell on Tuesday, and sued Taiwanese electronics contract manufacturer Foxconn (OTCPK:FXCOF) for allegedly reneging on its commitments to the electric vehicle maker.
The automaker stressed that it is debt-free and continues to operate with significant cash on hand.
As part of the Chapter 11 restructuring, Lordstown (RIDE) has begun a sale process for its Endurance truck and related assets. It expects the restructuring will speed up the timeline for hearing its litigation against Foxconn (OTCPK:FXCOF).
"The litigation details Foxconn's (OTCPK:FXCOF) fraud and willful failure to live up to its commercial and financial commitments to the company," Lordstown (RIDE) said in a statement. "Foxconn's actions led to material damage to the company as well as its future prospects."
The lawsuit pertains to a partnership with Foxconn (OTCPK:FXCOF), under which Lordstown (RIDE) agreed to divest its Ohio manufacturing facility to the Taiwanese firm and form a joint vehicle development platform.
Lordstown (RIDE) had paused production of Endurance earlier this year. It later resumed production at a lower rate.
Shares of the EV maker have declined 84% YTD. Last month, Lordstown (RIDE) plunged to an all time low after it issued a going concern warning.

 

[Weather Man]

General Motors acquires battery software startup Algolion​

GM +0.94%Jul. 03, 2023 4:15 AM ET

• General Motors (NYSE:GM) has acquired Israel-based battery software startup Algolion for an undisclosed amount.
• The newly established Technology Acceleration and Commercialization (TAC) unit, a division of GM, was in charge of the acquisition.
• The move aims to leverage Algolion's technology in detecting early defects in batteries and will help the Detroit automaker bring to the market a "cost-effective" early hazard detection system at a quicker pace.
• Algolion has developed a software that uses data from EV battery management systems to help identify anomalies in cell performance and provide early detection of battery hazards including "thermal runaway propagation events", GM said.
• Algolion, founded in 2014, will remain based in Israel and will join more than 850 employees at GM's Technical Center.
• GM Israel is an essential component of the company's Global Product Development Group.

 

[Weather Man]

Panasonic requires 4 more EV battery factories to bolster capacity- report​

PCRFF +3.33%Jul. 03, 2023 7:38 AM ET
Panasonic Energy would have to set up four more factories to meet its target for a sharp increase in annual capacity of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) by 2031, Reuters reported citing the company's Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Shoichiro Watanabe
Watanabe, executive vice president and CTO of Panasonic Energy, a unit of Panasonic (OTCPKCRFF) (OTCPKCRFY), are the Tesla (TSLA) supplier's first clear hints of the number of additional facilities it will require.
These indications could also bolster expectations of additional investment by Japanese companies in the U.S., after a deal the two countries signed in March which would be important to broaden access for Japanese producers to U.S. EV tax credits, the report added.
Watanabe, however, did not provide specific locations, time frames or the size of investments.
In May, Panasonic had announced accelerated plans to expand production of EV batteries at a factory in Nevada jointly operated with Tesla. Last year, the company revealed plans for a multibillion-dollar investment in a battery factory in De Soto, Kansas.
Watanabe had shown openness to potential joint ventures for EV battery manufacturing, with automaker Mazda Motor (OTCPK:MZDAY) (OTCPK:MZDAF) among others, citing the dynamic nature of such projects in which investment is no longer borne by battery makers alone.
In June, Mazda and Panasonic Energy agreed to start discussing a supply partnership for automotive cylindrical lithium-ion batteries aimed at EVs.
The report noted that Panasonic had said it is focusing on North America to bolster up capacity for manufacturing of 4680 batteries, the newest cells liked by Tesla's CEO Elon Musk.
Previously the company noted that it intented to build at least two new factories for 4680 manufaturing in North America by 2030, according to the report.

 

[Weather Man]

Stellantis makes deeper push into electric vehicles with new manufacturing platform​

STLA -1.54%Jul. 05, 2023 2:43 PM ET3 Comments
Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) unveiled its first global battery electric design platform on Wednesday. The automaker said the STLA Medium Platform will feature a best-in-class range of 435 miles, energy efficiency, as well as embedded power and charging power.
The STLA Medium platform will be able to host a variety of vehicles and propulsion configurations in the heart of the market, the C- and D-segments, which accounted for 35M in sales in 2022. The platform is expected to have the capacity for two million vehicles per year across several plants, starting in Europe this year. The first vehicle off the platform will be the next generation of what is now called the Peugeot 3008 crossover SUV. The platform is expected to be brought to North America and could power future Jeep models.
Digging into the details, the STLA Medium platform was designed to use a 400-volt electric architecture and give vehicle owners best in class energy efficiency. Owners will be able to take their battery from 20% to 80% charge in 27 minutes, which works out to a rate of 2.4 kWh per minute.
"What we see today is the product of just over two years of no-compromise innovation to deliver clean, safe, and affordable mobility, supported by our €30 billion investment in electrification and software through 2025," stated Stellantis (STLA) CEO said Carlos Tavares.
What to watch: European auto giant Stellantis N.V. (STLA) is expected to reveal an electric car in mid-October priced at €25K as it jumps further into the fight for mass market EV share. The new Citroën e-C3 model is reported to have a 320-kilometer range and a 57-minute fast charge capability. Citroën expects to make pre-bookings available by the end of this year and sees deliveries starting in the second quarter of 2024.

 

[GTSpartan]

Ford sales climb 11% in 2nd quarter, driven by gas-powered trucks, hybrids

Ford Motor Co. maintained its spot in the second quarter of 2023 as a top-selling brand and top-selling truck manufacturer in the United States, driven primarily by its internal combustion engine pickup trucks, according to the company's sales report released Thursday.

Total Ford vehicle sales climbed 11.2% to 511,538 vehicles in the second quarter of 2023 compared with the same period a year ago, driven primarily by the strength of its trucks.

Overall for 2023, Ford sales went up 9.9% to 531,662 from a year ago, and up 10% to 1,007,568. Super Duty pickups continue to play a major role in making F-Series a top seller...........

 

[Weather Man]

According to ClickOnDetroit, Ford Next CEO Franck Dominique Louis-Victor has been arrested over his involvement in “a domestic violence altercation” that led to two charges of “arson — preparation to burn property worth between $1,000 and $20,000 and assault with a dangerous weapon.” He’s accused of attempting to set two handbags on fire, each of which was worth about $10,000.

Louis-Victor is reportedly being held on a $25,000 bond. He will have a probable cause conference on July 18 and a preliminary examination on July 25. When asked for a comment, a Ford spokesperson said, “We are aware of what has been reported in the press, but it would be inappropriate to comment on personal matters.”

On LinkedIn, Ford Next bills itself as “[a] global venture studio focused on Ford’s next 120 years.” According to his company profile, it “incubates & launches vehicle-adjacent business ventures that create value for Ford.” Which mostly means developing autonomous vehicles and relevant technology related to AVs. Louis-Victor was brought on as CEO two years ago in July of 2021. He is also Ford’s New Businesses Platform VP.

MSN