GM’s Troubles with Bolt EV Grow as it Recalls 73K More Vehicles

Posted on August 20, 2021 by admin

General Motors’ problems with the Chevrolet Bolt EV keep expanding, the company announcing late Friday it’s including an additional 73,000 vehicles in the recall.

2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV — GM added another 73,000 Chevy Bolt EVs to the recall list with the older models.

The new models include the 2019 cars not included in the first action as well as all of the 2020-2022 EVs. A defect in the battery can cause the vehicles to catch fire. The company already recalled more than 69,000 2017-2019 models for the problem — at a cost of about $800 million to replace the batteries.

Now, the additional 70K-plus electric vehicles basically account for all of the Bolts produced. The company said add $1 billion to the earlier total, bringing the overall cost to fix the problem to just about $1.8 billion.

“In rare circumstances, the batteries supplied to GM for these vehicles may have two manufacturing defects — a torn anode tab and folded separator — present in the same battery cell, which increases the risk of fire,” the company said in a statement released Friday.

“Out of an abundance of caution, GM will replace defective battery modules in Chevrolet Bolt EVs and EUVs with new modules, with an expected additional cost of approximately $1 billion.”

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV — The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt is now part of the ongoing recall of the company’s electric vehicles.

Trying to resolve the problem

The company attempted to resolve the issue with the initial recall, believing a software tweak could settle it. However, two more vehicles caught fire — one after getting the update — forcing GM to issue a recall again to replace the batteries in the initial pool of affected vehicles.

As owners waited, it asked them to park their vehicles away from outside of their garages or other buildings after charging. It also recommended the vehicles not be charged past 90% capacity — all to no avail.

Apparently, after further investigation, the company discovered the issue affected newer models outside of the original pool of 2017-2019 model-year vehicles.

GM confirmed to CNBC there has been one fire in the new population of recalled vehicles. Including the previous confirmed fires from in the first round of recalled vehicles, a total of 10 of the EVs have caught fire.

charred Chevy Bolt in garage — One of the two recent Bolt fires included a vehicle that completed the software update.

The company continues to ask affected Bolt EV owners to set their vehicles to a 90% state of charge limitation using Hilltop Reserve mode (for 2017-2018 model years) or Target Charge Level (for 2019 model year) mode.

Earlier plan fails to solve the problem

GM said earlier the high-voltage batteries being recalled were produced in South Korean battery manufacturer LG Chem’s facility in Ochang, South Korea.

The company disclosed July 23, along with LG Chem, it identified the presence of two manufacturing defects in the same battery cell as the root cause of battery fires in certain Bolt EVs. GM described the defects as “rare” by GM.

LG Energy Solutions, a wholly owned LG Chem battery subsidiary, said in a statement to Reuters it “will actively cooperate to ensure that the recall measures are carried out smoothly.”

Last month, GM disclosed it was taking an $800 million charge to cover the cost of the recall of the battery electric vehicles.

Farewell Acura NSX: But Acura Sends Off Hybrid Supercar in Style

Posted on August 3, 2021 by admin

It’s a classic good news/bad news scenario: Acura set to introduce a special edition of its NSX at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance later this month. Unfortunately, the limited-edition NSX Type-S will mark the end of the run for the hybrid supercar.

2022 Acura NSX Type S smoking tire teaser — Acura’s pulled the plug on the NSX, but it’s going to go out in style with the limited edition Type S.

These are tough times for sedans, coupes and sports cars, with millions of American motorists – and more and more abroad – switching to SUVs and CUVs. Just yesterday, Toyota announced it will pull the plug on its flagship Avalon sedan. Now, Acura is giving the NSX a final hurrah. But if it has to go, the sports car is going to do so in a blaze of glory.

The Type-S will deliver “an even higher performance envelope and a more emotional driving experience,” Acura said in a statement. Specs have yet to be released but that would strongly suggest this limited-edition will deliver more than the 573 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque the “base” Acura NSX currently makes.

Limited run – most bound for the U.S.

Acura is billing the Type-S as a “collectible,” in line with the special NSX Zanardi it produced back in 1999, shortly before it killed off the original version of the sports car.

A total of 350 Type-S models will be produced, 300 of them earmarked for the U.S., Acura announced. If you’re interested, the company said, “The limited run supercar will be available for customer orders beginning August 12 at Acura.com/NSX.”

Sales of the current-generation NSX never quite met initial expectations, and have faded into insignificance since its return in mid-2016. American motorists purchased just 138 in 2020, with dealers delivering a mere 16 this past June. But it was, nonetheless, a significant and influential product.

2022 Acura NSX Type S side teaser — There will be just 350 NSX Type S models made, 300 are coming to the U.S.

The original 1990 model was the first Japanese supercar and achieved a number of breakthroughs, starting with its lightweight aluminum body. Production was halted in 2005 and Acura spent a decade trying to figure out how to bring NSX back to market. It tinkered with a variety of different powertrain alternatives before settling in on a hybrid system pairing a twin-turbocharged V-6 with three electric motors, one in back, the others driving the front-wheel.

Hybrid power

The internal combustion system provided a peak 500 horsepower, the front motors 34 hp each. The back motor added another 47 ponies. (And don’t try to do the math; the V-6 and the electric motors hit peak hp and torque at different RPMs.) That was enough to launch the NSX from 0-60 in 2.7 seconds, with a top speed of 191 mph.

As tough as it was on the street, the NSX was also a force to be reckoned with on the track, Acura’s statement noting that, “The second-generation NSX has also dominated on the racetrack, with the NSX GT3 Evo winning the 2019 and 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship titles in the GTD class, and the 2019 Super GT driver’s and manufacturer’s championships in the GT300 class in Japan. NSX also currently holds the Hybrid record in the Time Attack 1 division of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, set in 2020 by James Robinson, and the production vehicle record at the Grand Prix of Long Beach street circuit, set in 2019 by Peter Cunningham.”

2022 Acura NSX Type S starting line teaser — The limited edition Type S puts out 573 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque.

While the NSX may be going away, its influence will continue to be felt. A less aggressive version of its Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive, or SH-AWD, system appears on several products, including the MDX. And both Acura and its mainstream sibling, Honda, have changed their approach to using hybrid power. Where the emphasis was solely on fuel economy in the days of the original Honda Insight, more of their products now use battery assistance to enhance performance — the Honda CR-V Hybrid the most powerful version of that compact CUV.

An all-electric future

Is there a future for the NSX? Could it yet again rise from the dead? The automaker leaves us speculating it isn’t ready to walk away from the legendary badge.

“Acura is a performance brand, a company of enthusiasts, and we will continue moving forward, actively investigating what the next generation of sports cars should be in an electrified era.” said Jon Ikeda, vice president and Acura brand officer.

Considering what we’re seeing from brands as diverse as Dodge, Tesla and Ferrari, an all-electric Acura NSX could, indeed, be something to watch out for.

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A Third of New Vehicle Buyers Want a Self-Driving Car in Next 10 Years

Posted on June 24, 2021 by admin

The ongoing will-they-or-won’t-they when it comes to consumer acceptance of autonomous vehicles keeps inching its way toward “they will” as consumers begin to come to terms with self-driving technology.

Tesla’s Autopilot offers hands-free capabilities, but it’s at the center of an investigation by federal safety regulators after several crashes.

A new study by CarGurus.com shows 34% of new car shoppers expect to own an autonomous vehicle within the next decade. During the past two years, it’s become clear that consumers are more knowledgeable about autonomous vehicles, researchers found.

However, this gained insight doesn’t mean that more people are excited about the technology, just that they are becoming more at ease with the idea. When asked how comfortable they were with the advancement of self-driving technology, 37% were neutral and 33% expressed excitement. In 2019, 31% of consumers were neutral and 32% excited.

According to the study, it appears respondents still want to maintain control of their vehicle with 53% preferring to remain the driver of a self-driving car. They are least comfortable (20%) sharing the roads with self-driving delivery trucks or fleets — one of the primary benefits of the technology, according to those developing the technology.

J.B. Hunt rig — J.B. Hunt is teaming with Waymo to develop self-driving vehicle technology. It’s this scenario that most concerned people in a recent study.

Neutrality equals buyers?

“This year’s Self-Driving Vehicle Sentiment Survey from CarGurus makes clear that autonomous vehicles’ tech offerings need to align with how people want to use them,” said Madison Gross, director of Customer Insights at CarGurus.

“While there is hesitancy around self-driving technology, how consumers envision themselves using the technology would require full autonomy — which is still a goal that the industry is striving toward. Until then, shoppers are looking for driving technology that helps them stay in control, rather than technology that takes total control.”

The findings reveal the conflict potential buyers feel as 45% said they are excited by the leap forward in the technology, but 51% still harbored concerns about safety. Tesla — despite the continuing controversy and investigation by federal safety regulators surrounding Autopilot semi-autonomous technology — is the company respondents have the most faith in developing self-driving cars at 34 percent.

Ongoing testing by companies like Cruise appears to be increasing the comfort level of consumers with autonomous technology.

Tesla was followed by Apple (8%) and Toyota (7%).

The ultimate trust fall

However, nearly two in 10 respondents do not trust any brand to do so, and with 56% wanting brands to bear the responsibility in the case of any accidents, there is a long way to go to earn consumers’ trust. Tesla is also the top AV brand that shoppers would consider with 54%, followed by Toyota (35%) and BMW (32%).

In spite of the trust issues, consumers are still optimistic about autonomous vehicles. More than half (56%) of respondents would use AVs to drive them home safely when unable to do so themselves and 42% would want their self-driving car to be able to park itself.

However, consumers are more focused on helpful technology — where they still have some control. They expressed the most interest in advanced driver-assistance systems like back-up cameras (39%) and blind-spot monitoring (56%), features that many cars already have (42% and 17% of drivers respectively report already owning them).

Highway Safety Advocates Claim Latest Transportation Legislation Too Lax

Posted on June 15, 2021 by admin

Every five years, the U.S. Congress tackles issues regarding the regulation and safety of the nation’s roadways through the Surface Transportation Act — the latest version is woefully inadequate on multiple levels contends a group of politicians and safety advocates.

The proposed Auto Safety & Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021, introduced by Senate Commerce Committee fails to address critical areas and could roll back key regulations about the age and working hours of commercial truckers, according to safety advocates.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), safety advocates, and families affected by truck crashes, faulty child safety seats and child hot car deaths, said during a virtual press conference the proposed legislation to address long-standing issues around the death of children in hot cars with new alarms and the failure of car seats in rear-end crashes where an occupant is thrown forward and then back with new, inexpensive fixes is not acceptable.

Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, which pushes for tighter regulation, also said automatic emergency braking must become mandatory equipment on every vehicle sold in the United States.

With the toll from road accidents rising — 39,000 deaths and 3 million injuries last year — the Surface Transportation Bill should require vehicles to be equipped proven crash avoidance technology that can detect and respond to pedestrians, bicyclists and other vulnerable roads users with a date certain for compliance Clegg said.

Improving truck safety critical

The trucking industry is working to stifle the requirements, while carmakers are looking to protect the business they have developed by “upselling” AEB technology as part of option packages rather than making it available on every vehicle they sell, she said.

In addition, the trucking companies are pushing for longer hours and reducing the age requirement for commercial licenses to 18 from 21.

Stephen Loesche, who works on regulatory issues for Teamster Union, said the effort to increase the hours of service and lower the age of drivers increase the risk to union members. Half of the union 1.4 million members are employed as drivers and driving a truck is already the most dangerous job in America.

More than 5,000 people now die every year in car truck crashes, he said, and the younger truck drivers are six times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash. Meanwhile, the drivers of the delivery trucks do not even have to meet the physical requirements needed to quality for a Class 8 Commercial license, safety advocates note.

Driver monitoring needed

Safety advocates want vehicles to be equipped with driver monitoring systems by a date certain to prevent automation complacency and curb leading crash causes including distracted, impaired and drowsy driving

The new legislation also should require improvements to hood and bumper standards by a date certain to better protect bicyclists and pedestrians.

Expand protections for issues associated with keyless ignition switches to address rollaways and curb carbon monoxide poisoning. The legislation also requires and update safety databases and an overdue update of the New Car Assessment to Program (NCAP) to adequately address the safety of VRUs. It also should prevent vehicles with unrepaired safety recalls from being sold, leased or loaned.

GM Looking at New Vehicle Market: The Moon

Posted on May 26, 2021 by admin

General Motors is looking to go to the moon again.

GM Lockheed Martin lunar terrain vehicle — A new generation of lunar rovers under development by Lockheed Martin and GM could be used by Artemis astronauts in 2024.

The Detroit-based auto company, which produced the lunar rover for the Apollo 15 mission to the moon, is partnering with Lockheed Martin to develop and produce a “lunar terrain vehicle,” or LTV, for use by for NASA’s Artemis program.

The goal is to design and build a vehicle that allows astronauts explore more of the moon’s surface “than ever before,” according to GM officials. The LTV is just the first of several types of vehicles needed to help get astronauts across the moon’s surface.

“General Motors made history by applying advanced technologies and engineering to support the Lunar Rover Vehicle that the Apollo 15 astronauts drove on the Moon,” said Alan Wexler, senior vice president of Innovation and Growth at GM, in a statement.

“Working together with Lockheed Martin and their deep-space exploration expertise, we plan to support American astronauts on the Moon once again.”

EV expertise + experience = LTV job

NASA astronauts at lunar South Pole — NASA needs a vehicle capable of traveling the lunar South Pole.

GM enjoys the advantage of having done this before. It aided NASA in the development of the agency’s Apollo Moon program, having developed, tested, integrated and produced the inertial guidance and navigation systems for the series, in particular Apollo that put astronauts on the moon for the first time in 1969.

Additionally, it helped to develop the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) for Apollo 15-17. The all-electric LRV never drove farther away from NASA’s based than 4.7 miles during its time on the moon’s surface. Fortunately, GM’s electric vehicle technology has advanced substantially since then.

The new vehicles aim to travel “significantly farther distances,” including the moon’s South Pole, which is cold and dark with severely rugged terrain. The vehicles will also need to be able to haul plenty of equipment in addition to people. NASA, according to reports, is looking for a vehicle to be able to travel about 600 miles on a charge and about 6,000 miles in a 42-day period.

The GMC Hummer SUT, which is set to debut later this year, recently went through some extreme winter testing, which may lend the company’s engineers some much-needed insight into how their current battery technology will fare in the far-colder reaches of space.

Hyundai TIGER X-1 on the moon — A rendering shows how the Hyundai TIGER X-1 could maneuver across the moon.

Not the only automaker with lunar plans

GM isn’t the only auto company working on lunar vehicles, in fact, it may be described as the latest to prepare a vehicle to be driven on the moon. Earlier this year, Hyundai unveiled its autonomous, all-electric TIGER X-1, which it claimed could be used on the moon.

However, Toyota’s been working diligently with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, to develop a new lunar rover for its moon mission in 2030. The automaker started the project in 2019 and proceeded quickly enough that it expressed hope that NASA would use its vehicle for the 2024 mission to the moon.

The Lunar Cruiser, as Toyota calls it, is a six-wheeled, hydrogen-powered rover, and it made it clear that while the project began as a JAXA-inspired vehicle, it hoped the U.S. space agency would take notice.

“We have now found a new ‘road,’ which is the moon. And for this new road, we will be able to make a new vehicle,” Takao Sato, project head of Toyota’s Lunar Exploration Mobility Works and a former interior design engineer who worked on the Prius hybrid, told Automotive News. “This is a dream for us.”

Toyota is developing a lunar land rover that the company hopes NASA will use for a 2024 lunar mission.

Audi also prepared a remote-controlled buggy to be used on the moon in 2016. The German maker supported a team of scientists chasing the Xprize, hoping to launch their mobile lab atop an Indian rocket. The goal was to have it travel nearly a quarter-million miles before landing on the Taurus Littrow Valley — which just happened to be the last place an Apollo moon mission landed nearly 50 years ago.

GM’s first lunar models

The company’s first LRVs were battery-powered four-wheelers that they stripped down as much as possible to permit them to be loaded onto a Saturn V rocket for launch. They also folded so they could be loaded in the cargo back of the Apollo mission’s Lunar Excursion Module, or LEM.

Power was provided by what was, for the time, a highly sophisticated 36-volt silver-zinc potassium hydroxide batteries. They weren’t rechargeable, which didn’t matter on a one-way mission like Apollo — that’s likely to change this time around. The key was the battery pack’s durability in the moon’s devastating environment. Maximum range was 57 miles, though the longest distance driven was 22.3 miles on Apollo 17 – with the astronauts never getting more than 4.7 miles from their LEM base.

The first vehicles were somewhat purpose-built models, but GM is expected to develop — in concert with Lockheed Martin — a variety of vehicles. Autonomous, self-driving systems will allow the rovers to prepare for human landings, provide commercial payload services, and enhance the range and utility of scientific payloads and experiments.Lockheed, which will be leading this effort, has produced vehicles used for every Mars mission thus far, including the 11 spacecraft that has carried the rovers used on the Martian surface to the Red Planet.

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Aston Martin’s New CEO Takes the Wheel

Posted on May 14, 2021 by admin

Having been owned by any number of automakers and industrialists, Aston Martin Lagonda is once more getting a new lease of life.

The crisis-prone automaker barely skirted bankrupt for the eighth time last year, thanks to a cash infusion by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll and an increase in Daimler AG’s equity stake to 20%, up from 2.6 percent.

New Aston CEO Tobias Moers came over after leading Mercedes-AMG.

This was followed by the August arrival of the firm’s newest CEO, Tobias Moers, the former chief executive officer of Mercedes-AMG.

A new chief executive and new goals

Moers came to Aston Martin Lagonda after more than 25 years at Daimler AG, most recently as Chairman of the Management Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Technical Officer of Mercedes-AMG. During his tenure, Mercedes-AMG more than doubled its product portfolio and quadrupled the number of AMG units sold as part of a financially successful brand management strategy.

The move comes as Stroll, now Aston Martin Lagonda Executive Chairman, is looking to attain annual sales of 10,000 units, and achieve earnings of 500 million pounds, or $704.6 million, on annual revenues of 2 billion pounds, or $2.8 billion, by 2025. For now, merely securing a profit would be notable.

Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll bailed out Aston Martin and is now executive chairman.

Aston Martin posted a first-quarter loss of 42.2 million pounds, or $59 million; that’s down from the 110-million-pound loss, or $153 million, from the same period last year. But revenue increased to 244 million pounds, or $340 million, a 153% increase year-over-year.

Action plan

The improving financial picture comes as Moers puts his plans into action by selling excess inventory, simplifying production, revising its product strategy, and entering into a technology agreement with Mercedes-AMG, which already supplies engines to Aston Martin, a point of contention with some brand enthusiasts, even though Aston Martin hasn’t designed and built its own engines from scratch since the 1960s.

“It is our obligation to fix the business and the company to get on a much more efficient level to produce and manufacture cars,” Moers said, during a recent interview with TheDetroitBureau.com from the company’s Gaydon, Warwickshire headquarters.

“A company like us, you cannot run your own electrical architecture, it’s impossible. You’re not going to be able to be pay the bill for that. A Vantage could give a good margin, but we have to fix the business around us.”

This snarling V-12 puts out 1,000 horsepower and 11,000 rpms and it powers the new Aston Martin Valkyrie.

Moers is looking for the company’s production to be driven by demand, rather than wholesale supplying dealers with cars. “We started into the year close to 3,000 cars in stock,” Moers said, “and this is not good.”

This explains why Moers will be keeping its two production facilities, in Gaydon, England and Saint Athan, Wales, but closing Gaydon’s paint shop. Saint Athan’s shop is new and can handle 10,000 units a year — more than enough to accommodate the 4,000 vehicles a year Moers sees as the brand’s natural demand.

Looking ahead

Beyond what’s on the ground, Moers is streamlining future products by cancelling the hybrid V-6 planned for the Valhalla mid-engine supercar, and replacing it with a Mercedes-AMG hybrid electrified powertrain that will produce 1,000 horsepower.

The Valkyrie, powered by a Cosworth-built V-12, is expected later this year, along with a mild hybrid version of the DBX, followed next year by a high-performance variant. And look for the Vantage, DB11 and DBS to receive mid-cycle facelifts. Further out, the company is planning to produce a fully electric Aston Martin, as well as vehicles based on the DBX platform.

The Aston Martin Valkyrie takes the British brand into a new realm of performance.

“It is not a challenge to bring all these products to life, that’s not the challenge,” Moers said. “But rebuild the brand and get a clear definition of what Aston Martin stands for? That’s one of the challenges, but we have a clear plan to do that.”

The new CEO said that the company’s IPO amidst crumbling finances caused consumers to doubt the firm’s continued existence, which is now assured, he said.

“The ultimate goal for us is turning Aston Martin into a self-sufficient company, a self-maintaining company. You can see the strength of the brand. Everybody knows what Aston Martin is; but what does Aston Martin stand for? For sure we could be Ferrari competitors, but I don’t want to talk about being a competitor. We have to define our own path.”

However, that path doesn’t include a takeover by Daimler.

“There is no hidden agenda. I’m not here because they’re going to the buy whole company; that’s not the reason I’m here,” Moers said. “There are some cars out there which we count as a true competitor; their life is a bit too easy at the moment.”

Look for that to change.

Q&A: Green Car Pioneer Ron Cogan Offers Sage Insights

Posted on May 3, 2021 by admin

Green Car Journal Publisher Ron Cogan at the 2020 Green Car Awards. He’s been covering the shift to environmentally friendly vehicles for three decades.

The automobile has transformed we live, work and play. Unfortunately, it’s also had a seriously detrimental impact on Planet Earth. And now, as it becomes more crucial to address issues like climate change, the automobile is in the crosshairs.

That’s a message many have come to just lately. Not Ron Cogan. The veteran automotive journalist was among the first to recognize the need to clean up the car, in 1992 launching Green Car Journal. Where some have focused exclusively on electrified vehicles, pure battery-electric models, in particular, Cogan and his magazine have looked at all the various green car technologies that have come — and, in many cases, gone — during the past three decades.

The latest issue of Green Car Journal focuses specifically on battery-electric vehicles. But, as is Cogan’s style, it takes a pragmatic, even somewhat skeptical, look at this potentially game-changing technology, recognizing there are still many challenges to be overcome before BEVs can clearly replace the time-tested internal combustion engine.

Cogan spoke to TheDetroitBureau.com about his years covering the green car world and what he sees coming in the years ahead.

Cogan’s enjoyed a front-row seat, watching and writing about the shift from ICE-powered vehicles to electrified models in the U.S.

TheDetroitBureau: These days, everyone is writing about electric vehicles but you’ve been at this for a long time, haven’t you? And don’t you take something of a broader look when it comes to environmentally friendly vehicles?

Ron Cogan: Green Car Journal, which launched in 1992, has been all about options, everything that’s happening in the green space, whether it’s methanol, ethanol and natural gas, even high fuel-efficiency gasoline. Now, there’s a huge push towards electrification. It wasn’t our call to tell people what to drive. With our 30^th birthday coming up we wanted to let people read different opinions from industry leaders.

TDB: We now have General Motors CEO Mary Barra setting a transition to all-electric vehicles and announcing a second battery plant. Is this the year of the tipping point for battery-electric vehicles?

Cogan: I would agree there’s a tipping point going on in the sense that there’s a major commitment by a lot of automakers. It’s gone beyond lip service. For the industry, the tipping point is here. The question is whether it is a consumer tipping point yet. Only so many people are willing to step up to pure electric vehicles. More see a hybrid as the way to go because it’s so seamless, and some to plug-in hybrids. But have we reached a tipping point for consumers? I’m not so sure.

Cogan notes that hybrids provide a level of convenience that pure EVs cannot.

TDB: Yet BEVs do seem to be gaining a lot of momentum.

Cogan: Well, the range issues is being overcome to a large degree, But even with 250 miles, on a long trip you have to plan ahead (to find places to charge), which is why I think plug-in hybrids are going to be pretty huge. When you can’t plug in you’re not limited, so I think that category is really going to expand. With a plug-in you can do everyday driving in electric but switch to internal combustion when you have to go farther. I think it’s a win-win. And it will get more people into buying electric vehicles.

TDB: I find that the best way to promote electric vehicles is to get people into electric vehicles. They’re often surprised by the performance, for one thing.

Cogan: Yeah, today’s electric vehicles are pretty amazing given what they offer — everything a combustion vehicle can offer and more. The launch in an electric vehicle can be pretty exciting and some companies, like Tesla, are keying in on that, talking about how they can beat a Ferrari on track and all that. I think that’s surprising a lot of people.

Cogan is quick to note that EVs are not the only way to improve the efficiency of vehicles. His publication’s honored several diesels.

TDB: I have more and more people asking if this is the right time to buy an electric vehicle. Many worry that, like with an iPhone, if they buy today something better will soon come out and they’ll regret it. What would you tell them?

Cogan: The technology, the range, all of that will improve over time, as will the cost which will continue to go down incrementally. So, it’s a tough question. If you find the right vehicle that appeals to you, it makes sense, go ahead and buy the vehicle. There are some great choices out there now and there are going to be more coming up. The jump to 250 miles (which most new BEVs are offering) is huge and there are going to be more and more charging stations coming online. True, the nature of it is that there’s always going to be something better. But do you never buy an electric vehicle because of that?

TDB: Doesn’t that make an argument for leasing, rather than buying? You can move to something newer and better in a few years — and not worry about trade-in values.

Cogan: I think leasing is the ideal way to go with electric vehicles. It means you don’t have to take as much of a risk. You know what your payments are. You know when you’re going to turn it in. And then, you can move on to the next generation of electric vehicles. Leasing takes the risk out.

Green Car Publisher Ron Cogan, Chevy Marketing Director Steve Mojoras and the 2016 Volt, which was honored by the Green Car Awards.

TDB: Let’s talk about batteries — in particular, next-generation batteries. Honda, Ford and others are all talking about solid-state batteries (which supposedly will be lighter, deliver longer range and shorter charging times and even reduce the risk of fire). Are they real? And will they live up to expectations?

Cogan: It seems that if solid-state comes close to all the promises it would put BEVs over the top, making all the difference in the world. Solid-state, from what we hear, is the ideal technology.

TDB: What would you estimate will be the BEV share of the market by 2030? And could it be even bigger than people are forecasting now?

Cogan: It’s tough to make a prediction, and I try to avoid that. But automakers and other interests are pushing for them and there’s a lot of interest in setting up a nationwide rapid charging network. All of that takes us in the direction where we know there’s going to be significantly more electric vehicles sold by then. But many things could influence the fate of gasoline vehicles. How’s the price of gas? If gas prices stay low there’ll be less incentive for electric vehicles. Technology will influence things. A recession could, as well. Legislation clearly will have an influence, especially if it’s a disincentive to drive on gasoline.

Honda has been at the forefront of fuel-cell vehicles with the Clarity.

TDB: On the subject of politics, the Biden administration wants to have 500,000 charging stations in place by 2030. Could that mean a faster growth rate for electric?

Cogan: If we get the range to drive on battery like you would on gasoline and you have a network of rapid chargers, suddenly, your functionality is increased exponentially. But there’s no way yet to know if the government is going to create (that public charging network). Administrations change. Agendas change. So, I don’t put stock into what you can count on as far as legislation matters.

TDB: But the Biden administration is clearly making a lot of proposals to promote electric vehicles. Do you like what you’re seeing?

Cogan: Yeah, as far as I can tell. I mean, we’re going to see how this all unfolds. This administration has a more proactive agenda for environmental issues in general and clean cars, specifically, than the previous administration. But I have to say you can’t always count on that. Back under the Obama administration, he wanted a million electric vehicles by 2015. It was never going to happen because there weren’t enough vehicles to make it happen. (But) I look at all of these things (Biden is proposing) as positive … a direction that seems to make sense for electrified vehicles.

Cogan drove a GM EV1 for a full year.

TDB: You started publishing Green Car Journal in 1992. Looking back on the last three decades, what were biggest surprises, the things you didn’t count on early on?

Cogan: One of the milestones was the debut of the GM Impact prototype and then the actual production of the GM EV1, I drove one of those for a year. It was an amazing car to be in on the evolution of electric vehicles. It was also interesting to note how hydrogen was big and then (see automakers) backpedaling, Now they’re interested in hydrogen again. It’s gaining momentum again.

One of the (other) things that surprises me is that we’re seeing such a push for electrification, at the extreme high end of both luxury vehicles and sports cars and exotics.

TDB: To wrap up, is the age of the internal combustion engine coming to an end?

Cogan: I don’t think you can discount internal combustion because it keeps getting better and better. And I don’t think you can discount hybrids and plug-in hybrids and focus just on battery-electric vehicles. Those are all a big part of the solution. It may have narrowed from when we started publishing. It’s no longer really about ethanol and natural gas and propane. It’s really about electrification and significantly more efficient internal combustion engines — and a combination of the two. It’s going to be even more exciting in the years ahead seeing how it will play out.

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SEC Investigating VW Due to the “Voltswagen” Stunt

Posted on April 30, 2021 by admin

The “Voltswagen” April Fool’s Day prank has led to an investigation by the SEC.

What started out as a “humorous” advertising and marketing ploy could land German automaker Volkswagen in serious trouble with the federal government.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is apparently looking into VW’s “Voltswagen” marketing stunt to determine if it hurt company stock prices and may have broken any U.S. securities laws, according to German news outlet Der Spiegel.

The incident in question dates back to March 29. As a sort of early April Fool’s Day prank (and marketing ploy), VW “accidentally” released a rough draft of a press release declaring the company was going to change its name to “Voltswagen” as part of a larger effort to promote its ever-growing line-up of electric vehicles (EVs).

This action was picked up by the worldwide automotive press and on March 30 VW issued an official press release to several news outlets, including the Associated Press, confirming the leaked statement from the day before.

This action resulted in VW’s stock price going up. At one point it was 12.5% above its price before the whole incident.

SEC looking at jump in stock price

VW of America President Scott Keogh took responsibility for the poorly received April Fools’ prank that wasn’t on April 1.

This is what caught the attention of the SEC, taking what many considered a fairly unfunny publicity ruse to a possible federal offense.

After the April Fool’s stunt failed in the eyes of the media and the public, VW issued a press statement saying the releases were actually part of a larger tradition in which companies often issue prank statements.

This one just meant to also focus the world’s attention on VW’s growing EV portfolio.

But public statements that affect stock prices usually don’t get an “April Fools” immunity. An SEC investigation could result in charges against the company.

Several news organizations, including The New York Times and Reuters, have asked for a comment from VW. So far, the company has declined to issue one.

Just one of many VW legal scandals

This is not the first time VW has gotten into trouble for the way it conducts its business.

Oh those wacky Germans!! As quickly as it got here, VW took it away: Voltswagen is the company that never was.

In October 2015, as Volkswagen struggled to deal with its diesel emissions scandal, new data raised questions about whether the automaker properly reported death and injury claims to U.S. regulators during the past decade.

A study by the financial advisory firm Stout Risius Ross Inc., found that Volkswagen of America reported nine times fewer deaths and injuries than the average of the 11 largest automakers operating in the U.S. market. Significantly, VW reported less than half as many incidents as either Fiat Chrysler or Honda, both of which have been fined for underreporting their own death and injury data.

Back in September 2015, the EPA accused the German maker of using a so-called “defeat devices,” software designed to fool government emissions tests, on a variety of luxury models from the Audi and Porsche brands. The feds charged VW took steps to cover up excess emissions on 482,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. during a 7-year period.

The end result was VW paying billions of dollars in fines to various governments around the world. The company also faced numerous consumer lawsuits that further cost the company money.

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Lyft Sells Self-Driving Business Unit to Toyota for $500 Million

Posted on April 27, 2021 by admin

Lyft has been using the autonomous prototypes in the Las Vegas market.

Lyft Inc. sold its autonomous vehicle technology unit, Level 5, to Toyota Motor Co. for $550 million, following the lead of its rival, Uber Inc.

The company launched Level 5 in 2017 to build a self-driving system for its network of vehicles. The goal, ultimately, was to eliminate the need for drivers. The company grew to nearly 400 employees, but as Lyft continues to lose money overall, it needed to find ways to end its string of quarterly losses.

Not only will it get $550 million from Toyota, it will also stop funneling multiple millions of dollars into a development project with no finish line in sight for a payoff. Lyft gets $200 million immediately and the remaining $350 million will be paid in installments during the next five years.

Uber finalized a similar deal last fall, selling its autonomous vehicle unit called Advanced Technology Group to Aurora led by former Waymo chief Chris Urmson for $400 million.

Immediate financial relief

Lyft has provided 100,000 self-driving rides as part of its autonomous technology development.

The ride-hailing company said selling its Level 5 subsidiary puts it back on the path to profitability. First and foremost, it cuts $100 million of annualized non-GAAP operating expenses on a net basis, Co-founder and President John Zimmer noted in the announcement.

“Assuming the transaction closes within the expected timeframe and the COVID recovery continues, we are confident that we can achieve Adjusted EBITDA profitability in the third quarter of this year,” Zimmer said in a statement.

The company isn’t getting out of the robotaxi business. It’s already partnered with Motional and Waymo to develop self-driving tech and now it will just rely on that partnership to move toward autonomous vehicles. Working with the pair, Lyft’s already provided more than 100,000 self-driving rides in its vehicles in the last three years.

However, Lyft can now focus on what it can do best with autonomous vehicles by offering services such as routing, consumer interface and managing, and maintaining and cleaning partners’ autonomous vehicle fleets, which could mean added revenue, it said.

Uber made a similar choice

Lyft’s deal is similar to Uber’s move last December to sell its Advanced Technology Group, or ATG, to Aurora, the autonomous vehicle technology company founded by Google and Waymo veteran Chris Urmson. The deal came in at $400 million.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi noted after the sale of its ATG unit the company’s path to profitability had been shortened.

AVs were a critical component of the path to profitability by Uber, which now relies on part-time drivers or gig workers to ferry passengers, using its celebrated phone app. Uber invested huge sums in its internal AV project; however, was crippled in 2018 when one of its test vehicles struck and killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona. It never really recovered.

Uber also ended up with a 26% ownership interest in Aurora on a fully diluted basis, the company said in a filing.

Aurora and Uber agreed to collaborate to launch self-driving vehicles on its ride-hailing and food delivery network. Uber is also working on building out its freight logistics platform but is not operating its own trucks at present.

The completion of the deal caused Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to utter a familiar refrain to Reuters: “This essentially advances our path to profitability.” He said the deal should put the company on track for profitability by the end of this year, largely due to the fact Uber would no longer be investing vast sums of cash into ATG.

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Automakers Suspend Operations, Change Equipment Due to Chip Shortage

Posted on April 21, 2021 by admin

Ford is temporarily suspending production at its Kansas City assembly plant to deal with the shortage.

Automakers continue to search for ways to deal with the semiconductor chip shortage impacting the industry on a global scale.

Most companies cut back production and shift available chip inventory to high-profit vehicles like pickup trucks. Seemingly no automaker is immune to the problem, including pricey luxury and sports car makers. Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and others all recently announced moves to deal with the shortage.

This week is not different with Daimler, Stellantis and Subaru reporting today they are taking new measures to account for current run of chip shortages, both in the U.S. and in other facilities around the world.

New announcements

Ford plans to extend the shutdowns at plants that build its F-150, Ford Transit, Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, Ford Edge/Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Mustang. The Kansas City Assembly Plant that builds its top-selling F-150 and Transit commercial van suspend operations for the weeks of May 3 and 10. It’s currently closed down.

GM is slowing production of its van at its Wentzville plant to deal with the chip shortage.

The Flat Rock, Michigan plant, which builds the Mustang, and Chicago plant that builds the Explorer and Aviator will also be down the first two weeks of next month. They’ve been down since the week of April 12, according to Automotive News.

The company plans to continue the reduced production of its Super Duty and medium-duty trucks at the Ohio Assembly Plant near Cleveland.

General Motors plans to move its Wentzville (Missouri) Assembly plant from three shifts to just two on a temporary basis starting the week of April 26. It’s cutting van production at the site. Production of its midsize pickups, the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, are unaffected. The company just restarted operations at the facility last week after a two-week shutdown.

Other moves

In what may be the most novel approach to dealing with the issue thus far, Stellantis is using analog speedometers in some its Peugeot models instead of the digital ones they would normally come equipped with.

Daimler is cutting hours for 18,500 workers at two plants in Germany as it waits for more chips.

The move affects only the Peugeot 308, Reuters reported, which are built in France. The brand sold about 98,000 of the 308 model last year. The 308 is being phased out this fall in favor of a new vehicle. The company may reduce the price as a result of the less advanced speedo.

Daimler plans to reduce hours for 18,500 employees and idle production at its Bremen and Rastatt plants in Germany. Bremen builds the C-Class as well as the GLC, GLC Coupe and the all-electric EQC. The Rastatt plant produces the A-Class hybrid as well as the A-Class sedan, B-Class and GLA compact SUV.

Japanese automaker Subaru Corp. revealed plans to temporarily suspend production at its plant in Lafayette, Indiana. The closure will be in place until the end of April, according to officials. It will affect about 15,000 vehicles for North America, officials noted. The company builds the Ascent, Outback, Legacy and Impreza at the site.

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