Automobile Industry

Industry Roundup

Electric & Hybrid Vehicles

Morgan Stanley: Rising costs of UAW strikes, eventual contract settlements threaten ambitious plans by General Motors and Ford to invest billions in developing new EVs; reduced capital spending, delayed EV targets and other changes could be on the horizon
CE Noticias Financieras (Latin America) (10/16)

Unilever highlights six methods driving the company towards net zero, detailing use of heavy duty electric trucks, commercial vans, biofuels, smart warehousing with route optimization and truck loadability, cross-sector collaboration and carbon capture
Unilever PLC (10/16)

Light Vehicles

Canadian automotive union Unifor set to negotiate with Stellantis after GM union members approve tentative deal; Unifor opens dialogue for better terms amidst resistance and pushback at local level
Canadian Press DataFile (10/16)

Kia unveils three new small EVs as it aims to reach annual sales of 1 million units by 2026, 1.6 million units by 2030; Kia expects these models, priced between US$30,000 - US$80,000, to broaden EV adoption worldwide
MarketLine (10/16)

Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs)

Honda rolls out new Prologue electric SUV for US market developed with GM; vehicle built at GM plant, uses Ultium batteries, other GM parts
Mondaq Business Briefing (10/16)

Volkswagen of America expands Basecamp accessory line to include custom body kits and unique wheels for Atlas Cross Sport models in addition to the Atlas
Volkswagen AG (10/16)

Heavy Trucks / Commercial Vehicles

US-based supply chain firm AI Fleet secures US$14M in venture funding; capital infusion to support AI Fleet's growth by expanding product, engineering and operations teams and doubling current 150-truck fleet while also continuing to enhance truck tech
MarketLine (10/16)

Volvo Trucks North America launches fleet management portal Volvo Connect; Remote Diagnostics allows fleets to monitor key data from each truck and ensure that maintenance and repairs are carried out efficiently while reducing unplanned stops
GlobeNewswire (10/16)

Pickup Trucks

Morgan Stanley analyst estimates UAW strike is costing Ford about US$44.0M a day, GM about US$21.0M a day; Ford hit hard after UAW called strike at Ford's Kentucky Truck Assembly plant, which generates about US$25.0B a year in revenue
Autoblog (10/16)

Nexen Tire's Roadian HTX 2 highway terrain tires wins Good Design Award 2023 in Japan's mobility category; tire recognized by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion for its excellent design and performance
Globe Newswire (10/12)

Auto Interior

Kia EV3 and EV4 concept models utilize leading-edge sustainable materials to deliver a step change in interior design; Kia invests in bio fabrication, with ambition to grow materials in the future
Kia Motors Corp. (10/12)

GM recalls 9,264 2014 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Cruze vehicles in US because roof-rail air bag inflators located above the headliner on right or left side may rupture at the inflator weld joint; dealers to offer free module replacement
Contify Automotive News (10/11)

Automotive Use

US Steel new US$450M non-grain oriented electrical steel line at Big River Steel facility in Arkansas, aiming to meet growing demand in EV market; line utilizes up to 90% scrap steel as raw material and reduces carbon emissions by up to 70-80%
Industry Intelligence Inc. (10/16)

Novelis partners with Southern Company to provide renewable energy to decarbonize Novelis' new Bay Minette plant in Alabama; partnership aims for carbon neutrality and supporting sustainable beverage packaging, automotive sectors
Contify Energy News (10/13)

Auto Parts & Accessories

Almost 30% of automotive suppliers have laid off workers due to the UAW strike, with more than 60% planning more layoffs by mid-October: MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association
Supply Chain Dive (10/12)

SMP expands oil filter housing kit program, including kits for 1.3 million GM vehicles and 2007 -16 Volvo cars and SUVs and kits for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM vehicles; the factory assembled kits include everything needed for a complete installation
Standard Motor Products Inc. (10/12)

Tires

SI Group to showcase its sustainable rubber curing accelerator, NAUGARD BIO-XL, at International Elastomers Conference October 16-18 in Cleveland, Ohio; product is formulated with over 85% bio-based content
Canada Newswire (10/12)

Enviro develops new type of recovered carbon black with improved properties for tire and rubber industry; Enviro claims recovered carbon black can reduce carbon emissions by up to 93% compared to using the corresponding amount of virgin carbon black
Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (10/12)

Batteries

Dutch firm VDL Groep to produce battery systems for BMW at its Mobility Innovation Centre in Born, Netherlands; VDL received an initial order for around 125,000 battery modules for BMW's after-sales business through 2035
Contify Automotive News (10/16)

DHL Express invests US$10M in mobile charging tech for battery-powered ground support equipment, aiming to reduce carbon footprint; program, starting at San Diego International Airport, to replace older combustion powered equipment with electric machinery
San Diego Business Journal (CA) (10/16)

Car Dealers

Ford issues US recall for 238,000 Explorer SUVs from 2020-2022 model years because rear axle horizontal mounting bolt can fracture & cause the driveshaft to disconnect; dealers to replace rear axle bolt and brushing, inspect and replace cover if damaged
Press Association Top News (10/13)

VW recalls certain 2019 Atlas vehicles in US because driver's side impact air bag may be missing a weld at the side air bag housing; owners to be notified December 1, with dealers replacing air bag free at no charge
Contify Automotive News (10/11)

Autonomous Transportation Technology

John Deere Forestry sees driver-assisted automation, such as intelligent boom tip control systems and TimberMatic maps, becoming more common; autonomous forest machines, however, will likely take years, says product marketing manager in Finland
M-Brain Nordic News (10/12)

Electric Vehicle Charging

National Grid announces landmark study for truck charging infrastructure needs across major highways in Northeast US using US$1.2M grant from Dept. of Energy; effort aims to support large-scale electrification of freight transport and reduce GHG emissions
PR Newswire (10/16)

US Energy Dept. reports the number of public & private EV charging ports increased to 161,562 in Q1 of 2023 from 87,352 in Q4 2019; study finds about 43% of potential EV owners lack confidence they will be able to charge vehicles when needed: EVBox
Victoria Advocate (TX) (10/16)

Ride-Sharing / Mobility Services

Uber's trial begins in France as 2,480 taxi drivers demand €455M, alleging violation of French labor laws, unfair advantages; trial follows 2020 ruling classifying former Uber driver as employee instead of freelancer
EuroNews (10/16)

Uber, Bolt drivers strike over new Trip Radar feature and use of Bajaj vehicles, leaving passengers stranded in South Africa; E-Hailing Partners Council demand 18% commission and R8.50/km standard rate from ride-hailing companies
ITWeb (10/16)

Automotive & Driving

Members of Canadian auto union Unifor approve three-year agreement with GM, with support from 80.5% of members and promises of wage increases and changes in retirement plans; Stellantis remains the only automaker without a contract in Canada
CE Noticias Financieras (Latin America) (10/16)

Exports of passenger EVs from China rose 107% year-over-year in September to 91,000 vehicles; Tesla shipped 30,566 units, BYD shipped 28,039 units, SAIC shipped 12,678 units
Indian Technology News (10/16)

Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford urges end to UAW strike, warns labor costs could imperil investment in Ford's future; about 34,000 UAW workers are on strike at Ford, GM and Stellantis
Associated Press (10/16)

Auto Parts & Accessories

Dana Incorporated to announce 2023 third-quarter financial results, host conference call and webcast on October 27
PR Newswire (10/12)

Better collaboration needed between automakers and suppliers to accelerate pollution reduction, says report; educated workforce, standardized targets, and supplier engagement are key to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050: Center for Automotive Research
Supply Chain Dive (10/11)

Dorman recalls certain suspension ball joints because ball stud may separate from the lower control arm, leading to loss of steering control; recall may involve up to 24,288 units with part number BJ50075
Contify Automotive News (10/11)

Automotive Use

Toyota Named the Official Automotive Partner of the National Football League
Toyota Motor Corp. (10/11)

Batteries

Honda Motor and Mitsubishi partnering to explore opportunities in the EV battery segment; companies looking for ways to use batteries as an energy source following their EV lifecycle and in smart charging
MarketLine (10/13)

Kia's new EV9 Light Long Range SUV exceeds original all-electric range estimates with an EPA-estimated range of 304 miles; EV9 features fourth-generation battery technology designed for improved energy density and is available with two powertrain options
Kia Motors Corp. (10/12)

BMW reportedly places order for nearly 90 GWh of battery capacity with Chinese battery maker Svolt Energy worth up to US$13.0B; Svolt to supply its short blade cells, joins CATL and Eve Energy as battery suppliers to BMW
CnEVPost (China) (10/12)

Electric & Hybrid Vehicles

Nissan certifies that 2024 LEAF EVs made in the US meet the battery component requirements of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and may now qualify for the US$3,750 tax credit
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (10/16)

US EV sales in Q3 up nearly 50% from a year ago, surpass 300,000 units sold driven by product availability, downward pricing pressure; Tesla's Q3 market share drops to about 50% of market from 62% in Q1 as competitors cut prices: Cox Automotive
Cyprus Mail (10/13)

VW all-electric vehicle deliveries up 45% year-over-year to 531,500 vehicles, BEV share of total deliveries during the period up 7.9% YoY; European BEV deliveries from January-September up 61% YoY to 341,100 units, US deliveries up 74% YoY to 50,300 units
Volkswagen AG (10/13)

Electric Vehicle Charging

Toyota partnering with oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan to develop, produce solid-state batteries that could greatly increase vehicle range, cut charging time; the companies plan to have batteries ready for market by 2027-28
Indian Investments Abroad (10/12)

Light Vehicles

Porsche reports deliveries in the first nine months of the year up 10% year-over-year to 242,722 vehicles; European deliveries jump 23% YoY, North American deliveries grow 14% YoY, China deliveries drop 12% from a year ago
Contify Automotive News (10/13)

Volkswagen Group's Q3 deliveries rise 7.4% year-over-year to 2.34 million vehicles, boosted by strong demand in Europe, North America; deliveries in China dip 5.8% YoY to 837,200 units
Autoblog (10/13)

BMW reports January to September sales in India up 10% from a year ago to 9,580 units; sales for BMW brand up 10% YoY to 8,998 units for the period, MINI brand sales up 10% YoY to 582 units
Auto Business News (10/13)

Pickup Trucks

Wells Fargo estimates walkout of 8,700 workers at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant will cost automaker about US$150M/week in profit; this escalation could signal UAW nearing a contract proposal with Ford in next one to two weeks
Victoria Advocate (TX) (10/12)

United Auto Workers at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville joined nationwide strike Wednesday evening; the plant builds Super Duty, Expedition and Navigator vehicles, which generate about US$25B a year in revenue according to Ford
Courier-Journal, The (Louisville, KY) (10/12)

Ford issues statement on Kentucky truck plant work stoppage
Ford Motor Co. (10/11)

Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs)

Hyundai reveals custom Santa Cruz for 2023 Rebelle Rally; eighth-annual all-women off-road navigation rally covers 1,500 miles of challenging desert terrain beginning October 13
Hyundai Motor Co. (10/10)

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