Automobile Industry

Industry Roundup

Electric & Hybrid Vehicles

Fast chargers almost as profitable as gasoline pumps, BP executive claims, even though company's charging division isn't expected to be profitable by 2025
MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands (01/17)

Median range for EVs in 2021 was 234 miles on single charge, compared to 259 miles for 2020 models, while 2021 EVs with longest range reached 405 miles on single charge, compared to 402 miles in 2020: US Dept. of Energy
U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) (01/17)

Light Vehicles

Honda Civic named North American Car of the Year for third time by North American jury of automotive journalists
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (01/14)

Novelis to construct US$365-million automotive recycling center at its new aluminum finishing plant in Guthrie, Kentucky, which opened in October 2021; upcoming facility to cast sheet ingot, shred, recycle at capacity of 240,000 tons/year, create 140 jobs
U.S. Fed News (01/13)

Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs)

BMW Groups posts year-on-year sales growth of 8.4% in 2021, with total of 2,521,525 BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce vehicles delivered worldwide; BMW sales reach new all-time high of 2,213,795 units last year, up 9.1%, while sales of EVs double to 103,855 units
BMW AG (01/12)

Hyundai's IONIQ 5 battery electric vehicle, STARIA multipurpose vehicle models win 2021 GOOD DESIGN Awards in transportation category
Hyundai Motor Co. (01/11)

Heavy Trucks/Commercial Vehicles

Volvo Trucks to begin production of next-gen VNR electric vehicle, which features up to 85% increased range, faster charging, two new configurations for heavy-duty transport, in Q2 2022 at Virginia plant; company adds a 6x4 straight truck and 6x4 tractor
PR Newswire (01/14)

Pickup Trucks

All-new 2022 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X is named Best Off-Road Truck by TFLtruck.com for its off-road prowess, technology, performance, trailer towing and efficiency
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (01/13)

Hyundai Santa Cruze Sport Adventure Vehicle wins 2022 Best Performing Truck award from The Fast Lane Truck, with its turbocharged powertrain option, responsive transmission, HTRAC all-wheel drive, maneuverability
Hyundai Motor Co. (01/11)

Auto Interior

CIBC Paper Wrapper (Jan. 10): OCC prices decline for fourth month in a row, down 5% month-over-month to US$130/ton; CCL announces three tuck-in acquisitions, including McGavigan Holdings for C$105.5M and International Master Products for C$62.8M
CIBC World Markets Inc. (01/12)

Automotive Use

Henkel highlights materials that support safety, cost-effectiveness for electric vehicle chargers; products include thermal interface materials for heat dispersion, materials for gasketing and sealing
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (01/17)

Neenah Filtration will present at Filtech Show in Cologne, Germany, March 8-10; products include new NeenahPure series for HVAC, air purification/pollution, industrial filtration portfolio for liquid and air, GESSNER Automotive & Transportation filtration
Neenah Inc. (01/13)

Auto Parts & Accessories

DENSO develops Global Safety Package 3, an active safety system designed to improve safety of vehicles by giving them high sensing capability of their surroundings; product in use by Hino Ranger, Lexus NX, Toyota Noah and Voxy, which recently released
Denso International America Inc. (01/14)

Cummins names Bonnie Fetch as VP-Global Supply Chain and Manufacturing, effective Feb. 1; Fetch currently serves as VP-North America Regional Operating Team and Distribution Business Supply Chain Services
Business Wire (01/12)

Tires

Ecolomondo to build, operate six-reactor turnkey TDP facility in Shamrock, Texas, as part of company's US expansion; facility to process 50,000 tonnes/year of end-of-life tires into 15,900 tonnes of carbon black, 4,800 tonnes of syngas, and steel, oil
TheNewswire.ca (01/13)

Batteries

BorgWarner completes investment in Silicon-Valley-based software, controls company Qnovo to enhance its battery management capabilities; intelligent software offers predictive safety measures, faster charging and extended battery life for EV market
BorgWarner Inc. (01/11)

Kandi signs framework agreement with Hunan Hengrun Automobile to produce battery swap-enabled EVs; vehicles will be sold in China under Henghe brand name
Globe Newswire (01/11)

Autonomous Transportation Technology

Honda to feature its Autonomous Work Vehicle at World of Concrete 2022, Jan. 18-20, at the Las Vegas Convention Center; AWV combines company's rugged, durable off-road, side-by-side platform with advanced autonomous technology
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (01/17)

J.B. Hunt, Waymo expand partnership with goal to complete fully autonomous transport in Texas within next few years; companies completed first trial runs last year moving freight along I-45, upcoming pilot runs to take place in same lane
Business Wire (01/14)

Electric Vehicle Charging

BMW i Ventures invests in German startup HeyCharge to expand access to EV charging stations in apartment complexes, office buildings, infrastructure locations that do not have the apps, RFID cards or Internet access most charging stations require
BMW AG (01/14)

Natural Resources Canada invests C$2M from its Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program in Essex Powerlines to help support deployment, installation of up to 300 EV chargers across Windsor-Essex County
Government of Canada (01/13)

Automotive & Driving

GlobalData: COVID-19 has necessitated reboot for automotive corporate strategies, and industry leaders are increasingly highly attuned to ESG issues; examples of this include drive for more electric vehicles, sustainability in manufacturing activities
Indian Oil And Gas News (01/17)

Honda Research Institute develops pilot road condition monitoring system that aims to help maintain roadways in more efficient, timely manner; system monitors lane markings, visually classifies lane lines from 'ideal' to 'needs repair'
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (01/14)

Cummins names Chris Clulow as VP, investor relations, replacing Jack Kienzler who moved to Cummins Filtration on Jan. 1, and Luther Peters as VP, corporate controller effective March 1, taking over Clulow's former position
Cummins Inc. (01/13)

Automobiles & Components group

VW's battery EV deliveries rise 96% year-over-year to 452,900 vehicles, accounting for 5.1% of total deliveries, up from 2.5% in previous year; VW is European market leader for BEVs, holds second-largest market share of US market with 7.5%
Volkswagen AG (01/12)

General Motors introduces CarBravo, new way to shop for used vehicles, giving used-vehicle customers access to an expansive inventory, an omnichannel shopping experience, exclusive ownership benefits
General Motors Co. (01/12)

J.D. Power estimates 89% of car buyers are paying above sticker price or within 5% of it; consumers should expect to see higher prices throughout rest of 2022, as 4.5 million to 5 million consumers are on the sidelines waiting for cars
Business Insider (01/11)

Electric & Hybrid Vehicles

Genetic testing company Artemis DNA reserves 100 VinFast EVs for its fleet as part of its ESG initiatives, including VF 6, VF 7, VF 8, VF 9 models; reservation makes Artemis VinFast's first customer in US
PR Newswire (01/11)

BitNile Holdings subsidiary TurnOnGreen completes initial stage of multi-phase installation of level 2 EV chargers in the guest parking lot at The Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort in California; drivers initiate charge session with RFID card, TurnOnGreen app
Business Wire (01/11)

Light Vehicles

US saw total new-light vehicle sales of 14.93 million units in 2021, up 3.1% year-over-year, despite pandemic, chip shortages; December inventory levels were 1.12 million units, up 7.4% compared to November, down 59.1% year-over-year: NADA
National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) (01/11)

BMW records Q4 US brand sales of 93,031 vehicles, down 5.8% from Q4 2020, while full year US BMW sales up 20.8% year-over-year to 336,644; Q4 MINI brand sales fall 8.1% year-over-year to 7,860 cars, while full year MINI sales up 6.4% to 29,930 cars
Entertainment Close - Up (01/11)

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