- Infiniti, Nissan stand out in first-visit scheduling – Automotive News: Consultants urge dealerships to schedule the first service visit before a new-vehicle owner or leaseholder leaves the store, as a way to build loyalty and retain service business. But an online survey of consumers last month found that while 36 percent…
- Knock Knock! Solar Companies Battling Tesla Going Door-to-Door – Bloomberg: It wasn’t a flashy ad or Elon Musk’s charm that convinced New Jersey firefighter David Philpott to get solar panels for his home. Instead, it was a neighbor’s recommendation and a visit from a door-to-door salesman. Knocking on doors may seem…
- Solid Power, BMW partner to develop next-generation EV batteries – Reuters: U.S. EV battery company Solid Power said on Monday it had partnered with Germany’s BMW AG to develop the next-generation solid-state battery technology for use in electric vehicles (EVs). BMW will assist in advancing Solid Power’s technology to achieve…
- Toyota Plays Catch-Up With Plans for More Than 10 EV Models – WSJ: TOKYO-Toyota Motor Corp., which has lagged behind rivals in rolling out fully electric vehicles, issued the first detailed outline of its strategy, saying it planned more than 10 models world-wide by the early 2020s. The plan calls for electric-vehicle…
- Washington Bureaucrats Are Chipping Away at Trump’s Agenda – Bloomberg: “The Federal Government is leading by example,” the GSA boasted when it announced the electric-vehicle program in 2011. … federal fleet with vehicles that offer the latest and most efficient transportation technologies available, including electric…
- Toyota will roll out more than 10 EVs by early 2020s – Automotive News: Nissan, which introduced the Leaf EV in 2010, has yet to disclose plans for an expanded lineup of EVs — although with its alliance partners, Renault and Mitsubishi, Nissan aims to introduce 12 new zero-emissions vehicles by 2022. Honda, a longtime EV…
- Renault Scenic introduces all-new 1.3-litre petrol engine – Autocar: Scenic and Grand Scenic models gain four-cylinder unit offering 113bhp or 138bhp
- Toyota to make over 10 battery EV models in early 2020s – Reuters: Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) on Monday said it will market more than 10 all-electric vehicle (EV) models globally in the early 2020s, and that investment to develop their batteries is likely to exceed $13 billion (1.5 trillion yen) through 2030. Setting…
- Land Rover Discovery Commercial launched as rugged van alternative – Autocar: Van-like version of latest Disco mixes big storage space with proven off-road ability
- For EV startups, China looms large – Automotive News: Casting a wide shadow over the world of electric-vehicle startups – and the source of much of their money – is China. As in the U.S., demand for EVs in China remains relatively weak: The 336,000 plug-in and battery-electric vehicles sold in China in…
- Takata recalls are improving, industry notes – Automotive News: Dave Conant, a principal at Norm Reeves Honda Superstore in Cerritos, Calif., said American Honda has done everything in its power to address the Takata recalls. “Honda has gone to incredible lengths to contact consumers,” ramped up parts availability…
- Global pullback confounds ex-GM exec – Automotive News: Nick Reilly was General Motors’ global dealmaker, market expander and troubleshooter before he retired. Now he has to watch as GM withdraws from key markets he helped shape, knowing he’d be charting a different course. “I’ve been involved with the…
- EPA a fan of Toyota’s leanness – Automotive News: 7 that the agency contacted the Toyota Production System Service Center to evaluate management practices and help develop lean processes. The EPA has not conducted a workload staffing analysis in more than 20 years and can’t ensure it has the correct…
- Honda took the appropriate action – Automotive News: This year, Takata pleaded guilty to defrauding multiple automakers, including Honda, by providing falsified test data. There is no doubt the conduct described in the guilty plea impacted not only any decision we would have made about placing these…
- Fusion’s future unclear – Automotive News: But rather than idly watching to see if the end happens, Ford Motor Co. is preparing to halt North American production of its top-selling car in this country, the Fusion. The automaker told suppliers last week that it was canceling plans to build the…
- Retiring Lear CEO sees bets pay off – Automotive News: “I don’t think Lear has ever been in a better position, from a financial standpoint and a product standpoint,” Simoncini told Automotive News. … connectors and terminals – is marketing 48-volt technology, battery chargers, inverters and high-voltage…
- Bad weather, traffic are true tests for robotic cars – Detroitnews: In perfecting self-driving cars, it”s not so much the number of test miles as it is the difficulty of those…
- Toyota to roll out more than 10 EVs by early 2020s – Automotive News: Toyota Motor Corp., facing a “now or never” crisis as it confronts a rapidly changing industry, is suddenly plunging into the electric vehicle race with plans to roll out more than 10 EVs worldwide by the early 2020s. Toyota, which currently doesn’t…
- China’s Nio takes on Tesla with a car half the price of Model X – CNBC: Tesla also has plans to start production in China, which is the world’s largest market for electric vehicles. Sales of new-energy vehicles jumped 51.4 percent from January to November this year, Reuters reported, citing the country’s auto industry …
- Next Subaru WRX due in 2020 as ‘driver’s car’ with electrified powertrains – Autocar: Viziv concept could preview next WRX, due around 2020 Subaru’s chief designer confirmed that reaction to the Viziv Performance concept was positive
- Hoon arrested after filmed ‘driving into oncoming traffic’ – Yahoo: Dashcam footage shows a silver Nissan Skyline GTR swerving over double white lines and driving on the wrong side of the road. Source: Facebook/ Heddon Greta Kurri Kurri Cessnock Weston. The driver was later arrested and taken to Cessnock Hospital to…
- How Batteries Sparked a Cobalt Frenzy and What Could Happen Next – Bloomberg: Demand from automakers in China also looks set to rise amid a surge in electric vehicle sales. Orders for battery-powered automobiles were up 51 percent at 609,000 in the first 11 months of the year, and Bloomberg New Energy Finance says sales could…