Archives for March 2018

• BMW delays electric car mass production until 2020 for cost reasons – Reuters: BMW has held back the mass rollout of electric cars until 2020 because current fourth generation electric car technology is not profitable … The cost advantage between BMW’s fourth and fifth generation electric vehicle technology amounts to a two…
• Mercedes bucks trend with plug-in hybrid diesels – Automotive News: This means that the battery pack, built by Daimler in Kamenz, Germany, was able to extend its capacity to 13.5 kilowatt-hours without increasing its size. Mercedes’ previous generation of hybrid battery technology only offered 8.7 kWh, giving models…
• World’s top wealth fund says opposed Musk’s $2.6 billion pay deal – Reuters: The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund opposed Elon Musk’s potential $2.6 billion payout from electric carmaker Tesla (TSLA.O), the fund said on Thursday.
• Jaguar Land Rover vehicles to use BlackBerry software – Reuters: Luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover will use BlackBerry Ltd’s infotainment and security software in its vehicles, the companies said on … The licensing deal with Tata Motors Ltd’s JLR is the Canadian firm’s latest in the automobile industry following…

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• Geely’s 2017 profit more than doubles on domestic demand – Automotive News: Geely Automobile Holdings’ profits more than doubled in 2017, driven by strong domestic sales of popular SUVs. The automaker, based in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, said in a stock exchange filing that 2017 net profit rose 108 percent to 10.6…
• For Self-Driving Cars, Seeing Everything Isn’t Always Enough – Bloomberg: The tragedy of the first pedestrian killed by an autonomous vehicle points to a potential vulnerability with the nascent technology now being tested on the open roads: While robo-cars, powered by sophisticated sensors and cameras, can reliably see…
• Skoda Kamiq confirmed as fourth SUV for China – Autocar: Skoda CEO Bernhard Maier has confirm a new SUV will be revealed in April With ambitions to double sales in China by 2020, a small, budget SUV will be an important addition
• BMW will add i4 electric car – Automotive News: BMW will expand its i family of electrified cars with the i4 full-electric sedan. The i4 will be one of 12 battery-electric models BMW aims to have in showrooms by 2025. Currently the BMW brand’s sole battery-powered model is the i3 city hatchback. The…
• China’s BYD to open battery recycling plant in Shanghai in Q2 -spokeswoman – Reuters: Chinese automaker BYD Co will open a battery recycling plant in Shanghai in the second quarter as it looks to reduce raw material purchase costs and help address battery waste, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

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• Nissan Leaf gets big tech, range upgrades – Automotive News: Nissan is counting on its sleeker, more technologically advanced, longer-range Leaf electric car to lure new buyers in key European markets. The second-generation Leaf has a bullet-like profile, a more powerful battery that boosts the hatchback’s range…
• Elon Musk in talks with Israeli AI vision firm Cortica – report – Reuters: Silicon Valley billionaire Elon Musk was in Israel to discuss a collaboration between electric car company Tesla Inc and Tel Aviv-based artificial intelligence firm Cortica, the Globes financial news website said on Tuesday.
• BRIEF-Wabco Appoints New Chief Technology Officer – Reuters: * WABCO ADVANCES COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT; APPOINTS NEW CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
• BMW, suppliers develop weight-saving foam structure – Automotive News: BMW Group sought help from two suppliers to reduce the weight of one of the Mini Countryman’s biggest structural parts. The result: an instrument panel carrier made of lightweight foam instead of plastic, shaving 15 percent from its weight. Now the…
• Local CEO wins international peace award – Detroitnews: Last year, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was one of four honorees. In 2016, Blaker launched an Automotive Service Center and Training Center in Kabul. The center created “much-needed job opportunities in a challenging environment,” according to a…

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• Battery makers descend on Australia, Canada cobalt developers – Reuters: Nervous Asian battery makers are turning to early-stage cobalt projects in Australia and Canada to lock in supplies of the critical battery ingredient ahead of expected shortages as demand for electric vehicles revs up.
• A McLaren That’s Comfortable and Convenient? – Bloomberg: I was eager to see how this “lesser” car would compare. Despite being cheaper, with 148 fewer horsepower and admittedly tamer-I’d argue, better-styling, the car was more of a treat to drive than the 720S. A common critique of McLaren is that it makes…
• Skoda expects Citigo EV to counter risk of CO2 emissions fines – Automotive News: The Citigo EV will have a range of 300 km (186 miles) and will be called Citigo E, Alain Favey, Skoda’s sales and marketing chief, told Auto Express magazine in Geneva. After the Citigo EV, future Skoda battery-powered cars will use VW Group’s MEB…
• Why Lotus CEO expects record-breaking results from 3 new models – Automotive News: Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales is feeling optimistic. China’s fast-expanding Zhejiang Geely Holding took a majority stake in Lotus last year and recently committed to its first big investment in the British sports-car maker. This will allow Lotus to add…
• 2018 Audi R8: lower-priced 2.9-litre V6 variant to join facelifted range – Autocar: Audi is working on a facelifted version of its R8 Audi is set to introduce a turbocharged V6, shared with the Porsche Panamera in four new performance cars, including a new R8 model

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• Tesla Built the World’s Biggest Battery. Now This Billionaire Has Plans to Beat It – Fortune: South Australia has become a big battery battleground. Not long after Elon Musk’s Tesla built the world’s largest lithium-ion battery-the Hornsdale Power Reserve, which has a rating of 129 megawatt hours-a British industrialist has stepped in with …
• Fiat Chrysler denied bid to dismiss US diesel emission cheating claims – Automotive News: Fiat Chrysler Automobile’s U.S. unit was denied a quick escape from a lawsuit that accuses the automaker of rigging diesel engines with emissions control defeat devices similar to those installed in 11 million Volkswagen Group vehicles. A federal judge…
• Tesla Is Facing a Crucible – Bloomberg: The chief financial officer left abruptly last year in a curious turn of events, where he was replaced by his predecessor: Deepak Ahuja served as Tesla’s CFO from 2008 to 2015 and then took over the job again in March 2017, according to his LinkedIn …
• McLaren 570GT MSO Black Collection launched as limited-run variant – Autocar: The 562bhp supercar gets McLaren Special Operations treatment for a £22,950 premium

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• Automakers knew earlier of Takata air bag issues – court documents – Reuters: GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said there were no ruptures of GM inflators at issue. The lawsuit is baseless and without merit and misstates a host of material facts. We intend to defend it vigorously, he said. Fiat Chrysler and Volkswagen declined to …
• Audi records 68% leap in profit as Dieselgate effect fades – Autocar: Audi profits grew rapidly last year despite a small increase in sales Then German brand sold just 0.6% more cars last year compared with 2016, but its after-tax income surged to more than £3 billion
• The Mercedes-Maybach GLS must stand out to convince wealthy buyers – Autocar: The Mercedes-Benz GLS will form the base for the Maybach version With rivals from brands as elusive as Bentley and Rolls-Royce, Maybach’s SUV can’t just be a posh GLS
• McLaren 720S review: How”d they make it street legal? – Detroitnews: A ride in the $378,215 McLaren 720S. The 720 is for horsepower.

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• Why Bother With an Audi, When the Skoda Looks This Good?: Gadfly – Washington Post: I write a lot about cars but have never actually bought one — parking’s a nightmare in Berlin and owning stuff feels a bit twentieth century. As a new father, though, I’ve been wondering whether to take the plunge. Still, it was a surprise to find…
• Unite union pushes for UK car plants to shift to electric – FT: Britain must repurpose car parts factories and train workers to build components for electric vehicles to avoid thousands of job losses, the Unite union has said. In an assessment of the changes facing the UK automotive sector, the union said the…
• BMW: six new front-wheel-drive models to look out for – Autocar: Next 1 Series hatchback FAAR underpinnings will encourage a gradual shift towards front-wheel drive power for BMW’s smaller models
• Top 2019 BMW 1 Series model to be 300bhp M130iX M Performance – Autocar: BMW is developing a front-wheel-drive 1 Series for 2019 New front-driven 1 Series should be lighter and roomier and will handle better thanks to lower running gear

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