Archives for June 2019

• Electric-car growth will increase pressure on suppliers for flexibility, Gestamp says – Automotive News: Automakers will demand much more production flexibility from suppliers of parts for electric cars to deal with unpredictable …
• Czech owners of Skoda, Volkswagen cars qualify for $23 million compensation: report – Reuters: A Prague district court has ruled that Czech owners of Skoda and Volkswagen cars qualify for 533 million crowns ($23.30 million) in compensation linked to Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal, a news website reported on Wednesday.
• GM plots temp-worker push as union seethes over closed factories – Latimes: General Motors Co. wants to hire more temporary workers at U.S. plants and trim its health care costs, said people familiar with the automaker’s thinking.
• A man who can build a car by hand leads Ford into future; ‘He`s just never afraid’ – Freep: Jim Farley was recruited to help save Ford from bankruptcy. Now he’s leading the company into the future. He says auto racing is his yoga.
• Walmart’s Kickstarting a $1 Trillion Driverless Delivery Market – Bloomberg: Idling there were three Ford delivery vans outfitted with self-driving technology developed by a Gatik, a Silicon Valley startup charged with a trial run …
• North Macedonia firm plugs vintage minis into electric age – Reuters: In the North Macedonian capital Skopje, a small light blue car, reminiscent of bygone Communist times, silently zips through the streets in the first major attempt in the Balkan country to produce its own electric vehicle.

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• Electricity pricing structure for electric cars still chaotic in Germany: research – Xinhuanet: The pricing structure of electricity for electric cars was still chaotic and lacked transparency, according to a research by …
• VW explores move from longtime suburban Detroit office – Automotive News: VW is exploring several options for its office north of Detroit. It could move elsewhere in the northern Detroit suburbs, it could develop a new office building, it could move within Auburn Hills, Mich., or it could stay put in its current location.
• An electric Hummer? GM ponders a clean revival of a gas guzzler – Latimes: General Motors is mulling over the idea of building an electric vehicle that would bring the defunct gas-guzzling Hummer brand back to life.
• China`s New Emissions Rules Choke Local Car Makers – WSJ: Cheaper Chinese brands are paying the price for tougher carbon standards that take effect in the world’s largest car maker next month.
• Car toll in its current form is off table, but discussion needs to go on, German minister says – Reuters: Germany will accept and immediately implement the EU top court decision that a planned highway toll for cars breaches European law, Germany’s transport minister said on Tuesday, but he added that the political discussion on the issue would continue.
• Nvidia boosts self-driving AI business with Volvo trucks deal – Reuters: Sweden’s AB Volvo is joining forces with Nvidia to develop artificial intelligence used in self-driving trucks, in a boost for the U.S. chipmaker that was ditched by Tesla last year.

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• GM is thinking about building an electric Hummer – Automotive News: The chatter about an electric Hummer comes as GM is looking to transform itself from a conventional, gas-powered-vehicle maker into what CEO Mary Barra calls an “all-electric future.” Hummer is one of many options GM is exploring
• GM’s race to outflank Tesla may be stalling out – CNBC: GM CEO Mary Barra promised the automaker would launch 20 models of electric cars by 2023, beginning early this year. That plan may stall. A slowdown in …
• Renault upgrades Zoe electric car as competition hots up – Automotive News: Ahead of an expected boom in electric vehicles in Europe, Renault has upgraded its Zoe small hatchback with a more powerful motor, larger battery, …
• Elon Musk says he deleted his Twitter account – CNBC: Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, tweeted early on Monday morning that he “just deleted” his Twitter account.
• China EV maker Human Horizons says to produce cars from Kia Motors’ China plant – Reuters: China’s new electric vehicle (NEV) maker Human Horizons said on Monday that it will use a Kia Motors’ joint venture plant to make its first model, according to a ..
• VW’s Diess: New Golf must take off by end of year – Automotive News: Volkswagen managers must ensure that they launch the latest-generation Golf by the end of this year, CEO Herbert Diess said in an internal meeting.

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• His keyless car killed him while he slept. New legislation could save others – Freep: The PARK IT Act looks to mandate that all automakers install technology that automatically shuts off or parks keyless cars.
• Elon Musk’s tweets prompt SEC official to call for guidelines on CEOs’ social media use – Latimes: Robert Jackson, one of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s four commissioners, said the agency should consider publishing new guidance on …
• Opel expects to meet CO2 target with new EVs – Automotive News: Opel will meet its EU-mandated target for CO2 emissions reductions, helped by its upcoming electrified cars, CEO Michael Lohscheller said.
• Volkswagen’s $17 Billion Change of Direction – Bloomberg: The car giant is finally putting its faith in the wonders of the capital markets with its Traton trucks IPO. If only Germany’s citizens would do the same.
• Tennessee Volkswagen plant to finish unionization vote – Washington Post: Workers at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee are finishing a key vote over whether to unionize.

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• Self-Drive Startup Gets Hyundai, Baillie Gifford Funding – Bloomberg: Aurora Innovation Inc., the self-driving technology startup known for its dream-team founders, said Wednesday that Hyundai Motor Group is part of a …
• VW closing in on Ford deal for EVs, AVs – Automotive News: Talks with Ford are “progressing well” and are close to being finalized, the Volkswagen CEO said. He urged managers to step up the pace on making VW more nimble to help face growing industry headwinds.
• Diess says Ford collaboration deal is close – Automotive News: Talks with Ford are “progressing well” and are close to being finalized, Diess said. He urged managers to step up the pace on making VW more nimble to help face growing industry headwinds.
• Hyundai adds to Aurora Innovation’s latest funding round – Automotive News: The funding entrenches an existing relationship between the Korean automaker and Silicon Valley startup, and they will work together to develop autonomous driving systems.
• Mitsubishi envisions more comfortable regional flights on its new ‘SpaceJet’ – CNBC: Mitsubishi Aircraft is developing the first Japan-made planes in more than 50 years. The newly named “SpaceJet” will include the smaller M100 and …

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• Ford self-driving cars now rolling around downtown Detroit and Corktown – Freep: Ford outlines next-generation autonomous vehicles as reports say it is nearing a broad agreement with Volkswagen on the technology.
• Ford Motor opens research center in Tel Aviv – Reuters: Ford Motor Co on Wednesday opened a research center in Tel Aviv, joining a growing number of major automakers and suppliers setting up shop in the Israeli tech hub as they race to develop self-driving cars.
• Proton-Geely SUV X70 begins local assembly trials in Malaysia – Xinhuanet: The vehicle, jointly manufactured with China’s Geely, will be put together at Proton’s new 1.2 billion ringgit (290 million U.S. dollars) assembly plant, …
• Tesla shares jump after Musk says company may have ‘a record quarter on every level’ – CNBC: CEO Elon Musk said that he believes the electric automaker has a “decent shot at a record quarter.”
• Uber’s secret self-driving car testing facility: Uber gives “CBS This Morning” an exclusive look inside closely guarded test track – CBS News: Uber gives “CBS This Morning” an exclusive look inside the closely guarded test track as the company looks to regain trust after a fatal accident in 2018.
• Car sales plunge in China ahead of emissions rules – FT: Car manufacturers in China saw their sales fall by nearly a fifth last month as consumers in the world’s largest vehicle market remained reluctant to …

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• Five Things To Watch For at Tesla’s Annual Shareholders Meeting – Bloomberg: Tesla Inc. investors will be more anxious than usual to get an update from Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk on Tuesday at the company’s annual …
• Now that the hype around Uber’s IPO is over, it’s time to buy Lyft, analyst says in upgrade – CNBC: Susquehanna bumped its rating of Lyft’s stock to positive from neutral on Tuesday.
• India car sales post worst slump in 18 years in May amid weak economic growth – Nikkei:
• Feast Your Eyes on the Ugly Old Car Worth $1 Million – Bloomberg: The odd duck Lancia Delta S4 rally car has commanded a rabid following-and a shockingly high price tag.
• First stop SE Asia: SoftBank, Toyota’s autonomous car venture heads overseas – Reuters: * SoftBank considered making cars, settled on platform (Adds more details and quotes from interview)
• Saving the Planet With Electric Cars Means Strangling This Desert – Bloomberg: Batteries are by far the most expensive part of an electric vehicle, so mining more lithium to meet rising demand helps lower prices. Putting more …

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