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With EQB, Mercedes Launches Third All-Electric Model This Year

admin • April 18, 2021

The Mercedes EQB is the third all-electric model the automaker has rolled out so far this year,

After a slow start, Mercedes is ramping up its assault on the battery-car market with the launch of the new EQB sport-utility vehicle at the Shanghai Auto Show.

Available with up to seven seats, the EQB debuts barely a week after the automaker unveiled its all-electric flagship, the EQS, the latter to serve as the battery-powered alternative to the classic Mercedes-Benz S-Class that also has been redesigned this year. The year began with the rollout of the EQA, bringing to three the number of battery-electric vehicles the German automaker has debuted in less than four months, with still more products to come.

“With the all new EQB we have created an iconic electric SUV that takes the heritage of our boxy off-road vehicles and transforms this into the future,” said Gorden Wagener, chief design officer of Daimler Group — who spoke to TheDetroitBureau this past week in an exclusive Q&A. “We combine the significant boxy silhouette with futuristic elements such as the black-panel front to create the extraordinary look of the vehicle.”

Lot’s in common with the familiar Mercedes GLB

The EQB will debut in its most premium form on the Chinese market, with Europe and the U.S. to follow.

At 184 inches in length, 72 inches in width and 66 inches in height, and with a wheelbase of 66 inches, the Mercedes EQB’s dimensions are nearly identical to those of the conventional GLB crossover. But, like the rest of the new Mercedes EQ family, the new model mounts batteries, motors and other key electrical components below the load floor in a skateboard-like platform.

The design is not nearly as radical as that of the new EQS sedan, with its breakout “one-bow” styling. The EQB could be confused, at a casual glance, with the more familiar GLB, starting with the traditional two-box SUV silhouette.

But a closer inspection reveals a number of distinctive details, starting up front with a large black grille with the Mercedes tri-star that is there primarily for appearance sake. As with other BEVs, there is little need for airflow under the hood without an internal combustion engine. Smaller air intakes below the bumper provide cooling air for the battery pack, brakes and electronics.

Another distinctive touch is the fiber-optic lighting strip that runs just below the hood cutline, linking the EQB’s LED headlights and daytime running lights.

Plenty of room

The Mercedes EQB will offer an optional third row.

The interior is likely also to feel familiar to current EQB owners, starting with the large, twin videoscreens, one replacing a conventional gauge cluster, the other serving the infotainment unit. That system can be operated by voice, a console-mounted touchpad, controls on the steering wheel or by using the MBUX operating system. The Alexa-like voice assistant recognizes plain language commands and can also perform tasks like checking the weather.

The new model also integrates what Mercedes calls “Navigation with Electric Intelligence” which, it says, “contributes to the effortless handling of the EQB in everyday life. It calculates the fastest route to the destination, taking into account maximum charging power and the duration of possible charging stops. In addition, the Navigation with Electric Intelligence ensures that the high-voltage battery is brought to an optimal charging temperature before a planned charging stop, as needed.”

The new Mercedes EQB comes standard in a five-passenger configuration. But it also can be ordered with a third row adding room for two more. The center row can tilt and slide fore and aft by as much as 5.5 inches.

A staggered global rollout

A variety of different powertrains and battery packs will be offered for the Mercedes EQB.

The automaker plans to offer the EQB in a number of different markets and a variety of different configurations. It will reach showrooms first in China, not surprisingly, a country that has laid out an aggressive plan for growing its electrified vehicle market. The initial Chinese version, said Mercedes in a statement, will be “a fully equipped top-of-the-range model with AMG Line and an output of 288 horsepower.”

Europe will get the EQB later this year and, said Mercedes, “customers will have the choice between several models with front-wheel and all-wheel drive and various power levels, some rated at over 268 hp.”

The U.S. introduction is scheduled for 2022, but the automaker is being vague about the details of what will be offered in that market. It is considered likely that American buyers will have at least one of the higher-output drive systems with all-wheel drive available as an option, if not a standard feature.

Quick charging

The cabin will be relatively familiar to current Mercedes-Benz GLB owners.

Mercedes noted that the European battery pack will be a relatively modest 66.5 kilowatt-hours, only a fraction larger than what Chevrolet offers in the Bolt EV and newer Bolt EUV. But “a long-range version also is planned” for different markets, said the company.

The EQB features an 11 kilowatt onboard charger. It also can plug into a public quick charger and, with at least 100 kW of DC power will go from a 10% to an 80% charge in 30 minutes.

There has been speculation that a higher-power version of the EQB also may be in the works. The gas-powered, seven-seat Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 punches out 302 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, getting it to 60 in about 5 seconds. The EQB does have the advantage of instantaneous torque from its electric drive system, though Mercedes has not released performance figures yet.

Pricing yet to be announced

Also yet to be revealed: pricing for the various EQB models.

The new Mercedes EQB will be assembled at the automaker’s plant in Kecskemet, Hungary. It will be the factory’s first all-electric model, though it has already handled plug-in hybrid versions of the Mercedes-Benz CLA line and will add the A-Class plug-in sometime in the future.

All told, Mercedes says that most of the $85 billion product development money it has outlined for 2021-2025 will go towards battery and digital technologies. By the end of 2022 it plans to have eight all-electric models in showrooms around the world.

“The company envisages that more than 50% of its passenger car unit sales will be accounted for by plug-in hybrids or all-electric vehicles by 2030,” it said in a statement released last week.

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Honda Looking to Get a Little More Rugged with Trailsport Moniker?

admin • April 9, 2021

The new Honda Ridgeline gets a more rugged exterior update for the 2021 model year. Could a Trailsport edition be coming soon?

Is Honda trying to make its trucks and SUVs appear to be tougher? Maybe.

The Japanese automaker’s secured a new name: Trailsport. When compared to RAV4, Passport and Pilot, Trailsport seems almost vicious by comparison. The automaker registered the name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and website Carbuzz tracked it down.

The application reads as follows: “The mark consists of a miscellaneous design set above the term TRAILSPORT with the letters ‘R’ and ‘S’ connected together all in a stylized font. This trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of land vehicles, namely, sport utility vehicles, automobiles, trucks, and structural parts for the foregoing.”

Getting a little tougher

There’s no clear indication if Honda intends to use it for new vehicle or, more likely, a special edition or trim package, such as the Honda Ridgeline Trailsport.

Subaru is offering up a beefed up version of the Outback called the Wilderness edition.

Regardless, the company’s been looking to add more capability to its trucks and utes, toughening up the look of aforementioned Ridgeline for the 2021 model year after the previous iteration was roundly criticized for its “soft” or non-traditional appearance.

In addition to the new look, it also got additional tweaks to keep the functionality the Ridgeline has touted both in terms of utility and performance, including the top standard payload capacity for a V6 all-wheel-drive truck.

The biggest change for 2021 is the truck’s overall exterior shape, which is altered by getting an entirely new front-end design. The new look is a bit more aggressive with a “power bulge” on the hood accented with a more squared-off front end and bigger, more upright grille. Most of its competitors have been upsizing the grilles on their trucks and looking for “tougher” monikers for their vehicles too.

Following a trend

Subaru just launched a new family of more rugged off-roaders with its new Wilderness edition offerings, starting

The new Pathfinder’s sporting a more rugged look for the 2022 model year.

with the new 2022 Outback Wilderness. The automaker described the ’22 Subaru Outback Wilderness as “the most rugged and capable” version of the crossover in its history.

Once little more than a gussied-up station wagon, the new Wilderness model adds features designed to give it serious off-road credibility, starting with an increase in its ride height, upgrades to the suspension, revisions to its all-wheel-drive system and a standard front skid plate. The automaker will expand the line-up to include Forester and Crosstrek in the near future.

With competition like the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and Gladiator Mojave and the Ford Bronco harkening back to a rougher, tougher time and the increasing desire of owners to take these vehicles that look like SUVs out to do SUV-like things, it’s no surprise that other automakers are hustling to bolster their crossovers and urban-friendly utes.

Don’t forget Nissan

For the 2022 model year, Nissan’s finally given the Frontier midsize pickup a major makeover.

Nissan did the same with its 2022 Pathfinder and Frontier entries with one executive proclaiming the Pathfinder has “returned to its rugged roots,” for the new model year. While the Pathfinder got a more muscular look and a few small upgrades to improve its off-cement capability, it was the Frontier that got a big boost.

The new Frontier adopts a more solid and upright appearance with a bolder, less derivative front end. All versions of the truck get enhanced ground clearance and enhanced approach and departure angles, with a prominent front skid plate.

For those who are serious about off-roading, there’s a new Pro-4X version featuring an electronic locking differential, Bilstein off-road shock absorbers and underbody skid plates. That could enhance Frontier’s appeal to those who might otherwise consider the Toyota Tacoma, for many the off-road benchmark of the segment. The Pro-4X is all-wheel drive but for those who want a 2WD model, the new Pro-X adds LED head, DRL and fog lights for a more rugged appearance.

First Look: 2022 Kia Carnival

admin • February 23, 2021

Kia is looking to shake things up in a “staid” segment with its new minivan, the 2022 Carnival.

Farewell Sedona. Kia officially unveiled the replacement for its familiar minivan today, festively dubbing it the Kia Carnival.

The decision to drop the Sedona nameplate for the 2022 model year has been rumored for many months and reflects the South Korean carmaker’s desire to use similar nameplates worldwide. It took the same approach last year, using a makeover to rename the old Optima sedan the new K5.

There’s more to the move, however. Kia is pushing the brand upmarket. And, as we have already seen with the K5 and the Telluride SUV, that quickly becomes apparent when you get a close look at the new Carnival. It not only gets a new look but plenty of features that push it well into “premium” territory,” a far cry from Kia’s familiar image.

“The Kia Carnival is here to disrupt a staid segment and proves once again what is possible when conventions are shattered,” said Sean Yoon, the president and CEO of Kia Motors North America. “With its SUV-like character, our new multi-purpose vehicle delivers a combination of premium design, intelligent packaging, and an abundance of innovation in safety and technology. For these reasons, the Carnival is the first vehicle to proudly wear our all-new Kia badge and is a bold signal of things to come.”

A more rugged, SUV-like design

Kia keeps with its push to get some global consistency with its vehicle names changing the Sedona to the Carnival.

The new look is decidedly more boxy than that of the old Kia Sedona, with a larger, more upright take on the brand’s familiar “tiger nose” grille, framed by slit-like headlamps. The hood is more horizontal, with creases intended to imply power. The roofline and side windows take on a more ute-like appearance, though the 2022 Kia Carnival retains the twin sliding doors that minivan buyers love.

A rear skid plate and a choice of 17- and 19-inch wheels add to the more aggressive look of the new people mover.

The cabin is where the new Carnival really stands out when compared to the outgoing Sedona line, with more upscale materials and details, like the chrome dash running the length of the instrument panel.

Carnival will be offered with both 7- and 8-passenger configurations, with the optional center buckets able to slide and recline. The “Slide-Flex” system in the 8-passenger model allows a variety of different configurations, and the front passenger seat can be converted into a table.

Segment-leading passenger and cargo space

The new Carnival offers plenty of room as well as all of the technological creature comforts expected in minivans these days.

Functionality remains a critical purchase consideration for MPV buyers and Kia claims the new Carnival delivers best-in-class interior space of 168.2 cubic feet, as well as segment best cargo room of as much as 145.1 cf with the second and third rows folded down.

Technology matters, as well, and the new Kia Carnival boasts twin displays, including a 12.3-inch recongfigurable gauge cluster. The basic touchscreen infotainment display measures 8 inches but upgrades to 12.3 inch with navigation. Bluetooth is built in, with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard on all models. Wireless versions are available with the dual rear screen entertainment package. Wireless charging and built-in WiFi also are offered. And there are up to nine USB ports and an optional 110-volt outlet in the cabin.

There’s a rear occupant alert system using ultrasonic sensors designed to alert parents and caregivers if a child or pet remains in the second or third rows after the vehicle is shut off and doors locked. It can notify them in several ways, including sending an alert by text message.

The Passenger Talk system acts like an intercom to make it easier for occupants up front to chat with those in the rear. And a camera also lets parents keep an eye on children in back. It even uses night vision to let it work in the dark.

Plenty of safety gear

The new Carnival offers more cargo space than any of its competitors in the segment.

As one would expect of a modern minivan, the 2022 Carnival is loaded with airbags and more advanced driver assistance systems, including forward collision warning with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, and parking collisions avoidance.

Under the hood, all versions of the new Kia minivan use a 3.5-liter V-6 pushing out 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic. All-wheel-drive is not available. The minivan features one of the segment’s better tow ratings, at a max 3,500 pounds.

The 2022 Kia Carnival is expected to reach U.S. showrooms during the second quarter. Pricing will be released closer to then. The outgoing Kia Sedona currently starts at $30,400.

The new Carnival will be facing some tough competition, including new or recently updated offerings from the minivan segment leaders, the Chrysler Pacifica, the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna. The minivan segment has been shrinking for more than a decade but all of the key players are hoping to rebuild momentum with more rugged designs and the addition of new tech and safety features.

GM Secures Big Order for New BrightDrop Commercial EV

admin • February 5, 2021

Merchants Fleet is working with BrightDrop to procure 12,600 BrightDrop EV600s, an all-new, electric light commercial vehicle.

General Motors has lined up a major new customer for its new, all-electric commercial van and reiterated its support to Lordstown Motors, the Ohio EV maker preparing to launch a new electric pickup truck.

New Hampshire-based Merchants Fleet said it plans to further electrify its portfolio with 12,600 new commercial vehicles from BrightDrop, the fledgling business backed by General Motors.

“Merchants Fleet’s move to add such a large number of BrightDrop EV600s to their portfolio signals their strong commitment to accelerate the electric fleet movement, and their belief that BrightDrop solutions will help them and their clients achieve a greener and more efficient future,” said BrightDrop President and CEO Travis Katz in a statement.

Customer to use GM new battery system

GM’s third-generation global electric vehicle platform with its Ultium battery technology.

The EV600 is powered by GM’s Ultium battery system that it’s producing in concert with South Korea’s LG Chem. The vans will be built at the GM CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, and Merchants Fleet expects the BrightDrop EV600s to enter its clients’ fleets starting in early 2023.

The new van is one of the 30 electric vehicles GM plans to launch during the next several years in a wide range of segments. GM’s goal is to sell more than a million electric vehicles annually by the middle of the decade.

Ideally for GM, thousands of those EV will be snapped up by fleet management companies, like Merchants Fleet, which is one of the nation’s fastest growing examples. BrightDrop says it is building a smarter way to deliver goods and services. The company says it plans to use electric first-to-last-mile products, software and services while improving overall sustainability.

GM renews endorsement of Lordstown Motors

In addition to the new deal, GM also offered a strong statement of support for Lordstown Motors, the new EV maker that purchased the company’s former plant in Lordstown, Ohio, hence the name.

Lordstown CEO Steve Burns announced the company’s plans to go public, in a reverse merger with DiamondPeak Holdings.

GM said it is by working closely with Lordstown Motors Corp. to support the launch of the battery electric Endurance pickup. Lordstown Motors is in the midst of a reverse merger by DiamondPeak Holdings Corp. That deal is expected to close during the fourth quarter and the company will be listed on the Nasdaq.

Additionally, GM is investing $75 million in the company, which includes the sale of the former Lordstown Assembly plant and production equipment, noting its support for Lordstown Motors dates back to May 2019 and is part of the company’s continuing support for the Lordstown community.

GM and LG Chem have formed a joint venture and together are investing more than $2.3 billion to build a new, state-of-the-art battery cell manufacturing plant in Lordstown that will create more than 1,100 new jobs. Construction of the facility is on schedule.

The new battery cell manufacturing plant will play a critical role in GM’s commitment to an all-electric future, GM said as it announced a new investment at GM plant in Toledo, Ohio.

GM to invest more in Toledo Transmission

GM is investing $75 million in its Toledo plant.

GM said it will invest $75 million in its Toledo, Ohio transmission manufacturing plant. The investment will increase the plant’s capacity to build 10-speed automatic transmissions that are used in GM’s full-size trucks. Work will begin immediately at the Toledo plant.

“Through this investment, we continue to take steps to strengthen our current core business and build on our significant manufacturing presence in Ohio,” said Phil Kienle, GM vice president, North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations.

Since 2009, GM has invested more than $3.3 billion in Ohio, Kienle noted. Toledo Transmission Operations opened in 1916 and now employs about 1,700.

GM Offers Peek at Ultra-Exclusive Cadillac Celestiq — and Jetsons-Like Flying Car

admin • January 12, 2021

GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra’s been pushing the company’s all-electric future, she offered a peek as some of that at CES 2021.

General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra is fond of saying the automaker is “on a path to an all-electric future,” something she underscored during a virtual CES webinar focusing on not only the automaker’s battery technology but also showing off some of the many battery and autonomous vehicles in development.

Along with models the automaker already has unveiled, like the Chevrolet Bolt EUV and GMC Hummer, several other projects were revealed during the hourlong presentation, including an ultra-luxurious new Cadillac dubbed Celestiq, as well as a flying car concept “designed for the moment when time is of the essence.”

“The key” to just about everything GM has in development is electrification, stressed Barra, who has led a massive shakeup of GM’s traditional approach to the car business since being named CEO in December 2013. Barra recently announced GM will introduce 30 all-electric models by 2025, up from the previous target of 20 by 2023. Meanwhile, spending on EVs and AVs, or autonomous vehicles, will jump to $27 billion by mid-decade.

(GM wants to revolutionize e-commerce with electric droids and vans.)

GM’s Crystal Windham talks about Cadillac’s latest product, the Celestiq, during CES 2021.

The automaker introduced its first long-range all-electric model, the Chevrolet Bolt EV, in 2016 and is set to begin expanding the line-up this year with the stretched Bolt EUV and GMC Hummer pickup. The pace will rapidly accelerate in 2022 when Cadillac’s first battery-electric vehicle, the Lyriq SUV, launches, along with an SUV version of the Hummer and other products.

The Cadillac brand was GM’s first to offer a specific target date, 2030, for going entirely electric, and the new Celestiq will fill a long-opened gap as the luxury division’s new flagship. First shown during a media backgrounder last March as a pure concept exercise, the project was formally confirmed during Tuesday’s CEO keynote.

It’s “a designer’s dream,” said Crystal Windham, Cadillac’s director of interior design. While the Celestiq prototype was shown largely concealed by shadows during the webinar, the version seen by reporters last March bore much in common with the over-the-top Cadillac Sixteen concept of 2003 with what Windham described as “a dramatic presence with a low profile and rear-drive proportions.”

One of the most distinctive features of the Celestiq will be an all-glass roof divided into four quadrants. It will use electroluminescent technology so that each of the exotic sedan’s passengers will be able to change it from transparent to opaque. The instrument panel, meanwhile, will take things a step beyond what is offered in the latest-generation Caddy Escalade, introducing a video screen running pillar to pillar. There will be additional screens for rear seat passengers and additional touchscreens to operate climate and other vehicle controls.

GM didn’t offer an unobscured view of the Celestiq, but instead showed bits and pieces of the luxury EV.

GM officials have been mum about other details but Celestiq will use an all-wheel-drive version of GM’s new Ultium BEV platform and, based on comments made recently by brand boss Steve Carlisle, range of 400 or more miles is likely. Meanwhile, the Ultium platform can deliver up to 1,000 horsepower, though it is not clear if the Cadillac Celestiq will push that high.

During the Barra-led webinar, GM’s battery lab group manager Mei Cai revealed some of the automaker’s plans for the Ultium batteries that will soon start rolling off a new assembly line in Ohio built as part of a joint venture with Korea’s LG Chem.

The new cells will deliver 60% more energy than batteries used in today’s Chevy Bolt and deliver as much as 450 miles per charge, depending upon the vehicle and the size of its pack. They’re also about 40% lower in cost, which would mean something at or below $100 a kilowatt-hour.

(GM rolls out new logo and marketing campaign pitching its corporate transformation.)

In addition to luxury EVs for the road, GM revealed a VTOL flying car.

But GM already is working on second-generation Ultium technology which, said Cai, will yield another 40% reduction in price and double the energy capacity – meaning a range of as much as 600 miles per charge. Last March, GM President Mark Reuss also noted a longer-term goal of reducing charging times to as little as 10 minutes.

Lighter, more energy-dense batteries could prove critical for another project GM revealed during the Barra seminar. While just a concept, for now, it suggests the automaker is ready to join competitors like Hyundai, Toyota and Aston Martin in working on flying cars.

The four-rotor prototype, dubbed the VTOL (vertical-take-off-and-landing), is “designed for the moment when time is of the essence and convenience is everything,” said Michael Simcoe, GM’s vice president of global design.

Even fewer details were revealed about the VTOL than about Celestiq, though Simcoe did note the concept would use a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

The flying car would be targeted at Cadillac customers, as would another prototype revealed during the webinar, this one a sort of living room on wheels that adopts the sort of toaster-on-wheels shape that we’re seeing with many driverless vehicle concepts.

Michael Simcoe talks about the Cadillac Halo pod concept at CES 2021.

GM’s “provides a societal space for a group of friends or family to spend time together on their way to a destination,” said Simcoe. Like Celestiq, it features an all-glass roof, “but encourages eyes to turn inside to focus on one another.”

Among other things, the high-tech cruiser uses biometric sensors to constantly control interior temperature and humidity, as well as lighting and ambient noise levels, and even introduces aromatics to influence the “well-being” of its passengers.

(CEO Barra wants GM to be dominant global EV maker.)

As with the VTOL flying car, the prototype is envisioned to become part of what Simcoe described as the “Cadillac Halo portfolio.” No details were offered on production plans for either model.

Japan Joins Growing List of Countries Set to Ban Sales of Gas-Powered Vehicles

admin • December 28, 2020

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga supports the move to ban the sale of non-electric new vehicles staring in 2035.

Despite strong pushback from the country’s largest automaker, Japan has announced plans to halt the sale of vehicles relying solely on internal combustion engines after 2035.

The move means the Asian nation will join a growing list of countries planning to phase out vehicles powered by gas or diesel, including both the United Kingdom and Norway. A number of other countries, including France and Germany, are considering similar bans.

Vehicles with internal combustion engines won’t be banned entirely. Automakers will still be able to market hybrids in Japan, regulators ruled. Even so, the plan released on Christmas Day was a significant victory for Japanese environmentalists considering it was strongly opposed by key industry leaders, including Toyota President Akio Toyoda who warned earlier this month that a broad shift to electric vehicles could cause the auto industry’s traditional business model “to collapse.”

(Toyota boss Akio Toyoda remains EV skeptic.)

Akio Toyoda, Toyota’s top officer, is against the ban.

As the head of Japan’s largest and most powerful company – and in his role as the head of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association – Toyoda hoped to convince regulators to back off on the proposed ban. But it had widespread backing from other quarters, including Japan’s new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

In October, shortly after assuming his post, Suga had pledged to cut Japan’s carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050 while indicating he supported a shift to battery-powered vehicles.

Global sales of electrified vehicles remain modest, running in single digits in all but a handful of markets, even when including hybrids, PHEVs and fuel-cell vehicles, as well as pure battery-electric vehicles. But demand is expected to increase sharply as key obstacles, such as range, cost and public charging, are addressed. It also will help that scores of new BEVs are scheduled to go into production in the coming years, proponents say.

While Japanese automakers were pioneers with their early push to bring hybrids to market, “Japan is very far behind” in terms of developing more advanced products relying solely on battery power, Masayoshi Arai, an official with the country’s

Nissan is one of a few Japanese automakers dedicating resources to a move to EVs.

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, said last week.

Toyota only recently introduced a BEV model in Europe, though it has announced plans to add two more – one through the flagship Toyota division, a second under the Lexus badge. It also this month revealed an all-electric microcar targeting the Japanese home market. Only the Nissan and Mitsubishi brands, among Japanese automakers, have committed significant resources to the development of pure battery-electric vehicles and, even then, they have fallen behind key foreign rivals in terms of bringing new products to market.

(Toyota hopes to boost interest in hydrogen tech with second-generation Mirai.)

Toyota officials have, throughout the years, pointed to numerous concerns about BEVs, including their cost, limited range and other obstacles to widespread consumer acceptance. For his part, company chief Toyoda said this month that he feared a switch to all-electric models would seriously disrupt the classic automotive industry business model. He also raised questions about whether Japan’s electric grid could supply the needed energy — and, if it did add the generating capacity, he warned, that could actually increase the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.

With the debut of the 2021 Mirai fuel-cell vehicle, Toyota’s hoping to spur interest in the tech again.

For his part, Japan’s new prime minister is downplaying such concerns and said that efforts to address greenhouse gas production “should be tackled as a strategy for growth, not as a limitation on growth.”

Downplaying the need for new coal or natural gas plants, the plan released by the Japanese government would add up to 45 gigawatts of new offshore wind generating capacity by 2040.

With the Christmas Day announcement, Japan becomes the second member of the Group of Seven, or G7, to lay out specific plans to ban non-electrified vehicles.

The UK originally had planned to do so by 2040 but now has pushed that target date up to 2030. Like Japan, its ban will continue to permit the sale of hybrids – but only through 2035, at which point only pure, zero-emissions vehicles will be able to be sold in Great Britain. That will include both BEVs and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

Despite its reticence about EVs, Toyota rolled out a new battery-electric car Dec. 25: the C⁺pod.

A handful of other countries, including Norway, have also laid out ZEV transition plans. So have some states and regions – including California and the Canadian province of British Columbia. A number of cities, such as London, Paris, Berlin and Mexico City, plan to bar vehicles not running in zero-emissions mode, meanwhile. China, meanwhile, has laid out plans to have “New Energy Vehicles,” plug-based models, reach 20% of the market by 2025. It is considering a total ban at a later date.

(Britain to ban sale of all new gas and diesel cars by 2030.)

With most of the country’s automakers reluctant to bring plug-based models to market, demand has grown far more slowly than in many other major regions. The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade noted that consumers purchased only 6,000 PHEVs and BEVs during the third quarter of 2020. By comparison, demand tripled in Europe to 270,000 – all-electric models accounting for roughly three-quarters of Norwegian sales. China, meanwhile, is expected to again top 1 million plug-based models for all of 2020.

Used Cars Booming, Honda Takes Aim at Retailers Like CarMax, Carvana

admin • December 7, 2020

Honda wants a bigger share of sales of its own used cars in the previously owned segment, competing with big players like CarMax and Caravana.

The U.S. used car market is running hot during this year of the pandemic, and Honda wants to grab a bigger share of the business away from the likes of CarMax and Carvana, two of the leaders in the “previously owned” segment.

Honda already has seen significant growth in demand for its Certified Pre-Owned, or CPO, business that focuses on select, recent-vintage vehicles carrying like-new warranties and other features – for a price premium. Now, it also wants to boost its share of the 3 million used Hondas each year that don’t fall into the CPO category, two-thirds of which aren’t sold through Honda dealers.

“With the continued rise in new-vehicle prices, the first vehicle purchase for many buyers will come from the used-car market, and our upgraded website makes this process more simple and enjoyable,” said Dan Rodriguez, manager of auto remarketing at American Honda. By having its franchised dealers pick up more of that business

(Honda adds new tech, tweaks styling to keep 2021 Accord fresh.)

Where CPO programs typically focus on used vehicles of around one to four years old, Honda’s new program will target models that have been in use as much as a decade, Rodriguez said during an online interview.

Honda’s looking to grow its non-CPO used-car business where 3 million Hondas change hands annually.

Older vehicles naturally tend to cost less, making them more appealing to younger buyers, many purchasing their first vehicles, said Rodriguez, so the goal of the “pre-owned initiative” is to get them familiar with not only Honda products but Honda dealers. That increases the odds they will come back the next time, he said, for a CPO model and “then come back for a new Honda.”

Virtually every automaker today offers a certified pre-owned vehicle program. The specifics may vary a bit from brand to brand but the basics are largely the same. Relatively recent models, typically one to four years old, go through extensive checks and, where needed, maintenance and repairs. They also carry features such as like-new warranties. All that comes at a price, however, a CPO vehicle running anywhere from several $100 to $1,000 or more compared to a similar, non-certified model.

By reducing the “buyer-beware” factor in purchasing used, CPO programs have become a win for brands like Honda, and for their dealers, helping them capture a much larger share of near-new vehicle sales than in years past.

Now, Honda wants to target those on a more limited budget, especially young, first-time buyers. The new program is, for now, a work in progress, explained Rodriguez. The first step is to begin listing non-certified products on its corporate website, much as it already does with CPO vehicles. This should make it easier for potential buyers to track down the exact Honda product – and price – they want. And it more directly mirrors what companies like CarMax and Carvana have been doing as they try to transform the used car market.

The initiative is a work in progress and Honda plans to add more features in the coming year.

(First Look: 2022 Honda Civic.)

Looking forward, Honda hopes to add still more features “leveraging” some of the processes– such as the 182-point inspection – that vehicles go through when they’re put into the CPO program.

Rodriguez wouldn’t go into specifics, “But over the next year,” he hinted, “we’re going to be working on a couple extra things that I’m not prepared to talk about right now, but that’ll make the program a little more robust and attractive to consumers and our dealers.”

The new used-car initiative will pay off in several ways, or so the automaker hopes. Demand for used cars this year has remained far more robust than the new vehicle market, in part due to the strained economy, but also because pandemic shutdowns have left dealers short of inventory. They’ve been able to make up some of the financial hit by focusing on previously owned products.

For Honda, the program aims to keep its dealer network healthy while also ensuring that a higher percentage of those today buying one of the marque’s used vehicles will stay loyal and return, eventually, for a new Honda.

(Find out what the Honda extended warranty covers.)

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BMW Does a Complete U-Turn on its EV Program

admin • November 4, 2020

The production version of the i4 Concept will reach the U.S. next year. It will use a shared platform.

A week before unveiling the all-new iNext battery-electric vehicle, BMW said it will “realign” its strategy and begin developing a unique architecture solely for “electric drives,” rather than sharing the same platform for vehicles using both battery and conventional gas and diesel powertrains.

That’s a complete about face for the Bavarian marque which, in recent years, had hoped to save money and simplify manufacturing by coming up with common architectures that could roll off the same line. But it also marks a return to BMW’s original strategy when electrified models like the all-electric i3 city car and plug-in hybrid i8 sports car used unique platforms.

“The aim is to create an overall optimum with the new architecture,” CEO Oliver Zipse said during BMW’s quarterly earnings presentation on Wednesday.

(BMW preps for i4 launch, confirms plans for all-electric 5-Series and X1.)

Over the past decade, the auto industry has gone back and forth on the appropriate approach to developing electrified vehicles, pure battery-electric models, in particular. Some, like the Ford Focus Electric and the Volkswagen e-Golf, shared common platforms with the gas and diesel versions of those vehicles. Others, such as the original BMW i models, as well as the new Ford Mustang Mach-E and VW ID.3, used unique architectures.

BMW says the production iNext should get nearly 400 miles of range per charge.

Each approach had both pluses and minuses. Shared platforms result in design compromises, often limiting the amount of batteries that could be stored on a vehicle – impacting range, among other things. But development costs can be held down, while increasing the flexibility of a company’s assembly lines.

Unique platforms, most adopting a skateboard-style layout with batteries and motors mounted below the load floor, can handle larger packs, increasing range and lowering a vehicle’s center of gravity. But that means additional development costs and the tooling up of plants dedicated solely to EVs.

With an upcoming wave of new products BMW had aimed for a compromise strategy. They use flexible platforms that can squeeze more batteries under the load floor for models like the all-electric i4 fastback due out next year. But there’s space for a conventional internal combustion engine for products such as the next BMW 4-Series.

Now, , “We will realign our vehicle architecture from the middle of the decade,” said Zipse, adding that, “Our new cluster architecture is geared towards electric drives” exclusively.

BMW’s i3 is one of the automaker’s best-selling electric vehicles. It uses a unique, rather than shared, platform.

“Our new plant in Hungary plays a key role here,” said the CEO, noting that production of “the new BEV-centered architecture will start there.”

(BMW and Mercedes suspend joint autonomous vehicle development program.)

The plan is to make the new strategy a high priority, an all-new product development operation reporting directly to Zipse. But it will be able to reach out to all other areas within the company, from engineering to sales and marketing which “gives us more control and makes us much faster,” he explained.

The shared platform strategy had come under intense scrutiny within BMW, noted German magazine Automobilwoche, Over the summer, Manfred Wochs, the head of the BMW Works Council, had warned that it resulted in “too many compromises” that could set BMW back competitively, especially in key markets like the U.S. and China.

BMW is racing to get a leg up in an emerging market segment that currently is dominated by the upstart Tesla – with an assortment of traditional competitors, as well as start-ups like Lucid, Fisker and Rivian, aiming to gain share.

But Zipse insisted that BMW will be ready when its new EVs hit market around 2025. “We anticipate that the demand for fully electric vehicles will continue to increase significantly from 2025 onwards. Exactly then – keyword timing – we will ignite phase III of our transformation.”

(BMW may go for a plug-in hybrid with upcoming X8 M.)

Fiat Chrysler Deal with Unifor Sets Up Big EV Investment

admin • October 20, 2020

Unifor President Jerry Dias secured a new deal with $1.2 billion in new investment.

Members of Unifor ratified a new three-year labor contract with Fiat Chrysler that includes a $1.2 billion investment that expected to lead to 2,000 additional jobs FCA Windsor Assembly plant as well as new work for the company assembly plant in Brampton, Ontario, and a casting plant Etobicoke, Ontario.

The contract covers more than 9,000 Unifor members employed by FCA in Canada.

“This agreement solidifies and builds on FCA’s footprint, with a game-changing investment of up to $1.2 billion for a state-of-the-art platform to build both plug–in hybrid vehicles and battery-electric vehicles, along with a $40 million investment to bring multiple derivatives of the Dodge Charger and Challenger to the Brampton plant where production of the Chrysler 300 is being extended,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.

(FCA, Unifor reach agreement on new deal, averting strike.)

“The commitments we have secured in these negotiations will stabilize FCA’s operations in Canada and position us as a global leader in the transition to zero emission vehicle production.”

FCA’s Windsor (Ontario) Assembly Plant is going to get a new electric vehicle to build.

Fiat Chrysler forecasts the return of the third shift in Windsor by 2024, adding as many as 2,000 jobs along with $14 million investment at the Etobicoke Casting Plant, and a 22% increase in the hourly workforce where the work force had dwindled to 100 from 500 in the past four years.

“Workers who have feared plant closures and job losses in recent years can now look forward to a bright future with good jobs for years to come,” said Dias.

FCA, in a separate statement, confirmed the basic content of the contract and said they expected both the Ontario provincial government and Canada federal government to help finance the renovation in Windsor, which will turn the plant into a hub of EV production, matching those at new EV plant under development by General Motors and Ford on the other side of the Detroit River in the U.S.

(Unifor vows to fight FCA plan to cut third shift in Windsor.)

“FCA has maintained a strong footprint in Canada for nearly a century. Over the last decade, we have invested over $4 billion in our Canadian manufacturing facilities, more than any other OEM in the country and it is our intention to maintain this leadership,” said Mark Stewart, chief operating officer, FCA North America.

The company plans to invest $40 million in its Brampton, Ontario.

“This agreement bolsters our global competitiveness and positions us for future growth with new product investment and new jobs, while also demonstrating our commitment to our employees, their families and the communities we represent,” he added.

Stewart said working in collaboration with Unifor, as well as both the federal and provincial governments, FCA has committed to install a new multi-energy vehicle architecture, including plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicle capability, and at least one new model on that architecture at its Windsor Assembly Plant.

(Unifor members ratify new Ford labor pact.)

The additional investments Brampton Assembly, which will produce three new variants of the popular Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger muscle cars, in addition to continuing production of the Chrysler 300, while Etobicoke Casting Plant will receive two new products FCA’s transport operation also will receive $14.3 million in equipment upgrades, FCA said.

Mercedes Offers Look at Pre-Production AMG-Powered SL Model

admin • August 27, 2020

The next-gen SL Roadster is in the dynamic testing stage, suggesting it should debut early next year.

Few automakers appear to draw from their history the way that Mercedes-Benz does and it’s reaching back to its roots again to update is next-generation SL Roadster.

While not quite ready for primetime, the German automaker is hyping its looming return in Mercedes-AMG form with several pictures of a couple of prototypes running through their paces on German roadways, covered in a skin designed to make it tough to get a good look at hard details.

The company is calling the new model a “reinterpretation” of the original coupe from 1952, and the early pics taken during dynamic testing at the maker’s Test and Technology Center in Immendingen, and now also on public roads in some cases, clearly show a tie to its past — the iconic 300 SL competition racing car of 1952.

(And another one bites the dust: Farewell Mercedes SLC.)

The automaker just cancelled the SLC Roadster, only hinting that something could replace it. This AMG-powered model suggests it’s more than a hint.

The new SL’s photo shoot comes after the German maker ends production of the Mercedes SLC Roadster.

Originally known as the SLK, this compact two-door sports coupe made a buzz early on, in part due to its origami-style folding hardtop, as well as a reasonably affordable entry prices. But the German marque over-extended its line-up during the past few decades and is rationalizing its mix, starting with the SLC.

However, the presence of the SL pre-production model clearly shows that the company plans to offer a small open-air sports car for the future. There are some differences between the outgoing and new models. The first is that the SLC featured a folding hard top while the test model is sporting a soft top.

(Major remake for renamed Mercedes SLC roadster.)

The new model looks a little lower and more nimble than its predecessor. The reduced weight due to the shift away from the folding hard top will only add to that feeling. It also may be a bit smaller than the previous model as there are reports it’s based on the AMG GT platform.

Given that the company is road testing pre-production models, it seems likely the final product will be on the road in fall 2021.

Since it’s a Mercedes-AMG creation, it will be a performance machine. Speculation about the numbers has the “entry-level” model being powered by an inline 6 cylinder engine putting out somewhere between 420 and 430 horsepower.

The next model up will likely use a variant of AMG’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 powerplant, and expect that to hit the road with horsepower numbers exceeding 600 hp. Given the point the company is at in testing, the curtain should raise in early 2021 with deliveries starting in the fall.

(Mercedes drops the covers on the 2017 SL Roadster.)

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