Ram joins Ford, Chevrolet and Nissan in killing their small vans as they focus on adding larger battery-powered delivery vehicles instead.
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Ram joins Ford, Chevrolet and Nissan in killing their small vans as they focus on adding larger battery-powered delivery vehicles instead.
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ONTARIO, Calif. — Peter Voorhoeve remembers talking at a conference in Singapore five years ago about the potential self-driving trucks held for the freight industry and wondering if any of it would come true during his career or even lifetime.
Now head of Volvo Trucks North America, Voorhoeve, 57, is part of the global leadership team helping to guide the company through rapid technology advancements. Volvo has grabbed an early U.S. lead in heavy-duty electric trucks with 56 registrations for its Class 8 VNR Electric tractor. It has sales agreements that add up to 330 more VNR Electrics in addition to the vehicles in operation.
And it is pushing into autonomous trucking. With Aurora Innovation as the driving system supplier, Volvo has an initial deal to begin hauling freight with its Class 8 VNL autonomous truck prototype for DHL in Texas. For now, a safety driver will be in the cab. At some point, Volvo and Aurora plan to pull the human monitor and gain the cost-saving potential Voorhoeve discussed in Singapore.
Voorhoeve sat down here with News Editor Jerry Hirsch near where Volvo's electric trucks are operating, hauling goods from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to inland distribution centers, to discuss the progress of self-driving trucks and Volvo's electric vehicles. Here are edited excerpts.
Q: How have your views changed on the rollout of autonomous trucks?
A: Five years ago, I would say you were not going to see it happen in my lifetime. Now I say that absolutely this will happen. When? It is going to happen in the second part of this decade and earlier in the second part rather than later.
How will it work? Will we see self-driving trucks going through the city every day?
We see autonomous solutions in very specific segments. It will be hub to hub and on the highway. You will choose a specific hub at one end and another at the other. It will be highly repetitive. They won't be crisscrossing Texas in every direction. You can't tell the truck to go here today and there tomorrow. This will work in specific, repetitive applications. It will be on specific legs and also on the legs that make sense — the ones where you can get the productivity increases.
What about the human drivers?
Obviously, when you don't have a driver on the truck, that has an impact on the cost of operation. The leg in the middle is the least of the problem. You need to make sure the truck brakes and reacts and can get in and out of the hub. That is autonomous. It is just selective, specific segments where we see this happening. But you need a driver to load or unload and drive elsewhere.
How do you commercialize autonomous trucks?
When we go to market, Volvo will have the commercial relationship. Aurora is our development partner, but it is a Volvo service and a Volvo product that will be sold. It will be sold as autonomous transport as a service. While Volvo will hold the commercial relationship, how we do that and work with dealers will always comply with the law because there are all sorts of regulations with wholesalers, dealers, etc.
How fast do you see this transition for the trucks you are selling?
Our target is clear. By 2030, 50 percent of our Volvo truck offerings will be zero-emission and fossil-fuel free. That's not so far away. And then, by 2040, we will be completely zero emission for the truck group.
How did you take the lead with electric semi-tractors in the U.S.?
It was our decision to go to the market earlier and with a truck with a little bit more limited range. People asked, "What can you do with a truck that just has a 150-mile range?" One of my favorite statistics is that 30 to 40 percent of all Class 8 trucks in North America drive less than 200 miles a day. Electrification ultimately is about helping disadvantaged areas. You want to improve the air quality and the quality of life around the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles, and parts of New York. By starting early, we will directly and immediately impact the quality of life of these highly urbanized areas. And then the rest will come. The VNR Electric already has a range of up to 275 miles now.
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Even in a class of one, the new Ford Bronco Raptor is beating out the notion of competition, early reviews say.
Ford Motor Co.'s newest model under the Bronco nameplate is meant to cater to one demographic: the most extreme off-road racing enthusiasts.
The Raptor is not hiding its intentions. It's 9.8 inches wider than the base Bronco model, and it comes with a tougher steel frame, shock towers and axles. Its 37-inch tires are the largest on any current production SUV, according to Ford.
Under the hood, a twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission combine to produce up to 418 hp — enough power to climb mountain rocks and speed through desert sand.
A notable feature included to help with high-speed desert runs is Baja mode, which aims to optimize throttle control and torque delivery.
The Raptor is cheaper than its closest competitors — Ford's F-150 Raptor and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 — starting at $70,095 with shipping. It might be hard to obtain one, however, as all 2022 models will be delivered to reservation holders.
Here's what reviewers had to say:
"Like the F-150 Raptor, the Bronco Raptor is a sloppy kind of fun on pavement; it's not perfect, but it's not meant to be. The twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 producing 418 horsepower and 440 pounds-feet of torque makes the Bronco Raptor feel quick but not blindingly fast. The 10-speed automatic transmission shifts smartly.
"Visibility is an issue, with the Bronco's large front windshield pillars restricting the driver's view when cornering. The giant full-size, rear-mounted spare tire and taillight assembly is big enough to hide entire cars. It can make highway driving feel fraught when you're in the passing lane because you can't tell if someone is right behind you.
"The Sport drive mode includes aggressive downshifting and automated throttle blips as you decelerate, but the engine sound simply isn't as pleasing as the throaty rumble of a V-8. There's also a fair amount of road and wind noise in the cabin, though it's worth remembering that the Bronco's doors and roof are removable; it's a fair trade to me.
"You probably won't be surprised to learn that the Bronco Raptor feels incredibly capable off-road, equally adept at high-speed desert running and low-speed rock crawling.
"Speeding through the desert, the ride is remarkably controlled for the terrain, and the suspension travel makes bottoming out and hitting the jounce stops an actual challenge.
"The interior being mostly Bronco is both good and bad: It feels roomier than a Wrangler, and the control layout is wonderfully intuitive and easy to use, but it doesn't make the Bronco Raptor feel unique, and the quality is a little below the Jeep's. There are also convenient grab handles — especially useful during high-speed off-roading."
— Brian Normile, Cars.com
"Running fast across rough terrain, we keep reflexively wincing at impending impacts — here comes a ditch! — only to find that the Fox dampers shrug off hits that might crush the bump stops on other four-by-fours. Any Jeep Wrangler would certainly eject its occupants to the moon at this pace.
"A layer of armor protects the vitals, and even the muffler has welded loops to guard its shell. The approach, break-over, and departure angles all exceed those of a Wrangler equipped with the Extreme Recon package.
"Drive it hard into a corner—the calipers grab the upsized rotors, the nose dives, and the tail end wants to take the lead, yet it's a perfectly coordinated exercise.
"There's the expected wind noise from the removable top, as with all Broncos, but ride quality is excellent for a rig so focused on life in the dirt."
— David Beard, Car and Driver
"It doesn't take long for this Raptor's immense capability to go to your head. In the same way the best Porsches make drivers into heroes, the Bronco Raptor turns the person behind the wheel into a villain: reckless, all powerful, above the law. Driving a Bronco Raptor means fighting an incessant urge to straight-line every roundabout.
"The harder and faster you drive, the less the Bronco Raptor is fazed by the terrain. In its signature Baja mode, this SUV combines sports-car reflexes with the compliance of a bounce house. The 10-speed automatic cracks off up- and downshifts with perfect timing, and the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires find traction where there is none, all while bombing over terrain that would fold a Honda in half.
"Thanks to the impossibly wide stance, the body doesn't roll in corners so much as it squats over the outside wheels, creating a surprising sense of stability.
"The heavy hiking boots pound the pavement and send tremors into the body at city speeds, but just as it does off-road, the Raptor becomes supple—even graceful—the faster you go. On the highway, it floats over expansion joints and potholes, making it the perfect vehicle for traversing our pre-apocalyptic infrastructure in comfort and without fear of damaging a tire.
"In a motoring world overrun with Wranglers and 4Runners, the Bronco Raptor still stands out as one of a kind. With its appetite for high-speed hooning, its composure on paved roads, and its ability to tackle any type of terrain, it's as close as you'll come to finding a truck that will drive anywhere and over anything."
— Eric Tingwall, MotorTrend
"Even if it's not the task it's designed for, the Bronco Raptor acquits itself well enough on the open road, whether it's dragging through rush hour in the Coachella Valley down Highway 111 or looping over the mountains on the Pines to Palms Highway, banking northward toward Idyllwild. Its Normal-set suspension thumps over shallow bumps with a jiggle-jiggle, amping up to a tremor-tremor in Sport.
"The wide-beam Bronco can get a little slimmer by unbuckling its add-ons. The flares and fenders bolt on and off, though they require special tools instead of using fasteners like standard Broncos. Each Bronco Raptor comes with a specific tool kit to remove the fenders and flares for extreme off-roading; the same kit provides the tool to remove the six bolts holding the running boards, which hide standard rock rails.
"I never get used to using the Raptor's extensive cameras instead of my own eyes. Maybe it's the decent camera quality, the washed-out light and heat soaking into every pore, but the front-facing cameras that show what's just ahead of the Raptor's tires come in handy for me only when I crest a few blind hills. It's more of a distraction in a place that doesn't reward it—distraction can kill out here, given the right speed and wrong attitude."
— Martin Padgett, Motor Authority
"It's designed to go out; out past where paved roads end; out past the subdivisions and strip malls and gas stations, past the farms and the dirt roads, all the way out; into nature.
"First, the cooling. The Bronco Raptor makes the difficult seem easy. Idling all day under the sun, 100-odd degrees of ambient temperature, the air beneath it god knows how hot. It might be loud, the cooling fan blowing so hard it sounds like a med-evac chopper, but the temperature needle inside never climbs.
"This is an unobtrusively powerful truck. It's not that it ever glues you to the back of your seat, it just always has enough power for you to do what you need to do.
"The controls are sharp–the throttle pedal, the steering, the response of the engine–are all quick and direct. You just sit over a foot off the ground, with long-travel suspension and A/T tires. A decision you make has a repercussion 50 yards down the road. You have to set the Braptor up, set it up for corners long in advance to set it up for success."
— Raphael Orlove, Road & Track
"This wider stance not only provides more stability off road, it allows Ford to run massive 37-inch BF Goodrich KO2 tires as standard. These tires are excellent over rocks, through the sand and in the dirt, though I'll note that if mud is in your future, BFG's KM3 tires are better suited for sloppy stuff.
"The Bronco Raptor has a crawl ratio of 67.9:1. That's less than what you can get in a Jeep Wrangler, but because the Bronco's 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 makes 440 pound-feet of torque, I have plenty of grunt to get me up and over obstacles.
"The only thing I don't like while using Rock Crawl mode is the rough shift from first to second gear. When the revs are high in first gear and the engine is really working, and the shift is enough to jerk my head back and forth. It happens again, though not as bad, when the Bronco shifts from second to third.
"But where the Raptor truly shines is in high-speed desert running. This is what I live for and the Bronco 100% puts a smile on my face. In addition to 440 lb-ft of torque, the V6 makes 418 horsepower and the Fox live valve shocks can adjust damping rates up to 500 times a second.
"The Bronco Raptor doesn't do badly on the pavement, either. At 5,700 pounds this SUV is heavy, so don't expect to hustle up any canyon roads, but the Raptor holds its own fairly well while driving in Sport mode. While using two-wheel drive, the transmission shifts smoothly, doing its thing in the background without any weirdness.
"For now, the Bronco Raptor tops its own pedestal, and it's an SUV I would totally buy. It satisfies my need for desert speed while being more than capable at slower rock crawling. As far as stock off-roaders go, it doesn't get better than this."
— Emme Hall, CNET
"Despite the hot rod job, it's as smooth of an operator as its luxury vehicle origins would suggest and sends its power to the wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission. DIY drivers will have to settle for one of the Broncos with the base four-cylinder turbo.
"Its straight-ahead view stays on at high speeds when the Baja G.O.A.T. mode is selected, which is meant for blasts through wide-open off-road areas, not the street. The Bronco Raptor is happiest when you're doing that. It's practically impossible to bottom it out and handles like its on rails even when it's on whoops.
"I've found the other Broncos to be a little soft and jittery at times, but the Raptor's suspension tidies things up and makes it a great highway cruiser. The big knobby tires aren't even that loud, but the square removable hardtop roof does rustle up the expected amount of wind noise, even with the optional sound deadening headliner.
"While it may not make the best daily driver at around $100 per tank, you could spend that much on an amusement park ticket and not have as much fun as driving the Bronco Raptor in its natural habitat."
— Gary Gastelu, Fox News
"As muscular as the Ford appears, those styling alterations hide genuine engineering improvements. The most headline-grabbing of these is probably its new, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that makes a prodigious 418 horsepower and 440 pound-feet. That V8-rivaling grunt routes through a 10-speed automatic gearbox to a part/full-time four-wheel-drive transfer case with a rock-friendly 3.06:1 low range.
"I wish the throttle were a bit more linear. Typical of turbocharged engines, you have to wait a moment after touching the gas pedal before you know exactly how much power you've dialed up, and that makes inching over huge rocks a challenge.
"Even at speeds approaching 60 miles per hour, the Bronco felt surefooted and stable, although its short wheelbase relative to the F-150 Raptor meant it could get controllably tail-happy going through corners. Ford nailed the tuning for the Baja G.O.A.T. mode, reducing stability control intervention to allow those big tires to thrash through the sand and keep momentum.
"What's more, the alterations Ford made to the steering (partly to compensate for the weight and width of the tires) have given it a more accurate, stable feel when driving down the highway, as well as decent response when going around turns.
"The usual Bronco traits apply. Plenty of wind noise makes its way through the hardtop at freeway speeds, and there's abundant tire howl in corners that warn you not to treat your SUV like a hot hatch.
"The design brief was to create an off-roader that could just as easily tackle the rocks as it could the open desert, and it's impossible to argue with the results. The Bronco Raptor is an excellent blend of the Blue Oval's best-performing products. Big Oly would be proud."
— Brett T. Evans, Motor1.com
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Switching from traditional health insurance with a big-name provider has saved Lakeland Automall hundreds of thousands of dollars and helped retain employees.
U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles from the 2020-22 model years after allegations of exploding seat belt pretensioners.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation said it has received 50 complaints alleging those failures on Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles from the 2013-18 model years and is aware of one crash allegedly related to the issue.
Three dealership groups expanded, while a new group bought a pair of dealerships, in acquisitions that closed in the second and third quarters involving stores in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and Vermont.
Rivian is betting on supply-chain improvements to increase production with a second shift at its Normal, Ill., plant.
The automaker's plans underscore the vulnerability of sprawling supply chains that have been tested by the pandemic and geopolitical tensions, casting uncertainty over businesses.
U.S. inventory vehicle levels ticked down in July to 1.02 million, despite a slowing sales rate, as automakers continue to struggle with production and supply issues.
Rivian is betting on supply-chain improvements to increase production with a second shift at its Normal, Ill., plant.
GMC will offer four trims, plus a limited edition model, of the 2023 Canyon, which goes on sale early next year.
Production of the four-cylinder gasoline engine that powers Mercedes-Benz's commercial vans will end next year.
The U.S. business of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Harvey Weinstein agreed to end competing lawsuits over a 2019 crash in which the now-imprisoned former Hollywood movie producer flipped a Jeep Wrangler while trying to avoid a deer.
Tesla is lobbying the Government of Ontario as part of an effort to set up an "advanced manufacturing facility" in Canada, a filing by the electric-vehicle maker to the province's Office of the Integrity Commissioner showed.
The automaker will suspend production on three lines at its Motomachi plant in September. That follows suspensions at its Tsutsumi plant.
Analysts are focused on Rivian's operating costs as part of second-quarter earnings due Thursday. Rivian improved its production ramp up, but still faces questions over its cash burn.
VW's new CEO, Oliver Blume, could reduce the number of management board seats to eliminate dual functions, sources said.
Ford has committed to buying at least $120 million of solar power annually from DTE Energy Co.
Honda expects higher inflation and interest rates to eventually have an impact on the U.S. economy, but for now, its top priority is delivering more product to customers.
Musk said he sold Tesla shares to avoid an emergency sale of stock if he is compelled to take over Twitter.
Ciocca Dealerships, which has been in acquisition mode in 2022, made what CEO Gregg Ciocca described as its largest acquisition when it bought six dealerships in New Jersey on Monday.
Honda expects higher inflation and interest rates to eventually have an impact on the U.S. economy, but for now, its top priority is delivering more product to customers.
Two years ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk promised a larger 4680 cylindrical battery that would improve range, drive down costs and fuel the launch of the power-hungry Cybertruck pickup. Tesla has fallen behind on those promises.
German luxury heavyweights — Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi — are remaking their lineups for the new age with fleets of battery-powered models.
WASHINGTON - The heads of chipmakers GlobalFoundries and Applied Materials and carmakers Ford Motor and General Motors were to meet at a closed-door summit with U.S. government officials on Monday to discuss administration plans to invest in semiconductors.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden will sign legislation to subsidize the U.S. semiconductor industry and boost efforts to make the United States more competitive with China. The bill provides $52 billion in subsidies for chip manufacturing and research. It also includes an investment tax credit for chip plants estimated to be worth $24 billion.
GlobalFoundries CEO Thomas Caulfield said in a statement the chips legislation "protects U.S. economic, supply chain and national security by accelerating semiconductor manufacturing on American soil."
The legislation aims to alleviate a persistent shortage that has affected supplies of goods from cars and weapons to washing machines and video games. Thousands of cars and trucks remain parked in southeast Michigan awaiting chips as the shortage continues to impact automakers.
The companies said the summit would bring them together with government officials to "discuss how these public investments can accelerate semiconductor and emerging technology manufacturing, support the electrification of automobiles with a ready supply of chips, including feature-rich chips, and strengthen the United States' economy, supply chains, and national security."
White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition William LaPlante and National Security Council official Tarun Chhabra were among officials due to attend.
Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a statement "a reliable domestic supply of chips, including legacy semiconductors needed in the automotive and defense industries, will keep American manufacturing lines humming."
LMP Automotive Holdings Inc.'s board of directors has unanimously recommended that stockholders approve a proposed plan to liquidate the company, while the retailer also noted it will be selling six dealerships.
LMP Automotive Holdings Inc.'s board of directors has unanimously recommended that stockholders approve a proposed plan to liquidate the company, while the retailer also noted it will be selling six dealerships.
Brockman, who started Universal Computer Systems in 1970 before it later merged with Reynolds and Reynolds, was facing trial in February on federal charges of tax evasion and other crimes.
Mercedes-Benz has tapped game software developer Unity Technologies to help build its next infotainment system.
Representatives Robert Latta, Republican, and Debbie Dingell, Democrat, want to revive legislative efforts to boost self-driving vehicles.
New research from Growth from Knowledge AutoMobility shows loyalty toward brands and dealerships continues to decline as sticker prices go up.
The Inflation Reduction Act ends per-manufacturer limits for the $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicle purchases, a boost for electric vehicle makers. But the vehicles will have to be built in North America and carmakers will have to quickly end a reliance on China for the battery supply chain.
The single-motor 2023 BMW i4 eDrive35, debuting in U.S. stores early next year, will start at $52,395.
The initiative's goal is to provide businesses with virtual training and give them access to an online marketplace that builds "a bridge between the public and private sectors to create substantive business opportunities for Black suppliers" around the U.S. and internationally within the auto industry and beyond.
Volkswagen dealers who were excited about the stability that Scott Keogh would bring to the job of CEO of VW of America now find themselves back on the executive merry-go-round, and they're concerned that the German brand will continue to cycle executives in and out of North America.
Brockman was a software entrepreneur and built Reynolds and Reynolds into a dealership management system giant before he was indicted in a landmark tax-evasion case.
Carvana CEO Ernie Garcia says the retailer has shifted priorities to favor cost efficiency and cash flow for the first time in company history.
Wholesale used-vehicle prices showed just a a tiny decline in July amid a stagnating summer sales season.
Wholesale used-vehicle prices showed just a a tiny decline in July amid a stagnating summer sales season.
What appeared to be a path forward on EV tax credits at first glance evolved into a last-minute scramble, as automakers and some Senate Democrats seek changes to the provision's strict battery content and assembly rules, which they said could delay vehicle eligibility.
The automaker issued an emergency stop-sale on the 2023 bZ4 compact BEV crossover and told consumers to stop driving it immediately for fear its wheels may fall off. It is now offering a series of make-goods to the approximately 260 owners and lessees affected, who still can't drive the car, including an offer to buy back their vehicle.
American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. took another supply chain-related hit to its bottom line in the second quarter but offered a better-than-expected financial outlook through the end of the year.
Lyft saw an earnings record and increased revenue in the second quarter amid news that the ride-hailing company laid off approximately because of the discontinuation of its first party rental service.
Four dealerships — Stellantis and Ford stores — traded hands in first- and second-quarter transactions across four states.
Forvia, the supplier formed by Faurecia's acquisition of Hella this year, came into being in large part because of Faurecia's need to add more software engineers to its ranks.
As factories in Berlin and Texas ramp up, Tesla forecasts annual production of 2 million cars next year ahead of its long-term goal of building 20 million vehicles year.
U.S. Men's National Soccer Team captain Christian Pulisic fronts film for VW's ID.4 as U.S. production of vehicle begins.
Lucid Motors cut its 2022 production forecast in half to between 6,000 and 7,000 units of the Air electric sedan after delivering just 679 vehicles in the second quarter. Revenue was $97.3 million, and cash on hand was $4.6 billion.
Despite a 42 percent drop in quarterly profit, the automaker lifted its full-year guidance for net income and revenue.
BMW is hydrogen's biggest advocate among German automakers as it plots a path to zero emissions. It will start limited production of a hydrogen fuel-cell X5 at the end of the year.
Only three out of seven vehicles earned "good" or "acceptable" ratings in the latest IIHS side-impact evaluation.
Despite a 42 percent drop in quarterly profit, the automaker lifted its full-year guidance for net income and revenue.
Denso will need engineers for EVs and automated driving technologies. So it transform the mechanical engineers it already has.
KARsaid that while it brought in more profit per each vehicle it sold in the second quarter, its performance was affected by reductions in conversion rates across its digital and hybrid marketplaces.
Expanding Five Star Automotive Group, which entered the Midwest last year, added three dealerships in Ohio in June.
KARsaid that while it brought in more profit per each vehicle it sold in the second quarter, its performance was affected by reductions in conversion rates across its digital and hybrid marketplaces.
Lucid Motors reports Q2 earnings after the market close Wednesday amid recent job cuts by EV startups Rivian and Tesla. For Lucid, there's pressure to improve on its first-quarter deliveries of just 360 vehicles and boost sales revenue.
GM plans to double its hands-free driving network to cover 400,000 miles in the U.S. and Canada starting later this year.
The industry is scrambling to build millions of EVs, and battery producers are considering new processes and supply chains.
The ride-hailing giant said Q2 results were boosted by resilient demand from customers who continued to hail rides and order takeout food despite rising inflation. The company still posted a net loss of $2.6 billion.
The components, including laser-based lidar sensors, will be used in advanced driver assistance systems and automated vehicles from multiple VW brands starting mid-decade, Innoviz said.
Edward Erickson "had been a champion for cycling safety and regularly educated our team members on the rules of the road for vehicle interaction," Toyota said in a statement.
Order intake reached a new record level in the second quarter, CEO Benedetto Vigna said.
Credit Acceptance Corp.'s net income fell during the second quarter to $107.4 million, down 63 percent from a year earlier, dragged down by setting aside $178 million as a precaution against losses on its auto loans.
The supercar brand's profit rose 70 percent as demand from wealthy customers boomed.
The investigative committee tasked by truck and bus maker Hino Motors blamed the scandal on an environment where engineers did not feel able to challenge superiors, in a rare criticism of corporate culture in Japan.
Nikola has agreed to buy battery supplier Romeo Power for about $144 million in stock, in a move designed to help jumpstart its efforts to make battery packs.
Israeli startup and diversified manufacturer began hosting customers for live demonstrations of its new Proxima proof-of-concept electric delivery van.
Aston Martin expects to sell more cars in the second half following a ramp up in production of its more profitable models that include the DBX707, and the V-12 Vantage sports car.
More EVs on the road mean more will be needing service and maintenance from dealerships. Manufacturers are ramping up safety training for technicians before they are allowed to work on the vehicles.
Although all six major public franchised retailers in late July reported that new-vehicle days' supply level improved between the end of March and the end of June, company leaders said they believe the constrained inventory situation has yet to turn a corner toward lasting recovery.
In response to a catastrophic worldwide chip shortage that has knocked 13 million vehicles out of production since early 2021, chip producers and governments are pledging unprecedented sums of money into boosting semiconductor capacity. And that’s just the start.
The pace of automation accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic as more manufacturers in Michigan and around the world looked to robots to fill the void left by the labor shortage.