Interesting Car/Truck Manufacturer News

[Weather Man]

Hollysys Automation gets takeout proposal at $15.47/share
Dec. 7, 2020 6:48 PM ET|About: Hollysys Automation Technol... (HOLI)|By: Carl Surran, SA News Editor


Hollysys Automation Technologies (NASDAQ:HOLI) +18.3% post-market after disclosing a preliminary non-binding proposal to acquire all publicly held shares for $15.47/share in cash, which represents a 24% premium to the stock's Dec. 4 closing price.

The offer comes from a consortium including co-founder and former Hollysys CEO Baiqing Shao and Chinese P-E firm CPE Funds Management.

The group also urges the Hollysys board to take necessary action to render the company's shareholder rights plan inapplicable to the proposal.

Hollysys shares "look very attractive from a technical and fundamental perspective," Individual Trader writes in a bullish analysis posted recently on Seeking Alpha.

 

[Weather Man]

GM wants dealers to embrace electric Hummer
Dec. 08, 2020 12:06 PM ETGeneral Motors Company (GM)By: Clark Schultz, SA News Editor

• General Motors (GM -1.0%) says it is using a different strategy with the rollout of electric Hummers and won't offer buyouts to franchise owners not wanting to invest in the EV concept.
• About 150 Cadillac dealers took buyouts offered by GM for that brand's EV pivot.
• Close to half of the 1,695 GMC dealers have agreed to invest and sell electric vehicles, beginning in the fall of 2021 with the Hummer EV pickup. The dealer investments include outlays for training and charging infrastructure.
• The Hummer is the debut vehicle for GM's next-gen Ultium batteries and architecture platform.
• Wedbush thinks the new Hummer will take GM into the EV fast lane.

 

[CobraBob]

Ford Maverick compact pickup uncovered in new photos
December 9, 2020 (Fox News)

Ford hasn’t officially announced it yet, but the automaker has a new compact pickup coming soon.

It’s based on the new Ford Bronco Sport crossover utility vehicle and will be called the Maverick, according to various spy photos of disguised prototypes and insider leaks.

Now the entire body has been exposed in images shared with Motor1, revealing a four-door, short-bed form in all of its glory – not to mention the name stamped on the tailgate.

Technical details are still unconfirmed, but it will likely be offered with one or both of the engines available in the Bronco Sport, which include a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder and 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder.

Ford has only said that it has a new “white space” model on the way, meaning something it doesn’t currently sell, but expect to see the Maverick unveiled sometime next year as a 2022 model.

 

[03cobra#694]

Ford Maverick compact pickup uncovered in new photos
December 12, 2020 (Fox News)

Ford hasn’t officially announced it yet, but the automaker has a new compact pickup coming soon.

It’s based on the new Ford Bronco Sport crossover utility vehicle and will be called the Maverick, according to various spy photos of disguised prototypes and insider leaks.

Now the entire body has been exposed in images shared with Motor1, revealing a four-door, short-bed form in all of its glory – not to mention the name stamped on the tailgate.

Technical details are still unconfirmed, but it will likely be offered with one or both of the engines available in the Bronco Sport, which include a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder and 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder.

Ford has only said that it has a new “white space” model on the way, meaning something it doesn’t currently sell, but expect to see the Maverick unveiled sometime next year as a 2022 model.

December 12-20?

 

[Weather Man]

Toyota Mirai launch catches the eye of Bank of America amid zero-emission focus
Dec. 09, 2020 10:19 AM ETToyota Motor Corporation (TM)By: Clark Schultz, SA News Editor2 Comments

• Bank of America says Toyota (NYSE:TM) has upgraded both the fuel-cell system and the platform of the Mirai, substantially enhancing performance as a FCV.
• "We believe Toyota has become much more proactive in its recent approach to zero-emission vehicles, which include FCVs and battery electric vehicles. The launch of the new Mirai model just at this juncture looks highly interesting to us, though the unveiling event did not include any comments worth particular mention."
• "The government and local authorities have recently been taking an increasingly dynamic approach to ZEVs in Japan, as well, and we think Toyota is likely to demonstrate clear commitment to these in the near future as Japan's leading OEM."
• Bank of America keeps a Buy rating on Toyota and price objective of ¥9200. Shares of Toyota closed at in Tokyo today ¥7349.
• Toyota has one of the highest profitability scores in the auto sector.

 

[CobraBob]

December 12-20?

Typo. It was this morning.

 

[VRYALT3R3D]

Toyota Mirai launch catches the eye of Bank of America amid zero-emission focus
Dec. 09, 2020 10:19 AM ETToyota Motor Corporation (TM)By: Clark Schultz, SA News Editor2 Comments

• Bank of America says Toyota (NYSE:TM) has upgraded both the fuel-cell system and the platform of the Mirai, substantially enhancing performance as a FCV.
• "We believe Toyota has become much more proactive in its recent approach to zero-emission vehicles, which include FCVs and battery electric vehicles. The launch of the new Mirai model just at this juncture looks highly interesting to us, though the unveiling event did not include any comments worth particular mention."
• "The government and local authorities have recently been taking an increasingly dynamic approach to ZEVs in Japan, as well, and we think Toyota is likely to demonstrate clear commitment to these in the near future as Japan's leading OEM."
• Bank of America keeps a Buy rating on Toyota and price objective of ¥9200. Shares of Toyota closed at in Tokyo today ¥7349.
• Toyota has one of the highest profitability scores in the auto sector.

Too bad there is practically no Hydrogen infrastructure.

 

[CobraBob]

2022 Honda Civic Type R Will Be More Powerful and Look Less Crazy

Honda gave us a glimpse at the 11th-generation Civic sedan as a prototype, confirming that it'll be available as sedan, hatchback, Si, and Type R models. We're most excited about the latter, not only because the current-gen Type R is one of our favorite hot hatches but because, as previewed by the 2020 sedan prototype, the new model will have a more mature appearance compared with the current model's more obnoxious, juvenile looks. And it should be more powerful.

That new look—much like the kid who returns from summer break having outgrown the braces, greasy hair, and zits—will mature, borrowing design cues from the Accord. And, because it will wear the coveted red "R" badge, it'll have added aero, 20-inch wheels, crepe-thin sidewalls, an obnoxious yet functional rear wing, rear diffuser, and multiple pipes out back. We're hoping for fewer fake air vents, though, which is likely. One thing is for sure: it will be a welcome improvement over the previous model, and maybe we'll actually want to be seen behind the wheel.

The current-gen car is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that spins up 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque that's sent to the front wheels through a standard six-speed manual transmission. And that's the only option. We expect that Honda will keep using the turbo four but make some tweaks to make more power, and we hope it has a better soundtrack. There have been rumors about a hybrid all-wheel-drive powertrain, but we think it's unlikely—at least at launch. Honda confirmed the Type R, as well as the Si, will retain three pedals, and the automaker didn't rule out a quick-shifting dual-clutch automatic transmission, either—something the Veloster N now has.

It'll use an evolution of the current car's chassis, which means we likely won't see a control-arm front suspension like the new TLX, but rather an improvement of the dual-axis strut front suspension. The new car's dimensions won't change much, either. Honda only stretched the 11th-generation car's wheelbase a little over an inch, and its height and width are unchanged. The prototype was shown sitting on a set of Michelin Pilot Super Sports, likely the Si's new standard tire, while the Type R should get higher-performance rubber.

Also previewed on the prototype, the interior will be more upscale compared to the current car, which is adorned with fake carbon fiber, red trim, and other hard plastics. It'll have a digital gauge cluster along with a 9.0-inch central touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. But while the dashboard may look sleeker, we're still expecting the fake carbon-fiber trim to remain in the Type R. Honda added a classic aluminum teardrop-shaped shifter to the current car for 2020, so expect that to stick around.

The 2022 Honda Civic will arrive late next spring, and we could see the Type R by the end of the year or early 2022. Expect pricing to rise only slightly from the 2021 model's $38,450 starting price, staying just under $40,000.

 

[Weather Man]

CarGurus nabs majority stake in Caroffer
Dec. 10, 2020 7:17 AM ETCarGurus, Inc. (CARG)By: Clark Schultz, SA News Editor

• CarGurus (NASDAQ:CARG) strikes a deal to acquire a 51% interest in CarOffer at an enterprise valuation of $275M, with the ability to buy the remaining equity interest in the company over the next three years.
• CarOffer is described as an automated instant vehicle trade platform that is disrupting the traditional wholesale auction model with technology that enables dealers to bid, transact, inspect and transport seamlessly.
• The company expects the acquisition will add wholesale capabilities to CarGurus' portfolio of dealer offerings, creating a complete and efficient digital solution for dealers to sell and acquire vehicles at both retail and wholesale.
• “CarOffer is disrupting the traditional wholesale auction model in the same way that CarGurus gained our position as the leading online consumer automotive marketplace in the U.S., by leveraging technology, data and analytics to build more transparent solutions," says CarGurus CFO Jason Trevisan,
• The transaction is expected to close in January 2021 pending the requisite regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other closing conditions.
• Source: Press Release

 

[Weather Man]

Linde and Daimler Truck collaborate to develop hydrogen refueling technology
Dec. 10, 2020 5:58 AM ETLinde plc (LIN)By: Niloofer Shaikh, SA News Editor1 Comment

• Linde (NYSE:LIN) and Daimler Truck AG agree to jointly develop the next generation of hydrogen refueling technology for fuel cell-powered heavy-duty vehicles based on subcooled liquid hydrogen (sLH2), which allows for higher on-board capacity, greater range, faster refueling and superior energy efficiency.
• The new fueling process to be implemented in the series version of the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck, which was unveiled in September 2020 as a concept vehicle, and will have a range of more than 1,000 kilometers.
• First refueling of a prototype vehicle at a pilot station to take place in Germany in 2023.
• "We at Daimler Truck AG are pursuing the vision of the CO2-neutral transportation of the future," said Sven Ennerst, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG for Development, Procurement and the China Region. "The hydrogen-based fuel cell is a key technology of strategic importance in this context. With our collaboration with Linde as an expert in hydrogen refueling technology, we want to increase the viability and acceptance in the industry of fuel cell trucks on the basis of hydrogen. The new process can further enhance the numerous advantages that liquid hydrogen offers."

 

[Weather Man]

Toyota hits higher gear with next-gen fuel cell electric technology for trucks
Dec. 10, 2020 12:20 PM ETToyota Motor Corporation (TM)By: Clark Schultz, SA News Editor4 Comments

• Toyota (TM +1.0%) says its next generation fuel cell electric technology is now powering a new set of Class 8 heavy-duty trucks.
• The company says the same fuel cell system that powers the all-new 2021 Mirai sedan isb eing applied to a set of production-intent prototype trucks that are being prepared to run drayage routes at the ports of L.A. and Long Beach to validate their performance, efficiency and drivability.
• Designed to be flexible enough to meet the needs of a wide variety of OEM truck makers, the new fuel cell electric system in the latest prototypes has been adapted to a Kenworth T680 chassis.
• Per Toyota, a more compact hydrogen storage cabinet behind the cab houses six hydrogen tanks with the same capacity as previous prototypes while a new, more powerful lithium-ion battery helps smooth out the power flow to the electric motors.

 

[CobraBob]

2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Looks Edgier, Will Arrive Early Next Year
BY CONNOR HOFFMAN DEC 10, 2020

Mitsubishi has announced that the 2022 Outlander—which will be larger, slotting in between the compact crossover and mid-size SUV segment—is going to be unveiled in February. It'll be the first vehicle in Mitsubishi's lineup to feature the Japanese automaker's new bold design language, and it will go on sale in the U.S. in the spring.

Photos of the new Outlander have already leaked via Instagram (pictured above), and we spied the new crossover last year. Now Mitsubishi has shared its first teaser image of the next-generation car, which gets its styling from the Engelberg Tourer concept. The front end looks similar to the current car, incorporating lots of chrome but slightly lifted, sleeker, and modernized. The same goes for the rear, which shows thinner taillights.

The new Outlander is rumored to share its platform with the Nissan Rogue, which just got a sharp redesign as well, and it will go up against it and other popular choices such as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. The Outlander, like the Volkswagen Tiguan, is unusual for the segment in that it has a third row. On the Outlander, it's standard, while on the Tiguan it's optional on AWD and standard on FWD versions.

Mitsubishi says the new Outlander will be its "best equipped" car ever sold in the U.S., loaded with new technology and interior refinements. So we expect to see nicer materials used throughout and a larger, more responsive touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability.

The 2022 Outlander is also expected to share the Nissan Rogue's 181-hp 2.5-liter inline-four paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive, though all-wheel drive will likely be optional. And, like the current-generation SUV, a PHEV model will also be available and is rumored to use a larger 2.4-liter inline-four (the current model uses a 2.0-liter unit) with an electric range of 43 miles.

We'll know more about the next-generation Outlander in the coming months. It will make its debut via live stream in February, and it'll go on sale in the U.S. shortly after.

 

[CobraBob]

Here's the Outlander pic. Site wouldn't let me include it with my post. ??

 

[Weather Man]

GigCapital3 rallies 11% after confirming SPAC deal with Lightning eMotors
Dec. 10, 2020 4:30 PM ETGigCapital3, Inc. (GIK)By: Clark Schultz, SA News Editor1 Comment

• Lightning eMotors and GigCapital3 (NYSE:GIK) enter into a definitive agreement for a business combination that will result in Lightning eMotors becoming a publicly listed company.
• Upon closing of the transaction, the combined operating company will be named Lightning eMotors and will be listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol ZEV.
• Lightning eMotors is described as a high-growth electric vehicle manufacturer focused on urban commercial zero-emission vehicles. Lightning eMotors is the only operator with a full range of Class 3-7 battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles in production today, addressing the large and growing fleet electrification market.
• Source: Press Release

 

[ON D BIT]

Ford Maverick compact pickup uncovered in new photos
December 9, 2020 (Fox News)

Ford hasn’t officially announced it yet, but the automaker has a new compact pickup coming soon.

It’s based on the new Ford Bronco Sport crossover utility vehicle and will be called the Maverick, according to various spy photos of disguised prototypes and insider leaks.

Now the entire body has been exposed in images shared with Motor1, revealing a four-door, short-bed form in all of its glory – not to mention the name stamped on the tailgate.

Technical details are still unconfirmed, but it will likely be offered with one or both of the engines available in the Bronco Sport, which include a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder and 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder.

Ford has only said that it has a new “white space” model on the way, meaning something it doesn’t currently sell, but expect to see the Maverick unveiled sometime next year as a 2022 model.

Wait? They can the ranger because there’s no market now they want 3?

Ranger, Bronco truck now the Maverick?

 

[Double"O"]

California and Washington ban Chevrolet's Camaro SS and ZL1

Lol

 

[Weather Man]

Volkswagen's global sales declined 9% in November
Dec. 11, 2020 6:36 AM ETVolkswagen AG (VLKAF)By: Niloofer Shaikh, SA News Editor1 Comment

• German car maker Volkswagen (OTCPK:VLKAF) reports worldwide November sales declined 9.0% Y/Y to 899,900 vehicles.
• Vehicle sales is China dropped 6.9% to 390,700, Western Europe slipped 13% to 265,000 units.
• Sales in North America down 14% and South America fell 1.8%.
• YTD deliveries were down 16.5% to 8,307,800.
• The company's supervisory board to discuss reshuffle of the management board.
• According to CEO Herbert Diess, Volkswagen will not sell enough electric cars to meet the EU's climate targets for 2020 and 2021, but says it will be easier for the company next year and from 2022 there should not be any problems in meeting the targets.

 

[Weather Man]

EV Company Electric Last Mile to go public through merger with Forum Merger III at $1.4B valuation
Dec. 11, 2020 7:21 AM ETForum Merger III Corporation Units (FIIIU)By: Niloofer Shaikh, SA News Editor

• Electric Last Mile (ELMS) to combine with Forum Merger III Corporation (NASDAQ:FIIIU) at ~$1.4B pro forma valuation.
• ELMS has a 675K square foot production plant in Indiana with a capacity to produce 100K vehicles annually.
• Upon closing of the transaction in 1Q2021, the combined company will be named Electric Last Mile Solutions and will trade on Nasdaq under the new ticker symbol 'ELMS'.
• ELMS expects to launch its Urban Delivery van as the first electric Class 1 commercial vehicle in the U.S., with the expected lowest total cost of ownership in 3Q21.
  
• To date, ELMS has over 30,000 pre-orders from customers including leading brands and some of the largest fleet managers and dealers in the country.
• “David Boris, Co-Chief Executive Officer and CFO of Forum III said, "Upon the closing of the business combination, ELMS will have in place a product based on a proven, top-selling platform as well as a U.S. plant with significant capacity. In addition, the experienced management team has already generated substantial pre-orders representing over $1B in anticipated revenues. With the investment from Forum III and other investors, ELMS will be fully funded to launch its initial products, and serve the growing demand for delivery vehicles. We look forward to working with the ELMS team to build an industry leading electric vehicle company.”
• Transaction supported by ~$155M in fully committed PIPE and related financing anchored by institutional investors including BNP Paribas Asset Management Energy Transition Fund and Jennison Associates LLC and ~$379M of gross proceeds expected from the transaction to be used to fund operations and growth.
  
• Pro forma ownership post merger: ~66.7% existing shareholders, ~17.6% public shareholders of Forum Merger III Corp, ~4.8% Forum Merger III Corp sponsors, ~10.9% PIPE investors:
  

 

[CobraBob]

Advanced ADB Headlights Will Save Lives, but Not in the U.S. (Yet)
BY MICHAEL FRANK - Car & Driver
DEC 11, 2020

Audi and others have made advances in car lighting that go way beyond today's adaptive technology, but U.S. regulators are way too slow to let them come here.

You drive into a tunnel and your car's headlights flicker to life. Just on the edge of the horizon you can see a set of taillights glowing back at you. You floor it, trying to catch up. It doesn't matter. The faster you drive, the farther out of reach that red glow becomes. Worse, it seems this bleak, sunless tube stretches on forever—much like 2020.

This dark tunnel is the U.S. regulatory environment when it comes to lighting, and the rest of the world is that car ahead of us in the tunnel: China, the EU, even Canada. At issue, as we pointed out earlier, is a 53-year-old regulation that mandates that all cars sold in the U.S. meet a law that says low- and high-beam headlights cannot operate simultaneously.

We’re bringing this up in the wake of yet more advanced lighting technology that vehicles including Audi’s e-tron (and some Q5 models), Cadillac's XT6, the Lexus RX, and cars from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche have already activated elsewhere, but, because of our antiquated regulatory environment, not here.

And the situation is getting more dire, because what’s already been sold overseas and now in Canada is a merely fantastically stupendous technology called adaptive driving beam (ADB) headlights. This is the start, not the end, of what's possible.

Smart-TV-Style Brightness
ADB works by shadowing your car’s lights from blinding the oncoming driver, while still illuminating the driver’s side to a normal high-beam’s throw. (In the EU, some luxury brands pair the LEDs with a laser high-beam that can stretch slightly more than a third of a mile.) But the point here isn’t reach—it's accuracy. We recently checked out Audi's technology and learned that its ADB digital-matrix LEDs work a lot more like the pixels of a smart TV than actual lights, individually funneling the LED's photons to 1.3 million micromirrors, each of which can adjust up to 5000 times per second, constantly adapting to only brighten parts of the field of view while shading others.

So while U.S. law futzes around with how to regulate two individual headlights, Audi's got 1,299,998 others.

And actually, there’s even more advanced tech on the horizon.

Connected Lights Will Be Safer
What's coming dramatically clarifies what the rest of the world’s drivers will be getting—and why slow-walking on ADB puts American drivers dangerously far behind when it comes to safer lighting.

This past week Audi showcased futuristic tech that can display patterns on the road within the "light carpet" the LEDs illuminate. This includes visible markings, to augment where the car is positioned on the road, so that it's easier for the driver to stay in their lane, which is especially useful in lousy weather.

Audi's tech, and competing systems offered by other brands, also foreshortens the reach of the "low" beam on multilane highways, so as you bear down on a truck you're about to overtake the LEDs shadow out that 18-wheeler and effectively wrap around it, stretching into the passing lane you're about to occupy right as you signal. Audi's system, like Lexus's Bladescan, is also able to detect pedestrians with digital matrix LED lighting, and in the future will use the tech to display signage to drivers and likely include that information in HUD displays, too.

Where this is getting really fancy is in creating visuals well beyond the front of the car.

Audi's developed OLED taillamps that are starting to mirror what matrix LEDs allow. Again, think display, not lightbulbs. Audi was quick to explain that this will allow more creative design interpretation by the owner. (If you thought spinners were dumb, just wait.) But the bigger deal is using the display system for safety.

Imagine an Esperanto of signals that cars could deploy based on roadway conditions changing or an accident a mile ahead. Imagine being able to avoid any such collision because your e-tron detects worsening grip on a rainy interstate, and your rig's OLEDs would switch to displaying a slippery-when-wet street sign signal on its hatch. This, in turn, could be detectable by a following car's sensors.

Or, since Audi (also, Ford, Volvo, and almost every brand you can think of) is exploring car-to-X and 5G integration, such detection could also be transmitted from vehicle to vehicle, so the first car through the snow squall could act as sentry, sending both a transmission and a literal OLED billboard to other drivers.

Audi is already experimenting with the transmission part of this formula, with cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) pilot programs in Virginia in which construction crews wear vests with 5.9G transmitters that twig drivers of equipped Q8s that they're about to enter a work zone. A similar program in Georgia equips school buses with transmitters that then tells equipped e-trons when they are approaching kids being dropped off or fetched. It's an obvious extension of what's possible to proliferate this through light technology as well. Since states are bound to continue to be cash strapped, enabling vehicles to essentially become "rolling infrastructure" leapfrogs the problem of embedding millions of transmitters.

This kind of thinking also becomes yet another necessary tool in the slog toward autonomy; vehicles that communicate with each other with visible signals as well as C-V2X will have to be part of the sauce.

Unfortunately the outlook for all of this is still murky. Audi's above experiments are done not through NHTSA, but by working with temporary FCC-licensed partners, like Qualcomm. And you probably already know that laser headlights have come in limited and expensive fashion to American roads not through NHTSA, but through the FDA—which handles lasers because they can emit radiation.

NHTSA has been dancing around ways to regulate advancements in lighting since 2001, when Congress directed the DOT to study HID glare. Ever since, including in 2013 when Toyota asked for permission to begin experimenting with adaptive headlights, the agency hasn’t budged.

The Automotive Alliance cautioned both in 2018 and this past July that NHTSA's rules for more advanced lighting were "overly stringent and not based on modern headlight systems." That last bit is the key: NHTSA has been looking backward, at mitigating glare from headlight technology that was invented in the last century. But modern ADB systems were developed precisely to do just that: to shield oncoming drivers. And, in fact, they can do way more than we ever thought possible. They don't just illuminate anymore. Now they also allow both drivers and pedestrians to see, and they augment what we see with better information. We just hope that these are advances that don't happen all over the rest of the globe, while forever leaving American drivers in the dark.

 

[Weather Man]

Ford's new hybrid F-150 officially has the best fuel economy of any non-diesel full-size pickup truck

©

Ford The 2021 F-150 PowerBoost gets an EPA-estimated 25 mpg combined on two-wheel-drive models. Ford

• The hybrid 2021 Ford F-150 has taken the crown as the most efficient pickup in its class, according to EPA fuel-economy estimates Ford released Friday.
• The rear-wheel-drive F-150 PowerBoost delivers a combined 25 mpg and can travel 750 miles on a tank of gas, according to the agency.
• The truck is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 and an electric motor and delivers the most torque of any factory F-150 — 570 lb-ft — Ford says

Ford's new hybrid F-150 officially has the best fuel economy of any non-diesel full-size pickup truck (msn.com)