Interesting Car/Truck Manufacturer News

[Weather Man]

Hyundai looks out for a new EV manufacturing plant in U.S., plans for Georgia: Reuters​

HYMTF -0.27%May 09, 2022 6:12 AM ET

• Hyundai Motor (OTCPK:HYMTF) intends to announce a new EV manufacturing plant in U.S. and is underway discussions to build a facility in Georgia, near existing plants for the Hyundai and Kia brands, sources close to the matter stated as cited by Reuters.
• Investment details including its projected cost were not disclosed immediately.
• The facility, if finalized, would serve both Hyundai and Kia as the brands move to roll out a pair of fully electric SUVs, Ioniq 7 and EV9, targeted at the U.S. market.
• Hyundai's battery supplier, SK Innovation's battery unit SK On has built two adjacent plants in Georgia.
• The carmaker had been working to announce its U.S. investment in EV manufacturing sometime later this month to coincide with Biden's planned visit to Seoul.
• In mid-April, the company announced a $300M investment for manufacturing the all-electric Genesis GV 70 and a hybrid version of the Santa Fe at its Alabama plant.
• Hyundai had indicated that it will roll out 17 by 2030, including six for its luxury Genesis brand.

 

[Weather Man]

Ford plans to start making all-electric E-Transit Custom vehicles in 2023​

F -2.22%May 09, 2022 9:47 AM ET3 Comments
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F -2.1%) revealed the first details of the all-new, all-electric, E-Transit Custom. The automaker said the new vehicle will be a major step in its electrification transformation to follow on the heels of the all-electric E-Transit that began production in March this year.
The Detroit auto giant said the E-Transit Custom is designed to set a new benchmark in Europe's one-ton van segment and help businesses across the region make the change to electrified vehicles.
"The all-electric successor to Europe’s best-selling van 1,2 is designed from the ground-up to fit seamlessly into the Ford Pro ecosystem of productivity-enhancing, value-adding solutions. E-Transit Custom will be supported by Ford Pro software, charging, service and financing solutions via one comprehensive platform to help increase uptime and reduce operating costs."
Production on all-electric E-Transit Custom is scheduled to begin in 2023 at the upgraded Ford Otosan facility in Kocaeli, Turkey.
The newest addition to Ford Pro’s electrified line-up is expected to be a key component in Ford's (F) target to reach zero emissions for all Ford vehicle sales in Europe and carbon neutrality across its European footprint by 2035.

 

[Weather Man]

Hyundai to announce $7B Georgia EV plant next week - AP​

HYMTF -1.11%May 12, 2022 5:57 PM ET
Hyundai (OTCPK:HYMTF) is expected to announce next week it is building a huge electric vehicle plant near Savannah, Georgia, that could cost more $7B, Associated Press reports.
The formal announcement reportedly would come during President Biden's expected May 20-21 visit to Seoul, South Korea, although details are still being worked out.
According to previous report, the facility would serve Hyundai and Kia as the brands move to roll out a pair of fully electric SUVs, Ioniq 7 and EV9, targeted at the U.S. market.
Hyundai's (OTCPK:HYMTF) battery supplier, SK Innovation, has built two adjacent plants in Georgia.
The Hyundai (OTCPK:HYMTF) plant would be the second massive EV project announced in Georgia in less than a year, after Rivian Automotive said in December it would build a $5B plant east of Atlanta.

 

[Weather Man]

Nissan COO indicates third U.S. auto plant in U.S. for meeting EV demand​

NSANY -0.65%Now!

• Nissan (OTCPK:NSANY) is looking to add a new auto plant in the U.S. for meeting the growing demand of EVs, COO Ashwani Gupta stated to reporters as stated by Bloomberg.
• The company now has two auto plants in the U.S. One in Canton, Mississippi and other in Smyrna, Tennessee.
• Although the new plant will will be an extension to its existing plant it will be an added assembly line.
• The company yesterday reported Q1 results wherein it saw a significant Y/Y revenue surge and it posted a net income compared to a net loss prior year.

 

[Weather Man]

Inside EVs

US Dealers Surprised By VW’s Scout EV Brand Plans, Demand Answers​

Dan Mihalascu - 38m ago

© InsideEVs

Dealers suspect the automaker might be looking to adopt Tesla's direct-sales model for Scout EVs or set up new franchises.​

Volkswagen US dealers have been caught off guard by the automaker's plans to revive the Scout nameplate for an electric pickup and SUV.
Since Volkswagen Group did not offer details on how it intends to retail the new EVs, dealers are wondering whether the automaker might be looking to adopt Tesla's direct-sales model for Scout vehicles or set up new franchises that would bypass them.

VW Group did say it would build a "separate, independent company" to resurrect the Scout name, which it acquired last year after purchasing truck maker Navistar. The first prototypes are expected to debut next year with production to follow in 2026. The company did not offer any information regarding the production location of the new Scout electric vehicles.

The lack of information from Wolfsburg has left some VW dealers angry and shocked, Automotive News reports. One dealer told the publication, on condition of anonymity, that they felt VW might go with direct sales for the Scout brand.

© InsideEVsScout electric pickup and SUV from Volkswagen Group

"If we were going to have any involvement, they would have told us something. But they haven't said a word to us, either before or after the announcement."

On May 13, VW of America sales and marketing boss Andrew Savvas told the brand's 650 dealers in a letter that Scout will be an independent brand within the group and that they will have no claim on its products. The letter obviously did not do much to calm dealers down.

VW Group CFO Arno Antlitz said that Scout "will be a separate unit and brand within the Volkswagen Group to be managed independently. This aligns with the new group steering model—small units that act agilely and have access to our tech platforms to leverage synergies." No executives for the new unit and brand have been announced.

VW Group CEO Herbert Diess believes that the automaker can reach 10% market share across all of its brands in the US and wants that done by the end of the decade. Pickups are key for any automaker wishing to increase sales in the country as they represent about 15% of the overall US market.
According to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the plans last week, VW is targeting 250,000 sales per year from the Scout pickup and SUV, which should start at around $40,000.

More stories on VW's electrification plans for North America​

• VW USA CEO Optimistic On US-Made ID. Buzz, Aero B Sedan Availability
• VW Said To Consider Building ID. Buzz, Electric Pickup In The US

Source: Automotive News

 

[Weather Man]

Air liquide, Toyota and Caetanobus team up to accelerate the development of hydrogen mobility in Europe​

AIQUY +0.62%May 17, 2022 4:06 AM ET

• Air Liquide (OTCPK:AIQUY), CaetanoBus and Toyota Motor Europe have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim of developing integrated hydrogen solutions, which includes infrastructure development and vehicle fleets.
• The initial focus will be on buses, light commercial vehicles and cars, with the further aim to accelerate the heavy-duty truck segment.
• The partnership reflects the shared ambition of the three partners to contribute to decarbonizing transport and accelerate the development of local hydrogen ecosystems for multiple mobility applications.
• The three companies to leverage expertise to address the entire value chain of hydrogen mobility, ranging from renewable or low-carbon hydrogen production, distribution and refueling infrastructure to the deployment of different vehicle segments.
• The integration represents another step along the path of decarbonization, which is consistent with the stronger focus from European governments and the readiness of hydrogen technologies.

 

[Weather Man]

EV owners asked to limit charging during TX heat wave.

 

[Weather Man]

Stellantis, Samsung SDI to build JV battery plant in Indiana - Reuters​

STLA +0.35%May 23, 2022 7:21 PM ET
Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) and Samsung SDI (OTCPK:SSDIY) will announce tomorrow that they will build a new battery plant in Indiana, Reuters reported Monday, as the Chrysler parent ramps up electric vehicle production plans.
The joint venture plant is expected to be built near Stellantis (STLA) engine, casting and transmission plants in Kokomo, according to the report.
Last October, the companies said they were forming a JV for lithium ion battery production in North America with an initial annual production capacity of 23 GWh with the ability to increase to up to 40 GWh in the future, with a targeted 2025 start-up date.
During a visit last week to a Samsung Electronics campus in South Korea, President Biden tipped off a planned investment, saying "Samsung will also be working with Stellantis on a joint venture to build a new facility in the United States that will manufacture batteries for electric vehicles."
In another recent acceleration of its electrification strategy, Stellantis (STLA) said earlier this month it would spend $2.8B to upgrade two Canadian assembly plants and expand a research center.

 

[Rb0891]

Love all these manufacturers all in on the electrics. Meanwhile I haven’t been able to get some freaking key fobs for my building in 9 months…

 

[Weather Man]

Depressing == I will NEVER own a vehicle with this feature. Sadly, my kids probably will.


motor1.com

Ford Testing Tech That Automatically Slows Cars To The Speed Limit​

Christopher Smith - Yesterday 4:49 PM

Geofencing creates a virtual speed zone in certain areas that connected vehicles would recognize.​

In the not-too-distant future, your vehicle might help you avoid speeding tickets by slowing down on its own. Ford is currently testing technology that automatically matches speeds in designated virtual speed zones, all without reading signs or receiving any input from the driver. It's not quite as simple as it sounds, but it's not very complex, either.

The tech is called Geofencing Speed Limit Control, and it relies on multiple systems to function. Obviously it requires a vehicle with advanced connected systems and some measure of driver-assist functionality. From there, special software taps into the geofencing system for GPS tracking. In theory, information on speed limits in specific areas is received by the vehicle. Once the vehicle enters a specific zone, the speed is automatically set to match the limit. Unlike some cars that can read road signs and adjust speed, Ford's system relies on the virtual zone being established and the vehicle's position identified through GPS.

 

[Weather Man]

UTV Driver

6.7L Gasoline Cummins in Ram Trucks?​

Josh McCoig - 3h ago

The latest Cummins B6.7 Performance Series engine. (Cummins/)


© Provided by UTV DriverThe latest Cummins B6.7 Performance Series engine.
With the automotive world looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly, and fuel and emissions standards tightening, Cummins has announced that they are planning to create a 6.7-liter, gasoline-powered engine. It will be based on the current 6.7-liter diesel platform and Cummins says everything from the head gasket down will be similar to the diesel, with diesel-like performance and durability. They are also looking into natural gas, hydrogen, and biopropane for their new fuel-agnostic approach.

Cummins’ new fuel-agnostic engine platforms are an industry first. Cummins designed each of the engines in the line with commonality in mind. These unified platforms will use engine blocks and core components that share a common architecture and will be optimized for different low-carbon fuel types. Cummins says the goal is to reduce the engines’ – and the company’s – overall carbon footprint.

© Provided by UTV Driver2022 Ram 2500.
2022 Ram 2500. (RAM/)

One could speculate that with Ram and Cummins’ long partnership history it only makes sense for the new 6.7-liter gasoline engine to make its debut in Ram’s HD trucks, but neither company has announced anything. For decades the HD Ram trucks have relied on Cummins to provide them with extremely reliable and capable diesel engines and, to us, it is exciting to see them make the move to new fuel options while maintaining their longevity and performance.

 

[SecondhandSnake]

UTV Driver

6.7L Gasoline Cummins in Ram Trucks?​

Josh McCoig - 3h ago
View attachment 1749574
The latest Cummins B6.7 Performance Series engine. (Cummins/)


© Provided by UTV DriverThe latest Cummins B6.7 Performance Series engine.
With the automotive world looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly, and fuel and emissions standards tightening, Cummins has announced that they are planning to create a 6.7-liter, gasoline-powered engine. It will be based on the current 6.7-liter diesel platform and Cummins says everything from the head gasket down will be similar to the diesel, with diesel-like performance and durability. They are also looking into natural gas, hydrogen, and biopropane for their new fuel-agnostic approach.

Cummins’ new fuel-agnostic engine platforms are an industry first. Cummins designed each of the engines in the line with commonality in mind. These unified platforms will use engine blocks and core components that share a common architecture and will be optimized for different low-carbon fuel types. Cummins says the goal is to reduce the engines’ – and the company’s – overall carbon footprint.

© Provided by UTV Driver2022 Ram 2500.
2022 Ram 2500. (RAM/)

One could speculate that with Ram and Cummins’ long partnership history it only makes sense for the new 6.7-liter gasoline engine to make its debut in Ram’s HD trucks, but neither company has announced anything. For decades the HD Ram trucks have relied on Cummins to provide them with extremely reliable and capable diesel engines and, to us, it is exciting to see them make the move to new fuel options while maintaining their longevity and performance.

Pure speculation. I don't think it's ever going to happen. We've already had a near zero NOx B6.7 engine that runs on natural gas for years now, and Ram never entertained it (though they briefly did a 5.7 Hemi NG version)

Plus CARB regulations are going to make it extremely difficult if not impossible to sell that combination in the passenger space. It's only going to be viable as a commercial option, not in pickups. Stellantis/Ram are going to have to go electric (at least to some extent) to remain compliant overall.

That said, with California's aggressive targets I don't know what the hell is going to fill the void for ICE lawn equipment, industrial equipment, diesel pickups, commercial vehicles, etc... in the coming years.

 

[Weather Man]

Pure speculation. I don't think it's ever going to happen. We've already had a near zero NOx B6.7 engine that runs on natural gas for years now, and Ram never entertained it (though they briefly did a 5.7 Hemi NG version)

Plus CARB regulations are going to make it extremely difficult if not impossible to sell that combination in the passenger space. It's only going to be viable as a commercial option, not in pickups. Stellantis/Ram are going to have to go electric (at least to some extent) to remain compliant overall.

That said, with California's aggressive targets I don't know what the hell is going to fill the void for ICE lawn equipment, industrial equipment, diesel pickups, commercial vehicles, etc... in the coming years.

I think they are looking at gasoline as a transition to hydrogen. The emission controls for diesel are just becoming prohibitive from a cost/maintenance/ longevity point of view. Pretty clear from industry comments that the USA will pursue a electric/hydrogen twin track for heavy trucks that light duty should be able to piggy back off of.

It is interesting that Porsche is pushing for a green created gasoline to be counted as EV for emissions certification. It is doubtful green true believer regulators will allow it.

 

[Weather Man]

Stellantis settles Fiat Chrysler’s emissions fraud case for $300 million - Reuters​

STLA -0.63%May 25, 2022 10:06 AM ET
Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) is settling with US authorities to move removed the regulatory overhang on Fiat Chrysler, according to Reuters.

Per an exclusive report from the news agency, Stellantis (STLA -0.8%) agreed to plead guilty to criminal conduct and pay $300 million to close the book on a fraud probe related to company’s alleged attempted to skirt emissions requirements on over 100,000 vehicles.

In an echo of Volkswagen’s (OTCPK:VWAGY) “Dieselgate”, the EPA first accused Fiat Chrysler of obscuring its emissions for diesel vehicles in 2017. The initial complaint alleged that the European automaker used surreptitious software to allow excess diesel emissions to go undetected.

The new deal builds upon a prior agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to settle complaints related to violations of the Clean Air Act and California law. Under that agreement, the automaker agreed to pay a civil penalty of $305 million “to settle claims of cheating emission tests” in 2019.

A plea deal for the latest agreement is expected to be announced as soon as next week.
Read more on recent regulatory pressures on Volkswagen.

 

[SecondhandSnake]

I think they are looking at gasoline as a transition to hydrogen. The emission controls for diesel are just becoming prohibitive from a cost/maintenance/ longevity point of view. Pretty clear from industry comments that the USA will pursue a electric/hydrogen twin track for heavy trucks that light duty should be able to piggy back off of.

It is interesting that Porsche is pushing for a green created gasoline to be counted as EV for emissions certification. It is doubtful green true believer regulators will allow it.

I'm in the alternative fuels space for work and actively involved in these different energy types, so here's my two cents-

Diesel won't be viable just plain due to emissions. NOx and CO2 limits are just so low it's impossible to meet (and very much by design.) Gasoline isn't far behind- it will probably last another 2-5 years after. (Note this is focusing on CARB based markets, who effectively dictate the rest of the country in most cases.)

I understand Hydrogen FC is supposed to be the "future" for OTR operations while everything else is supposed to go to electric, but right now it's just that- the future. We are years and years off from enough hydrogen infrastructure, and we're already struggling with electric of just passenger applications. Realistically we should follow a more organic growth model with the light duty, low GVW applications going electric first and letting infrastructure expand up the chain. But we've legislated ourselves into a corner and it's going to be painful.

Biofuels are interesting, but the EPA is not interested. There's stuff like biomethane that's effectively carbon neutral if not negative. Other biofuels, like algae based stuff that's basically neutral. And of course good old ethanol that's just lower intensity. But they still group them as "fossil fuels" and treat them as such. The regulation of tailpipe and production emissions really means that electric/fuel cell is the only way to meet it- paired with their goal of 100% renewables.

 

[SID297]

UTV Driver

6.7L Gasoline Cummins in Ram Trucks?​

Josh McCoig - 3h ago
View attachment 1749574
The latest Cummins B6.7 Performance Series engine. (Cummins/)


© Provided by UTV DriverThe latest Cummins B6.7 Performance Series engine.
With the automotive world looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly, and fuel and emissions standards tightening, Cummins has announced that they are planning to create a 6.7-liter, gasoline-powered engine. It will be based on the current 6.7-liter diesel platform and Cummins says everything from the head gasket down will be similar to the diesel, with diesel-like performance and durability. They are also looking into natural gas, hydrogen, and biopropane for their new fuel-agnostic approach.

Cummins’ new fuel-agnostic engine platforms are an industry first. Cummins designed each of the engines in the line with commonality in mind. These unified platforms will use engine blocks and core components that share a common architecture and will be optimized for different low-carbon fuel types. Cummins says the goal is to reduce the engines’ – and the company’s – overall carbon footprint.

© Provided by UTV Driver2022 Ram 2500.
2022 Ram 2500. (RAM/)

One could speculate that with Ram and Cummins’ long partnership history it only makes sense for the new 6.7-liter gasoline engine to make its debut in Ram’s HD trucks, but neither company has announced anything. For decades the HD Ram trucks have relied on Cummins to provide them with extremely reliable and capable diesel engines and, to us, it is exciting to see them make the move to new fuel options while maintaining their longevity and performance.

This engine is a response to the Godzilla engine in Ford MD trucks. Dodge already has the 6.4 Truck Hemi; which is powerful, reliable, and relatively cheap. A gas motor Cummins is going to be close to the same cost as a diesel. That would make no sense for Dodge. However, there's a lot of MD truck manufacturers out there that do not have an in house gas motor and are losing sales to Ford.

 

[Weather Man]

I'm in the alternative fuels space for work and actively involved in these different energy types, so here's my two cents-

Diesel won't be viable just plain due to emissions. NOx and CO2 limits are just so low it's impossible to meet (and very much by design.) Gasoline isn't far behind- it will probably last another 2-5 years after. (Note this is focusing on CARB based markets, who effectively dictate the rest of the country in most cases.)

I understand Hydrogen FC is supposed to be the "future" for OTR operations while everything else is supposed to go to electric, but right now it's just that- the future. We are years and years off from enough hydrogen infrastructure, and we're already struggling with electric of just passenger applications. Realistically we should follow a more organic growth model with the light duty, low GVW applications going electric first and letting infrastructure expand up the chain. But we've legislated ourselves into a corner and it's going to be painful.

Biofuels are interesting, but the EPA is not interested. There's stuff like biomethane that's effectively carbon neutral if not negative. Other biofuels, like algae based stuff that's basically neutral. And of course good old ethanol that's just lower intensity. But they still group them as "fossil fuels" and treat them as such. The regulation of tailpipe and production emissions really means that electric/fuel cell is the only way to meet it- paired with their goal of 100% renewables.

I agree 100% that the green wall is approaching fast. It is going to be a cluster**** beyond imagination because the manufacturers have no choice but to convert whether the grid and hydrogen infrastructure is there or not.

 

[L8APEX]

Good news is we are allowed to keep 2 horses per home here in the city.
Problem is my commute is a bit over 20mi each way which is about as far as most can cover at a slow trot (5-11mph) without resting. Most healthy horses can cover 25-35mi in a day (8hr) in a walk, without rest. Now there are endurance racers that can do 100mi in a day but they'd be more expensive than a vehicle even with a full tank of gas. Either way I'd need hoof boots for the hard surfaces.

 

[SecondhandSnake]

This engine is a response to the Godzilla engine in Ford MD trucks. Dodge already has the 6.4 Truck Hemi; which is powerful, reliable, and relatively cheap. A gas motor Cummins is going to be close to the same cost as a diesel. That would make no sense for Dodge. However, there's a lot of MD truck manufacturers out there that do not have an in house gas motor and are losing sales to Ford.

While they're in the same displacement and fuel classes, the 7.3 and 6.7 gasoline are for different markets/applications, which makes sense given each companies offerings.

The 7.3 is meant as a gasoline compliment to the 6.7 PSD for their F series lineup. Relatively high duty cycle, vocational truck kind of stuff, not very high mileage.

The 6.7 gasoline is more a compliment to the 6.7 CTD to markets where emissions are more important, duty cycle is lighter (so gasoline is more advantageous), but customers still want heavy duty type longevity and reliability. So you're thinking more delivery vans, buses, that kind of thing, rather than class 4/5/6 truck. Although who knows what craziness you may see when diesel gets squeezed out of that truck market in California soon.

You probably won't see OEMs or customers cross shopping the two very much.

 

[SID297]

While they're in the same displacement and fuel classes, the 7.3 and 6.7 gasoline are for different markets/applications, which makes sense given each companies offerings.

The 7.3 is meant as a gasoline compliment to the 6.7 PSD for their F series lineup. Relatively high duty cycle, vocational truck kind of stuff, not very high mileage.

The 6.7 gasoline is more a compliment to the 6.7 CTD to markets where emissions are more important, duty cycle is lighter (so gasoline is more advantageous), but customers still want heavy duty type longevity and reliability. So you're thinking more delivery vans, buses, that kind of thing, rather than class 4/5/6 truck. Although who knows what craziness you may see when diesel gets squeezed out of that truck market in California soon.

You probably won't see OEMs or customers cross shopping the two very much.

UPS trucks run LS engines now. You could probably 3 of those for the cost of one Cummins.