It took the government six years to decide that the Ford Explorer was not. Ford’s EV Thailand has exhaust problemsCatching up to Volkswagen will cut hundreds of jobs in Europe, General Motors and LG don’t seem to get along.Not only that, but more morning shift Monday 23 January 2023.
Gear 1: Consider the problem… explored
Back in 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a study of Ford Explorer model years from 2011 to 2017 (approximately 1.5 million vehicles total). Exhaust odor Leak into the cabin. The survey also Explorer-based Police Interceptor used by law enforcementSafe after 6 years the agency has Due to lack of evidence of a defect, we have decided to close the books on this matter on Monday.courtesy Reuters:
NHTSA said its investigation found that “precisely measured 2011-2017 Ford Explorer vehicles have levels of passenger compartment (carbon monoxide) below currently accepted health standards.” said.
Investigations found other problems with modified dealerships, government vehicles, and police interceptor vehicles. The so-called “upfitting” of adding sirens, lights, cages and auxiliary power is typically done by government fleet operations, independent repair facilities or local dealers.
NHTSA stated that “sealing problems caused by upfitting were responsible for the highest carbon monoxide levels measured in the vehicles tested,” and that the highest levels in consumer vehicles typically occur in rear crashes. He added that it was due to a sealing issue caused by damage.
The issue of upfitting is important because holes were drilled in the SUV’s underbody as part of the modding process, and Ford decided to pay for those repairs. Automakers have also flashed revised heating and cooling software to consumer and fleet vehicles as part of a 2017 recall campaign to reduce the chance of exhaust leaks. Despite these actions, NHTSA was unable to find evidence that SUVs posed a safety risk in the first place.
When the investigation began Three crashes were thought to be potentially related to carbon monoxide poisoning inside the cabin. The Austin, Texas police department removed all 40 interceptors from duty in 2017. Congratulations. Ford — you finally dodged one.
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2nd Gear: Meanwhile, in Europe
Ford is changing some things, particularly at its Cologne, Germany plant. That facility used to be the home of the Fiesta, but with the Blue Oval shedding its most iconic European nameplates, the plant will now produce two battery-electric models developed with Volkswagen’s MEB architecture. We already knew thiswhat we didn’t know was that at least 1,000 employees would lose their jobs in the process.from car news:
The automaker plans to cut its workforce by four figures at its European headquarters and its factory in Cologne, Germany, sources said. car news europe Sister publication Automobilwoche.
The job losses will extend to areas such as assembly, engine and transmission manufacturing, as well as development, management and sales, the sources said.
The company is building a new business structure for its European operations, sources said.
As the article explains, Ford is relying on Volkswagen technology to develop these cars, so it’s likely that fewer in-house engineers will be needed on site. The prospect of cutting headcount while launching perhaps the most important product in the company’s recent history may seem counterintuitive to you and me. That’s what it means to run a big company in 2023..
Gear 3: All IPOs
This seems to be Volkswagen’s latest move, as the German automaker considers listing its energy and charging divisions on global markets. spin off PorscheBut before that, prepare a mock list as a training exercise. Reuterson the initiative It’s called a “virtual equity story.” I wish I was joking about that last part.
As the article explains, the driving force behind this is The inevitable crossover between EVs and the grid, and all the money that makes certain people. Volkswagen wants:
[Elke] Temme, a former RWE executive who has led the automaker’s energy business, said electric vehicles could stabilize large price volatility in the electricity market by acting as a temporary reservoir for excess green power capacity on the grid. said that it could be useful for This is known as bi-directional charging.
But first, regulators had to create a framework to make this economically viable. “It won’t take him more than five years,” Temme predicted, adding that Volkswagen’s electric vehicles on the MEB platform are equipped with this feature.
Appointed in January 2021, Temme is tasked with orchestrating the carmaker’s various power activities, including sourcing energy, enabling customers to charge their cars at home or on the road, and sell the electricity they need. .
After all this has been said and done, one has to wonder if there is a single division of Volkswagen that does not have its own code on the stock ticker.
Gear 4: 3 plants seem to be enough
General Motors and LG Energy Solution have opened three factories under the Ultium Cells joint venture to jointly manufacture EV batteries. They were aiming for his fourth, but the plan apparently fell through, according to reports that emerged late last Friday. But what’s particularly interesting about this news is why talks between the two companies have reportedly broken down.
If you guessed it, $1 Billion Bolt Recall Bill Pushed Away by GMto LG Might be so Something to do with that, you are a smart person.via bloomberg:
GM maintains its intention to build another battery plant in the United States to support its electric vehicle ambitions, the company said in a statement that did not identify any partners. The Detroit automaker has been in talks with other battery suppliers in recent months, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.
The split between South Korea’s LG and GM comes after a tense stretch of partnership. GM wants to ramp up EV production sooner than LG and wants to secure plans for a fourth plant soon, one of his sources said. Battery makers haven’t committed to GM’s timeline, so the company is looking at other partners.
There were several other incidents testing the relationship, People said. borne the They also had different views on how to manage the union organizing drive at his Ultium Cells LLC factory in Rosetown, Ohio. The companies will continue to operate the joint venture plant, as well as operate two of his planned facilities in Tennessee and Michigan.
The only thing I’m trying to take away from here is that it sounds like GM is pushing LG to rush things. thing.
5th gear: Rolls-Royce Specter might hit
Rolls-Royce will start building its first EV later this year. specterNo matter how much the company hopes to produce, it may need to ramp up production due to demand, according to the CEO.from car news:
“Right now, orders for the Specter have far exceeded our expectations,” Rolls-Royce Chief Executive Torsten Muller-Etvös said on a conference call with journalists earlier this month. “We have a few more months [before production starts], but if that trend continues, I’m sure we’ll need to adjust our plans. ”
[…]
Müller-Ötvös said Specter will achieve “the same level” of profitability as the rest of the brand’s portfolio. And while BMW has not disclosed Rolls-Royce’s financial results, Müller’s Eötvös said his Munich boss was happy with the margins the company generated.
Profit margins are pretty comfortable $400,000 i7 hand stitched? you don’t say.
Rivers: Who made Steve Guttenberg a star?
Seventeen years ago on this day in 2006, someone asked an important question.via 365 days drive:
Who Killed Electric Cars?is a documentary about the auto industry’s cancellation of plans to develop electric vehicles, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. The film hypothesized that there was a conspiracy between oil companies, automakers, and the government to destroy electric vehicles.
Neutral: It finally snowed
If you enter this, ssomewhere in pennsylvania. Large flakes. Remember when this happened in November? We look forward to the impending Snowpocalypse in March.
