Auto News - Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrap-up August 13-19, 2023
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Here are Larry's picks among the past week's important, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted easy-to-understand automotive universe news nuggets. for Nutson's Auto News Weekly Wrap-up August 13-19, 2023
* From Cox Automotive we read that the consumer kept the economy on a growth trend through the month of July with robust spending. However, the index of consumer sentiment from Morning Consult fell last week as gas prices rose again. The average price for a gallon of unleaded gas is now down only 3% year over year when it had been down 23% a month ago.
* HONDA ACCORD: Rear seat safety is important and it's an issue, according to IIHS. The Honda Accord outperformed other midsize cars in the updated moderate overlap front crash test, earning a rare good rating in the new, challenging evaluation focused on rear-seat protection. Among the other six midsize cars tested, the Subaru Outback earns an acceptable rating. The Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry are rated marginal. The Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5 and Volkswagen Jetta are rated poor.
* US DoE factoid of the week: From cradle to grave, electric vehicles have fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional vehicles. Cradle-to-grave greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for a small gasoline SUV in 2020 were estimated to be 429 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per mile, while the same size EV with 300 miles of range had 48% fewer GHG emissions. Argonne National Laboratory’s cradle-to-grave analysis considered everything from raw material extraction to vehicle scrappage to provide a holistic view of the sustainability of different vehicle and fuel technologies. The analysis showed that EVs (which have no tailpipe emissions) also have fewer GHG emissions than conventional gasoline or hybrid electric vehicles when the entire life cycle is considered. Argonne also provided emission estimates for technology anticipated to be available in 2030‒2050.
* EV charging satisfaction continues to drop, J.D. Power says. As EV adoption increases, J.D. Power says industry leaders should be concerned. Satisfaction with public charging during the first half of the year fell to its lowest level recorded in J.D. Power studies. Overall customer satisfaction with public Level 2 charging, the most commonly used option, declined by 16 points compared to a year ago, the lowest level since the report began in 2021, J.D. Power said. Satisfaction with direct current fast charging (DCFC) declined even more, by 20 points. The lack of confidence in public charging may hinder purchasing of EVs.
* Last week we reported California regulators approved an expansion that will allow Cruise and Waymo robotaxi services to operate throughout San Francisco at all hours, despite safety worries spurred by recurring problems with unexpected stops and other erratic behavior that resulted in unmanned vehicles blocking traffic, including emergency vehicles. Now there's this: A Cruise vehicle got stuck in wet concrete while driving in San Francisco. People pulled the vehicle out and onto the road. A Cruise spokesperson confirmed to SFGATE that Cruise workers removed the vehicle from the concrete, and the vehicle has since been recovered by the company.
* Tesla has launched cheaper variants, each priced $10,000 lower, of its Model S sedan and Model X SUV with shorter driving ranges in the U.S. as it looks to boost sales amid tepid demand. This way, consumers who cannot afford to pay more can still have the "badge and the EV experience", according to the head of money and markets at financial services firm Hargreaves Lansdown. Model X Standard Range is $88,490 with an EPA range-rating of 269 miles. Model S Standard Range is $78,490 with an EPA range-rating of 320 miles. Deliveries begin in September.
* A lack of charging infrastructure is a barrier to widespread electric vehicle deployment and it remains to be seen whether the US can close the gap and keep its EV sales goals on track. The US has about 150,000 public EV chargers, per the Energy Department, and the Biden administration would like to lift that figure to 500,000. States where EV adoption tends to be higher are faring better in terms of charging stations, but the gap is "at risk of widening," says Ian McIlravey of S&P Global Mobility. One of the greatest challenges to expanding EV connectivity across the US will be rural areas and places with low levels of EV adoption, which make up large swaths of the country. Road-trippers aspiring to complete the “Grand Circle”, for instance, a classic route that passes by the Grand Canyon and other famous landmarks in the south-west, have to prepare for long stretches without a charger — as long as 200 miles in one part of the circuit.
* From Reuters we read EV startup Nikola has hit fresh problems, announcing it was recalling all the pure electric trucks it has delivered to date and suspending sales because an independent probe found that a coolant leak inside a battery pack was the cause of recent truck fires. The startup’s shares fell after the news and were down more than 12% in premarket trading. Recalls are a part of life for automakers. Some are massively expensive and damaging, such as General Motors’ defective ignition switch crisis less than a decade ago. But where legacy giants like GM have money and people that they can throw at major recall headaches, the likes of Nikola do not. Apparently, a single component is to blame for Nikola truck fires, but for a company short on cash and struggling with supply chain issues this could hardly come at a worse time. Just last week, Nikola appointed its fourth CEO in as many years and reiterated “significant doubts” about its ability to continue as a going concern for the next 12 months.
* New York City has announced that it will now require EV rideshare fleets by 2030 – the world’s first large city to do so. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) commissioner David Do announced the newly proposed rules for “Green Rides,” which requires the transition of New York City’s rideshare fleet to EVs or wheelchair accessible vehicles by 2030.
* This past week and weekend brings us the annual conflict for car enthusiasts to choose between the Pebble Beach Concours and the Woodward Dream Cruise. I recall only one time the two were separated by a week so both could be attended.
* Monterey Car Week has again been the venue for many automakers to reveal new vehicles or concepts (who needs a public auto show?). Acura gave enthusiasts an unexpected sneak peek at its latest Electric Vision design concept. This followed the world debut of the 2024 Acura ZDX and ZDX Type S, the first all-electric Acura performance SUV. VW had its three-row ID. Buzz on display on the upper lawn at The Lodge at Pebble Beach. F1 World Champion Jenson Button debuted his bespoke Lotus Evija at The Quail Lodge, a Motorsports Gathering. Mercedes-Benz USA presented the 2024 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 MANUFAKTUR Big Sur. The MANUFAKTUR program provides exquisite details and distinctive colors and finishes to offer customers the highest possible individuality and exclusivity. It's available solely for the U.S. market in limited numbers. Infiniti previewed new design language with its QX Monograph concept.The concept is said to be a near-production version of the redesigned QX80 that arrives next spring. Maserati unveiled the sleek and fast Extrema-Trident "Racing Beast" and Automobili Pininfarina revealed the tingle giving B95 the first-ever all-electric hyper Barchetta.
* The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is today. Check back next week and we'll have news about some of the best cars at the show.
* Dream Cruise week is capped off by the annual Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit's Oakland County. About 1 million people and 40,000 cars cruised the Woodward Avenue strip. Jay Leno took his brand new 1,025 horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 muscle car on a cruise down Woodward Ave. after a press conference to announce his partnership with Dodge.
* Ford Unplugged: Ford debuted the 800-horsepower Mustang GTD, a street legal version of the Mustang GT3 race car Ford will run in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and other race events. Priced to start around $300,000, the GTD will be sold through a special ordering process. Each GTD will begin its life at the Ford Flat Rock plant that builds all Mustangs. Multimatic, who built the Ford GT super car, will finish the build. The 5.2-L supercharged V8 will be connected to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission in a rear-mounted transaxle setup. No sales volume numbers are yet known.
* Back for its eighth year, MotorTrend presents Roadkill Nights powered by Dodge brought the excitement and energy to its new location in downtown Pontiac, Michigan at the corner of Woodward Avenue and West Pike Street last Saturday. This year's expanded event drew a record-breaking crowd of more than 42,000 drag-racing enthusiasts for the festival of all things automotive. The event that makes street racing on Woodward Avenue legal for the day. Rookie driver and first-time competitor Kayla Rundle took home the crown for Team Corruptt in this year’s Dodge Direct Connection Grudge Race driving their 1969 Plymouth Barracuda vehicle build powered by the Direct Connection Hellcrate Redeye 6.2L Supercharged Crate HEMI engine and engine controller.
* Hagerty media reports the Speed Demon racing team has often been the one to beat at Speed Week, a yearly racing event held on the dry lake bed of the Great Salt Lake in western Utah, where racers vie for straight-line speed on an unpredictable racing surface. Most drivers and teams are out to claim a record, but it’s been a point of pride for the Speed Demon team, headed up by co-crew chiefs Kenny Duttweiler and Steve Watt, to take home the Hot Rod Magazine trophy, which is awarded to the team that records the single fastest flying mile during each Speed Week. Prior to 2023, the team had already achieved the feat for 10 years. Despite some wrenches thrown into the works, the team was able to make it a record 11 years with a blistering run on the second day of the shortened racing week. With a 444-cubic-inch LS V-8 a 333.360 mph run did the job.
Stay safe. Be Well.
