Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Wrap-up October 6-12, 2024
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Here are Larry's top story picks from this past week's important to you, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted easy-to-understand automotive news nuggets.
Top Stories: September car prices; US DoE factoid of the week; Leave the driving to us; Electric air taxis; City driving comparo; Insurance storm clouds; Tire replacement shopping; More improved EV charging; Acura and Honda recall; October in Paris; 65 Rebelle teams navigate the desert; Formula 1 and Toyota.
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Nutson's Auto News Wrap-up Week Of October 6-12, 2024
- September car prices. According to data released by Kelley Blue Book, the average transaction price (ATP) for a new vehicle in the U.S. was $48,397 in September. The September ATP increased modestly from August but was lower year over year by 0.4%. New-vehicle incentives in September increased for the third straight month, reaching 7.3% of transaction price, an increase from 4.8% in September 2023. In September, Mitsubishi Mirage was the only new vehicle in the U.S. transacting for less than $20,000. The overall mix of small, more affordable vehicles has been elevated for much of 2024, which is helping hold down the new-vehicle ATP. At $56,351, the average transaction price for a new electric vehicle changed little from August and was higher than the industry-wide ATP by approximately 16%.
- US DoE factoid of the week. On-road passenger trips over 75 miles one-way only accounted for 1.4% of all trips in 2022. The remaining 98.6% of trips were less than 75 miles. Almost three quarters (73.1%) of all trips were 10 miles or less, which can be comfortably handled by modern EVs on a single charge using a basic home outlet, without needing advanced charging equipment, even if a return trip of the same distance were taken.
- Leave the driving to us. Driverless cars are becoming more prevalent in the US, but public trust remains low, with almost two in three Americans hesitant to ride in them, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, leads the market with over 22 million driverless miles, while General Motors' Cruise is restarting operations. Meanwhile, Amazon plans to launch a fleet of Zoox self-driving cars, and Tesla plans to unveil its robotaxi soon. Full story HERE
- Electric air taxis. The aviation startup Joby said it is close to getting approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to carry passengers to John F. Kennedy International Airport in its electric air taxis. The company said conventional helicopters can generate more than 100 decibels of noise, while its electric air taxis produce only 65 decibels on takeoff and 45 decibels while cruising. HERE
- More improved EV charging. Nissan has entered into an agreement to invest in ChargeScape, a joint venture equally owned by BMW, Ford and Honda focused on electric vehicle-grid integration. Once the transaction is complete, Nissan will become an equal 25% investor in ChargeScape and will roll out ChargeScape's services to its EV drivers across the U.S. and Canada.
- Hurricane EV help. Florida deployed emergency mobile electric vehicle charging stations along hurricane evacuation routes. Ahead of Hurricane Milton, the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) updated the Alternative Fuel Station Locator to include mobile electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, provided by Garner Environmental Services, along evacuation routes to help EV driving Floridians evacuate. Florida Department of Emergency Management installed up to 10 temporary EV charging stations along the I-75 evacuation corridor, and one off of I-4. Each is a single port, fast charger with adapters capable of charging all EVs, with a 50 kW power output.
- Post-hurricane gasoline supply. The devastation and damage caused by Hurricane Milton has left Florida gas stations without gasoline or without electricity to pump gasoline. Residents who evacuated are not able to get back to their homes due to the inability to refuel along their route home. HERE
- City driving comparo. With Americans losing an average of $733 per year due to time spent in traffic, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2024's Best & Worst Cities to Drive in, as well as expert commentary, to determine where people can enjoy the cheapest, smoothest and safest driving experience. WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across 30 key metrics. The data set ranges from average gas prices to annual hours in traffic congestion per auto commuter to the likelihood of accidents. Find your city HERE
- Insurance storm clouds. Hurricane Helene insurance losses are expected to reach roughly $6.4 billion. Hurricane Milton is yet to be counted. Far-reaching natural disasters of this scale could trigger insurance providers to reevaluate how they price policies and what types of coverage they offer. And we also will get more storm-damaged cars to be wary of.
- Tire replacement shopping. More than half of replacement tire buyers know what brand they plan to purchase before they go to the tire retailer, according to AutoPacific’s recently completed U.S. Replacement Tire Buyer Study. Up 9 percentage points from 47% in 2019 to 56% in 2024, the study also reveals an increase in time from the start of shopping to actual purchase, indicating consumers are doing more research prior to taking that final step. The study was conducted in July 2024 and consists of nearly 7,000 vehicle owners who reside in the U.S. and replaced one or more tires within the previous 12 months from one of 25 surveyed brands. Full story HERE
- Acura and Honda recall. Honda is recalling about 1.7 million vehicles over steering problems that can result from a steering gearbox that was manufactured incorrectly. The recall covers Acura Integra hatchbacks with the model years 2023 through 2025, Integra Type S hatchbacks from 2024 or 2025, certain Honda Civic vehicles from 2022 through 2025, certain Civic hybrids from 2025, Civic Type R from 2023 through 2025, Honda CR-V SUVs from 2023 through 2025, CRV Fuel Cell electric vehicles from 2025, CR-V Hybrids from 2023 through 2025, and Honda HR-V SUVs from 2023 through 2025.
- October in Paris. The Paris Auto Show 2024, set to open October 14 and run for a week, will see the debut of innovative models such as the Alpine Alpenglow Hy6, a hydrogen-powered supercar concept, the Renault Estaffette concept of a light commercial vehicle scheduled for 2026, and an electric version of the Peugeot 408. Despite the absence of some major OEMs, the show promises a diverse lineup of a range of concepts and debuts with a focus on electric and other emerging technologies. Familiar brands like Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Ford, Kia, and more will have a presence. More HERE
- 65 teams navigate the desert. The 2024 Rebelle Rally, the 9th, will take place from Oct 11 to 18. The all-female rally will see competitors travel 1,553 miles (2,500 km) across deserts in California and Nevada. The Rebelle will test team skills over 8 days of competition. It is not a race for speed, but a unique and demanding event based on the elements of headings, hidden checkpoints, time, and distance using maps, compass, and roadbook. There's no GPS and no mobile phones. The nation’s longest off-road rally features a bold lineup of 65 female driver-navigator teams driving in various terrain-capable models from 13 different vehicle brands.
- Formula 1 and Toyota. Toyota is returning to Formula 1 for the first time since 2009 after signing a technical partnership with the Haas F1 Team that begins immediately. The Japanese manufacturer spent eight seasons in Formula 1 as a works team and engine supplier, scoring 13 podiums and achieving a best finish of fourth in the constructors’ championship. Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) will provide design, technical and manufacturing services to Haas, while Haas will offer technical expertise and commercial benefits in return. More details HERE
Stay safe. Be Well.