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Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Wrapup December 15-21, 2024


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America's Longest Running Internet Automotive Column

Auto Central Louisville, Kentucky, December 22, 2024; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Auto Channel Executive Producer, with able assistance from senior Detroit editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Auto Channel's "take" on this past week's automotive news, condensed into easy to digest news Nuggets.

LEARN MORE: Complete versions of today's news nuggets, along with hundreds of thousands of pages of relevant news, information and opinions, are stored in a million-page library published and indexed on The Auto Channel during the past 25 years. Complete information can be found by copying a headline and inserting it into any Site Search Box.

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.

Nutson's Auto News Wrapup Week Of December 15-21, 2024

  • Holiday travels. AAA predicts more than 119 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday December 21 and New Year's Day. Airlines forecast to carry 54 million passengers. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars. The nationwide average price for gasoline is hovering around $3.05. Transportation data from INRIX says travel times on highways could be up to 30% longer than normal. Be careful!

  •  IIHS Top Safety Picks. Nineteen more vehicles from 11 brands earn TOP SAFETY PICK or TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the final group of ratings for the year. The 10 winners of the higher-tier TOP SAFETY PICK+ award are the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Infiniti QX60, Mazda CX-70, Mazda CX-70 PHEV, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Rivian R1S, Subaru Forester, Toyota Tundra crew cab and Volvo XC90 Plug-In Hybrid. The nine winners of the base TOP SAFETY PICK award are the Audi Q8, Ford F-150 crew cab, Ford F-150 extended cab, Infiniti QX80, Kia K4, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Nissan Kicks, Toyota Corolla sedan and Toyota Crown Signia. Details: HERE

  •  NHTSA retreats. U.S. auto safety regulators have backed away from seeking a giant recall of nearly 50 million air bag inflators and will investigate further after the auto industry raised questions about whether all of the inflators are defective. The move by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is vastly different from a decision reiterated by the agency in July that the inflators made by ARC Automotive Inc. of Tennessee are defective, dangerous and should be recalled. This issue has been ongoing for many years. Full story :  HERE

  •  EV sales are growing. Sales of EV's continue to grow dramatically - globally and in the U.S. Sales show a total of 141,442 plug-in vehicles (117,929 BEVs and 23,513 PHEVs) sold during November 2024 in the United States, up 11.5% from the sales in November 2023. PEVs captured 10.40% of total LDV sales this month. Details are   HERE

  •  Safe from the new Washington Administration. As speculation swirls about the incoming Trump administration, Andrew Rogers, the chief counsel who helped write the programs, thinks the $7.5B EV charger initiative remains safe from reversal. Most of the funds will be formally committed to projects or available for states to spend by the time Trump takes office in January HERE

  •  EVs in farm country. Did you know rural drivers often benefit the most from going electric? EVs can save high-mileage drivers thousands each year. Rural drivers consume 25.6% of all U.S. light-duty vehicle gas despite representing only 18.8% of drivers, according to Coltura research. And rural “superusers” who make up just 3.6% of the U.S. population consume around 1,950 gallons of gas annually, or nearly 13% of total gas consumption — much more than the entire gasoline use of Russia, India, Japan, or Canada, according to Rural Climate Partnership analysis. Yes, EVs have a place in farm country HERE

  •  EV Tax Credit Info. The 2025 Fuel Economy Guide published by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides information on how to obtain the federal income tax credit that applies to all-electric, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell electric vehicles purchased new in 2023 or after. Go to this link to see the details if you are shopping for or considering to buy an EV. The tax credit can be up to $7,500.  HERE

  •   US DoE factoid of the week: Expressed in miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe), electric vehicles (EVs) range from 53 to 140 (combined) MPGe. For comparison, gasoline vehicles, including traditional hybrids, range from 9 MPG to 57 (combined) MPG for model year (MY) 2024. Although EVs are highly efficient compared to internal combustion vehicles of a similar size, there is still a wide range in how much electricity those EVs will consume per mile. For MY 2024, EPA consumption rates for combined city/highway cycles ranged from 1.49 mi/kWh to 4.17 mi/kWh. For those living in areas with high electricity costs or long commutes, this could be an important cost consideration.

  •  California and the Courts. The Clean Air Act bars states from regulating vehicle emissions, but it allows the Environmental Protection Agency to grant California a waiver to enforce its own rules “to meet compelling and extraordinary conditions.”  Oil refiners and gas stations have mounted a court challenge to the EPA’s California waiver. The Supreme Court has agreed to review a D.C. Circuit ruling dismissing the challenge. HERE

  •  Tiny pickups haul a lot.  Kei trucks are smaller than a Volkswagen Beetle and powered by an engine commonly found in motorcycles, but they have beds as large as a full-size pickup from Detroit. Lately they have taken off in the U.S., where owners say they do nearly everything that bigger pickups can do and come with additional features—like being super sweet and making other drivers jealous. Owners of the little haulers from Japan say they’re being driven off the road by State official. Get the full story:   HERE

  •  Buckle up in the rear seat. The U.S. Transportation Department said it will require rear seat reminder systems to boost seat belt use starting in late 2027 in all new cars and trucks in an bid to reduce traffic crash deaths and injuries that have been rising in recent years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said its final rule will also upgrade and expand current warnings for the driver and others in the front seats. The final regulation comes more than a decade after Congress in 2012 directed the agency to consider mandating the systems for rear passengers. NHTSA estimates the new rule will eventually prevent more than 500 injuries and save about 50 lives yearly.

  •  VWs in Philly. Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced its support of The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in its opening of “Das Museumsprogramm: Past, Present and Future” – an exhibition celebrating Volkswagen’s 75 years in America and its rich legacy and cultural impact, worldwide. “Das Museumsprogramm” is a unique exploration of Volkswagen’s most memorable models and milestones, featuring vehicles that represent the brand’s evolution from the classic Beetle to its latest electric vehicles. With a curated selection of models, including a 1949 Beetle, a 1967 21-Window Bus, a 1984 GTI, and VW’s electric vision for the future, the ID. Buzz, the exhibit celebrates Volkswagen’s impact across generations and its role in shaping automotive culture. The exhibit runs from December 14, 2024 to January 12, 2025 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For more information about the museum and exhibit, please visit the event page :  HERE

  •  Porsche film. An award-winning documentary following a very special Porsche 911 named ‘Edith’ is now available on Prime Video via Prime Video Direct in the United States and the United Kingdom. Film follows the successful attempt to climb the world’s highest volcano in an extraordinary Porsche 911. The film, “EDITH: Porsche’s Volcano Ascent” – a project four and a half years in the making – debuted at Monterey Car Week earlier this year before going on to win ‘Best Documentary Feature’ at the 2024 International Motor Film Awards.

  •  Kia and TikTok.  Kia America announced the first-ever “Kia TikTok Creator Car Configurator” designed exclusively for TikTok. Featuring the all-new 2025 K4 compact sedan, the “Kia TikTok Car Creator Configurator” is an entirely new way to configure a vehicle, featuring engaging video transitions that allow the user to build the K4 with the specifications they want and need. The innovative “Kia TikTok Configurator” seamlessly takes users from one trim level and color to the next – both interior and exterior – in engaging and entertaining ways. 

  •  Tesla recall. Tesla Inc. is recalling 694,304 vehicles in the U.S. over an issue with the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). The TPMS warning light may not remain illuminated between drive cycles, failing to warn the driver of low tire pressure, according to a recall acknowledgement notice. The issue, affecting some Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck vehicles, will be resolved with an over-the-air software update, Tesla said.

  •  RIP. Trailblazing automotive writer and editor Jean Jennings died on December 16, 2024, in Jackson, Michigan, after a long and valiant struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was 70. Jean was the first woman to lead a major monthly national car magazine. After 29 years with the publication, she was promoted to editor-in-chief of Automobile in 2000. She added the title and duties of President in 2006. Under her leadership, Automobile was the first car magazine to win a National Magazine Award. Her long-running column, “Vile Gossip,” chronicled her adventures with race car drivers, auto industry executives, and celebrities and was a must-read for enthusiasts and general readers alike. Jean studied at the University of Michigan, left school for other pursuits, and owned and operated Yellow Cab in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Soon, she joined the team at the Chrysler Proving Grounds in Chelsea, Michigan, working as a test driver, welder, and mechanic and editing the award-winning UAW newsletter. Her first official job as an auto journalist came at Car and Driver, and from there, she was off and running. More about Jean from Car and Driver.  HERE

  •  RIP. Fred Lorenzen, a NASCAR Hall of Famer and the 1965 Daytona champ, died. He was 89. A cause of death wasn’t given, but Lorenzen had been in declining health for years. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers. He won 26 career Cup races. Lorenzen battled dementia in his later years. Here's a full story. HERE

    • Happy Holidays from the TACH team!
    Stay safe. Be Well.