AD #1744 – New Retrofit Platoon Kit, Karma Automotive Teams With BMW, New Nissan Titan to Fill “White Space”
November 13th, 2015 at 11:48am
Runtime: 8:16
- New Retrofit Platoon Kit
- Karma Automotive Teams with BMW
- Kia Releases New Cadenza Sketches
- Nissan Believes New Titan Will Fill “White Space”
- Can VW Even Fix Cheating Engines?
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On today’s show… a look at Nissan’s new full-size pick-up, a new retrofit kit will electronically link heavy trucks together to help improve fuel economy and will Volkswagen even be able to fix its engines with emission cheating software? All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.
This is Autoline Daily for November 13th, 2015.
RETROFIT PLATOON KIT
At the Autonomous Trucks 2015 show in Detroit yesterday we learned about a company called Peloton Technology that enables heavy trucks to travel in platoons, where the truck behind will mirror what the truck ahead is doing. But what most impressed us about the system from Peloton Technology is that it can be retrofitted to older trucks. Josh Switkes, the CEO and founder of the company told Autoline that unlike cars, heavy trucks use open systems and modular components, so they’re relatively easy to change out or modify. He says that when platooning trucks, the one in back improves its fuel economy by 10% while the one in front improves by 4.5%, and that can pay for the technology in 9 months. The system is also being developed for new trucks, but by being able to retrofit it, we should see this technology spread very quickly. Check out our website or YouTube channel to see more of our interviews from that conference.
KARMA AUTOMOTIVE TEAMS WITH BMW
Back in 2014 China’s Wanxiang Group bought out Fisker Automotive. Then in October it changed its name to Karma Automotive and announced its opening a new headquarters and production facility in Southern California. Now the automaker is teaming with BMW to supply it with powertrain components, including high voltage charging systems as well as hybrid and EV systems. Karma says it will be re-launching its flagship plug-in hybrid vehicle integrated with BMW components in 2016. So, it sure sounds like the Karma that launched in the U.S. in 2011 will be making a comeback. It also says the next generation of vehicles that will use more of the German automaker’s powertrain technology are already in development. The original car was plagued with poor quality. We’ll have to wait and see if it’s better this time around.
KIA RELEASES NEW CADENZA SKETCHES
Kia just released sketches of the upcoming Cadenza, the company’s premium sedan that slots just below the K900. As you can see it has a sleek new design and features the company’s signature grille. Kia didn’t announce any more details other than it goes on sale next year.
Still to come… a look at Nissan’s all-new Titan pick-up.
NISSAN BELIEVES NEW TITAN WILL FILL “WHITE SPACE”
The Pickup Wars are, well, picking up again as Nissan prepares to release its all-new Titan truck.
The first model to make it to market is the Titan XD Crew Cab. Its tough and rugged exterior, according to the design team, has moved away from the traditional cowboy-influence of the competition, to that of a warrior from movies like 300. Even the all new Titan logo has a Spartan look to it. But the interior is anything but Spartan, especially when you’re looking for extra cargo areas like those under the fold-up 2nd row seats.
But towing is always a top consideration for any pickup buyer and Nissan says the truck scores here as well. Equipped with a 5-Liter V8 Cummins Turbo Diesel, it’ll pull more than 12-thousand pounds and get 20% better fuel economy than a V8 gas engine.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the truck is the potential buyer. During its research on the new Titan, Nissan discovered what it calls “white space:” a universe with more than 150-thousand buyers who — each year — are not satisfied with the current three-quarter and half-ton options. This was the origin of the XD.
Rich Miller
Product Specialist
Nissan Titan Program:
“So the white space really came from the customers. We spent a lot of time talking to focus groups and what we heard from them is that they’re really looking for a truck that can tow 12,000 pounds or a little bit more and have a diesel engine that can carry that. But they’re not looking for maybe the excess for this capability and that means they don’t necessarily want to pay for that. So this white space that we talk about isn’t something that we dreamed up or came up with, it was actually answering a question the customers had for us: why can they not get a truck that can tow this economically and still get a diesel engine with that application.”
Nissan believes the Titan XD Crew Cab will fill that void and will be available in the next few months. Meanwhile, coming in the summer of 2016 will be the rest of the Titan lineup with three cab configurations, two frame sizes and five grade levels, including the S, SV, Pro-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve.
Coming up next, a look at how VW may fix its diesels with emission cheating software.
CAN VW EVEN FIX CHEATING ENGINES?
Earlier this week, Volkswagen announced it will give $1,000 to owners with a 2.0L diesel that has emission cheating software. While that’s a good first step, many still wonder how the company will fix the engine. On Autoline This Week the topic is all about the cheating scandal, and in the following clip, John and his colleagues speculate if VW will even be able to fix the engines.
(Clip from Autoline This Week about VW’s cheating scandal can only be viewed in the video version of today’s show.)
If you want to learn more about the VW scandal and how it will impact the company, you can watch that entire discussion right now on our website, Autoline.tv.
But that wraps up today’s report, thanks for watching and have a great weekend.
Thanks to our partner for embedding Autoline Daily on its website: WardsAuto.com
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Comments (40)
November 13th, 2015 at 12:08 pm
Thanks for all the technology info today. It’s all great stuff.
November 13th, 2015 at 12:09 pm
BTW, Autoline This Week #1935, excellent summary of the VW diesel issues. My biggest take-away, three way catalytic systems pretty well work at all power levels. In contrast, the NOx+SCR systems have a power level limit. At low levels, no problem but at maximum power, it really needs to be a big one. Excellent 30 minute program, well worth the listen time.
Bob Wilson, Huntsville, AL
November 13th, 2015 at 12:20 pm
Sean,
Love the look of the show. Please let the team who worked on it that it is much appreciated!
Will the New Retrofit Platoon Kit include accident avoidance systems? I could see very bad Semi-Trailer accidents when platooning is employed with multiple vehicles running in tandem. What is your opinion?
November 13th, 2015 at 12:39 pm
@Lex – According to Peloton Technology’s website its system does include forward collision avoidance technology. The platooning technology is being tested in the real-world now on prototypes and it will eventually have to pass regulatory scrutiny.
November 13th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Great to see Csaba again. Make him a “regular”.
With respect to the Nissan Titan, their “white space” must have lots of Ford oval blue and Ram red in it. The blue – drop belt line, nostril grille, scalloped tail lamps, ducktail tailgate. The red – diesel engine and interior trim. While they were copying everyone else, they took the Toyota box side sculptures. I predict this truck will be still born due to its lack of originality (truckers don’t buy copies; they prefer authentic hardware).
November 13th, 2015 at 1:13 pm
Very attractive Kia Cadenza (sketches). But isn’t there typically a multi-year year gap between the release of concept sketches like those and final production? You mentioned, Sean, this car would be available ‘next year’. Interesting…
November 13th, 2015 at 1:15 pm
Will the ‘platooning’ of trucks be limited to a certain number; I can see rolling-roadblock scenarios, which may not even involve the truck(s) that lead to autos to do stupid moves to make passes on semi-busy highways. I’m thinking that there will be rules before allowing ‘platooning’ to commence but also thinking there will need to be rules for when it (a platooning event) to end.
November 13th, 2015 at 1:33 pm
Maybe now is the time to go buy a preowned vW diesel off craigslist?
What years do they think will be offering a new vW to replace an old dirty diesel?
Then what does vW do with those buy backs? Ship the. To countries where the government doesn’t care?
South America?
Will owners have trouble getting a registration and emissions certification every time your inspection is due?
November 13th, 2015 at 1:37 pm
@Chuck – The way Peloton’s website makes it sound, its technology will only work with a pair of trucks.
November 13th, 2015 at 1:47 pm
#7 I was thinking the sme thing Chuck. Platooning on a 4 lane hwy is one thing but on a two lane hwy it would be a hazzard.
Imagine pulling out thinking your passing 70ft of truck and trailer only to find out there is 250ft of trucks with only 30-40ft between them.
Nissan makes good point that most truck owners want basically the capabiity of a one ton in their 1/2 ton. I can see the demise of the 1/2 & 3/4 ton and soon just marketed as luxury HD and work truck trim levels.
November 13th, 2015 at 1:54 pm
Rob, the terms 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, and 1 ton are relics. Today’s so-called 1/2 ton trucks have been in a one-ups-manship war over payload and trailer tow capacity for several generations now. So, today’s 1/2 ton is as capable as a 3/4 ton from 20 years ago. Make no mistake, the highest volume of the market is in the so-called 1/2 ton segment. And it’ll stay that way because most people don’t have the space for a 1-ton duallie (very few 1-ton models are not duallies due to limitations on tire load ratings).
November 13th, 2015 at 1:55 pm
@chuck. Good point, I believe that would actually be against the law in some areas. You would want to limit it to multi lane roads.
November 13th, 2015 at 3:03 pm
I think Nissan will have a hit with their new diesel titan.I’m sure they will sell some of the Platinum series,but for us ‘common folk’,the lesser trim levels will do just fine by most,and those will sell.
November 13th, 2015 at 3:36 pm
Most of the “1/2 ton” and “3/4 ton” pickups I see on the road typically have an actual payload of zero, or maybe a bag or two of groceries. Americans just like trucks, and some like to brag about how much they can tow, never mind that they will never tow anything. You see some of the same, regarding bragging rights about 0-60 times, etc., with cars.
November 13th, 2015 at 3:54 pm
Kit, it’s like Enzo Ferrari said, ‘I don’t sell people cars, I sell fantasies.’
Still, I’m ashamed to say I feel ashamed in the Civic. Pathetic. This car does everything a skilled drive might want and is fuel efficient and reliable. I can beat the shit out of anyone who isn’t going in a straight line. It carries a fluffton of stuff if you need. Yet my need for status display guts me. You bet the carcos exploit this.
November 13th, 2015 at 3:56 pm
To be honest, I look at almost every car today, with their driver aids, as moving from the adult to the kiddie table from a driving ability angle.
November 13th, 2015 at 4:03 pm
Todays 1/2 ton pickups are just too damn big.But,they sell like hotcakes,mpg’s be damned.Oh well,that’s life.I’m so happy with my mini-mini van.What a ball to drive,especially through the mountain passes I have go do.I’m averaging 26.11 in mountain driving,5/6/7% grades.Complaints: The top of the line 6 speaker stereo sounds like shit,period.The tom tom nav sux butt,period.Only one speed for the ‘intermittent’ setting on the windshield wipers……FCA,REALLY??? Other then what I listed,it’s pretty fun to look at and drive.I’ll give it 4 stars out of 5.
November 13th, 2015 at 4:07 pm
There is no easy fixes for their TDI emissions as one has to wonder whether removing the turbocharger would help emissions as the other viable solutions would be retrofitting a urea injection system or simply replacing the engine with a gas motor which may not be legal either because of their CO2 emissions.
November 13th, 2015 at 4:09 pm
17 The one speed “intermittent” must be a Euro thing. My Mini is that way too, and I don’t much like it.
November 13th, 2015 at 4:13 pm
The fricking Versa has five or six settings for intermittent wiper. Dafuqq? It’s a cheap piece of…
November 13th, 2015 at 4:45 pm
vw
vw seeking $20B in funds to deal with scandal costs. They already have about $28B in their knickers. Sure, no problems. Move along folks.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-13/vw-said-to-seek-as-much-as-20-billion-euros-in-bridge-financing
I love Friday afternoon news.
November 13th, 2015 at 4:46 pm
It seems that all American and Asian cars have had multiple intermittent settings for many years. My ’89 Caravan has them. The Mini has a very convenient single wipe function, but I don’t understand the one speed intermittent. Do BMW-badged BMW’s have multi-speed intermittent?
November 13th, 2015 at 7:11 pm
Yeah,this was a first in many many years and vehicles.
November 13th, 2015 at 11:53 pm
Is that it, John? Have we lost ya?
November 14th, 2015 at 10:17 am
Baffles me how people can afford trucks, with average cost of $35k and $45k for fully optioned
November 14th, 2015 at 5:00 pm
vw
More than 440K now cars added to implausible CO2 numbers.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-14/vw-tags-430-000-new-cars-with-implausible-carbon-dioxide-ratings
November 14th, 2015 at 5:01 pm
…more than 400K…. Sorry
November 14th, 2015 at 5:05 pm
What do you get when you combine worn tires, struts, rain-slicked roads and a curve? The Crapolla doing a 360 degree slide exiting the FL t-pike, occupants and car are ok, thanks to the Lord!
November 14th, 2015 at 5:26 pm
25, 26 Plus probabably about 11M in Europe.
November 14th, 2015 at 5:29 pm
27 Glad you’re all ok. It sounds a little scary, though. I suspect you might have been shaking a bit afterward.
November 14th, 2015 at 5:58 pm
Shaking, rattling and rolling> Note to self: SLOW DOWN
November 14th, 2015 at 8:13 pm
Our 2001 Miata has only one speed for its intermittent wipers. But this is a fair weather vehicle for us, so we can easily live with it.
Single speed intermittent wipers are shameful on everyday grocery getters.
November 15th, 2015 at 7:56 am
Yipes, Pedro. I’m glad no one was hurt.
November 15th, 2015 at 8:19 am
Thanks, guys, this upcoming week will be getting much needed new rubber, rear struts and replace wiggly tie rods. Amazingly, no other cars were near me in a normally busy exit.
November 15th, 2015 at 10:39 am
Glad you made it Okay pedro; yep, new rubber at the minimum.
November 15th, 2015 at 4:52 pm
Damn Pedro,please do slow down.
I just watched the autoline week about the vw debacle.Lots of good info,and some educated speculation from the experts too.Great show.Csaba(sp) touched on something towards the end,about turbo,(boosted) diesels make more emissions.I had hoped he would offer some insight on the turbo gassers that are now common place.They are boosted,also have increased cyl pressures and temps.I know the fuels are different,but I find it hard to believe that a Ford 2.7 with compound turbos,making a ton of hp,and torque,are as clean as claimed.Jmho…
November 15th, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Turbo diesels make more NOx emissions, but non-turbo diesels emit lots of soot and unburned hydrocarbons. Also, non-turbo diesels are extremely doggy. Have you driven a Rabbit diesel, or Benz 240d lately?
I’ve wondered about the turbo gassers too, especially the ones running very high boost. I’d think they’d emit lots of NOx, but maybe the 3 way catalysts take care of it.
November 15th, 2015 at 8:08 pm
Anyone that bought a Nissan Titan was an established cheapskate in the community. The one buyer got his in the spring of 2014. It had sat on the dealers lot for 10 months and the manufacturer sticker on the inside door post had a date of Dec 12. Nissan should price these trucks at 20% below a F Series or Silverado on day one instead of waiting 18 months to do it.
November 15th, 2015 at 8:13 pm
26 Actually, even the highly boosted gassers probably wouldn’t emit NOx like diesels, because gassers have stoichometric fuel/air, while diesels run lean, with oxygen rich combustion chambers.
November 16th, 2015 at 9:37 pm
Kia ,that’s a awesome idea. Bring more hybrids and EVs to market seeing as they are selling so well.