AD #2172 – BMW Reveals Z4 Concept, Honda Introduces High MPG Diesel, Hyundai Teases New Fuel Cell SUV
August 18th, 2017 at 11:49am
Runtime: 8:26
To watch this episode on YouTube click here.
- Hyundai Teases New Fuel Cell SUV
- Porsche Debuts Braided Carbon Fiber Wheels
- BMW Reveals Z4 Concept
- Honda Introduces High MPG Diesel
- FCA CEO Says EV Prices Are Going To Soar
- How Consumers Can Benefit From Data Collection
Visit our sponsors to thank them for their support of Autoline Daily: Bridgestone , Dow Automotive Systems and Lear Corporation.
»Subscribe to Podcast | 
| 
| Listen on Phone 
| 
On today’s show…Hyundai teases its next-gen hydrogen powered SUV…Sergio Marchionne predicts that EV prices are going to soar…and Honda intros a diesel with eye popping fuel economy. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.
This is Autoline Daily dedicated to promoting the innovation and creativity developed by the global automotive industry.
HYUNDAI TEASES NEW FUEL CELL SUV
Hyundai is giving a sneak peek of its next-gen fuel cell SUV, which launches next year. Thanks to enhanced efficiency, it’s targeting a driving range of 580 kilometers or about 360 miles based on Korean test procedures. It can start at negative 22 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to the new SUV, Hyundai says it’s boosting R&D efforts to make its fuel cell system smaller and cheaper so it can be equipped in smaller sedans. Hyundai is also going to introduce a hydrogen powered bus at the end of the year as well. The new fuel cell SUV will be officially unveiled at CES in January. It will be sold in South Korea, the U.S. and Europe and possibly China.
PORSCHE DEBUTS BRAIDED CARBON FIBER WHEELS
In late 2012 we caught up with the folks from Carbon Revolution, an Australian company that had just made a big splash at SEMA with the introduction of their one-piece carbon fiber wheels. At the time, the wheels were almost exclusively designed for the Porsche 911 and now the automaker is bringing that work in house. While the wheel centers are made from over 200 sheets of carbon fiber fabric, the rest is woven together using a new braiding technique for wheels. Porsche says it’s the first in the world to use this technology, which requires a braiding machine that’s 9-meters or nearly 30-feet wide. And even though each wheel is made from over 11-miles of carbon fiber, they’re 20% lighter and 20% stronger than standard alloy wheels. The braided carbon fiber wheels will first be available as an option for the Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series with the exclusive price of 15,000 euros, which is a little over $17,500.
Coming up next, Sergio predicts the cost of EVs is going to soar.
BMW REVEALS Z4 CONCEPT
Last week we wondered if BMW had jumped the shark. It’s losing sales and market share. Critics claim the problem is too many models and stagnant styling as part of its problem. Now comes the Concept Z4, just unveiled at Pebble Beach. It’s a much more stylized car than the current car, highlighted by massive vents in the lower fascia and side fender, as well as LED lights in the front and rear that are shoved to the outermost edges. While the dash layout is less cluttered than current vehicles, it still looks like it could come from a vehicle that’s out right now. BMW is sure putting a lot of effort into a car that sells in extremely low volume. At the peak of its popularity, BMW sold less than 3,000 a year in the U.S. market. Last month sales dropped 88%. They only sold 14 Z4’s.
HONDA INTRODUCES HIGH MPG DIESEL
Though diesel engines are under heavy attack in Europe, Honda just unveiled a new diesel for the Civic that’s sold in the EU market. The 1.6 liter engine is the first to be tested using Europe’s new testing procedures, what they call the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure, or WLTP for short. The new test procedure does a better job of mimicking how cars are driven in the real world. Even though the test procedure is tougher than what was used before, the Honda diesel is rated at an impressive 63.5 miles per gallon and only emits 99 grams of CO2 per kilometer.
FCA CEO SAYS EV PRICES ARE GOING TO SOAR
Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of FCA, says that the price of electric cars is going to soar. Speaking with auto analysts, he says he isn’t worried about the capital investment needed for electric cars, what they call the cap-ex. He’s worried about the piece cost of the technology, the variable cost. Sergio says the investment that car companies are making on electrics is going to come under fire because no one is making money on them. Even though the cost of the batteries is coming down, EVs still cost a lot more to make than conventional cars. If EVs truly become popular, he’s predicting a huge increase in prices starting around 2021. And, he adds, if prices of EVs go up, then sales will go down.
Coming up next, a look at how General Motors is using data generated by cars to benefit the people who own them.
HOW CONSUMERS CAN BENEFIT FROM DATA COLLECTION
We’ve talked about how the data generated from autonomous and connected cars will be worth a fortune for automakers and tech companies. But will consumers see any benefits from this? On a recent Autoline This Week we were joined by John McFarland, the Director of Connected Owner Experiences at General Motors. And he talked about how data collection can be beneficial to car owners.
(The ATW preview is only available in the video version of today’s show.)
For a more in depth look into the monetization of data, you can watch that entire show right now on our website, Autoline.tv or on our YouTube channel.
But that’s it for today, thanks for watching and have a great weekend.
Thanks to our partner for embedding Autoline Daily on its website: WardsAuto.com
Share
Embed
Permalink
Comments (17)
August 18th, 2017 at 12:06 pm
In the interest of accuracy, it should be noted that what’s referred to here as the “current” Z4 is not really current at all. Production of the 2016 model ended in April of last year and dealers have been selling off remaining inventory since then.
August 18th, 2017 at 12:13 pm
So what Sergio is actually saying is that, as IC powered vehicles come under more and more politicized market pressure (ie less available) and manufacturers lose the ability to subsidize EV sales with profits from them, they will have no choice but to raise prices on EVs to reflect actual cost of production. And that’s when the house of cards comes tumbling down around our ear as no one will be willing to pay that much for an inferior electrified vehicle.
August 18th, 2017 at 12:31 pm
I looks like to me that carbon fiber wheels are far more material, energy and labor intensive that producing standard alloy wheels. The 20% gain in strength and weight saving seems trivial IMHO.
August 18th, 2017 at 12:39 pm
It seems to me that Sergio’s prediction is more of sour grapes in that FCA has only done minimal work to produce EVs, rather than truly invest in engineering and manufacturing EVs in volume that will lower costs to the point they are profitable. Assuming battery prices do continue to decrease, manufacturing the rest of the EV vehicle is cheaper due to the simpler powertrains. How cheap the batteries get will determine if they are profitable. And the OEMs that have several generations of experience will be able to produce EVs at a much higher profit.
August 18th, 2017 at 12:43 pm
Is this Honda’s first diesel, or have they offered diesels in the past in Europe or elsewhere? I wonder how the fuel economy would compare on the US EPA test, and compared to the Chevy Cruze diesel, also with a 1.6 L displacement.
August 18th, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Vehicle Data collection being shared with my insurance company without my permission is not something I would consider as a benefit. What they consider to be safe driver is very subjective.
Someone with more spirited driving, harder acceleration, braking and cornering and even speeding does not necessarily constitute a bad driver. I do all those things and have for 35 years without one accident. However I also raced in ARCA and SCCA. So a good driver paying attention even speeding if far safer than a bad driver below the speed limit but distracted .
August 18th, 2017 at 1:02 pm
Chrysler has always been a late player to the game with new technology. Sergio gambled with EV development. Could still be a smart decision due to the cost and viability yet to be determined.
You either get out and lead the industry in developing the technology so your “ahead” of the game.
Or Two you sit back (like Sergio did) let others make the huge investment see if it really pans out as a viable product. Then if it takes off you just buy the key cost component (batteries) from a low cost supplier.
August 18th, 2017 at 1:12 pm
Sergio,
Get real! Electric car prices are not going to soar. ZEV requirements by California and the 14 states that follow California will require you to earn ZEV credits based on how many cars you sell in a state. So you can subsidize Electric cars with higher prices on IC cars, buy ZEV credits from other companies, and the cost of batteries is coming down at the same time IC engine cost are going up due to stricter emission and mileage standards.
August 18th, 2017 at 1:23 pm
The carbon fiber wheels are top of the mark, however, with a price that is hundreds of percent over even premium wheels, they just seem to be more of bragging rights (for those that get them) than any real-world benefit).
Data has been collected just about always (meaning before computer harvesting began); I wouldn’t get too ‘emotional’ about privacy invasion. I do agree with Lambo that it would depend on what is being gleaned and how it is being interpreted; after-all fair is fair. Look at your credit score; a lot more is riding on that number, which isn’t as transparent as you’d like it to be than, lets say, an insurance bump due to your driving record.
August 18th, 2017 at 1:25 pm
#8: Yea, government mandates always qork put swell. Why just look at healthcare!
August 18th, 2017 at 1:28 pm
Drop the government incentives for electric cars, and yeah, they are going to soar. Get them electrics’ to compete on an even playing field and then do ‘these’ evaluations. As discussed here and a lot of other forums; measure those tailpipe emissions from cradle to grave (not just out of the tailpipe) and you see that the ICE isn’t dead yet and may teach some of the others a lesson.
August 18th, 2017 at 2:35 pm
Sergio M from FCA is on denial. Electric cars manufacturing costs & complexity should be lower vs a comparably sized ICE alternative, the reason no one makes money is because of scale. Engineering costs should be lower for the e-car, think no pollution, high temp management, number of components and complexity overall. The real bottleneck for electric car volumes in my view will be availability of batteries, meaning price may not continue to drop unless supply dynamics change.
August 18th, 2017 at 3:28 pm
Ref #3 & #9 – CF wheels – I admit they are a hefty premium, however, having two sets of CF wheels on two different motor cycles (Ducati & Aprilia) I can speak to the improvement in many areas they brought to the bikes. While both bikes are in different homes today, I would love to get CF wheels for the Corvette, however, this is a ways off. If you do some research you should be able to find some data on the Mustang GT 350 R showing performance improvement due to greatly reduced moment of inertia. With time (a lot) perhaps prices will retreat to reachable. Have a good weekend.
August 18th, 2017 at 3:37 pm
5, BobD
Honda has been selling diesels in Europe, and probably other markets for years.
When batteries get cheap enough, electric cars will be price competitive with ICE cars. EV’s are very simple, mechanically, and the electronic controls are already “commodity” status. FCA needs to be prepared to build EV’s, because they will be a significant part of the market, at some point.
August 18th, 2017 at 5:43 pm
EV have and will have proprietary software and engineering parts that will be controlled by the developer or the patent mill that has them. When your the only game in town the mfg will have to pay the going price or develop new. With groups like CARB writing these edicts it sets up a market that conforms. Price will will go according to the market. Wonder what the landfills of exhausted batteries will look like… or will it become some form of “hazardous waste” that must be cleaned up. Sewing the seeds of the future.
August 18th, 2017 at 6:58 pm
When there are lot of expired EV batteries, the infrastucture to recycle them will come together, as has been the case with lead-acid batteries for about 100 years. It will be more complex to recycle materials from lithiym batteries, but it will happen.
August 21st, 2017 at 8:53 am
Great Wall wants to buy FCA.