AD #2437 – Audi Reveals e-tron, Elon Musk Sued Over Pedophile Comment, BMW May Bring Diesels Back to U.S.
September 18th, 2018 at 11:37am
Follow us on social media:
Runtime: 7:14
0:31 Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Adopt Android OS
1:26 Elon Musk Sued Over Pedophile Comment
2:10 Hurricane Florence Disrupts Production
2:58 BMW May Bring Diesels Back to U.S.
3:16 Germany Wants OEMs to Offer Incentives for Old Diesels
3:39 U.S. Garages Becoming Bigger Because of Trucks
4:42 Schaeffler’s Intelligent Corner Module
5:36 Audi Reveals e-tron
Visit our sponsors to thank them for their support of Autoline Daily: Bridgestone , Dow Automotive Systems , Lear Corporation , and ExxonMobil.
On today’s show…we’ll give you another reason why Elon Musk needs to learn to keep his big yap shut…Hurricane Florence slams into BMW, Daimler and Volvo…and thanks to the move to trucks, Americans have to remodel their garages. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.
This is Autoline Daily the voice of the automotive industry.
RENAULT-NISSAN-MITSUBISHI ADOPT ANDROID OS
Looks like the tech industry just won another automotive battle. Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi just announced they’re going to embed the Android operating system in their cars. While many automakers already provide Android Auto in their cars, you have to connect a phone to the car to use it. By embedding the Android system directly in cars, no phone is needed. Drivers will be able to search for information using voice commands. They also have to opt-in to use the service because Google will monetize that data including where people are, the routes they drive, what they shop for online and the kind of infotainment they listen to. The Android system will not be connected to any operating or diagnostic systems in cars. Volvo is also going to use this system starting in 2020, while the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance will get it in 2021.
ELON MUSK SUED OVER PEDOPHILE COMMENT
Well here’s another example of why Elon Musk should keep his big mouth shut. No doubt you all know the story of how Elon accused a British diver who helped save the 12 boys trapped in a cave in Thailand as being a pedophile. The diver had said that Musk’s attempts to rescue the boys was nothing more than a PR stunt, so Elon called him a pedophile. That caused an uproar, but Elon couldn’t let it go. He later tweeted out that the story must be true or the diver would have sued him. Well now he’s getting sued. The diver is seeking at least $75,000 in compensatory damages in addition to unspecified punitive damages.
HURRICANE FLORENCE DISRUPTS PRODUCTION
Hurricane Florence is having an impact on the auto industry. AutoForecast Solutions reports that BMW’s, Volvo’s and Daimler Trucks assembly plants in South Carolina shut down when the storm hit. They should re-open this week but could face parts shortages as the major ports in North and South Carolina and Virginia were affected as well.
As more Americans buy trucks they’re discovering they don’t fit in their garages. That’s coming up next.
BMW MAY BRING DIESELS BACK TO U.S.
Last week, BMW said it will no longer offer diesels in the U.S. starting next year. Belay that order! BMW’s head of powertrain for the X5 now tells WardsAuto that they’re developing new diesels in Europe and that we might see them in the U.S. in the future.
GERMANY WANTS OEMs TO OFFER INCENTIVES FOR OLD DIESELS
Speaking of diesels, Germany’s transport minister is calling on automakers to offer incentives to customers to exchange old diesel-powered cars for new ones. In the near future 1.3 million old diesels could be banned in the country due to new environmental rules. But the government won’t use tax money to offer incentives.
U.S. GARAGES BECOMING BIGGER BECAUSE OF TRUCKS
The growing popularity of full-size pickup trucks and SUVs is having an effect on American households. They’re remodeling their garages so these big vehicles can fit inside, like ripping out 7-foot tall doors and replacing them with 8-foot or even 12-foot doors. Others are moving a wall out several feet to accommodate extended cabs and long beds. These remodeling jobs can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $12,000. Obviously building contractors love the fact that more consumers are abandoning passenger sedans for trucks and SUVs.
Coming up next, we’ve got details on Audi’s first fully electric vehicle.
SCHAEFFLER’S INTELLIGENT CORNER MODULE
The German supplier Schaeffler has come up with an intriguing combination of steering, suspension, braking and motor in one corner module. They call it the Intelligent Corner Module and the idea is to use it in autonomous pods for personal transportation in cities. It incorporates an electric hub motor with integrated brakes, steering and suspension. And the steering can turn the wheel up to 90 degrees. By mounting the modules at each corner of a car, it provides tremendous maneuverability, even allowing the vehicle to move sideways. One of the problems with hub motors is that they add a lot of unsprung weight, which adversely affects the handling of a vehicle. But by using this in a low-speed urban pod, that’s really not an issue. So far this is just part of a feasibility study by Schaeffler, but it is continuing to develop the concept.
AUDI REVEALS E-TRON
After months of teases, Audi finally revealed its fully electric model, the e-tron. The mid-size SUV is powered by a 95kWh battery and two electric motors, which help move it from 0 to 60 MPH in just 5.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 124 MPH. The company did not reveal its range and U.S. horsepower and torque numbers will be revealed closer to its launch. The e-tron will be built in Brussels and deliveries to European customers start at the end of this year. It won’t be available in the U.S. until the second quarter of 2019. However, customers can configure and reserve a model right now with a fully refundable $1,000 deposit. Pricing for the e-tron starts at just over $75,000. There are a lot more details that we don’t have the time to get into now but just look for the link to the press release in our transcript to learn more about it.
Don’t forget to join us for Autoline After Hours Thursday, when our special guest will be none other than Bob Lutz. Always insightful, often controversial and plenty entertaining, Lutz still has a lot to say about where the automotive industry is headed. Join us here live Thursday afternoon.
But that wraps up today’s show, thanks for watching and please join us again tomorrow.
Thanks to our partner for embedding Autoline Daily on its website: WardsAuto.com
Share
Permalink
Comments (25)
September 18th, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Although the hurricane may cause some delays in production it would be interesting to know how many vehicles will be totaled due to flooding and damage.
September 18th, 2018 at 12:26 pm
Elon- seriously for the head of such so many large companies you would think he would be better at dealing with people public statements. What kind of leader resorts to name calling just because he doesn’t like what someone says……………. ah.. never mind.
September 18th, 2018 at 12:32 pm
Engineering says diesels will work. Marketing says otherwise.
We need more EVs, hopefully Audi are not selling at a loss
September 18th, 2018 at 12:58 pm
These “crew cab” pickups, even with a 6 foot bed, are about 3 feet longer than even a large car. No wonder they won’t fit in a lot of garages. Some garages, like at my condo, will barely hold a Grand Marquis, which is about 30 inches shorter than the trucks.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:04 pm
I have a 2018 F150 Crew Cab Short bed truck. It won’t fit in my garage but I am not about to modify the Garage to make it fit. I use my garage for the other cars I have and the truck simply stays outside.
Of course I am leasing it so any faded paint or interior deterioration as a result of it spending 100% of its life outdoors is not my concern. I guess if you lived in a HOA controlled sub that has a rule that no vehicle shall be outside overnight, the length of the truck could be an issue. My HOA has no such rule though.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:17 pm
I think by the time manufacturers get all the emission problems solved with diesels, they won’t have a place in the car market; having been usurped by hybrids and improved gasoline technology.
You do wonder why they are so insistent on trying. Ten years ago, you couldn’t bribe a manufacturer to put a diesel into a car. Now, after VW and a continuous list of cheating manufacturers, they are all for it. Must be pure ego. It ain’t business.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:19 pm
I wonder how all of these EV will handle driving in deep water conditions such as the recent hurricane floods? When they get flooded out, can these cars be repaired, cleaned up, and resold or do the batteries and wiring cost too much to fix? And how about the underwater home charging stations that cost several thousand dollars to replace. Much future food for thought!
September 18th, 2018 at 1:22 pm
I agree with John McElroy, that Elon Musk needs to keep his BIG TRAP SHUT! He needs to concentrate on the products he is producing and maybe one day he will develop a high tech Ironman suit able to save lives on land, sea or air, or maybe in space. Here are a couple of ideas for Elon to work on which should be childs play for him. How about a Tesla Wheelchair or Artificial Limbs. He could help many people regain their independence and self help abilities. He could influence the “Bionic” industry.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:23 pm
3 First of all, Diesels work everywhere, and to hell with the marketing. ALL serious vehicles are diesels. Even in the USA, where diesel fuel is a bit more expensive than gas, ALL Heavy Trucks are diesels, all trains and all serious large cargo ships. Even with the higher fuel price, diesels are ideally suited for SUVs and even crossovers. Over in Europe they even use them for tiny sedans and hatches, where it is much less appropriate.
3 Second, no, we do not need just more pure EVs we have 100 models available now, of which only 3 (all Teslas) are to any degree successful. We do not need any more ugly Nissan Leafs or Bulky $40,000 hatches Chevy Bolts, and the sales show it.
3 As for the Audi “SUV” I looked at its specs. It is reasonably large, wide but not tall. it is only 65.5 ” tall, that is why it looks like a wagon and not an SUV.
BTW, the Rolls Royce Phantom also has a height of 65″, (64.5″), as did Kit’s Dodge Caravan (!)
IT says it will be priced FROM $75k, so with options, $90k. It may compete with low-volume Tesla X, I think the Audi looks better, but I suspect most buyers that pay almost six figures for a pure EV, do not want it to look like non-EV SUVs, and it may hurt its sales. other than that, it looks good outside and inside.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:25 pm
7 I doubt that many buyers with homes in the paths of hurricanes down south are waiting 4 years for a Tesla 3.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
9 Mercedes tried to encourage its buyers to consider the E class diesel by pricing it only $1k higher than the gas version, an unbelievable bargain. Not only in terms of fuel efficiency, but also longevity, it dwarfs gas vehicles. My taxi driver in the old country has a E class Diesel Taxi, a late 90s model, that she now wants to replace, after 4,000,000 kilometers, or 2,500,000 Miles. Do that with any gas engine.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:58 pm
When I had a diesel car, a 2004 Jetta wagon with a 1 9 tdi, it got about 50% better mpg than the gas version of the same car. It was kind of slow, but adequate. Now, gassers have gotten more efficient, and car diesels less efficient, though partly because the engines have gotten bigger. For efficiency and clean exhaust, nothing beats a good hybrid. A Camry hybrid performs decently, and gets 45-50 mpg. If only they made a wagon version
September 18th, 2018 at 2:02 pm
11 That recent 4 cylinder E-Class diesel looked very impressive, at least on paper, with decent acceleration, and exceptional mpg. Of course, there was no wagon in the US, but I’m sure they sold the wagon everywhere else.
September 18th, 2018 at 2:12 pm
Hey I always thought that the Volt engine should have been Diesel. The application of using it for a generator allows it to run at a constant speed and would have high torque.
September 18th, 2018 at 2:19 pm
14 Using a diesel would increase efficiency, but would make the car more expensive, and it’s already too expensive to sell well. Using a diesel in a Prius would probably increase mpg 20-30%, but again, would increase the cost of the car. Increasing mpg by 12-15 is impressive, but when you are already getting 50 mpg, it doesn’t save many dollars per year.
September 18th, 2018 at 2:32 pm
13 You are probably talking about the E 250 Bluetec, that has a 2.1 lt engine and would save me $400 a year in license fees in the old country vs the $900 a year the 3.0 lt 320 Bluetec I got, but the 2014 (was it the only year they sold it in the US?) 250 would cost me two to three times as much to buy as the 320s from 07 and 08, and for car I use 2-3 months a year at best, it was not worth it.
Also, acceleration, at least in my 320, is strong, and passing power is amazing, like a rocket, due to the 400 lbft torque.
Yesterday just for the fun of it I was looking at the 1988 model specs, a special issue of Road and Track, which included all kinds of big V8s and even V 12s, and while the max HP was above 400 in only 1 out of 100s of models (the Countach, even the Testarossa was below 400), in torque ALL production models sold in 1988 had less than my $10.5k 2007 Bluetec, which has 400, and none of the 1988s was even close to 400.
.
September 18th, 2018 at 2:32 pm
I work in heavy industry where everything that moves is powered by a diesel. If I have to put up with the diesel exhaust and fuel stink I expect to be paid very well and get 5 weeks away from it on vacation.
September 18th, 2018 at 3:05 pm
Musk is demonstrating a serious mental issue. He is descending further into psychosis. And it is affecting his auto business. I predict as the Tesla stock continues to fall so goes Elan. He will be removed if the company is expected to continue. Anyone with an ounce of brains should cut them selves loose from this disastrous company. Electric cars are a loosing proposition. We will find out that as the consumer market is forced by government fiat to accept EVs that the infrastructure is no where near ready to accept their drain and disposal problems. Government’s will be begging ICE to please come back.
September 18th, 2018 at 4:20 pm
#16 Larry not sure I follow your logic. You’re comparing cars that are 19 years apart. Most everything from the 80 was pretty anemic. A 1981 Corvette only had 190hp.
September 18th, 2018 at 4:53 pm
16 CR got 8.3 seconds 0-60, and 30/21/41 overall/city/highway with the E250 BlueTec.
Interestingly, they got only 3 tenths of a second better 0-60 with an ’08 E320 BlueTec. The mpg of the ’08 was very similar too, 29/24/35, so the six did better in city mileage, but the four did better at a steady 65 mph.
For comparison, a Camry hybrid of similar size, but with much less nice interior than the Benzes did 0-60 in 7.8 seconds, and got 47/39/53 mpg in CR tests. I still like hybrids.
September 18th, 2018 at 4:58 pm
16 The EPA site shows the E250 BlueTec from 2014-2016. Yep, it will be a few years before they get cheap.
September 18th, 2018 at 5:18 pm
16 Most diesels are high torque, low rpm engines. 200 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm does the same thing as 400 lb-ft at 2000 rpm. You just gear them differently.
Even my 1.9 TDI had a “high” 177 lb-ft of torque for a 1.9 engine at the time, at 1800 rpm, but only 100 hp at a low, for a small four cylinder, 4000 rpm. Published 0-60 times were in the 11-12 second range.
September 18th, 2018 at 7:11 pm
22 I think most people on this site understand hp vs tq and that hp is just a derivative of rpm and tq.
Guess that’s why some people are surprised to hear that semis often only have 350 to 500 hp when some cars have 700. But those trucks also have 1400 ftlbs of tq. Same reason a sport bike with only a 750cc engine can have 100 hp. Cause it redlines at 14000 rpm.
September 18th, 2018 at 7:17 pm
23 Some understand, and some don’t understand the relationships.
September 19th, 2018 at 10:10 am
Buzzerd @ #2 . You are correct that was a very “Deplorable” thing to say . I guess that makes him a “Dreg of society” to say such things. Before we thrown him under the bus for saying things and then thinly veiling a comparison to the POTUS let’s remember that they are ALL saying things like this today. just remember now if you disagree with me your a racist. That is todays mindset sadly. We can’t just agree to disagree anymore it all about personal attacks.