AD #3026 – Chevy Bolt EUV Impressions; Honda Signs Swappable Battery Deal; VW’s 2020 Earnings Hammered
March 1st, 2021 at 11:47am
Listen to “AD #3026 – Chevy Bolt EUV Impressions; Honda Signs Swappable Battery Deal; VW’s 2020 Earnings Hammered” on Spreaker.
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Runtime: 10:22
0:08 Renault’s EV Sales Tumble in January
0:49 Hyundai Sees High Demand for IONIQ 5 In Europe
1:23 VW’s 2020 Earnings Hammered
3:31 Honda Signs Swappable Battery Deal
4:21 VW Plans to Put AV Technology in ID Buzz
5:18 ZF Developing Autonomous Shuttle
5:42 High Manual Take Rate In 911 GT3 Surprises Porsche
6:50 Chevy Bolt EUV Impressions
9:26 Bridgestone Celebrates 90th Anniversary
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RENAULT’S EV SALES TUMBLE IN JANUARY
We start today in Europe, which as you know, is a hot bed for electric cars. In fact, last year it was the Number One market for EVs. The Renault ZOE was one of the best-selling electric vehicles there last year, but sales just took a tumble. They fell 62% in January, to just under 3,800 units, which is a sharp drop from the 16,000 sold in December. As a result, Renault’s total EV sales were down nearly 50% in January. Who knows if this is a blip or a sign of things to come but it’s not good to see such a sharp drop-off.
HYUNDAI SEES HIGH DEMAND FOR IONIQ 5 IN EUROPE
Yet, while Renault is struggling with EV sales, Hyundai says it’s IONIQ 5 electric is getting tons of hand raisers in Europe. Since it was unveiled last week, it generated 236,000 inquiries from potential customers. Within 24 hours of opening reservations for a limited-edition version, nearly 9,000 reservations poured in, even though Hyundai will only make 3,000 of them. Deliveries of the IONIQ 5 to customers in Europe start in the second quarter.
VW’S 2020 EARNINGS HAMMERED
Volkswagen reported its earnings from last year, and while they were hammered from the Covid pandemic, there is a silver lining in the numbers. Sales of cars and trucks fell 16% to 9.2 million vehicles, and it fell behind Toyota in the race to be the biggest car company in the world. VW brought in €230 billion in sales, down about 12%. But its operating profit of €10 billion, was down a staggering 45%. By the way, one third of VW’s profit comes from China. It turned a net profit of nearly €9 billion which was down 37%. So where’s the silver lining we were talking about? VW took a pretty big hit from the pandemic, but it was still solidly profitable. That bodes well for this year–as long as that chip shortage doesn’t do another number on its numbers.
| Volkswagen AG 2020 Earnings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 9.2 Million | -16.4% |
| Revenue | €229.8 Billion | -11.8% |
| Operating Profit | €10.6 Billion | -45% |
| Net Profit | €8.8 Billion | -37.3% |
HONDA SIGNS SWAPPABLE BATTERY DEAL
Swappable batteries for electric vehicles aren’t a new idea but instead of cars, Honda wants to use them in motorcycles. The company signed a letter of intent with Yamaha, KTM, an Austrian motorcycle and sportscar manufacturer and Piaggio, an Italian scooter maker, to form a swappable battery consortium for vehicles in the L category which includes motorcycles, mopeds, three-wheelers and quadricycles. The companies say the consortium will help promote more widespread use of electric vehicles and help create a more sustainable life-cycle management of batteries. While it’s not as practical to swap batteries in cars, it would be a lot easier for customers to swap a battery in a scooter or motorcycle at home or work.
VW PLANS TO PUT AV TECHNOLOGY IN ID BUZZ
Volkswagen must like Waymo’s idea of turning minivans into autonomous vehicles. It’s going to do the same thing with the ID Buzz. The plan is to come out with a fully autonomous van in 2025 to be used as a robo-taxi for ride hailing and carpooling. All that is going to be done with autonomous technology developed by Argo AI, the AV startup based in Pittsburgh that both VW and Ford invested in. VW sees commercial vehicles as the best place to launch autonomous technology. And the autonomous ID Buzz and others to follow are being developed by its Commercial Vehicle division. Yet, Volkswagen is also forging ahead with an in-house effort to develop self-driving technology up to Level 4. That’s being done with its Car.Software Organization, and those vehicles will be sold to regular customers.
ZF DEVELOPING AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLE
German supplier ZF is also getting in on the AV action. It’s developing this autonomous shuttle called RABus with L4 technology. Top speed is about 25 miles an hour and it can hold 22 people. The idea is to use it on urban routes and it will be tested in Friedrichshafen and Mannheim in Germany.
HIGH MANUAL TAKE RATE IN 911 GT3 SURPRISES PORSCHE
The automatic transmission may have been popularized in North America, but we’re not letting manuals go away without a fight. And that’s especially true of sporty cars, like the Porsche 911 GT3. While it also offers an automatic, 70% of Americans opted for the manual in the GT3. And don’t think that’s the norm for the car. Global take rate for the manual in the GT3 is only 30%. Even Porsche was surprised by the manual in the GT3. The Brands head of motorsport said, “We lost several bottles of wine by betting on the take rate when we reintroduced the manual option. We were surprised by how high it was.” Other cars like the Subaru WRX and BRZ, Mazda MX-5 Miata and Volkswagen Golf also have high manual take rates.
CHEVY BOLT EUV IMPRESSIONS
The Chevy Bolt EV is a difficult vehicle to label. Is it a high-riding car or is it a crossover? While that debate can rage on, it hopes the all-new Bolt EUV won’t have that same confusion. Although, after seeing it in person, I’ll say the EUV is a bit smaller than I was expecting. The focus seems to be more on the added length, which increases rear seat legroom and cargo space. And I’m here to tell you, even at 6’4”, I had a good amount of legroom in the back seat. However, the headroom, whether in the front or rear, was a little cramped for me. Overall, the interior has a nice look, but what looks good in pictures doesn’t always look good in person. And the Bolt EUV falls into the latter category. It’s very plastic-y, which I thought made it look cheap. Some better materials would make the interior feel much more inviting. Compared to other EVs that I’ve been in, like the Tesla Model 3 & Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E and BMW i3, the Bolt EUV has a suppler ride. It soaks up the bumps in the road much better, but feels way less rigid. I’m sure suspension tuning has something to do with it, but those other vehicles mostly use a dedicated EV platform, which I think plays a role as well. Now let’s talk about the Bolt EUV’s biggest technology feature, Super Cruise. This is the same system that Cadillac originally launched on the CT6, but with a few upgrades. It improved the driver monitoring system, added 70,000 more miles of highway where the system will operate and put in notifications that explain why Super Cruise is not engaging. So, that means it has the same limitations as the CT6. The system kicks off at any major freeway exchange, even if you’re staying on the same stretch of road, and there’s no lane justification. It always tries to keep you in the center of the lane. That’s good most of the time, but can be a bit unnerving when passing a big truck. The upgraded system with new features, like the ability to change lanes, will only be available on vehicles with GM’s new electrical architecture. The Bolt EUV goes on sale this summer with a starting price of $34,000, including destination charges.
BRIDGESTONE CELEBRATES 90TH ANNIVERSARY
Be sure to join us for Autoline After Hours this Thursday when we’ll be taking a deep dive into the all new Acura MDX. And before we go we’d like to wish a very happy birthday to Bridgestone. The tire maker is celebrating its 90th anniversary, which was founded today back in 1931. It created a commemorative logo for the anniversary and it has a special webpage to provide information on the company’s DNA, history and vision. Wow. 90 years. That’s a lot.
And with that we wrap up today’s show, thanks for watching.
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Comments (31)
March 1st, 2021 at 12:10 pm
Why can’t GM do it right the first time? Spend a few dollars more on the interior and make a vehicle that looks and feels expensive even if it is a Bolt EUV. Where are the marketing experts to suggest “make it desirable” not cheap looking. Adding Super Cruise is a great feature make the rest of the vehicle as exciting! The additional expense to make the interior superior is marginal, spend and extra $50 charge a couple of hundred dollars more for it make it more saleable.
March 1st, 2021 at 12:23 pm
Can GM or have they already programmed the SuperCruise to stay out of the left lane unless passing? Since we can’t train NA drivers to do that maybe we can programme computers.
March 1st, 2021 at 12:44 pm
While it is much easier for manufacturers to design a battery around their particular application, I sure hope the Honda consortium is working toward a common EV battery for cycles and such. Much like the popular AAA, AA, C and D size batteries it would be great if they established a few standard battery packs for cycles, scooters and ATVs.
Actually wish the cordless tool industry could do the same. It would be nice to be able to buy a battery pack that works in all my tools.
Also disappointed that gm couldn’t make a EV with some excitement behind it like the Mach-E. That Bolt EUV seems to be just another page in the library of vehicles out there. Not one thing makes that vehicle stand out. When describing it words like “bland, standard, basic” come to mind.
I get that not all new EVs can be stand out original designs. But as this push to EVs is supposed to be an industry changer, gm seems to be after the customers that don’t like change. Just same old stuff with a new powertrain.
March 1st, 2021 at 1:01 pm
To get economies of scale, it would make sense to have cross-company standardization when volumes are relatively low. For companies that plan to go big in BEVs and PHEVs, it should be just as important to pick a battery unit size and power rating that works across all your product lines. With Honda needing batteries for everything from electric bicycles, to scooters, to motorcycles, ATVs, boats, cars and trucks, a battery unit size that could be used in them all is extra important.
March 1st, 2021 at 1:02 pm
Obviously, cars and trucks would be the big volume, but don’t forget the other products. Also, include a setup that lets your low use product like an ATV also be backup power or solar collector storage when it is not in use.
March 1st, 2021 at 1:12 pm
Question
Over the weekend I was talking to a transmission repair shop owner. He said, compared to a conventional automatic transmission, the CVT is significantly less durable and more expensive to repair. What is your opinion?
March 1st, 2021 at 1:20 pm
Even if they made an EV battery that was the size of a current motorcycle battery that would be great. Still light enough anyone can pick it up, and if in a scooter maybe only needs 4 maybe an ATV needs 6 and maybe a motorcycle needs 8 and then they could have more flexibility with packaging, But if they would establish at least a standard size you could even add range in saddle bags or possibly even add range to a car. Having a portable EV battery that is expandable and the flexibility to have what you need would seem like a really nice feature to me.
March 1st, 2021 at 1:22 pm
Lots of interesting news, but the biggest surprise for me was that Sean is 6’4″!
And GM marketing geniuses strike again. After making such a splash with Ultium and the benefits of their integrated platform and configurable controls, they launch a new EV that has none of that. Consumers are largely uninformed when it comes to EVs and those with a little knowledge are confused. GM just made it worse, and many people may pass on future GM EVs after checking out the new Bolts. This creates an uphill climb for future GM marketing execs to convince consumers that their new EVs are competitive. The more things change, the more they stay the same!
March 1st, 2021 at 1:26 pm
Glad to hear “Manual’s” are not totally dead. Being a manual driver for 55 years I will never give them up. The millennial crowd does not know what they are missing. Nothing like some “Heel & Toe” action to keep one engaged with their vehicle. “Save the Manuals” !!!
March 1st, 2021 at 1:36 pm
6 Bruce; CVTs are generally more expensive to repair due to the complexity (I am told) however they are always veiwed as being less complex but I think that’s due to fewer gears. I personally never repaired one. I do know that they typically have much lower if any towing capacity vs an automatic in similar vehicles. They also don’t typically last as long.
Just replaced the filter and fluid in my automatic Saturday since we had such nice weather.
March 1st, 2021 at 1:56 pm
@Bruce – Generally speaking CVTs are less durable than a conventional transmission. But like any transmission, durability also depends on the application and user. A CVT in a small car that’s never going to tow anything would likely have little issue over its life, as long as the driver doesn’t think they’re a race car driver.
March 1st, 2021 at 2:08 pm
I think the reason you see high manual take rates on sporty cars is the people that buy and drive them tend to be more enthusiast drivers than just using it as a appliance to go point A to B. They want to be more engaged with the machine not just a passenger.
March 1st, 2021 at 2:11 pm
The argument Ford made of why they weren’t offering a manual in the GT500 never made sense to me. Sure the auto shifts faster , but not everyone is going to drive it at the limit on track days. Besides not much sounds better than a Gnarly V8 note and the Rpm drop between gears . Not everyone wants a slushbox yet.
March 1st, 2021 at 2:38 pm
The Bolt EUV is a stop gap EV before the all-new GM electric architecture comes out. Don’t expect the Bolt, in this configuration or technology, to be around five years from now.
March 1st, 2021 at 3:00 pm
6,10, et. al.
E-CVTs, as used in Toyota and some other hybrids are the ultimate in simplicity, except for the one speed gear reduction in pure EVs. The Toyota hybrids have no clutches, no bands, no valves, etc., nothing but gears and bearings. The power electronics is fairly complex, but seems to be reliable.
11 Driven gently, the regular CVTs seem to hold up ok. There are a bunch of older Altimas, Sentras, etc. with them at my condo, and they seem to do ok.
March 1st, 2021 at 3:08 pm
12 There have been some recent Porsches that have been sold manual only. The Cayman GT4 was manual only in 2020, but is now sold both manual and PDK.
13 Why did they drop the GT350? I was never a big Ford fan, but that one caught my attention, with the engine that sounds like a Ferrari.
March 1st, 2021 at 3:24 pm
The classification of vehicles as CUVs is kind of nebulous, but to me, the Bolt was always a CUV. Isn’t height what makes something a CUV rather than a car? A Bolt is the same height as a Honda HR-V, and 3 inches taller than a Lexus UX, and those two are generally called CUVs, (or SUVs by some people).
March 1st, 2021 at 3:30 pm
3 Interesting that you mention cordless tools. I have never bought a cordless drill or other such tool, because they are throw away items. I have two plug-in drills that are 50-60 years old, which work fine. I doubt if there are many cordless drills even 15 years old that still work.
March 1st, 2021 at 3:30 pm
always had one vehicle with a clutch until I was 55. Then for some reason everything automatics all around. Now at 71 first choice is paddle shifters. I’ve enjoyed them all.
March 1st, 2021 at 3:57 pm
Kit, my take is the Flat plane crank engine was expensive to build and they were having issues with them vibrating the oil filter loose and catching fire. Actually watched it happen on a YouTube Vloggers channel. They were at a track day and it went up like a Roman Candle. The owner bought the car back from the insurance company and put a Straight 6 BARRA engine from Australia turboed up to 1000 + HP from a 4 Liter . It owns all kinds of fast toys just drifting and says this is the only car that ever scared him.
March 1st, 2021 at 3:58 pm
Also when they brought out the new Mach 1 it replaced the GT350 and Bullitt.
March 1st, 2021 at 4:26 pm
20 Thanks for the info. I wasn’t aware of the fires. That straight six would be cool. That must have been a major project, between fixing the fire damamage, and installing the engine where it wouldn’t normally reside.
March 1st, 2021 at 10:57 pm
18, Kit, I have a Makita cordless that’s about 30 years old and works well, but my newer DeWalt cordless has a lot more power. I also have a corded Skil that is 60 years old. A real brute! I had a 20 year old corded drill that died. I prefer the cordless for its convenience. Sorry for the non automotive commentary.
March 2nd, 2021 at 6:55 am
Since most of the cordless tools have moved over to lithium batteries the longevity has been greatly improved. And the newer cordless rival the plug-in for power; not to mention the ease of use and mobility of the newer cordless. It is almost amazing of what is currently offered in diversification of different kind of tools. In addition to rivaling plug-in, in a great many cases, the battery powered tools rival air-tools as well (though air-tools arguably still reign in the power department).
March 2nd, 2021 at 7:52 am
23, Bobby, does your Makita have the original batteries? If so, that’s impressive. They would probably be NiCad, or maybe NiMH.
23,24 My ~55-60 year old drills are Skil, a 1/4 inch 2200 rpm, and a lower speed 3/8 inch, both variable speed reversing. I have a Cummins (not the engine company) drill, probably about 70 years old that my father had. It is one speed, non-reversing. All three work fine.
March 2nd, 2021 at 8:07 am
18 Kit yeah I have a 25 year old Craftsman cordless drill that’s only 9V that still works. Doesn’t hold a charge as long and isn’t very powerful. The thing about cordless is they keep upping the voltage and lots of stuff at first was 12V then 16, 18 20 and some stuff now I see even 48V like the lawnmower batteries. I know plenty of guys that work construction and use them everyday. Most the name brand stuff will last longer than the battery packs, so years and you cant beat the convivence.
I did HVAC for a bit and crawling into an attic or crawl space and dragging an extension cord around sucks. Or being on a job site where the power hasn’t been connected and everyone tried to run their tools off one generator that’s outside and you’re on the second floor with a 100ft extension cord. Then at the end of the day trying to roll up that long cord that’s frozen stiff or been pushed into the mud and frozen in the ground.
The cordless tools have come a long way. If you buy one I think you’ll really appreciate the power and longevity they have now and cant be beat in convenience.
March 2nd, 2021 at 9:36 am
25, Kit, it occurred to me after I responded that I should have mentioned that I am on my third or fourth battery. The current one is six years old, but since it is no longer my primary drill, I don’t mind the more frequent recharging, which is why I would replace them in the past. I like the lightweight feel of the Makita. I notice that they use a lot of battery tools on This Old House. I can’t find anything on the battery that says what type it is, but I’m pretty sure it’s a NiCad.
March 2nd, 2021 at 9:50 am
Cordless tools – While I have some 50 year old Craftsman corded tools, I tend to use Dewalt 6 tool set that was 18v ni-cad when new & now use 20v Li-ion batteries for their cordless convenience. The Li-ion batteries greatly improve battery life compared to the original Ni-Cads.
March 2nd, 2021 at 10:03 am
27 It sounds like Makita does a good job of keeping batteries available for a number of years.
I normally use tools where power is conveniently available. If I used them away from convenient power, I’d probably have battery tools, accepting that they probably wouldn’t last 70 years like corded tools. I’m old enough now that 20 years would almost definitely be “long enough.”
March 2nd, 2021 at 11:49 am
29, yeah, “lifetime “ has a different meaning to me than it did 20-40 years ago. I just turned 79.
March 2nd, 2021 at 11:51 am
30 I’m 74.