AD #3165 – Ford Reveals New Expedition; BMW & Daimler Sued Over Emissions; Honda Drastically Cuts Production in Japan
September 21st, 2021 at 11:52am
Listen to “AD #3165 – Ford Reveals New Expedition; BMW and Daimler Sued Over Emissions; Honda Drastically Cuts Production in Japan” on Spreaker.
Follow us on social media:
Runtime: 9:52
0:08 LG Chem Resumes Chevy Bolt Battery Production
0:57 BMW & Daimler Sued Over Emissions
1:42 Honda Drastically Cuts Production in Japan
3:05 New Honda Civic Hatchback Now on Sale in U.S.
4:06 REE Automotive Develops Modular EV Platform
4:54 Twinner Offers Vehicle Scans to Find Issues
6:32 EV Tires to Make Up Most of Bridgestone’s Sales By 2030
7:19 Ford Reveals New Expedition
Visit our sponsors to thank them for their support of Autoline Daily: Bridgestone, Intrepid Control Systems, Magna and Schaeffler.
This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
LG CHEM RESUMES CHEVY BOLT BATTERY PRODUCTION
General Motors and LG Chem have found a fix for the manufacturing defects in the batteries used in the Chevy Bolt, which can cause it to catch fire. As a result, GM said production has resumed at LG’s plants in Michigan producing the batteries and that it will start shipping the replacement batteries to dealers next month. While battery production has resumed, GM did not say when it will resume building the Chevy Bolt, which it idled due to the battery issues. GM told owners to park their cars outside and not charge them overnight. And last week it advised owners not to park them within 50 feet of another vehicle. The recall is expected to cost GM nearly $2 billion but it’s negotiating with LG Chem to pay for it.
BMW & DAIMLER SUED OVER EMISSIONS
Earlier this month, two environmental NGOs in Germany threatened to sue BMW and Daimler if they didn’t accelerate plans to stop producing cars with internal combustion engines. And now they’re following through on that threat. Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper reports a lawsuit was filed against the automakers yesterday. The NGOs want BMW and Daimler to improve their emission targets and stop producing ICE vehicles by 2030, five years before the EU is planning to ban sales of new ICE cars. BMW and Daimler haven’t set a date to stop producing ICE vehicles and say they won’t accept the NGO’s demands.
HONDA DRASTICALLY CUTS PRODUCTION IN JAPAN
A few weeks back, Toyota announced its slashing its production forecast by 300,000 units due to the chip shortage and COVID disruptions. And the same issues are also crippling Honda’s production. The automaker revealed that its plants in Japan have been running at only 40% capacity in August and September. But the company will get a bit of relief next month and expects production to rebound to 70% of capacity.
NEW HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK NOW ON SALE IN U.S.
The all-new Honda Civic Hatchback is on sale now in the U.S. and carries a starting price just under $24,000 including destination charges. The top Sport Touring trim costs $30,400. Powering the car is either a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine or a 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder. Both can be mated to a six-speed manual or a CVT. A new 9-inch touchscreen mounted on top of the dash is available and a 10.2-inch reconfigurable instrument display is standard. The Civic Hatchback also offers new driver assistance and safety technologies. And for the first time ever, Honda is building the Civic Hatchback in the U.S. at its plant in Greensburg, Indiana. The company invested more than $50 million to build the model at the plant which also assembles the CR-V, CR-V Hybrid and the Insight Hybrid.
REE AUTOMOTIVE DEVELOPS MODULAR EV PLATFORM
Do you remember REE Automotive? You may have heard us talk about them in the past. It’s an Israeli startup that’s developed a EV platform with the motors, steering, suspension and brakes all built into one unit and placed at the corners. As you can see in this video here, it looks like a pretty complicated assembly, but one of the main benefits is you can have a number of different body styles; everything from last mile delivery pods to large buses. And REE is going to need all of that flexibility. It has deals to make its platform with Magna and build vehicles for Mahindra, Hino, Toyota’s commercial vehicle subsidiary, and Navya, an AV startup.
TWINNER OFFERS VEHICLE SCANS TO FIND ANY ISSUES
The visual inspection is one of the most important processes before buying a used vehicle, but if you don’t have the experience of what to look for or a recent repair was done, issues will be missed. But a new startup, called Twinner, has a way to remedy that. It developed what we would call inspection cells that a vehicle can drive right into and have its entire surface scanned inside and out for any possible problems. It can show you simple things like dents and scratches but also whether it previously had a vehicle wrap, indicating it could have been used in some service like a taxi, or if body panels were replaced or repainted. It looks like right now you have to travel to a Twinner Space to have a vehicle scanned, but the big picture plan is to have inspection sites all over the place, so anyone can take a used vehicle they’re thinking of buying, have it checked out and get a detailed report.
EV TIRES TO MAKE UP MOST OF BRIDGESTONE’S SALES BY 2030
With governments around the world announcing plans to ban sales of ICE vehicles in the next 10 to 15 years, automakers aren’t the only ones that have to make the shift to electrification. Nikkei Asia reports that Bridgestone is aiming for EV tires to account for 90% of sales by 2030. Its plants in Europe will be the first ones to make the transition to making EV tires but eventually the majority of its 50 global plants will be converted. It also plans to make tires for electric commercial trucks. At the same time, Bridgestone will exit the low-cost tire market due to falling profits caused by stiff competition from Chinese and South Korean brands.
FORD REVEALS NEW EXPEDITION
You may remember Lincoln recently revealed the updated Navigator. Well, now Ford is showing off the new Expedition. Let’s start with what all models get. LED headlamps are now standard, the taillamps have been updated and there’s new wheel choices as well. The interior also sees big changes. The refreshed instrument panel comes standard with a 12-inch display, but a large 15.5-inch display, which is mounted in a portrait layout like in the Mach-E, is available as well. The digital 12.4-inch instrument cluster shown in these images is also an option. But now let’s shift over to the two new trim lines available; Timberline and Stealth Edition. Like the Explorer Timberline, the Expedition version comes with unique exterior and interior design touches, including orange accents, an increased ride height and underbody skid plates, which actually come from the F-150 Raptor. It also gets a 2-speed transfer case, 33-inch tires and Trail Turn Assist, like on the Bronco, that can reduce the turning radius on tight off-road maneuvers. The Stealth Edition also has unique styling as well as a whole bunch of gloss-black accents on the exterior, black 22-inch wheels, which are contrasted by red brake calipers, and the interior is mostly black, too. Ford’s continuously controlled damping suspension system, which is available on the Limited series as well, is more firmly tuned for a sportier feel on the Stealth Edition. Other upgrades include a number of towing technologies and the ability to tow up to 9,300 pounds and Blue Cruise, Ford’s hands-free driving system for select highways. The Expedition is built at Ford’s plant in Kentucky and the new model goes on sale in the first quarter of next year.
But that’s it for today, thank you for watching.
Thanks to our partner for embedding Autoline Daily on its website: WardsAuto.com
Share
Permalink
Comments (31)
September 21st, 2021 at 11:58 am
GM should help Bolt owners find parking for their cars that need 50 feet of social distancing from other cars if that’s their recommendation to the owners.
September 21st, 2021 at 12:10 pm
So what exactly is an “EV tire”???
September 21st, 2021 at 12:12 pm
Yesterday ,in Insideevs was news that Akio Toýoda,CEO and Chairman of Toyota is pleading with his Govt . He fears there will be millions of Japanese employees affected by the switch to BEVs, Outside of Nissan the Japanese giants have no concrete plans for EVs, and their technology is sorely lacking, Panasonic exceptedcwho had to be lead by the nose to supply Tesla with their GIGA Nevada Factory ! Panasonic is basically a tenant there and sells every Lithium Cell they make to Tesla , who now has contracts with LG for cylindrical cells for its China Shanghai factory and CATL who has a contract for LFP cells.
September 21st, 2021 at 12:21 pm
@Ron Paris – EV tires are optimized for rolling resistance to eek out the most range possible and are usually of stronger construction so they don’t rip apart or wear out too quickly due to all the torque EVs generate.
September 21st, 2021 at 12:25 pm
Beyond 2026-28 selling new ICE cars is going to be hard in countries that will ban ICE ,why? Because a cars life is 8-12 years on the road,nobody will want a new ICE car in 2028 that has no used car resale value when 2030 comes around, let alone a couple of years after, a Plugin Hybrid might extend that ICE for a couple of years ,but why?maybe GM knew why, the reason for the death of the Volt?
September 21st, 2021 at 12:25 pm
Sorry but…completely unimpressed by every single aspect of the appearance of the Expedition Stealth Edition.
September 21st, 2021 at 12:35 pm
The REE concept is very interesting, lets hope they are successful in bringing it out
September 21st, 2021 at 12:36 pm
Re the expedition: RWL! I spy raised white letters on those tires. Nice.
September 21st, 2021 at 12:39 pm
I’m surprised and at bit curious how in that REE unit they use a spider/lovejoy style coupling in the steering final drive.
September 21st, 2021 at 12:45 pm
The other interesting points in the REE video are linear suspension travel (no camber change) and that the video shows no rear steering components yet the animation depicts rear wheel steering.
Videos like this tell me that the company has issues as their engineers didn’t approve the marketing.
Zero camber suspension will compromise handling and safety unless this is only a 30 mph style chassis.
September 21st, 2021 at 12:53 pm
Honda Civic@$30,000 US$? wow!
Price of CAT/MIR scan for cars?, serious sellers should provide that, I don’t think buyers will pay big bucks just to find defects, maybe negotiate it into the selling price, of course antiques and collectibles are anther matter.
September 21st, 2021 at 1:22 pm
Sean, Did GM say anything about who will be eligible for free Bolt replacement batteries? Does it include only original owners or also subsequent owners? Bolts are offered everywhere for huge discounts, but would only seem to be worth it if you got the free battery replacement.
September 21st, 2021 at 1:24 pm
5 Rey most of these regulations are in the sale of any new ICEs being banned. Don’t believe its has gone to the lengths of banning used car sales, so used ICEs will be around long into the start of these ICE bans. Which by the way are very likely going to be pushed back. They can set aggressive targets which is all good. But when consumers aren’t willing to buy an EV for more money and less convivence the used ICEs will be in high demand. Unless governments subside them to the point of making them more affordable than an ICE.
September 21st, 2021 at 1:33 pm
Sean, Why wouldn’t the few economy cars available use EV tires too? Wouldn’t lower rolling resistance help them claim better fuel economy number? Ditto for hybrids. It seems a much cheaper way to get better fuel economy numbers.
September 21st, 2021 at 1:38 pm
I can see Twinner vehicle inspection being a valuable tool for online used car purchases. Times are a changing and as manufacturers will be forced into the Tesla model of new car sales. This would give dealerships or private buyers a way to evaluate a car sight unseen for trade in.
I foresee people taking their used car to a scanner get a report which sounds like just appearance evaluation and attach a battery check and then a dealership can give you a reasonable offer based on condition. Drop it off and pick up your new car that you have ordered online. You could also get offers for your used car from anywhere in the country. Really depends on the cost.
September 21st, 2021 at 1:38 pm
The concern with REE’s all in wheel design is, if you hit a curb, pot hole, speed bump or hump, have a tire blow out, or very minor accident at or around the tire/wheel area, this may result in a very expensive repair! This may also be the case with Rivian and I think Volvo future EV’s for I believe they are also going to have their motors in the wheel hub as well.
September 21st, 2021 at 1:42 pm
I hope that this comment is not too politically incorrect, but I read about that lots of chinese EV startups built brand new state of the art factories and now are bankrupt. Is this not an opportunity for multinational companies to buy new factories on the cheap? Maybe Ford buys one of these chinese companies for nothing and manufactures VW ID3 based cars for Europe. (ie new Capri) If it sells, they build a factory in Europe, if it doesn’t, they haven’t invested anything significant.
September 21st, 2021 at 1:54 pm
5 – every ICE ban I have read about is a ban on new car sales. This obviously does not include used car sales or the operation of an ICE vehicle. There are a few areas where the operation of ICE vehicles or just diesel vehicles have been banned, but they are very limited areas.
September 21st, 2021 at 2:01 pm
14 – low rolling resistance tires have been around for quite awhile. These may be a little more durable, as Sean indicated, to stand up to the EV torque better. Some previous high-mileage cars have used low rolling resistance tires. I think the Prius originally did and the Chevy Cruze high mileage trim level, among others.
September 21st, 2021 at 3:35 pm
# 18 GM vet, I’m talking about used resale value as in 2nd hand cars will have little value when BEV are affordable and used BEV with still usable range are good enough for around town, while nobody might ban that ICE TCO of next generation of BEVs a re coming, there is an article today in one BE publication that an Audi Etron4 is $36,000 with the Fed tax grants, that my friend is quite compeling when a Honda Civic in deluxe form is $30,000 and when it costs half as much to “fuel” TCO-as in cost of maintenance and ownership, is a no brainer.
September 21st, 2021 at 3:35 pm
# 18 GM vet, I’m talking about used resale value as in 2nd hand cars will have little value when BEV are affordable and used BEV with still usable range are good enough for around town, while nobody might ban that ICE TCO of next generation of BEVs a re coming, there is an article today in one BE publication that an Audi Etron4 is $36,000 with the Fed tax grants, that my friend is quite compeling when a Honda Civic in deluxe form is $30,000 and when it costs half as much to “fuel” TCO-as in cost of maintenance and ownership, is a no brainer.
September 21st, 2021 at 4:08 pm
Really like the new Civic hatchback, but wondering why the fuel economy rating for the EX model is 10% lower on the highway compared to the sedan. Looked up the final drive ratio — 4.81 vs. 3.24 for the sedan. It’s spinning the engine over 600 rpm higher at 70 mph compared to the sedan; no wonder the poorer EPA score. Wonder why they’re doing this?
September 21st, 2021 at 4:09 pm
#13 lambo , i agree ICE will be around for a long time but TCO will make them expensive to run daily, and they will find a home, in Jay Lenos garage, he likes all things on wheels , and the Smithsonian and Peterson Museums to and Amelia or concourse Auto Drive & Shows we do need to keep in touch of thd past, where we’ve been,as we drive into the future., oh yesterday i had a chat with an owner of a 1974 Camaro, he loves his car that has Mickey Thompson’s on, almost mint and the tires are 18 yrs Old , and is a weekend driver, we have nite “Old car Park & Show” here in my place of Oshawa , Ontario, Canada,yes , “Oshawa, the Town GM Built” and abandoned and now GM has come back to, to build gas Pickups,i hear,We get the Crumbs , Detroit gets the Steak,( Hummer EV) and Mexico gets the Burritos.
FYI ,i was witness to GM bringing 3 Nexican management trainees and their families in the 90s to Oshawa ,i worked for a rental company, we eqquiped the 3 houses GM rented for a whole year, i oferheard one guy saying “We are not welcome here,they know we will take their jobs”.
GM Closed Oshawa in Dec 2018.
Want to see a good Docu? Please see CBC doc POV” Company Town”
Like i said , i live in this town. Been here since 1997, i delivered the rental stuff in 1994, i think
September 21st, 2021 at 4:29 pm
#17 Kevin, there are over 300 Chinese auto companies, not all of them will survive, only those that are well run and profitable will be supported by the Bational govt,. Most of these companies are small and dont have the economies of scale and most are supported by the local and or provincial govt, Chairman Xi wants or is doing a carrot and stick approach , but he is loate to get into squabbles wihh local politics, one has to know the Chinese culture and their politics to understand what i talk about, I have Mainland Chinese friends and associates, as for those who will survive? BYD, Geely, FAW ,Saic, and about a dozen or two more, but there will be culling of the herd in about 5 to 6 years,Chairman Xi will get it done.
September 21st, 2021 at 6:39 pm
22 That’s strange that they would do that. Are the gear ratios like that with both the manual and automatic? I guess they wanted to make the hatch “sportier” but part of its competition would be that other hatchback, Prius.
September 21st, 2021 at 6:47 pm
14 Traction and treadife are compromised, at least somewhat, with LRR tires. Also, they cost more. All of that may be part of why they are not on the cheapest economy cars.
September 21st, 2021 at 6:53 pm
19 My Camry LE hybrid came with LRR tires. The other trim levels of Camry hybrid may not. They have substantially lower EPA numbers, but that would be partly because of their 30mm wider tires.
September 21st, 2021 at 8:28 pm
Tesla learned that a ‘free’ factory is worth what you paid for … nothing. The Tesla tent proved that if you design your manufacturing, you can be more productive and profitable.
September 22nd, 2021 at 1:19 am
#13 lambo, it matters not what you or i think ,what happens inthe future will be the Europeans going all the way to BEV & asap, pushed to compete with the Chinese, who aim to dominate in BEVs, question is do the Domestics of GM and Ford and half of Stelantis-the former FCA risk going like in the 80s to the present? Like losing to the Japanese and then S. Koreans? Please tell me the market share today of Detroit vs 80s, 90s vs of those import back then, The Chinese BEVs are coming ,do we stay Fossil powered until they completely take over?
I have a feeling Sandy Munro and Elon Musk are more qualified to answer that question than you or I.
Hey, John McElroy and Sean, if you are reading this , care to give your opinion?TY
September 22nd, 2021 at 8:58 am
29 Hopefully the domestics learned something from the 80s. But I doubt it too. There has always been this ego that Ford and GM will just have customers no matter what they kick out. However I also believe they would have lost domestic shares even if they had produced decent small cars in the 90s. Globalization has effects and yes the Chinese getting into the car market is going to make an impact. Even if the Domestics including Tesla can make as good or better products. The Chinese will hit us with low prices and sadly that often times rules over quality. If the Chinese can import EVs that are good quality and low price yes GM and Ford will soon be struggling to split 10% of the US market.
I think they are approaching the EV market cautiously and introducing just enough product to support demand. Which is smart and they don’t start building huge quantities of EVs they cant sell. The coming years will be interesting.
September 22nd, 2021 at 12:03 pm
#30, Toyotas CEO Akio Toyoda and Hondas Execs begging their govt for relief and direction should give those who doubt the future of BEVs and its impact on ICEMobiles $37,000 Audi EVs after incentives vs Honda $30,000 loaded Civic that might have no used car value beyond 5-6 yrs gives one food for thought.
Go to today Inside Evs,”Used EV prices continue to climb as used car prices begin to drop”…. signs of things to come. And also on the same website Redwood ex Tesla exec signs up Ford to eliminate battery waste, So there goes the argument that dead batteries are pollutants or landfill material, now go tell that to all the commenters that spread BS here.