This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
Today is Veteran’s Day in the United States and we want to declare our appreciation for all of those who have served….especially to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. And if you were ever shipped out, but are back now, Welcome Home. Now onto the news.
RIVIAN GET ROARING WELCOME TO STOCK MARKET
Rivian began trading publicly yesterday and the market gave the EV startup a roaring welcome. The company thought it might achieve a $70 billion valuation, but when the dust settled at the closing bell it was worth $86 billion. That raised over $11 billion for the company, which gives it a sizable war chest to plot its next moves.
FBI ACCUSES ANOTHER UAW LEADER OF STEALING
The FBI found another rat in the UAW. This time it’s the treasurer of UAW Local 412 in Warren, Michigan, who stole $2 million from the union. A guy named Tim Edmunds, 53 years old, used the money to buy guns, cars and pay for gambling sprees in casinos. He faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty. Numerous UAW officials, including two past presidents, have been convicted of corruption. But since then, the union established much tighter financial oversight, and union investigators actually collaborated with the FBI in this latest bust.
ELON MUSK TAKES ANOTHER SHOT AT THE UAW
But Elon Musk couldn’t resist taking another dig at the union. He tweeted out that the new UAW slogan is, “Fighting for their right to steal money from workers.” As you know, Elon and the union don’t like each other. The UAW made a run at trying to organize Tesla’s plant in California but failed. And Mr. Musk is openly against Congress giving $4,500 in extra subsidies for EVs made with UAW labor. And unfortunately for the union, it keeps giving Elon more ammunition to continue his attacks.
FORD OFFERS GT500 ENGINE AS CRATE MOTOR
The Predator could be yours and there’s no need to call in a special forces team lead by Arnold Schwarzenegger to take care of it. You only need your checkbook. Ford Performance is offering the monster 760 horsepower supercharged 5.2L V8 out of the Mustang GT500 as a crate motor. It includes practically everything that bolts to the motor, including the A/C compressor, but not the associated control module, sensors or wiring harness to make it all work. Price for the motor is a hair under $26,000, which is only a few thousand dollars less than what a base Mustang costs.
BUICK TEASES SMART POD CONCEPT
Buick is going to have another interesting concept at the Guangzhou auto show. It calls it the Smart Pod and says it’s a vision for future hub-to-hub luxury travel. That sounds a bit like an eVTOL to us and this teaser kind of looks like a landing pad. But it also says the vehicle will leverage its autonomous technology as well as its Ultium electric vehicle platform, which sounds less like an eVTOL and more like a mobility shuttle. So, we’re wondering what you think Smart Pod is going to be? Let us know in the comments and we’ll see who has bragging rights when it deuts next week.
DAIMLER TEAMS W/ TOTALENERGIES ON HYDROGEN INFRASTRUCTURE
When it comes to long haul trucking, Daimler is placing its bet on fuel cells. And to make sure those trucks have the proper fueling infrastructure, the company is teaming up with oil and gas company TotalEngergies in Europe to develop it. The partnership includes hydrogen sourcing and logistics, developing hydrogen powered trucks and establishing a customer base. By 2030, TotalEnergies plans to open 150 hydrogen stations in five countries in Europe.
SUBARU REVEALS ITS FIRST BEV
Subaru is finally jumping into the BEV segment. The Japanese automaker just unveiled its first ever all-electric vehicle, the Solterra, which was jointly developed with Toyota. The SUV features a 71.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which provides 530 kilometers or 330 miles of range for front-wheel-drive models and 460 kilometers or 285 miles for all-wheel-drive versions. Those ranges are based on the WLTP cycle. AWD models feature an electric motor for both the front and rear wheels. Subaru will launch the Solterra in the middle of next year in Japan, the U.S., Canada, Europe and China.
Be sure to join us for Autoline After Hours this afternoon. John and Gary will be digging into the top news this week. And Bob Gritzinger from Wards Intelligence will be joining them. That’s at 3 pm eastern time on Autoline After Hours.
CATL DOMINATES CHINA’S BATTERY MARKET
Battery production is surging in China. Through the first ten months of the year, battery makers produced nearly 160 GWh of batteries, an increase of 250% compared to a year ago. And CATL is by far and away the leader in China. So far this year, the battery maker has accounted for 50.7% of China’s installed battery capacity or in other words batteries that have been equipped in vehicles. BYD is a distant second at 16.6% of China’s total volume.
LUCID’S COMPACT DRIVE UNIT PACKS A PUNCH
We got to take the Lucid Air for a test drive yesterday and we’ll have more about that tomorrow. But here’s something to whet your appetite. Take a look at the drive unit. This is the electric motor, the inverter and the gearbox all in one unit. It’s very compact, about the size of a small microwave oven. But the stats are eye-popping; 163 pounds, or 74 kilos; 670 horsepower, or 500 kilowatts; and 4,400 pound feet of torque. From a volumetric standpoint, 23 horsepower per liter. From a gravimetric standpoint, 9 horsepower per kilogram. At the moment, that’s the best in the business. And a key reason is that it’s a 900 volt system. Also, here’s a look at how Lucid packages its cylindrical, 2170 batteries. The cells are made by LG, but Lucid makes everything else. Remember, Lucid makes the battery packs for Formula E, and all the learning that came out of that racing series went right into the Lucid Air production car.
TOYOTA SAYS SOME MARKETS NOT READY FOR BEVs
Toyota is going to piss off the environmentalists again. As we reported yesterday, it was one of several automakers that didn’t sign a climate pledge for all new vehicle sales to be zero emission globally by 2040. Toyota says it’s not signing because markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East don’t have an environment suitable for zero emission vehicles right now and it will take more time to make progress. Toyota is right that there’s still large parts of the world that aren’t ready for zero-emission vehicles. But that’s not going to satisfy the environmental community, which thinks that Toyota is dragging its feet when it comes to electric cars.
And that wraps up today’s report, thanks for watching.
Share
Permalink
Comments (31)
November 11th, 2021 at 12:00 pm
Why are these crate engines sold without the electronics to make them run? Are there that many GT500 donor cars out there?
November 11th, 2021 at 12:03 pm
UAW corrupt and leadership crooks?That’s old news , I’d like to know what the commenters here have to say, and what punishment for stealing their dues should be.
November 11th, 2021 at 12:11 pm
Rivian stock gone nuts @$124/ Share Mary Barra must be upset Ford scooped the deal from under her, she can always go back to Nikola, they have a Hydrogen Semi almost ready to Roll Down the hill again.According to many folks here Hydrogen is the future,specially the Ex GM vets maybe they worked on that program.
November 11th, 2021 at 12:12 pm
I don’t believe in build it they will come. If the public is not 100% on board or the infrastructure is not ready by 2035, 2040, 2050 or whatever date a politician pulls out of their a-hole, auto companies will build what they can sell regardless of these pledges.
BEV’s have major issues in working in very cold conditions. But what about in extreme cold like above the artic circle? What are those people supposed to use if only BEV’s are sold?
November 11th, 2021 at 12:31 pm
The environazo’s have ruined enough stuff already so ignore them when ever possible
November 11th, 2021 at 12:40 pm
I’m a member of two unions and would say this. A union is just a gathering of people trying to fight for the same cause. In society there is a certain amount of people who commit crimes and some of them are union members and some of then are business owners. Its up to the memberships to ensure there is enough oversight to prevent or catch people stealing their money as well as other crimes.
November 11th, 2021 at 12:54 pm
Elon Musk has a Rocket Company.Detroit and its Unions and the Democrats have Racket companies.
November 11th, 2021 at 12:58 pm
Remind me again what company has been charged all over the world for various crimes… hmmmmmm oh yea, Volkswagen. No party or group has the monopoly on bad people.
November 11th, 2021 at 12:59 pm
6 One of my Florida US senators committed tens of millions of dollars of Medicare fraud, got away with it, and people vote for him anyway. Will UAW members be that way?
November 11th, 2021 at 1:01 pm
4 People in very cold places will plug in heaters for their batteries, like the do with their ICEs now.
November 11th, 2021 at 1:07 pm
I just heard an interview with a person from the far north of Canada and he very much wanted to see things change to electric because the global warming is affecting his community far more than most. When you can’t build your winter road to bring in supplies is a really big deal, not to mention the changes in wildlife, permafrost melting, water levels rising…..
November 11th, 2021 at 1:13 pm
#6. I personally know a number of people in the UAW. Good people. People who do an honest day’s work. People who support their union because of the good things it has done for them. They are disgusted beyond belief over the level of corruption from some of their elected leaders.
I don’t think this story is quite over yet. I won’t be surprised if there are more indictments.
November 11th, 2021 at 1:21 pm
10. Above the artic circle ICE vehicles have engines that are complete worn out with only 10k to 15k on the odometer. Why, because when you outside, its so cold, you will never be able to restart if you turn the engine off. Once you leave home there is no place to plug in.
November 11th, 2021 at 1:43 pm
Maybe they sell these crate engines as things to look at, keeping the environment clean and not using any carbon fuels.
November 11th, 2021 at 2:18 pm
These ECO-Terrorists have been screaming doom and gloom and the end of the world enviromentally since 1970.Climate change is a natural occurrence since the dawn of time. Is the human race so vain to think that in 150 years it could completely destroy the atmosphere? This is nothing more than a way to separate nations from their wealth. Do we need to get a handle on real physical pollution? ABSOLUTELY , when there are islands of trash floating in the ocean something needs done. But a great deal of that is being done by developing nations . Depending on which scientists to listen to there are those that say the one belch from a volcano emits more emissions than man has throughout time. So is going to EV going to solve anything other than transfer wealth? Doubtful.
November 11th, 2021 at 2:29 pm
#11 they would be better off to build real roads now because it is going to take a long time to change things back
November 11th, 2021 at 2:32 pm
Biden wants union workers building EVs because the unions donate to the liberals and with more member more $$ they can give. Win win for the lib politicians.
November 11th, 2021 at 2:43 pm
Biden wants union workers building EVs because the unions donate to the liberals and with more members more $$ they can give. Win win for the lib politicians.
November 11th, 2021 at 3:18 pm
3 Well, its a part of the total solution for the future, Rey. Since all heavy duty truck companies have very active fuel cell development, and have stated goals of bringing fuel cell powered trucks to market in the next two years, I don’t think I am the only one that believes that hydrogen has a real future as one of the fuels that will power our freight transportation needs.
But, if you want to mindlessly continue to parrot the self-serving statements made by Elon Musk, that is, of course, your right.
November 11th, 2021 at 3:42 pm
#11 – the question is: “What can be done about that and what will it cost for the amount of change needed to have a positive affect?”
Because those answers don’t exist, there are a number of people who aren’t ready to write blank checks. Nice to see you’re willing to do so.
November 11th, 2021 at 3:42 pm
Specialists, help me understand this, please: “Through the first ten months of the year, battery makers produced nearly 160 GWh of batteries”
If an average EV battery has a capacity of 80 kWh (just to make it simple to divide, the real figure is probably higher or lower) that equates to 12,500 vehicles. That seems to me a very low number.
What am I missing?
November 11th, 2021 at 3:46 pm
@4, 13: are you suggesting that the development of more EVs and fewer ICE vehicles has to be halted because you believe that there is no solution for transportation in arctic regions?
November 11th, 2021 at 3:55 pm
That Subaru BEV has a lot of Toyota design DNA.
Regarding unions, I recognize there was a time when employees needed better representation for safer working conditions. But the best unions exist to raise the professional/technical capabilities of its members. I don’t see many unions in NA doing this. Today, they mostly extort ill-gotten perks and defend more than a few bad apples (drunken, drugged, or fundamentally unsafe behaviors). So, I think it is time to re-think the role of the unions. For those people who think unions still serve a purpose to keep employers from imposing unsafe or discriminatory practices, please recognize no company today can survive the regulatory sword and/or the reputation damage from adverse media exposure (traditional and social media) .
Let the grenades fly.
November 11th, 2021 at 3:57 pm
@5, 15: apart from babbling you have not provided any facts.
Please note that:
191 countries plus the European Union as a whole have signed the Paris Climate Agreement. The U.S. has withdrawn and is the only country not in the agreement. Its population scores number 50 in international math and science contests for high school students and has 6% of its college students studying math and sciences and engineering, compared to 30-80% in the rest of the industrialized world.
On the other hand, one modern U.S.-based vehicle OEM which produces new-tech vehicles is worth more than all other OEMs combined. A second U.S. based vehicle OEM, Rivian, which also produces new-tech vehicles is worth as much as General Motors.
Just food for thought: looking at the fact sand figures and since you are presumably from the U.S., could it be that you are both just ignorant fools who do not understand the big picture of climate change and new-tech? Just a suggestion to think about over the weekend.
November 11th, 2021 at 4:20 pm
The interesting thing to me, is that of all the local automakers that espouse the unions, how many of them offer simular pay to that of unoin workers? Those same companies, to discourage their employees from unoinizing, then offer their employees more ‘benefits’ to them to not do so?! So were it not for the demonized unoins, in most cases, there is no way that the non unoin automaker employees would be getting any of the benefits that many enjoy today (when competition is good, everyone [especially the consumer] wins). As someone already commented, the unoin gives the unionized employees a collective voice. If companies, especially automakers, had treated their employees fair in the past, their would be no need for unoins! I’m not suggesting that the unions have at all times been altruistic and their leaders not being more interested in serving themselves. Yet, there is a reason unions exist and employers bear much of the blame for that, in how they treated their workers! Let us not forget, that, while important members of the UAW were convicted of crimes, they found willing dancing partner’s with members within the Big Three! Let us not paint everyone the same scarlet color, due to the bad actions of a few.
November 11th, 2021 at 4:53 pm
15 etc. Historically, significant changes in sea level and average air temperature have occurred over tens of thousands, to millions of years. That is much less disruptive than what’s going on now, which could, and probably will result in major cities being depopulated in the few hundred years since the industrial revolution. Yeah, none of us will live to see the the worst of it, except the younger among us who will probably see some of those vacation spots in the Caribbean and around the world disappear, and see parts of Miami and other cities become uninhabitable.
November 11th, 2021 at 4:54 pm
#23.) IMHO, it seems to some degree they have and things are changing. Who would have thought, to help automakers be more competitive, the unoins would have excepted some of their companies legacy cost regarding retirement/pensions and health care? To your point of protecting bad behavior and actors, that is a problem, but this is something that takes place throughout corporations around the world (particularly when friends and family are involved)! The impact of traditional and social media can not be over looked, but usually when they become involved, things have gotten so bad, immediate action is necessary and may even come too late! But if the unoin has a steady dialogue with it’s members and management, some of those concerns can be addressed in a timely manner. Can unoins benefit from a rethink and continue to revolutionize their relationship with the companies and the labor they represent? I think so and would go as far as to say that they HAVE TO, especially in the automotive sector, with so much change coming and the ability to respond quickly can/will be the life or death for many companies the world over!
November 11th, 2021 at 5:26 pm
In the early 1990s, Toyota put together a study comparing ICE, hybrid, and BEVs. That study led to the Prius. Sad to say, Toyota never updated that study and that is why they remain anti-BEV.
In 2019, we traded in our last Toyota Prius for a Tesla Model 3. So Toyota wants to ignore Asian markets that Tesla wants. As Napoleon said, “Do not interrupt your enemy when they are making a mistake” and works for this TSLA stockholder.
November 11th, 2021 at 5:41 pm
Just another thought about unions. In a free market and a capitalist economy, we outlaw and despise monopolies. We tend to define a monopoly as a sole source of a particular output of product or service. But curiously, that we don’t often think of a monopoly of input materials… and yes, services… also known at a monopsony. A union is a monopsony.
BTW, I don’t despise unions. I just think they should do more to elevate the professionalism, capability, quality, and efficiency of their members. With such a focus, customers will be more accepting… or at least more tolerant.
November 12th, 2021 at 7:48 am
29 I was a non-union salary employee at GM, and the union was beneficial to me too. Whatever benefits in health care coverage, vacation time, etc. the union got in a new contract were matched for the salary people.
Something that annoyed me about the union was work rules, which could require three skilled trades people to do a 5 minute job that any one of them could easily do. Also, a union person could threaten to kill their supervisor while on the job, get fired, and then be re-hired with back pay as part of the next contract.
As far as quality of work, from my recent experience, the UAW workers are doing a good job of building cars. There is nothing wrong with my Corvette, pretty good far a new design that is such a big departure from what came before.
November 12th, 2021 at 2:15 pm
#29 and 30.) The bad actors/behavior challenged individuals DO NOT BELONG AT ANY employer! The fact that such individuals have lost their jobs and came back is disheartening. For not only does it create an ongoing hostel environment at work, but can be demoralizing for the rest of the works who come to work and do a good job. Yet, the things you describe takes place not just at auto unoins, but police and fire and even in the corporate world! As bad, though, as the example you mentioned are, i have also herd and seen where supervisors have singled out, persecuted and tormented the Union employees, with the intention of getting them to quit or have them fired! My sister has been a building engineer for close to 25 years, she and her best friend, has to constantly deal with their male supervisors (there are more then one) efforts to get them fired or cause them to quit! Their reasoning for doing so (of which they told them to their face), is that for every woman that works there at the complex as an engineer, they’ve taken a good job from a man and his ability to feed his family! Crazy, isn’t! What they fell to realize is that they have families too and are just as good as they are at their work. Yet, they are constantly watched and any perceived irregularity as reported! They have constantly relied on the union to come to there defence, when take advantage of the same benefits that it’s afforded to their male coworkers without question. While it is NEVER okay to THREATEN anyone, those broad statements leave out a lot of context on a situation. Every situation is different and being under the influence of any substance, and general disregard and indifference for the well-being of those around you should never be tolerated!