AD #2979 – UAW Agrees to Independent Oversight; VTOLs Tested for Emergency Use; Ford Mustang Mach-E Impressions
December 15th, 2020 at 11:41am
Listen to “AD #2979 – UAW Agrees to Independent Oversight; VTOLs Tested for Emergency Use; Ford Mustang Mach-E Impressions” on Spreaker.
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Runtime: 10:48
0:38 UAW Agrees to Independent Oversight
1:32 VTOLs Tested for Emergency Use
2:27 Baidu Considers Contract Manufactured EV
2:56 Daimler Joins Hydrogen Collaboration
4:42 Zoox Shows First Autonomous Shuttle
5:36 Control Massage Seats from Your Phone
6:12 Faurecia Keeps Sun from Washing Out Screens
7:08 Driving Ford’s Mustang Mach-E
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UAW AGREES TO INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT
The UAW agreed to independent oversight to resolve a corruption probe by federal prosecutors. The union has been under investigation for the past five years, which lead to 15 former officials being charged, including two former presidents who pleaded guilty to embezzling union funds. As part of the agreement, the UAW will pay $1.5 million to settle tax issues, make reforms and be overseen by an independent monitor for the next six years. The monitor has the power to investigate, audit and review all aspects of the UAW, except for collective bargaining agreements. While the investigation into the union is over, prosecutors may still look into individuals but current president Rory Gamble is not under investigation.
VTOLs TESTED FOR EMERGENCY USE
We’ve reported on VTOLs for a number of years now but mostly in regards to carrying passengers. That’s not their only potential, of course. Germany’s largest air ambulance operator just ordered two electric passenger drones from Volocopter, to test if they can be used to transport doctors in emergency situations. The two companies formed a partnership two years ago to simulate emergency responses, which showed that air rescue with VTOLs is possible. Now the next phase is to test the aircraft at a special airfield for the next two years. After that, in 2023, the companies will start operational tests in the real world. VTOLs aren’t that far off. Last week, Volocopter and Singapore announced plans to launch the world’s first air taxi service by the end of 2023.
BAIDU CONSIDERS CONTRACT MANUFACTURED EV
Chinese tech company Baidu is considering making its own electric vehicles. Reuters reports its held talks with automakers about the possibility of contract manufacturing the vehicle, including Geely, GAC and FAW. It’s not too surprising to learn this, a few months back the company started offering autonomous vehicle rides in China, which will roll out to 30 more cities in the country by 2023.
DAIMLER JOINS HYDROGEN COLLABORATION
Daimler Trucks continues its push into fuel cells. It’s now a part of H2Accelerate, a collaboration that will focus on ways to foster the mass-market roll-out of hydrogen-powered trucks in Europe. IVECO, Shell and Volvo are also participating in H2Accelerate. The companies have a 10-year plan that’s split into two phases and will see them invest in areas that will help them reach their goal as well as work with policy makers and regulators to create an environment for hydrogen trucking. The first part of that plan will be to operate regional clusters throughout Europe where it makes sense and then, by the end of the decade, try to interconnect those clusters into a true hydrogen network.
He teamed up with a guy named Darryl Hall. And he wrote smash hits like “Maneater” and “Rich Girl” and a whole bunch of others. John Oates is one of the best known names in the music industry. He’s also a hard core car nut, and he’s our guest on Autoline After Hours this Thursday. So join us for what promises to be a great show that mixes cars and music.
ZOOX SHOWS FIRST AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLE
Self-driving startup Zoox, which Amazon bought earlier this year, is now showing off its first autonomous shuttle. Two large sliding doors allow users access to the inside, which features two bench seats facing each other and screens to provide information about the ride. All those Lidar, cameras and radar are meant to keep riders and other road users safe, but there’s also an airbag system for those inside. At 133 kWh the battery pack is rather large, but allows for up to 16 hours of continuous use on a single charge. The vehicle will do up to 75 MPH or 120 km/h as well. Zoox says it hopes to launch its ride-sharing app soon and is currently testing at two sites in California and one in Las Vegas.
CONTROL MASSAGE SEATS RIGHT FROM YOUR PHONE
And here’s something future Zoox customers would probably like. The supplier Faurecia developed a massage on demand function that’s geared toward any type of shared mobility service. It allows users, through their smartphone, to control a vehicle’s seat massager rather than having to fumble around for the controls. It’s even able to modify the massage based on the length of the trip, so users get the most out of it. And the massager has been designed so it can just be fastened to the back of the seat or fully integrated into it.
FAURECIA KEEPS SUN FROM WASHING OUT SCREENS
Faurecia is also showing off display technology that makes screens easier to read, even when in direct sunlight. The system uses a light sensor to detect the sunlight, which automatically triggers image processing to adjust the brightness and contrast of the screen. Faurecia claims a 30% improvement over a system without its technology and an energy savings of up to 30%. The new Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet, which launched earlier this year, is the first vehicle to feature the tech.
BEHIND THE WHEEL OF FORD’S MUSTANG MACH-E
John got to drive the Mustang Mach-E several weeks ago and he’s been dying to tell you what he thinks of the vehicle. But we had to hold back until the news embargo came off, and that day has finally come, so here’s what he has to say:
As soon as you slide behind the wheel, the Mach-E looks and feels good. The seats are very comfortable and provide good lumbar and thigh support even though they’re quite supple. The seating position is solid, and the interface with the big screen is intuitive to learn and easy to use. Part of the dashboard is actually a sound bar like you might add to the bottom of your television or computer screen, and it sounds crisp and clear.
We started our evaluation on a slalom course driving a couple different Mach-E’s. Both of them were rear-drive, single-motor vehicles with a 66 kilowatt hour battery. Keep in mind that when Ford quotes kilowatt hours that’s the usable space available. The battery can actually store more juice, which we’ve seen a number of automakers do. Maybe they’ll open up some of that capacity as they get more data on how the cars perform in the field, like Audi did with the e-tron.
OK, back to the slalom course. With the rear-drive models, you can slide the vehicle around and use the throttle to kick the rear end out. Not a lot, mind you. You can have your kicks until the stability control kicks in. But there’s definitely a fun quotient.
Electric cars have a low center of gravity, which is usually great for handling. But those batteries add a lot of weight and as you fling the vehicle from side to side in the slalom, you really feel that mass. It’s one of the downsides of driving an electric.
One thing we did not like about the Mach-E was the brake pedal feel. There’s too much pedal travel and it’s not linear in how it applies braking pressure. So it was hard to control braking force. Ford says it could fix that with an over-the-air update, and we think it will probably have customers begging them to do that.
Out on the open road, the Mach-E is really in its element. We took an all-wheel-drive, dual motor Mach-E with a 88 kilowatt hour battery for an extensive drive. On fast, sweeping curves the low center of gravity really gives you a road-hugging feel, urges you to go faster and is truly a lot of fun to drive. The steering is linear and predictable, but it feels like an electric steering unit, not a direct column. You get three driving modes to choose from: Engage, Whisper and Unbridled and while we tried them all, we pretty much kept it in Unbridled mode. Acceleration is quick but not scary. Maybe they’re saving that for performance models.
So will the Mach-E steal sales from the Tesla Model Y? Probably not. Tesla people are going to buy Tesla’s. But the Mach-E is going to convert a lot of other buyers to electric. And who knows? Maybe along the way it will convince some hard-core Mustang purists that the Mach E actually deserves to be called a Mustang.
But that’s it for today, thanks for watching.
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Comments (28)
December 15th, 2020 at 12:07 pm
I don’t like the Tesla’esk tablet that the MachE emulates, and I’m not crazy about the MachE’s front view, but it should be a good vehicle for those so inclined. This will be a good test to see if there are ‘closet’ EV buyers out there. If sales are soft then I’m guessing the electric revolution will be slower than predicted.
December 15th, 2020 at 12:23 pm
MotorTrend said the MachE’s braking was very good in the 1-pedal operation mode. Still, it’s strange the 2-pedal mode lacks the seamless operation that other Fords have mastered for over a decade.
December 15th, 2020 at 12:27 pm
Why are all VTOLs multiple motor units? Is it just so they can utilize the stability software that was developed for drones making them easier to fly? eliminating the tail rotor Or is it a safety back up to have multiple rotors? All of the above?
I’m just asking cause I wonder why no one has converted the old helo design into an EV. Could they manufacture a conventional design powered by an electric motor?
December 15th, 2020 at 12:37 pm
Interior design on all of these cars with infotainment screens in the center console could sure be improved. How? Angle the screen towards the driver, instead of having it just be flat in the middle. It wouldn’t have to be much of an angle, maybe 20 to 25 degrees. But just imagine how much better the view and the accessibility to the screen would be for the driver. I’m old enough to remember the late 60′s and early 70′s full size Fords with their “wrap around dash”. It was almost like a cockpit and truly served the driver well. These huge screens could do the same thing, if only the manufacturers applied a little bit of angle to them. Here is what the Fords looked like:
https://www.google.com/search?q=1969+ford+galaxie+500+interior&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwj_kq2CwtDtAhWNU80KHe94ALUQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=1969+ford+galaxie+500+interior&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyBggAEAgQHlC7FlimIGCBI2gAcAB4AIABWogBrwWSAQE5mAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=5fLYX7-MEo2ntQbv8YGoCw&rlz=1C1GCEJ_enUS856US856#imgrc=vW2hLkkKQYAVyM
December 15th, 2020 at 12:40 pm
Sean is the Mach-E a brake by wire system?
Overall seems to be a decent vehicle and for those interested in a EV the Mach-E will offer a nice option. Personally I still think the EV revolution is going to take way longer than currently predicted. At least within the US. I think we will see a much better acceptance to EVs with fleets, commercial use like delivery vehicles and mass transit with personal transportation taking a much longer time to accept.
The problem seems to be that manufacturers still think that an commercial EV has to also be AV. They continue to force these technologies together and I believe EVs are being held back by AV technology. Develop delivery vehicles that are still human driven and corporations can still justify their higher costs with the less maintenance and downtime.
If anyone would build an EV delivery vehicle with 500K miles in mind. A company can justify the extra cost of an EV but they need the longevity out of them to make the higher cost make sense. They cant compete on MSRP alone they need to make them affordable when compared to lifetime of use. IMO
December 15th, 2020 at 12:44 pm
I was looking at the MACH-E website today. I have an interest in it as it has good range and performance. Then I got to the price. $50K in the configuration I wanted which was basically a base model with the larger battery pack. It is way too much money. I am sure it will compete well with the TESLA model Y, but I am not a buyer for either vehicle at $50k. That is too much money for a depreciating asset.
December 15th, 2020 at 12:51 pm
I drove the Mach-E at the Los Angeles press event and was very impressed. I did not notice the brake pedal issue, as I was diving deep into corners in the mountains above Malibu. Ford’s version of one pedal driving, without paddles, took a bit to learn, but in the end was easy to use. I wish it had a volume and channel knob for the sound system, but that is a rant for another day!
December 15th, 2020 at 12:56 pm
4 I would like the center mounted screen more if they allowed it to swivel about 30 degrees toward the driver or 30 deg toward the passenger. With the ability to turn on some of the functions while facing the passenger that are normally shut off for a driver. I really dislike map functions being shut off while driving that my passenger could manage without having to stop the vehicle or distract the driver.. However as Carplay and Android Auto become more mainstream that’s not even as much of a problem.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:10 pm
@1, 2, 5, 6, Sean on Mustang Mach-E: I had the opportunity to drive a pre-production vehicle in September and it has been an amazing experience. The vehicle I drove will have a $44k MSRP, and would qualify for a $7k tax break, so would have a $37k net price. What an amazing vehicle in terms of performance and features: auto pilot and many other great electronics. I am puzzled by Sean’s report about the braking pedal. I have driven the vehicle for 40 miles and never used the brakes. The vehicle always stopped itself for vehicles waiting for traffic lights on energy recovery mode. After five minutes I thought by myself: “Why would you drive any car but this one?”. The vehicle has a lot of space and the hatch door is very practical. I had another vehicle on order for myself which was about to be delivered, so I was not in the market. My wife will be in June and I highly recommend her to look at the Mach-E. My son has ordered the performance version which will be delivered late summer of 2021. I am expecting that Ford Motor Company will become very successful with this vehicle.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:26 pm
I have no use for the Mach-E. I regularly make a 435 mile from my home. It takes me about 7 hours including a couple pit stops along the way. Long drive, but worth it. The problem is, there are only 2 cities along this route with charging stations — 1 at 275 miles and the other at 350 miles. Can’t make the second one with a 311 mile [optimistic] range, so that means a 30 minute charge at the first to get to the second, where an additional 30+ minute charge would be needed just to get to my destination. So, my 7 hour drive turns into at least an 8+ hour trip, and that doesn’t allow me any “running around” range when I arrive. TNT!
December 15th, 2020 at 1:32 pm
@Lambo #5 – I think batteries and electric motors have shown that they can be very durable. And when considering costs, don’t forget about the maintenance savings, which could be huge over the life of a vehicle, especially for fleets.
December 15th, 2020 at 1:59 pm
If there was a two door version of the Mach-E it wouldn’t look so much like an electric Escape and more like it’s namesake the Mustang.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:06 pm
Now if they could sync up the electric motors with the exhaust note of a V8 ICE they might interest a Mustang buyer that needs more doors , but without the noise it’s not a Mustang. Electric cars sound like giant slot cars on a basketball court.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:23 pm
@13: we will learn whether the sound is the most important. Next year’s enhanced version will be the fastest Mustang ever built. I am expecting that there will be two kinds of people: those who want noise and those who want performance.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:26 pm
Sean, With all major European truck and van makers planning to go diesel free, where do they think the diesel fuel is going to go? Diesel is a fixed percentage of each barrel of oil. You can split diesel into high and low percentage carbon compounds ( ie asphalt and methane) but you cannot get rid of the carbon. It still has to go somewhere.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:35 pm
13- Ford took that into account with the MachE. In ‘unbridled’ mode they pipe engine sound into the cabin. I only heard this on a video a while back, but I really thought it sounded cool, and I own four Mustangs! Maybe Sean or John can speak to this.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:43 pm
@15: no, you cannot split diesel fuel in asphalt and methane. Diesel fuel is around C-7 (7 linear Carbon atoms), bitumen is around C-200 and methane (“natural gas”) is C-1. The fraction most similar to diesel fuel is kerosene (aviation fuel) and I expect the demand for kerosene will continue to grow for years to come so that is where it will go.
December 15th, 2020 at 2:57 pm
@15, just in case you are interested the following. If TMI, please skip. You could also increase gasoline production. First the basics. Diesel fuel, kerosene, fuel oil, and bitumen are all straight chain Hydrocarbons, meaning linear molecules. Gasoline are cyclic hydrocarbons with a similar number of C’s as diesel fuel, which are artificially produced during petroleum refining. In nature straight molecules are stable forever, cyclic molecules are not. That is why gasoline “goes bad” after 1.5 year and petroleum does not, not even hundreds of millions of years after formation. The touch of cyclic hydrocarbons is also very different: when you touch diesel oil, or petroleum freshly produced out of the reservoir it feels “fatty”, “oily” (like olive oil) and gasoline feels “dry”.
December 15th, 2020 at 3:15 pm
#8 A swivel would be a great idea! I just think it’s so awkward with the current set up. With the screens pointed more toward the driver, it would be a straight shot to do whatever you need to do rather than having to bend your wrist to get to it.
December 15th, 2020 at 3:57 pm
Mach E center of gravity height is higher than a regular Mustang coupe’s.
December 15th, 2020 at 4:29 pm
@20: by how much?
December 15th, 2020 at 4:40 pm
Zoox: has the Zoox been designed by Samsonite designers?
December 15th, 2020 at 4:57 pm
Zoox not by Samsonite. Designed by Yeti…it looks cooler!
December 15th, 2020 at 5:02 pm
Lots of great conversation today! Such an improvement over the recent past.
December 15th, 2020 at 5:09 pm
After looking at the Zoox and a few other EV’s makes me wonder why so much enphasis is on the aerodynamics of the rest; They all look alike!
I would prefer a “city car” size that has character, knowing it will be charged at home most of the time and long distance trips wouldnt’t exceed a 100 mile radius. IMO, this is where the focus should be.
But I do have my eye on the Mustang because I come from a ford family.
December 15th, 2020 at 7:22 pm
3 I suspect electric rotorcraft are multirotor, for mechanical simplicity. All control can be done by controlling motor speed, without need for collective or cyclic pitch.
December 16th, 2020 at 1:04 am
The dash of that Mach-E is one of the most self-indulgent and hideous disasters out there. It’s like PODS gone crazy! “Look at me! I got tha tech ya want!!! It looks ugly, sure, but isn’t it SO techy??”.
t has all the style of hot glueing a rotary phone and an iPod to the dashboard. Absolutely lazy interior design. It looks like what a ‘future car’ interior might look like, on a never-to-be-seen-again concept car from the 80′s.
Sadly, this disaster is not the only car afflicted by this design laziness.
December 16th, 2020 at 8:25 am
27 Dang Dave you really don’t like it.
Sadly I think its the way of the future of EVs as the simplicity of a small screen centered through the steering wheel and the large tablet to handle all the infotainment and climate controls is all that’s needed.
I think manufacturers are trying to appeal to buyers of EVs by emphasising the simplicity of an EV by keeping the dash simple and basic. No need for a oil pressure, coolant temp, Tach, even fuel gauge. The driver just needs speed and battery indicator.
I agree with you though and I’m not a big fan of the dual screen and some vents and looks too basic and plain. I’m over 50 though so maybe this plain look is what the younger generation looks for in a car. Obviously much simpler.