This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
WAYMO READY TO LAUNCH ROBOTAXI SERVICE IN SAN FRANCISCO
Waymo announced it’s getting ready to launch a robotaxi service in San Francisco without a safety driver on board. For the past six months, Waymo has given free rides with a safety rider on board to a select group of people. And last month, it received a permit to start charging riders for robotaxi rides with a safety driver. However, it still needs a separate permit for driverless rides. Waymo didn’t say when the fully-autonomous service will begin but it will announce more details in the coming months.
DAN AMMANN JOINS EXXON MOBIL
And the former head of GM’s self-driving unit, Cruise, has a new gig. Dan Ammann is joining Exxon Mobil to become the president of its Low Carbon Solutions business. Ammann abruptly quit Cruise at the end of last year. Reportedly, he wanted to spin-off Cruise while GM CEO Mary Barra wanted to keep Cruise more in-house. It’s pretty obvious who won that battle.
VOLKSWAGEN PLANS BATTERY PLANT IN SPAIN
It seems like there’s battery news every day and today is no different. Automakers need to make sure they have enough batteries to make the transition to EVs. First up, Volkswagen is planning to open a new battery plant in Spain and will invest 7 billion euros in the country to create an EV hub. VW is aiming to start battery production at the new plant in 2026, which will have the capacity to produce 40 GWh annually.
STELLANTIS MAKES BATTERY DEALS WITH LG, MERCEDES
Next up, LG Energy Solution is forming a joint venture with Stellantis to open a $1.5 billion battery plant in Canada. And lastly, Mercedes is joining the Automotive Cells Company or ACC, which was formed by Stellantis and TotalEnergies in 2020 to build batteries in Europe. The group will produce 120 GWh by 2030 and start supplying the automakers by mid-decade. The ACC already announced plans to open factories in France and Germany and it will also convert an existing Stellantis engine plant in Italy into a battery facility.
MASERATI UNVEILS ALL-NEW GRECALE SUV
No more waiting on Maserati’s all-new SUV. It’s here. The Grecale made its debut yesterday, so we’ve got the highlights. It comes in four different variants. The base GT is powered by a 4-cylinder engine with 48-volt technology that produces nearly 300 horsepower. The Modena has a 325 horsepower 4-cylinder engine with 48-volt technology. The Trofeo comes with a 3.0L V6 that makes over 520 horsepower and will launch this crossover from 0-60 in 3.6 seconds. And lastly is the Folgore, which is the name Maserati will use for all its electric models. There’s no info on this model yet, other than it will have 400-volt technology and launch next year. The interior of the Gracale looks rather modern. There’s a dual screen layout that combines the HVAC controls and infotainment system, which kind of looks like an open book turned on its side. The instrument cluster is also a large digital display. The first versions can be ordered now and deliveries are expected to kick off in the fall.
MERCEDES-AMG DEBUTS MOST POWERFUL CUSTOMER CAR EVER
Mercedes is taking the already capable AMG GT and cranking it up a notch to 11. The new Track Series is the most powerful customer car ever developed by Mercedes-AMG. At its heart is a twin-turbo 4.0L V8 engine that’s been upgraded with custom fuel injectors and a specific engine tune, which boosts output to 734 horsepower. That’s fed through a 6-speed racing gearbox and onto the rear wheels. To aid road-hugging ability, the Track Series features Bilstein shocks all the way around and extra louvers and wings to improve aerodynamics and downforce. But unlike other AMGs, there’s no posh interior. This is a true racer with only the bare essential controls. Heck, there’s not even a radio. Those are some of the reasons it’s only going to be limited to 55 examples. And it will have a price tag to reflect that. The Mercedes-AMG GT Track Series will start at 369,000 euros or over $405,000 when it goes on sale in the second quarter.
YOUNGER BUYERS PREFER USED VEHICLES OVER NEW
Used car prices are at record highs but a new survey from Ally Financial found that Millennials and Gen Z car buyers would rather buy a used vehicle over a new one. 71% said they prefer used over new. Soaring new car prices is likely the reason but the survey also found that sustainability plays a role. 63% of young car buyers said they prefer used vehicles because they use fewer resources than building new vehicles. And while nearly three-quarters of young consumers said they’d consider buying an electric vehicle, almost half said the high cost of EVs could prevent them from purchasing one.
OPEL REVEALS SMALL CARGO CAR BASED ON THE CITROEN AMI
Citroen came out with a little electric car called the Ami. Then Opel came out with its own version, called the Rocks-e. Then Citroen came out with a delivery version, called the Ami Cargo. So, now Opel is coming out with the Rocks-e Kargo, but its Kargo starts with a ‘K.’ Like the Ami Cargo, the Rocks-e Kargo comes with a modular compartment in place of the passenger seat, which is being shown here to deliver pizzas. The Rocks-e Kargo will first be available in Germany and the Netherlands sometime later this year and Opel plans to expand to other markets after.
CHEVY TEASES NEW EQUINOX EV
Chevy is showing off a little more of the Equinox EV. In this short teaser video, we get to see the front end and its lighting animation as well as the rear end and how it lights up. As someone suggested in the comments on YouTube in the past, Chevy is emphasizing the ‘E’ in Equinox and you may also notice the style of the ‘E’ is similar to the lettering of its Ultium logo. The Equinox EV is scheduled to go on sale in the fall of next year with a starting price around $30,000.
But that’s a wrap for today’s show. Thanks for making Autoline a part of your day.
Share
Permalink
Comments (21)
March 23rd, 2022 at 12:17 pm
Millennials and Gen Z car buyers need to deal with the monthly cost of huge student debt and the high cost of housing. They have little money leftover for a overpriced new vehicle, especially electric one! These Recent College Grad Rebates of $500 are totally laughable.
March 23rd, 2022 at 12:44 pm
That much is true, but it has also have created the same situation as that of Jaguar/Land Rover, with their E-Pace/Evoque and F-Pace/Valor. The Stelvio and this vehicle seem to cover the same space in a number of areas in terms of luxury and sportiness! Yes the two may have different drivetrains, styling and characters. IHMO, in the end, it seems that the Q5 and the Macan may do a better job of presenting a clearer separation their two platform mates, at least on paper, IMHO. The Porsch has the distinction of being an automaker that builds authentic sports cars and has successfully infused that persona into their sedans and CUV/SUVs! While Audi Q5 is a luxury vehicle, with a sporting nature. Yet, Alfa Romero and Maserati are brands that are cut from the same luxury vehicle cloth. One could say that one brand is more upmarket then the other, but this these to products over lap one another. That not to say they will not be great vehicles and appeal to different audiences (that is if they can fix the high powered Stelvio’s issues of that called it to break down so often [As reported]), and I hope they sell as many of each of them that they make!
March 23rd, 2022 at 12:47 pm
The Chevy Equinox front end reminded me of the Mach-E. But hey everything is evolving into the same similar shape so not too surprised.
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:03 pm
The Equinox shown will be my next car. I can not wait for it!
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:09 pm
Lex, Millenials and Gen Z also bury themselves in subscription services… particularly the plethora of streaming services that popped up from the mega entertainment giants (Disney+, Paramont+, etc.).
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:19 pm
In the battle between Dan Ammann and Mary Barra, I feel that they both won.
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:19 pm
I love the 55 Buick portholes in the fender of the Grecale!!!
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:21 pm
Can you imagine having a car with all those boxes on it like Waymo? It would be a lot of extra work to keep it clear of snow. As we know, none of the sensors work through snow, ice or water.
As well, if you perched your coffee cup while tucking in a child or luggage, it sure would be easy to miss the shape on the roof (speaking as someone who permanently lost a briefcase with computer).
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:24 pm
Thanks to Sandy Munro on Autoline.TV, we own a 2014 BMW i3-REx and 2019 Tesla Model 3. Both cars have over 60,000 miles and have out performed our expectations. For example, each gets over 100 miles on less than $3.00 electricity.
Fans, we bought a Sandy Munro bobblehead with no financial interest in the Web link.
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:31 pm
9 What’s needed is an Autoline John bobblehead. It would be a merch blowout.
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:47 pm
Just a note on the division of journalism and editorials. I remember when you could watch the news and they told you what happened without a personal or editorial opinion on each story. But now so much of all is opinion. For example in the Exxon Amman story the first part was just news, then the last line “It’s pretty obvious who won that battle.” was opinion / editorial. I don’t mind editorial comments when they are explicit and in their own section. This takes them out of the realm of news and gives proper reference to the reader what they are reading or hearing. I would like to see these always in a separate paragraph at the end of the run. Ed
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:53 pm
If the electric Equinox actually sells for $30K, it will have a small battery, and very short range, but if charged every night, it will work for most commutes and soccer practice runs, etc. I like the blue color in the video, similar to my Corvette.
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:58 pm
2 Macan and Q5 will distinguish themselves even more in the not-too-distant future, as the Macan soon becomes an EV.
Cayman/Boxster will become EVs in 2025, or so I’ve read. That one will be interesting, but they won’t be much like the current ones, as the EV version will gain about 1000 pounds of weight.
March 23rd, 2022 at 2:03 pm
Has anyone considered that the Grecale may actually be a rebodied Stelvio, with slightly upgraded powertrains and a fresh interior? That’s what it looks like to me!
March 23rd, 2022 at 2:08 pm
14 That’s what I’d expect, like the Bentley SUV is an upgraded Touareg.
March 23rd, 2022 at 2:59 pm
Mercedes has some nerve asking that much for a car without a radio
March 23rd, 2022 at 3:36 pm
Speaking of car radios, in 1959, an AM radio with one speaker cost the equivalent of $780 in today’s money.
https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/classic-cars/a39494322/when-single-speaker-am-radio-cost-equivalent-of-dollar780/?source=nl
March 23rd, 2022 at 4:58 pm
#13.) That’s why I thought it was interesting that the BEV Grecale was coming out the same year that the EV Macan and Q5 were! I wonder if the EV Stelvio is coming out the year too?
March 24th, 2022 at 7:53 am
17 Ahh yes my first car a 1971 GTO had the am-fm radio with the single speaker in the middle of the dash. The owner before me had installed an 8 track player in the glovebox. I had to upgrade to a cassette player and a few more speakers. Remember it well.
March 24th, 2022 at 10:17 am
19 My first car, a 1957 Chrysler had a rear speaker in addition to the one in the top of the dash. The rear speaker was probably an option. The radio used “hybrid” tubes, with 12 volt filament and plate, and transistor output.
March 24th, 2022 at 2:39 pm
Wonder how that Mercedes compares to the one used by Maylander for pacing the F1 cars. He always says he is going as fast as he can, yet the lead F1 drivers say he is always going too slow!