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Runtime: 9:09
0:08 Auto Suppliers Push Back on ICE Ban
1:16 Ford Plans New Battery Lab
2:08 Ford Adds New Tech To F-150
3:33 Mercedes Allows Customers to Choose What Data It Collects
4:36 Lucid Makes Progress on Air Sedan Production
5:08 Toyota Gives the Sienna a Bit More Ruggedness
6:31 Hino & REE To Develop Modular Electric Vehicles
7:20 Lotus Aims to Be All-Electric by End of The Decade
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AUTO SUPPLIERS PUSH BACK ON ICE BAN
The Biden Administration is under pressure from members of Congress and state governors to ban sales of internal combustion engine vehicles. But the Motor & Equipment Manufacturing Association or MEMA, which represents auto suppliers, is pushing back against the ban. The group says it could cost up to 30% of jobs in the supplier industry if the transition to an electric fleet is done too quickly. MEMA says the country’s EV policy should include hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles not just battery electric vehicles. And it says the government should provide funding to retrain workers to make the transition and provide funds to retool plants. As we’ve said in the past, not all companies are going to survive the EV transition, especially ones invested heavily in ICE tech, and with this push back from suppliers, it looks like that fear is growing. But MEMA isn’t the only organization concerned about a quick transition to EVs, the UAW has also warned the switch will lead to job losses.
FORD PLANS NEW BATTERY LAB
Ford is going to build a battery R&D center in Michigan to evaluate, test and design battery systems for electric vehicles, as well as take them into pilot production. It’s investing $185 million in what it calls Ford Ion Park. Instead of vertically integrating at this point, Ford says it wants the flexibility to choose whatever technology it wants to pursue, and doesn’t want to tie up capital in battery plants. It’s going to work with existing battery suppliers such as LG and SK, as well as with startups and universities. Ford says it’s talking with all the solid-state battery companies as well. Under CEO Jim Farley, it’s taking on a more bullish and aggressive transition to battery electric vehicles.
FORD ADDS NEW TECH TO F-150
Speaking of Ford, it’s adding three new features to the F-150. The first is an on-board scale system that will approximate the total amount of weight in the bed. The information can be displayed on the inside center screen, in Ford’s smartphone app or with new smart taillights, which operate like a battery charge indicator. Along the same lines, the Smart Hitch can measure tongue weight of a trailer and display that information in the same way as the on-board scale. The system can also help guide the customer to properly distribute the weight in the trailer. Lastly, it’s now available with active suspension that automatically adjusts to imperfections in the road. Trucks with the new tech can be ordered in July with deliveries kicking off later in the summer.
MERCEDES ALLOWS CUSTOMERS TO CHOOSE WHAT DATA IT COLLECTS
New cars, trucks and SUVs generate a ton of data, which can tell a lot about the person using the vehicle. So, that data can be worth big bucks and automakers will tap into that revenue stream. But there’s growing concern about what’s being shared and how much personal information is attached to the data. Mercedes wants to help alleviate some of those worries. It’s launching for customers what it calls a Privacy Center, which shows what kind of data Mercedes collects, how it processes that data and then allows the customers to choose what services they want to use. The Privacy Center is accessed through the owner’s Mercedes me account and it’s said it only takes a few clicks to approve or reject something. It’s available in Germany now, then the rest of Europe in the next few months and the rest of the world after that. We think it’s also possible regulation will come that will require all automakers to offer something like the Privacy Center.
LUCID MAKES PROGRESS ON AIR SEDAN PRODUCTION
The EV game is heating up. Lucid just released video of cars rolling down the assembly line at its factory in Arizona. It shows a little bit of how the bodies are assembled, the painting process and then how the battery and other components are married to the car. While these are still pre-production models that Lucid says it’s using to iron out the quality, it does suggest to us that it’s on schedule to hit the target release for the Air sedan. And that’s supposed to happen in the second half of this year.
TOYOTA GIVES THE SIENNA A BIT MORE RUGGEDNESS
Toyota is adding a little bit of capability to the Sienna. The new Woodland Special Edition model comes standard with AWD and “increased ground clearance.” We quote that because Toyota didn’t reveal the exact figure, but based on the pictures it doesn’t look by much. Those are the highlights, but it will also come standard with roof rails, unique stitch color, dark chrome accents, black badging and an available exclusive gray color. Toyota didn’t reveal pricing, but we’re guessing it charges more, which is one of the benefits of special edition models like these. We’d argue it also makes the Sienna more comparable when cross-shopping the minivan with a utility vehicle.
HINO & REE TO DEVELOP MODULAR ELECTRIC VEHICLES
It seems like every week Israeli startup REE Automotive is forming a new partnership and this week is no different. It recently teamed up with the supplier Magna and then self-driving startup Navya. Now its signed a deal with Hino Motors, the commercial vehicle subsidiary of Toyota, to develop a modular vehicle based on REE’s skateboard platform. The vehicle will be designed to carry passengers, goods and deliver services, and the module or body will be able to detach itself from the platform. The companies are aiming to create a prototype by sometime next year. The vehicle is an evolution of the FlatFormer concept, Hino and REE, unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2019.
LOTUS AIMS TO BE ALL-ELECTRIC BY END OF THE DECADE
British sports car maker, Lotus, which is owned by Chinese automaker Geely, announced that its upcoming sports car, the Emira, will be its last car powered by gasoline. The company says it’s aiming to become all-electric by 2028, which will be the company’s 80th anniversary. Lotus also has ambitious plans to boost sales and will spend nearly $3 billion to expand production and add new technology to its vehicles. It currently sells about 1,500 cars a year but it wants to increase that to tens of thousands globally by building a new plant in China. Lotus will continue to build cars in England as well.
And be sure to join us for Autoline After Hours later this week, when we’ll be learning about Arrival, the electric commercial vehicle startup based out of the UK. Instead of using giant factories to make its vehicles, it’s going to use mini ones. And this could be the beginning of a revolution in micro manufacturing. Our guest is Mike Abelson, the CEO of the company. So join us for some of the best insights as to where the auto industry is headed.
But that’s it for today, thank you for watching.
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John McElroy is an influential thought leader in the automotive industry. He is a journalist, lecturer, commentator and entrepreneur. He created “Autoline Daily,” the first industry webcast of industry news and analysis.