AD #2775 – Tesla Could Use Cobalt Free Batteries; Swedish Road Design Reduces Accidents; New Ford Bronco Details

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TESLA COULD USE COBALT FREE BATTERIES
Tesla could be going cobalt free in China. Reuters reports that the EV maker is in talks with CATL to use its lithium iron phosphate batteries in its China-made vehicles. The batteries contain no cobalt, which is one of the most expensive metals in batteries. One source says they would be cheaper than Tesla’s current batteries by a “double digit percent.”

TESLA UNLOCKS MORE RANGE FOR MODEL S & X
In other Tesla news, it’s going to unlock more range for newer Model S and X’s. The Long Range Plus versions will now go up to 390 miles for the S and 351 miles for the X, which is a boost of 17 and 23 miles, respectively. Elon Musk tweeted that many small hardware improvements have been made over the last several months and the additional range would be unlocked for free via a software update soon. He also said that 400 miles might be possible with a new set of wheels and tires that will be made available.

NISSAN CEO HOPES TO CALM SHAREHOLDERS
As we reported last week, Nissan’s latest financial numbers are cause for concern. Its sales and revenue are down and its net profit plunged nearly 90%. Understandably, shareholders aren’t happy with what’s going on and they let their frustration be known during a meeting earlier today with CEO Makoto Uchida. Reuters reports shareholders heckled Uchida, demanded pay cuts for executives and some even suggested putting a bounty on former CEO Carlos Ghosn to bring him back to Japan. Uchida pleaded for patience and told shareholders he’s willing to be fired if he’s unable to turn Nissan around although he didn’t give a timeframe for improving the company’s performance. Uchida is putting a lot of pressure on himself and has his work cut out for him. Nissan’s shares are at the lowest they’ve been in a decade and the company is on pace to post its worst annual operating profit in 11 years.

SWEDISH ROAD DESIGN REDUCES ACCIDENTS
Sweden was just given a safety award from iRAP, the International Road Assessment Programme, for implementing a road design that reduces head on collisions and fatalities by 50%. The Swedish Ministry for Infrastructure came up with a way to convert two lane roads that are only separated by painted lines into what they call a two-plus-one arrangement, with two lanes or one lane in each direction. They alternate lanes after a certain distance to provide passing opportunities. So for a while you travel in one lane, but every now and then it opens into two lanes so you can pass slower vehicles. It costs more to do this, but Sweden says the benefits are 3 to 6 times greater than the costs. Besides reducing fatalities it greatly diminishes crash severity and injuries. About 7 other countries have adopted the design, including Australia, Mexico and Papua New Guinea.

RIDE HAILING REDUCES SERIOUS ACCIDENTS
Meanwhile, a study from the University of Oxford in England found that Uber and ride hailing in general has led to a 9% reduction in serious car accidents. The researchers believe the reduction is because people who have been drinking are now more likely to hail a ride. They say dangerous drivers who have had their licenses taken away may also be more likely to hail an Uber than drive. However, the researchers found that low speed accidents went up because ride hailing actually increases the number of cars on the road.

NEW FORD BRONCO DETAILS
There’s a lot of interest in the Ford Bronco Sport. Autoforecast Solutions says it will go into production in September at the company’s assembly plant in Hermosillo Mexico. It will likely be unveiled in April at the New York Auto Show and will go on sale later this year. And Automotive News reports that Ford told its dealers that its big brother, the regular Bronco, will be unveiled in March and will go on sale in 2021. And the company is bullish about the crossover’s success. Ford says it expects sales of the Bronco and Bronco Sport to reach at least 200,000 in 2021.

DAIMLER EXPANDS AUTONOMOUS SEMI TESTING IN U.S.
Daimler Trucks is expanding its testing of autonomous semis in the U.S. Initial mapping of additional public routes in Virginia were completed in January and testing will begin soon. While the trucks have Level 4 autonomous capabilities they still require an engineer to oversee the AV system and a trained safety driver. According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the weight of goods shipped by trucks in the U.S. increased by 56% in the last decade and in the next two and a half decades it’s expected to nearly double again. Tie that in with the big shortage of drivers the trucking industry is facing and now you know why we’re seeing tests like these.

AUDI TESTS 5G IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION
Since 2018, Audi and Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson, have been testing the use of 5G technology for the production of vehicles. And now the two companies are launching a new pilot project involving 5G in manufacturing and will test how humans and robots can work safely together on the factory floor. In the demonstration, a robot installs an airbag module in a steering wheel, which is located in a cell protected by safety sensors. If a human hand breaks through the cell’s light curtain, the robot stops automatically within roughly one millisecond. The 5G technology also allows for humans and robots to communicate wirelessly, which Audi says will optimize production and make it more efficient.

CITROEN UPDATES POPULAR C3
Citroen updated its most popular vehicle, the C3. The front end styling is inspired by the CXPERIENCE concept and features a new grille and lighting design. Its signature side Airbumps have been tweaked and it also comes with larger wheels than before. Personalization is key with this model and it now has 97 different exterior color combinations, which is up from 36. Two new interior options are available as well. The new C3 hits dealers this June, but if you don’t want to shell out the money for the real deal, Citroen is offering diecast models that cost 5 or 37 euros, depending on the size you want.

And don’t forget to join us for Autoline After Hours later this week. We’ll be talking about the all-new Cadillac Escalade with interior designer, Phil Kucera, who will also be bringing the SUV to the studio with him. If you have any questions send them our way to [email protected]. That’s this Thursday at 3PM eastern time.

But that’s it for today, thanks for watching and we’ll see you again tomorrow.