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Runtime: 11:58
0:00 $25,000 Tesla Finally on the Way?
0:29 Silicon Valley Turns Against Musk & Tesla
1:17 Scout SUV Still 3 Years Away
1:45 Electric Charger Daytona Officially On Sale
2:31 Dodge Durango Could Move to Mexico
4:29 OEMs Want Nippon Steal, Not Cleveland Cliffs
5:16 BYD Dominating Chinese Market
5:45 Theory 1 is Lotus’ Lightweight EV
7:08 ADAS Leads to Driver Distraction
7:58 1st All-Electric RS Performance Model from Audi
8:44 Chevy BrightDrop Undercuts Rivian Price
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This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
$25,000 TESLA FINALLY ON THE WAY?
Is that $25,000 Tesla finally on the way? Autoforecast Solutions reports that Tesla will start building a model it refers to as “Baby Y” at the gigafactory in Austin, Texas in June of next year. That model will run to June of 2030 at which time a second generation is scheduled to replace it.
SILICON VALLEY TURNS AGAINST MUSK & TESLA
Tesla could definitely use some help on the sales front. The days of 50% year-over-year growth have gone. This is especially true in Silicon Valley, which is where Tesla found its earliest supporters. But so far this year registrations in the area are down 22%. Automotive News reports that’s because people in the Valley are turned off by Elon Musk’s vocal and controversial support of conservative politics. On top of that Tesla’s styling is aging and it’s facing more competition from other automakers. Elektrek reports Tesla is offering zero down payments on the 3 and Y and financing as low as 2.49% as it tries to boost sales in its regular end-of-the-quarter sales push.
SCOUT SUV STILL 3 YEARS AWAY
Now let’s go back to that Autoforecast Solutions report for a moment. It also says Scout will begin building its SUV at its plant in South Carolina in September, 2027. And its pickup will not go into production until March, 2028. Scout is expected to show what those vehicles will look like sometime next month, but there could be a danger in showing a new vehicle three to four years before anyone can buy one.
ELECTRIC CHARGER DAYTONA OFFICIALLY ON SALE
Dodge has officially kicked off orders for the Charger Daytona, its very first fully electric car. The model has a starting price of about $61,500, including destination charges. And Dodge included a locator tool just in case you need help finding one. It also launched a First Call package, which is a play on its Last Call promotions for the ICE-only Charger and Challenger. It’s for anyone that gets their name on a sold order by the end of October and includes a 2-day racing school, an exclusive point of contact to answer questions or help with customer needs and a welcome kit that comes with an official letter of authenticity, Dodge-branded leather driving gloves and more.
DODGE DURANGO COULD MOVE TO MEXICO
Speaking of Dodge, several local chapters of the UAW have filed grievances against Stellantis over alleged attempts to move production of the Durango out of the U.S. The SUV is currently made at the company’s Jefferson North Assembly plant in Detroit. But it’s not just local chapters going after Stellantis. The UAW filed charges of unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board because it says Stellantis has refused to provide information about its future product plans. This likely stems from the automaker delaying a commitment it made in its latest contract to build mid-size pickup trucks at its assembly plant in Belvedere, Illinois. The UAW says this violates their labor contract, while Stellantis says it doesn’t. So, that’s why the UAW filed with the NLRB.
AUTOMAKERS WANT NIPPON STEEL, NOT CLEVELAND CLIFFS
The auto industry is lobbying the Biden Administration to approve a deal that would allow Japan’s Nippon Steel to acquire U.S. Steel instead of Cleveland Cliffs. Automakers and suppliers don’t want Cleveland Cliffs to acquire U.S. Steel because they say it will create a monopoly for the type of steel needed for automotive production and cause prices to soar. And while U.S. Steel shareholders approved the sale to Nippon Steel back in April, the deal still needs approval from the White House. But the steelworkers union opposes it and they’re pressuring President Biden to not approve the deal. And with it being an election year, the White House hasn’t okayed the deal to appeal to steel workers and a final decision isn’t expected until after the election in November.
BYD DOMINATING CHINESE MARKET
It’s hard to overstate just how dominant BYD is becoming in the Chinese market. Get this, 6 of the top selling domestic models in China last month were all from BYD. So were 9 of the top 12, and 12 of the top 20. No one else even came close. And this is just part of the reason why we keep saying that BYD could become the largest car company in the world sometime in the next decade.
THEORY 1 IS LOTUS’ LIGHTWEIGHT EV
Lightweight and EV don’t really go together, but if there was one brand that would want to bring those two together, it would probably be Lotus. Known for its light, nimble and minimalistic cars, Lotus is applying that same philosophy to the world of EVs. Meet the Theory 1, a concept that it says “embodies the future of intelligent performance vehicles.” It features a 70 kWh battery pack and dual electric motors that put out nearly 1,000 horsepower. But it weighs under 1,600 kilograms or a little over 3,500 pounds. The body is wedge-shaped and it has unique opening doors that slide back and kick up, which Lotus says is better for tight parking spots. The driver sits in the middle with two passenger seats on either side, like a McLaren F1. And those seats play a role in the vehicle’s lightweighting. They’re molded right into the composite monocoque and also feature 3D tech in the headrests. One of the few things that is not minimalist on the Theory 1 is its driver assistance system. Somewhat surprisingly it has Level 4 autonomous capability from NVIDIA’s DRIVE compute platform, 4 deployable lidar, 5 cameras and a suite of radar sensors.
ADAS LEADS TO DRIVER DISTRACTION
As you know, these driver assistance features are meant to help improve safety but a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that drivers get more distracted when using partially automated tech. The IIHS tested two systems with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Volvo’s Pilot Assist and Tesla’s Autopilot. The researchers found that drivers were more likely to check their phone or eat when using Volvo’s system. And with Autopilot, drivers learned the timing interval of attention warnings to prevent them from escalating to more serious interventions. The researchers say they used this skill to engage in distracted driving. Because of these issues, the IIHS says the systems need more safeguards to prevent misuse.
1ST ALL-ELECTRIC RS PERFORMANCE MODEL FROM AUDI
The first all-electric RS performance model from Audi is on sale now. The RS e-tron GT performance is kind of like Audi’s version of the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. The Audi makes a little less power at 680 kW or about 920 horsepower, but it gets a similar air suspension setup as the Porsche. There’s a few unique styling cues both inside and out and prices start at 160,500 euros. But even though the RS e-tron GT performance is close to the Taycan Turbo S, Porsche still has another EV rung above Audi with the Taycan Turbo GT, which makes nearly 1,100 horsepower.
BRIGHTDROP UNDERCUTS RIVIAN VAN PRICE
Pricing for the Chevy Brightdrop commercial vans was revealed. The front-wheel-drive, short-wheelbase version with 159 miles of range starts at about $78,600 including destination. That’s about $5,000 cheaper than Rivian’s commercial van which has a range of 161 miles. It’s also the first time the BrightDrop vans have been offered with FWD. Previously only AWD was available. But the BrightDrop 400 is also available with all-wheel-drive and a larger battery pack that boosts its range to 272 miles. This version starts just under $90,000. The longer-wheelbase BrightDrop 600 with a single motor and 164 miles of range starts at over $80,000. And the dual-motor version with a larger battery is about $91,000. And for comparison, Rivian’s larger commercial van starts at $87,000 and has 153 miles of range.
BOB LUTZ ON AUTOLINE AFTER HOURS
We’ve got a great Autoline After Hours coming up Thursday when none other than Bob Lutz will be back on the show. Now 92 years old, he’s still plugged into what’s going on and has great insights into where this industry is headed. Plus, he’s not at all afraid to say exactly what he thinks. So make sure you don’t miss this one.
But that’s a wrap for today. Thanks for tuning in.
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It will be interesting to see if Dodge’s approach to EVs is the way to go. Electrify a new vehicle that physically resembles the old with the same personality and sales approach. This is in stark contrast to other OEMs that change practically everything when they electrify the power train.
I think Dodge’s will appeal to more folks; certainly the regular fans who won’t feel abandoned.
Hope John that you can keep Bob Lutz under control this time for viewer enjoyment
$62K base price for a charger sedan is silly. I thought the base SXT Charger with its $45K price was silly. I guess I am not ever going to be a Charger customer. Maybe there are some die hard Charger people jonesing for a $62K electric Charger. I would be over at the Cadillac dealer buying a Lyriq myself. Way better tech with supercruise and a car that doesn’t look like they got the design/materials from the walmart bargain bin.
The story on Tesla losing sales. Tends to happen when your vehicle has not changed much in design language since the inception of the company. Basically, we are all just tired of seeing the same thing on the road, let alone in our driveway. Also, minimalistic designs have always rapidly become boring a tiresome, and that is exactly where we find Tesla. Boring and tiresome design language. The CT is ugly, but at least it doesn’t look like the rest of that tiresome line up.
I’ll withhold judgement on the price of the Charger until I see the car, inside and out, and know more about how it performs. The base price is $13K less than the smaller Tesla Model S, and the Charger will probably have a turn signal stalk.
Maybe VW should just abandon the Scout project. Is there really space for another brand of offroad, and offroad poser vehicles? That whole market could see a major down turn by the time Scout makes it to market.
MURKUR, I don’t know where you got your (mis)information, but the the 2023 Charger SXT base model had a starting MSRP of $34,795 at the end of production. Maybe you were thinking of the R/T with the 5.7 V8, which was close to $45K.
With the newish Jeep Grand Cherokee out now, what is the point of the Dodge Durango, seems like a repeat of the GC, just older and more dated and since we used to own one I can tell you it is a POS when it comes to reliability of the four wheel drive system, so no advantage over the GC in that regard either.
Hurray for Bob Lutz!
Ziggy, maybe they are keeping Durango as the “performance” version. The Hellcat engine is still available, or maybe Durango is mainly a “place holder” to keep the Dodge brand alive, since the only other Dodge is the mediocre, at best, Hornet.
Approving or not approving the US steel purchase is a no-win situation. Allowing Cleveland Cliffs to buy them could allow a monopoly and increase prices. Allow Nippon and you’ve allowed another US company to be sold to a foreign entity. So, no surprise the administration is going to take a pass on this decision. If Harris wins the Dems get stuck with the decision either way.
Scout is likely the vehicle that will never happen. If they release the design soon for a 2027 vehicle people are not going to have much excitement for something they saw 3 years ago. Besides having VW behind it which I suspect it will not be competitively priced and if like anything else from the core VW brand it will be bland in design. Thats a competitive market as well. Good luck VW.
Knowing a few Charger/Challenger owners I’d say Stellantis isn’t in touch with their customers. I don’t have much faith in the success of the EV replacement. I guess we will see real soon.
The gas Charger might appeal to previous Charger/Challenger customers. The “base” version should be as quick as the 5.7 V8, and the “performance” version as quick as the 6.4, or nearly so. I’d potentially be interested as a roomier, more comfortable replacement some day for the Cayman, if it weren’t for the mandatory 4wd.
As far as the EV, some current customers might like it, if they drive one and see what it’s like. We should soon know.
I agree that showing the production Scout three years before it starts production, while it might get fans excited, it may seem dated by the time it comes to market. It could especially disappoint fans if it costs more then expected, since OEMs have gotten into the practice of offering the more expensive versions first, with the less expensive models anywhere from 6 months to a year after the start of sells. So you’ve already waited several years for it to go on sell and should you still want it, you may have to wait up to another year before you can get the version you want!
While the Charger EV is nice, it may turn out to be the halo models of the line, with ICE versions being at a price point more assessable to fans and current buyers. The EVs price point and power out put seems to be in keeping with the more powerful versions of the previous generations specialty models.
The Theory 1 looks good and is a show case of what the brand can do and what could be included on their next two doors, from their flagship, to their every man sport cars. Other publications have interviewed decision makers at Lotus, who have said that they have pushed back the introduction of their next two door a few years. This is to wait for lighter, more energy, dense batteries for their sports coupes and is working EU company, who claims to have something production ready in the next two to three years. I guess we will all have to just wait and see,
Even in the comments the uncertainty continues. No one seems to know how this EV transition is going to go these next couple years. It’s obvious that the aggressive target of no more ICE vehicles by 2035 was a pipe dream. However, I could foresee an all-electrified offering by 2035. Who really knows and that seems to be the problem. All the manufacturers took the EV transition as an opportunity to reinvent themselves and jumped on board with both feet. Turns out the demand isn’t there to support the transition as quickly as many hoped it would. We really seem to be in limbo as what to build what customers want and what will be regulated out of production.
The manufacturers seem to be searching for what EV will sell. They’ve tried the econo-box which basically failed. They tried the luxury market with some success but again a limited market. Now they are trying the truck and SUV which will fail already proven by the periodic shutdowns at the Ford Lightning plant and GMs many delays in production start and Cybertruck interest not being anywhere close to 2 million. Even taking mainstream vehicles like the Charger or Blazer and making them EV’s is proving difficult due to the price difference and still all the shortcomings of EV ownership. Not a good time to be CEO and Tavarish is learning he managed this transition horribly. Guess we will see how the others fair.