AD #4185 – Chinese EVs Ace Euro NCAP; Musk’s Pay Could Cripple Tesla Profits; Genesis Shows Off Hypercar Concept

This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.

MUSK’S PAY COULD CRIPPLE TESLA PROFITS
Seven years ago, Tesla’s board approved a pay package for Elon Musk that’s valued at $26 billion today. That compensation has been tied up in court due to shareholder lawsuits, even though most shareholders approve of Musk getting that money. In fact, as you know, Musk just received a new package that would pay him up to a trillion dollars. Reuters reports that if the first pay package is approved by the courts it could trigger a $26 billion hit to profits for the next two years. And Tesla doesn’t make that kind of profit, meaning the company would post a loss. While the trillion-dollar package only gets fully paid if Tesla hits certain moon-shot milestones, there are easier goals that Musk can achieve that would still trigger billions in payouts. The good news for Tesla is that it will pay Musk in stock shares, not cash. But Tesla’s balance sheet would take a big hit.    

CHINESE EVs ACE EURO NCAP
Not long ago, Chinese vehicles were notorious for having poor safety ratings but that’s no longer the case. In the latest round of Euro NCAP crash results of 23 models, four were Chinese and they all received a 5-star rating. Three of those models, the Leapmotor B10, the Hongqi EHS7 and the BYD Seal 6, were in the top five of all vehicles tested and the Leapmotor had the highest score of all. While Chinese automakers are making progress improving safety, the models sold in Europe aren’t the same as the ones sold in China. They’ve been modified to meet European standards, so the versions in China likely aren’t as safe.

 

GAMES HELP BOOST “ECO MODE” DRIVING
Many vehicles feature an “Eco Mode” that holds back performance in favor of efficiency. But I know I find myself shutting off those “Eco Modes” because I don’t like the way the vehicle drives. However, BMW showed that its EVs reduced their energy consumption by about 7% when the feature was activated. So, it wanted to see if it could get drivers to keep the mode on more often. It got 130 MINI EV owners to sign up for a pilot project where an image is generated with AI when “Eco Mode” is used. The more it’s on, the bigger and more detailed the image becomes. The image is then displayed on the center screen at each startup. BMW said 25% of owners used “Eco Mode” before the trial started, but that jumped to nearly 40% after. And it thinks there’s more potential for games and notifications to help improve people’s driving habits. 

MAGNA TO BUILD EVs FOR GAC IN EUROPE
Over the last few years, contract manufacturer Magna stopped building the BMW 5 Series and Z4, the Jaguar E-Pace and I-Pace and the Fisker Ocean, at its plant in Austria. And next year it will stop producing the Supra for Toyota. And up until recently the only other model it builds at the plant is the Mercedes G-Wagon. But now Magna is slowly starting to regain some of the business it lost with Chinese automakers. In August, it started building two EVs for Xpeng and now Magna has signed a deal with GAC to produce its Aion V model. By partnering with Magna to produce vehicles in Europe, Xpeng and GAC will avoid tariffs on Chinese made EVs.

ANOTHER FIRE BREAKS OUT AT NOVELIS PLANT
Aluminum supplier Novelis just can’t seem to catch a break. It’s dealing with another fire at its plant in New York. In September, a fire disrupted most of its operations at the plant, which caused aluminum shortages for Ford, Stellantis and Nissan. Ford was really impacted and says it expects to lose up to 100,000 units of production in the fourth-quarter. And yesterday, another fire broke out at the New York plant, which has since been put out by firefighters. Novelis was expected to resume full operations from the previous fire in the coming weeks but the company says it’s too early to know if the latest fire will delay its re-opening.

  

Hyundai is one of the few automakers that takes autos shows seriously and it literally dominated the news coming out of the LA Auto Show this week. 

HYUNDAI REVEALS IONIQ 6 N
A low-volume, high-performance electric track car from Hyundai might not have made a whole lot of sense when the IONIQ 5 N first launched, but the company is stretching that development as well as many of the parts and components across a number of models. That includes the IONIQ 6 N, which goes on sale in the U.S. next year. Highlights include an 84-kWh battery pack that’s paired with a dual motor setup, which can produce up to roughly 480 kW or 640 horsepower. That’s double the power of a standard AWD IONIQ 6 and will move the N from 0-60 MPH in 3.2 seconds. The 6 N also gets a fully redesigned suspension geometry and reengineered chassis, including electronically controlled dampers. 

GENESIS SHOWS OFF HYPERCAR CONCEPT
But these upgrades aren’t just limited to Hyundai. The Genesis GV60 Magma features many of the same components and is actually more closely related to the 5 N. However, Genesis calls its Magma brand “luxury high performance,” so its setup is tuned a little differently and it’s not quite as track-focused as the Hyundai N cars. Its motors produce about 450 kW or 610 horsepower. Although there is a mode that boosts that to 650 horsepower and will launch the GV60 Magma from 0-200 km/h in 10.9 seconds. The model will be sold in South Korea, Europe and North America and sales kick off early next year. Genesis also plans to expand its Magma brand and showed off its possible future with a hypercar concept, called the Magma GT. It says the car “represents the foundation for a future performance lineup led by a true halo car.”

HYUNDAI’S CRATER CONCEPT, A VISION FOR FUTURE OFF-ROAD MODELS

Hyundai pulled the covers off the CRATER Concept, a compact, off-road SUV created at the Hyundai America Technical Center in Irvine, California. Making its global debut, the CRATER previews where Hyundai may take its adventure-oriented XRT lineup in the coming years. The exterior design language is what Hyundai calls The Art of Steel. It features chiseled bodysides, wide skid plates, steep approach and departure angles, and 18-inch hexagonal-pattern wheels wrapped in 33-inch off-road tires. Styling cues include limb risers, a full-width skid plate, a tow hook that doubles as a bottle opener and detachable mirror-cameras that can be used as flashlights or cameras. The interior blends soft yet robust materials with technical forms. A head-up display stretches from pillar to pillar along the bottom of the windshield. There’s a bring your own device, or BYOD digital interface, that lets drivers mount and integrate their own devices. It also features a visible roll-cage structure, and deeply bolstered seats with four-point harnesses. “CRATER began with a question: ‘What does freedom look like?’ This vehicle stands as our answer,” according SangYup Lee, Hyundai’s Global Head of Design.

2026 ELANTRA N TCR EDITION DEBUTS IN LA

Lastly, Hyundai rolled out the Elantra N TCR Edition in LA. It’s a limited-production model that features race-bred hardware and styling. The special edition celebrates Hyundai’s six consecutive TCR Manufacturers’ Championships in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. The track-inspired upgrades include a model-specific N Performance brake system, lightweight 19-inch forged alloy wheels, Alcantara interior accents, and a fully adjustable carbon-fiber swan-neck rear wing. Buyers can choose either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, keeping the car aligned with enthusiast expectations. No word yet on pricing, we’ll get that early next year.

And before I go, I want to give a heads up to our Patreon and YouTube members that we’ll be holding a live Q&A with John and I, next Tuesday the 25th at 2:30PM eastern time. We’ll answer any questions you have or get into any topics you want to discuss. Look for more info in the post tab on YouTube or on our Patreon page.

But that wraps up today’s show, thanks for watching and have a great weekend.