AD #4273 – Geely Stock Up 50% Since Iran War; Honda’s 2,400-LB Mini EV; GM’s DMS Will Stop Car with Distracted Driver

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

FORD RENOVATES HISTORIC PRODUCT CENTER
Ford spent $3 billion to build a new world headquarters, and was going to rip down its old product development center and build a new one. But then the Trump Administration’s tariffs cost the company $2 billion, and it had to write off more than $19 billion in EV investments. And all of a sudden, capital spending became a critical issue. So instead of building an all-new product development center, it decided to renovate the old one, which was built 73 years ago. It’s going to add about 1 million square feet to the building which will also house a giant fitness center and become the home office for Ford Racing. And by refurbishing instead of building all-new, Ford expects to cut the cost nearly in half. 

RADICAL PROPELLER DESIGN 30% MORE EFFICIENT
Speaking of Ford, it collaborated with a startup called Sharrow Engineering that came up with a revolutionary new design for propellers on boats. It sort of extends and twists the tips of the propeller blades so they connect all the way back to the shaft. Sharrow claims this is the first major improvement in propeller design since the 1830s and delivers up to 30% greater fuel efficiency and up to 80% noise reduction compared to today’s props. It could also have mobility, defense and energy applications, like in pumps. Sharrow actually introduced the propeller in 2020 and demand was so overwhelming from boaters that it needed to dramatically boost production. That’s where Ford stepped in to help Sharrow develop 3D printed sand castings that cut the time down to two weeks from the 130 days needed for traditional castings.

PORSCHE SALES FALL, BUT NOT 911
Porsche had a tough first quarter. The automaker sold just under 61,000 vehicles globally in the first three months of the year, down 15% from a year ago. Sales were down in all of its major markets except for Germany. Porsche blames the decline on ending production of the ICE versions of the Boxster and Cayman, the ramp-up phase of the Macan EV and the elimination of EV incentives in the U.S. While Porsche struggled in the first quarter, there was one bright spot. Sales of the 911 were up 22% to just under 14,000 units, which shows the core of the brand is still very strong. The Cayenne was Porsche’s best-selling model, with just over 19,000 deliveries, down 4% from a year ago.

BYD OFF BRAZIL’S “SHAME” LIST
Good news for BYD. A Brazilian court has removed the Chinese automaker from a list of companies accused of employing workers in “slave-like conditions.” The court says BYD may have been illegally placed on the list, as the decision was based on the premise it was the real employer of the workers. However, BYD is only being temporarily removed from the list until a final ruling is made.

HYUNDAI LAUNCHES IONIQ BRAND IN CHINA WITH 2 CONCEPTS
Hyundai is officially launching its IONIQ brand in China and showed off two new concepts that preview its future design direction. The Venus is a wedged-shaped sedan with sharp creases on the body panels. The Earth concept features similar creased body panels, but is an SUV with more chunky styling overall. Both have rather simple interior layouts that are highlighted with large floating display screens. Hyundai says all its IONIQ models for the Chinese market will be named after planets, but we don’t know when they will go on sale and if they’ll be a version of these concepts or come from its existing lineup. However, we do know it’s developing autonomous driving with local partners and will offer extended range electric vehicles in China. 

MAGNA SELLS LIGHTING AND ROOF BUSINESS
Magna, the giant Canadian supplier, is selling off its roof and lighting business for $1.1 billion to two different investment companies. Swami Kotagiri, Magna’s CEO, says it wants to focus on businesses that will provide long-term growth, good margins, and return on investments, so presumably what they’re selling off didn’t fit with that strategy. It’s not at all unusual for suppliers to reorganize or spin off their business units to raise money that they can invest in other areas. One of the investment companies will take all the lighting business for the Americas and China, while the other will take the lighting and roof business for Europe.

           

HONDA’S 2,400-LB MINI EV
Starting next week Honda says it will start taking pre-orders for its new small electric car, the Super-One. It looks nearly identical to the prototype that Honda revealed in late October and is built on the same platform as its other N Series models. The vehicle weighs just under 1,100 kilograms or about 2,400 pounds and while battery size wasn’t provided, it offers 274 kilometers or 170 miles of range on the WLTC test cycle. Power comes from a single 47 kW or about 60 horsepower motor, but there’s a boost function that increases output to 70 kW or nearly 94 horsepower. The Super-One will even mimic engine sounds and gear shifts and when in boost mode the driver can use the paddle shifters. The model goes on sale in Japan in late May and then will expand to other markets, including the UK where it’s expected to have a starting price under 20,000 pounds. 

GM’S DMS WILL STOP CAR WITH DISTACTED DRIVER
General Motors has added a couple of new features to its vehicles to help combat distracted driving. Last year, it introduced Driver Attention Assist on select models. It took that small camera just above the steering wheel that it developed for Super Cruise and added sensors to look for signs of driver distraction or drowsiness. And this year, GM introduced an updated version of the feature, which can detect an unresponsive driver and slow the vehicle to a stop and call OnStar. But GM didn’t say if the tech pulls the vehicle over to the side of the road because stopping in the middle of the road can be quite dangerous.

GEELY STOCK UP 50% SINCE IRAN WAR
The Autoline Stock of the Day is Geely, which was up more than 5%, closing at $3.19 for its American Depository Receipts. But we really need to step back and look at how it performed over the last month. Since the Iran war started the stock shot up 50%, making it the best performing automotive stock in the world. Geely is really on a roll. It’s now outselling BYD in China and BYD’s stock is up 7% during the same time frame.

But that brings us to the end of today’s show. Thanks for tuning in and I hope that you have a great weekend.