EV startup Rivian told investors Tuesday it plans to build more of its all-electric pickups and SUVs than previously forecast. The move is counter to production cuts by other nascent makers, like Lucid, as well as mainstream car companies, such as Ford and General Motors. Get details at Headlight.News.
Full-size pickups dominate new vehicle sales in the U.S., carrying the top three spots. One of the reasons they’re popular is because of their size and the perception of safety that comes with their enormity. However, a new safety test from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety shows back seat passengers aren’t as safe as they could be in the massive trucks. Find out more at Headlight.News.
As part of the new deal with the UAW, General Motors committed to $13.3 billion in new investment during the life of the contract. One of those is a cheaper Chevrolet Bolt EV, union chief Shawn Fain revealed. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has bandied about plans for a $25,000 electric vehicle for a few years now. However, that vehicle — dubbed the Model 2 by some — appeared to be pushed to the wayside as the EV maker focused on bringing the Cybertruck to the market. However, there are reports the “cheap” EV is front and center again. Get details at Headlight.News.
Headlight News for the Week of 11-6-23 offers insights about the UAW’s tentative agreement with GM; Toyota invests $8 billion at NC battery site, and Neiman Marcus is offering a $975K Cadillac Celestiq. We offer a Nissan Nismo Z Car review and more.
Union workers at Ford began voting on the tentative deal reached with the automaker, while Stellantis hourly employees begin voting soon. If the first round of votes is any indication, the membership is pleased with the deal. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Months of high interest rates and higher payments slowed consumer enthusiasm for new vehicles in October, but remained strong enough for automakers to post gains. Check out what companies enjoyed the month the most at Headlight.News.
While Ford, General Motors and other makers are scaling back on their EV and battery production plans, Toyota revealed Tuesday it’s doing just the opposite by investing an additional $8 billion into its Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina facility. Get the details at Headlight.News.
And then there were none. Less than 24 hours after the UAW went on strike at General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee the two sides got a deal done. Details are sparse, but it’s safe to assume there’s a 25% raise in the deal. Find out more at Headlight.News.
The surprises keep coming in the ongoing labor talks — and strikes — between the Detroit Three automakers and the UAW. After securing a deal with Ford a few days ago, it was rumored General Motors would be next, but it turned out to be Stellantis. Find out more at Headlight.News.
If you have “Tesla becomes an EV charging company” on your list of things to happen in 2023, cross it off: BP just placed an order for $100 million worth of “ultra-fast” chargers with Tesla. The chargers will hit the U.S. next year, reports Headlight.News.
Less than a day after reaching a deal with the UAW on a new 4.5-year contract, Ford reported a $1.2 billion net profit on revenue of $43.8 billion. The results are significantly better than the year ago period, when the automaker reported a loss. Find out more at Headlight.News.