Headlight News for the Week of 11-13-23: Dealer Shortage Over, Incentives Return and an LA Auto Show Preview
Michael Strong
Two Large Ford Plants Vote Against New Agreement
The voices thought to be a minority among the UAW membership may be getting louder if the “No” votes at Ford’s massive Louisville and Kentucky truck plants over the weekend is any indication. The results are also highlighting a divide between production workers and skilled trades. Find out more at Headlight.News.
GM Flint Plant Votes Against New Deal
UAW Chief Shawn Fain said the people would have their say, and the workers at General Motors plant in Flint, Michigan are saying “No thanks.” The proposed deal was voted down by a narrow margin, with complaints centering on mandatory overtime, the lauded cost-of-living adjustment and more. Get details at Headlight.News.
Rivian Bucks Trend with Production Increase
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 Fail to Maximize Safety of Back Seat Passengers
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.
UAW Reveals GM Building a Cheaper Chevy Bolt
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 Readying $25K (Almost) for Production
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.
UAW Gets a Deal with GM, Toyota Invest $8B in Batteries and a $975K Cadillac Celestiq Anchor This Week’s Headlight News Podcast
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.
Ford, Stellantis Workers Begin Voting on New UAW Deal
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.
Automakers See Models Sales Gains in October
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.
Toyota Investing Additional $8B into North Carolina Battery Plant
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.
GM, UAW Reach Agreement on New Deal
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.