Headlight News for the Week of 4-22-24 – Musk Wants His $56 Billion Back – Big Recalls – Cheaper Cars – GM Moves – A Review of the Maverick Tremor – The Week Ahead – And This Week in Automotive History
Michael Strong
Hyundai Suspends Advertising on X
Hyundai Motor America suspended its advertising on the X, formerly Twitter, after another post espousing pro-Hitler, antisemitic views appeared attached to its ad on the social media outlet. Tesla CEO Elon Musk also helms X and has been under fire before after allowing similar content in the past. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Tesla’s Beginning to Cut Workers as Part of its Global Layoff
Shortly after telling Tesla workers the company would be cutting 10% of its workforce, the EV maker’s already swung into action. It filed paperwork showing it would layoff 14% of its employees at its New York plant. It also cut 300 subcontractors from its German operations. Get details at Headlight.News.
Ford Recalls 456K SUVs, Pickups
Ford’s quality issues continue to be problematic as the automaker recalled 456,565 compact SUVs and pickups due to a battery issue that could cause the vehicles to lose power. Get details at Headlight.News.
Interest Rate Drop Makes New Cars More Affordable
If you’ve been in the market for a new vehicle anytime in the past few years, the record-high prices have been enough to make you get back in your old car and go home and wait, hoping for a price drop. Well, prices have been falling for several months, including last month courtesy of the recent drop in interest rates. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Tesla Cutting 10% of Workforce Globally, Implementing Other Changes
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is reacting to the EV maker’s sluggish sales by cutting 10% of the company’s global workforce, according to reports. Additionally, he’s making other personnel changes aimed at reducing overhead. The move comes 10 days after he slashed prices on vehicles to stimulate sales. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Ford Latest to Cut EV Prices, Dropping Lightning as Much as 7.5%
Ford is the latest automaker to cut the price of an electric vehicle, shaving as much as 7.5% off the F-150 Lightning pickup truck. The move comes as the automaker resumed deliveries of the pickup — and several others. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Ineos Charging More for Grenadier Pickup than SUV
Nascent vehicle maker Ineos plans to charge $14,000 more for its new Grenadier Quartermaster pickup than its initial offering, the Grenadier SUV. The Quartermaster’s pricing starts at $86,900 and can be optioned up past $113,000. Get details at Headlight.News.
GM Takes Another Step Toward Going Back to the Moon
General Motors is headed back to the moon — maybe. It is providing Ultium batteries as well as some experience with chassis and suspension development for the next-generation lunar terrain vehicle that just got the green light from NASA. Find out more about the project and GM’s role in it at Headlight.News.
Lucid Keeps Auto Industry’s Strong Sales Results Rolling
Nascent EV maker Lucid Motors reported its first-quarter deliveries were up 40% compared with the year-ago period. The increase mirrored strong electric vehicle sales across the industry, except for top-selling Tesla. Find out more at Headlight.News.
New Vehicle Sales Jump, Tesla Kills Cheap Car, Highway Deaths Drop All Covered in Latest Headlight News Podcast
Headlight News for the Week of 4-8-24 – Auto Sales Up but Tesla Down – Tesla Kills Cheap EV – Highway Deaths Drop – Land Rover Defender 130 Review – A Week in Automotive History
Tesla Offering Big Discounts a Week After Raising Model Y Price
In mid-March, Tesla officials warned a $1,000 price increase would be applied to the Model Y on April 1 — and they made good on it. Just four days later, the EV maker is offering big discounts on several vehicles, hoping to shed excess inventory. Find out more at Headline.News.