Battery power appears to have electrified the jurors of the North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year awards. Eight of the nine finalists are offered in all-electric or hybrid form. Here’s who’s on the list.
Ford
Honda Moves Closer to Solid-State Battery Breakthrough with New “Demo” Production Line
Even the most diehard EV fans wish for a next-generation battery-breakthrough, with most of the attention focused on solid-state batteries. Proponents claim they’ll deliver better range at lower costs, among other benefits. And now, Honda says, it’s bringing the technology closer to reality with the debut of a demonstration line meant to prove out the processes needed to launch mass production.
Ford Keeps Scaling Back, Cutting Bronco Production, European Workforce
Sluggish Bronco sales have Ford reducing production of the once-hot-selling SUV while “reassigning” 400 workers related to the move. Additionally, the company is cutting 14% of its European workforce due to slow sales and other issues. Get details at Headlight.News.
Job Cuts Growing as Automakers Fret About the Future
Automakers in the U.S., Europe and Japan have announced thousands of job cuts over the past month and there’s growing concern the pace could increase as the industry moves into an uncertain new year, with a new presidential administration in Washington threatening to upend automotive rules and regulations — and possibly the economy, as well. Check out the story at Headlight.News.
Ford Facing Two New Investigations into Handling of Recalls
Less than a week after federal safety regulators hit Ford with one of the largest fines in automotive history, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched two new investigations into the way the automaker has handled some recent recalls.
Ford to Pay Up to $165 Million Fine for Dragging Out Recall
Ford agreed to pay one of the largest fines in automotive history for dragging its feet on a 2020 recall covering 700,000 vehicles while also failing to give federal regulators timely information. It’s the latest in a costly series of quality and safety problems impacting Detroit’s second-largest automaker.
Lucid Latest to Try Out for the Force
Lucid Motors offered up a specially outfitted Lucid Air to the California Highway Patrol. The department is looking at different vehicles to fit its various needs, and Lucid is the latest to slap a police livery on one of its vehicles to see if it can cut the mustard. Tesla and Ford have done the same in recent months. Get details at Headlight.News.
Trump Election Crimps UAW Political Influence
The 2024 election cost organized labor — especially the UAW — influence in Washington, D.C. It also handed an old foe, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, more sway over industry and labor in the new administration. Get the story at Headlight.News.
These Are the Fastest-Charging EVs – and the Slowest
There’s no question EVs offer a number of advantages, including low energy costs and the ability to plug in at home. But what about when you need to charge up on the road? The good news is that there are more public chargers being added every day. The downside: you might be in for a long wait when you plug in, depending on what EV you’re driving. Automakers are upgrading their battery vehicles to improve charging speeds and here’s a look at the models that will add miles the fastest – as well as the slowest.
Stellantis Announces Further Layoffs – as Job Cuts Sweep Across the Industry
Stellantis is cutting another 1,100 jobs, the latest furloughs impacting workers at the Toledo, Ohio plant producing Jeep products such as the Wrangler and Gladiator. The news comes at a time when other manufacturers, including Nissan and Audi, are paring back at a time of weakening sales.
Automakers Flock to SEMA Show to Display Latest Aftermarket Wares
One area that often gets lost in the shuffle for automakers is their aftermarket business. However, each year they all converge on Las Vegas for the annual SEMA show to show off what consumers can buy to make their vehicles go faster, be louder, ride higher or go more places. Headlight.News offers a sampling of what you can find at the show.
Headlight.News For The Week of 11-4-2024 – Car Sales Surge – Losses for Ford and Stellantis – Hyundai Drops Clues About Ioniq 9 and More
In this week's episode of the podcast we talk about the surge in car sales, Hyundai dropping hints about the Ioniq 9, and big losses for Ford and Stellantis. We also go for a spin in the Nissan Kicks and take a look at this week in Automotive history Click Here to...