The U.S. auto industry set a new fuel economy record in 2022, according to the EPA – though Detroit’s Big Three automakers lagged both foreign-owned brands and domestic start-ups. It marked the biggest improvement in mileage in nine years. More from Headlight.News .
Ford’s F-150 is a plenty capable vehicle but for those who want a truck that can add sports car level-power and awe-inspiring off-road capabilities, there’s the F-150 Raptor R. And for 2024, the full-size beast cranks things up to a new level, punching out 720 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. More from Headlight.News.
General Motors will lay off more than 1,300 hourly workers at two Michigan plants, the automaker said. The announcement follows a series of other job cuts as the industry comes to the end of a challenging year. Most of the GM workers are employed at a suburban Detroit plant undergoing major renovation for the launch for future EVs.
Facing declining demand for its Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee and Gladiator models, Jeep says it will cut as many as 3,700 jobs at plants in Michigan and Ohio — and its putting at least some of the blame on California’s tough emissions rules.
With rare exception EVs have been big money-losers for the auto industry. But there are a few exceptions, starting with Tesla. Now, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares says his companies electrified vehicles also are “in the black.” Speaking at an industry conference, Tavares warned that automakers who can’t improve margins could be forced out of business by the end of the decade.
Just after revealing its electric vehicles are profitable, Stellantis continues to do things a little differently. The company just inked a deal with a company called Ample to use its battery swapping technology for the automaker’s Free2Move fleet of Fiat 500e EVs in Europe. Find out more at Headlight.News.
As the 2023 calendar year winds down, Stellantis beginning to thin the heard of models cluttering its various corporate showrooms. That said, the departures will surprise exactly no one as the company’s American lineup becomes a little less Italian. Details at Headlight.News.
Fiat hopes to charge itself up as it begins the transition to an all-electric brand. It’s pulling the covers off an all-electric version of the iconic Cinquecento, better known to Americans as the 500. The first edition headed to the U.S. will be the 2024 Fiat 500e RED edition. Here’s what we know about it at Headlight.News
With EV sales growth slowing down, General Motors “is currently assessing” its massive investment in battery-electric vehicles. And, while it remains committed to CEO Mary Barra’s “path to an all-electric future,” it will shift more emphasis to the hybrids and plug-ins it was planning to abandon. And other automakers, including Ford and Stellantis, are likewise shifting direction. If anything, this validates Toyota’s strategy calling for a mix of EVs, hybrids and PHEVs, reports Headlight.News.
UAW President Shawn Fain pledged to be transparent with union members, and that openness has including revealing future product plans, such as talking about the expected arrival of the Jeep Wrangler EV in 2028. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Less than 24 hours after the contract between General Motors and the UAW was ratified by workers, Stellantis workers followed suit. The voting isn’t complete yet, but the number of “yes” votes is too high to be overcome by “no” votes. Ford isn’t far behind. Get details at Headlight.News.
UAW concerns about jobs being cut due to the transition to electric vehicles may be ready to play “We Told You So” Tuesday as Stellantis is offering voluntary buyouts to about half of its white collar workers in the U.S. Find out more at Headlight.News.