Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda “sincerely” apologized Monday for the automaker’s role in a cheating scandal that has swept through the Japanese auto industry. The industry giant, along with Honda, Mazda and Suzuki have pleaded after a government investigation in their home market revealed they rigged emissions and safety tests. Production of some of the vehicles have been halted, as a result.
Volkswagen
First Drive: 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV – An Affordable, Long Range Option
Chevrolet’s line-up of battery-electric vehicles is about to get larger with the launch of the new 2024 Equinox EV. The compact crossover has plenty of features that could win over EV skeptics, including a price coming in at under $30,000, reasonable good performance and range of up to 319 miles. Here’s our review.
Volkswagen Delays ID.7 North American Launch, Cites Slowing EV Sales as Main Cause
Volkswagen pumps the brakes on ID.7 U.S. launch due to cooling sales and shifting market conditions.
Mercedes Workers Next to Vote on UAW – But “Alabama is Not Michigan”
After winning a historic vote at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga last month, the United Auto Workers Union takes aim at a repeat victory as workers at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa cast their ballots. But the UAW faces strong local opposition from, among others, Gov. Kay Ivey who declared “Alabama is not Michigan,” as she signed a bill to discourage future union efforts.
Chinese EV Imports Pose “An Extinction Level Event”
President Joe Biden raised tariffs on an assortment of Chinese-made goods, including the battery-electric vehicles manufacturers like BYD, Geely and Great Wall have been hoping to start selling in the U.S. The threat of these inexpensive EVs – some starting at barely $10,000 – has sent shivers through the American auto industry, one trade group warning their arrival poses an “extinction-level event.” Headlight.News explains why.
Bentley’s Batur Convertible Is End of The Line For Iconic W-12 Engine
Bentley’s Batur Convertible is the final swan song for Bentley’s twin-turbocharged W12 engine. Sleek droptop will be limited to 16 units and helps conclude an era of performance for both Bentley and Volkswagen.
UAW Achieves Representation Victory At VW’s Chattanooga Assembly Plant, Historic Vote Could Prompt More Plants To Join
UAW achieves key victory in the Southern U.S. with historic membership vote at VW’s Chattanooga, Tennessee assembly plant. This vote could give the union more momentum in its push to expand representation in hotly contested region
Showdown in Tennessee: VW Workers to Vote on the UAW
Barely a week from now the 4,000 workers at the Volkswagen of America plant in Chattanooga will begin voting on whether they want to join the United Auto Workers in the first test of the UAW’s effort to sign up workers at the foreign-owned automotive plants that have popped up across the United States over the last four decades.
Tesla Kills Plan for Affordable EV
Tesla pulled the plug on a program aimed at developing a $25,000 EV, even as Chinese automakers led by BYD double down on bringing to market all-electric vehicles affordable often to reach mainstream buyers. According to Reuters, Tesla CEO Elon Musk now wants to focus on self-driving robocabs.
Hybrids, EVs Helped Prop Up March Sales – Except for Tesla
It’s become something of conventional wisdom that the EV market is slowing down. And there’s no question that, on a percentage basis, the growth rate for battery-electric vehicles has slowed over the last 12 months. But the market does continue to grow, Kia’s EV sales jumping 151% in March. Ironically, it was the 800-pound gorilla of the battery-electric market, Tesla, where sales fell well short of expectations.
UAW Gaining Traction as Mercedes’ Alabama Workers Set to File for Union Vote
In what could be a critical development for the United Auto Workers Union, employees at the Mercedes-Benz assembly plant in Alabama are expected to file the paperwork needed to set up a vote aimed at organizing the factory. Workers at the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee made a similar move last month.
First Drive: 2024 Atlas Cross Sport – A Sportier Atlas?
The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is attempting to inject more fun and vigor into Atlas model lineup with sportier styling inside and out. But does it succeed in checking all the boxes for SUV buyers looking for more flair in their daily commute?