Every summer I look forward to two weeks with one car: the Polaris Slingshot. This three-wheel sports beast looks like few things on the road today. It not only continues to attract favorable attention, the company continues to make it better each year. Find out what we thought after two weeks with the Slingshot at Headlight.News.
Business
Instant Karma: EV Maker Set to Unveil Two New Models at Pebble Beach
While Fisker Inc. may be heading to the junkyard in the sky, there’s new life to founder Henrik Fisker’s earlier automotive start-up. Now owned by the Chinese and renamed Karma Automotive, it will show there can be life after death by unveiling two new models at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance next month. And they are meant to channel the ghosts of several other one-time automotive greats, including luxury brands Pierce-Arrow and Duesenberg.
What Brands Will Fall to the Stellantis Axe?
Could Stellantis abandon one or more of its 14 automotive brands? In light of the automaker’s weak second-quarter earnings, that is a distinct possibility, warned CEO Carlos Tavares. But which of those marques are the most endangered? Headlight.News takes a closer look and a few seem ripe for the chopping block.
New Mobile Auto Repair Service Software for Dealers Kicks Off
If anyone thought Tesla’s mobile vehicle service fleet was a great idea, don’t worry, you’re not alone. In fact, some of the team who helped develop it decided it was good enough to tweak it and pitch it to auto dealers. And many also agreed and now San Francisco-based Curbee is in business. Find out more at Headlight.News.
July New Vehicle Sales Expected to Mimic June’s Ho-Hum Result
Analysts predict sales of new cars, trucks and SUVs in July won’t set the world on fire — just like last month. This means the industry will need to wait another month to recover the sales lost due to the cyberattack against the nation’s auto dealers. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Tesla’s Trade Secret Lawsuit Against Rivian Heading to Court
It will be up to a California court to determine the outcome of a long-running suit pitting two EV manufacturers, Tesla and Rivian. The bigger of the two has accused its rival of stealing trade secrets and a judge has ruled the case will have to go to trial after Rivian filed to get it dismissed earlier this week.
Old Used Car Prices Spiking Due To New Cars Being More Expensive
As car prices continue to increase, the fallout is growing with new car prices pushing more buyers into the used vehicle market. Unfortunately, this is also causing used car prices to rise, and buyers who think going for a much older used car on the lot will spare them the pain they’re going to be in for a shock.
Ford Earnings Fall Short – Sending Investors Scrambling
It wasn’t expected to be a good quarter for Ford Motor Co. Even then, the automaker’s second-quarter earnings managed to fall short of Wall Street’s expectations. That sent Ford shares tumbling by 11%, even though company leaders tried to assure investors they’re “on track” to deliver a full-year profit. More from Headlight.News.
Investors Unhappy with Tesla’s Results, Musk’s Explanation
Tesla’s second quarter results reflected the tough times the EV maker’s experiencing now that there is more competition and other issues impacting sales. While the company’s overall revenue rise slightly, its net income and automotive operations revenue took massive hits. Moreover, CEO Elon Musk doesn’t seem too bothered by the numbers. Get details at Headlight.News.
EVs Are Twice as Energy-Efficient as Gas Vehicles
Battery-electric vehicles use half as much energy to run a given distance as do vehicles powered by gasoline, according to a new study by Yale University. And the cleaner and more efficient the source of electricity used to charge a vehicle the better the equation gets.
Tesla Takes a Q2 Hit Due to Automotive Business
EV maker Tesla reported its overall revenue increased slightly in the second quarter, but it wasn’t because of its automotive operations, which fell 7%. The company reported net income and adjusted earnings were down year-over-year as well. Get the details at Headlight.News.
GM Spreading Good News with Q2 Earnings Results
General Motors officials offered good news with the company’s second quarter earnings report, with revenue and profits up for the quarter as well as the first half of the year. In fact, the results were good enough for the company to revise its full-year earnings expectations upward. Find out more at Headlight.News.