Tesla launched yet another round of layoffs this week as CEO Elon Musk struggles to compensate for slowing sales and a 55% drop in first-quarter earnings. The latest cuts mean Tesla will see total U.S. employment drop as much as 20%, according to one report, with some departments, including its Supercharger operations, eliminated entirely.
Months after settling a crippling strike at its North American automotive operations, Stellantis faces the threat of another walkout, workers at a critical stamping plant in suburban Detroit giving union leaders the okay to shut down the facility if no agreement can be reached over health and safety issues. A walkout would also shutter key Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram assembly lines.
The Headlight News for the Week of 5-6-24 covers Auto Sales Stumble – New Ferrari 812 – Polestar EV Can Charge in 10 Minutes – Kia Telluride Review and This Week in Automotive History. Check out the podcast at Headlight.News.
Vice President Kamala Harris made a trip to Detroit bearing some big gifts on Monday, $100 million to help the Motor City’s automotive parts manufacturers upgrade operations to support the shift to battery-electric vehicles.
EV maker Rivian received $827 million in new incentives from the State of Illinois to expand its production facility in Normal. The company currently builds all of its vehicles there, but the expansion will allow it increase production levels as well as handle...
Tesla delivered a shock this week when word leaked out CEO Elon Musk was effectively closing down several departments, including the one overseeing its Supercharger network. Set up in 2012, when the automaker launched its original Model S sedan, the charging system was meant to assure buyers they’d have a place to plug in. But with the Supercharger network now open to most competing EV manufacturers, the news has triggered concerns across the auto industry — and is leading Tesla rivals to put emphasis on the competing new Ionna charging network.
Among the many obstacles to widespread EV adoption, consumers often cite long charging times. But a new battery breakthrough could make it as quick – and potentially even easier – to charge up an EV as it is to fill a gas tank. A Polestar 5 prototype is going from a 10 to 80% charge in just 10 minutes.
Ford is recalling 242,669 2022-2024 Maverick compact pickups due to a problem with the truck’s taillights. This action makes the second time there was a recall involving the pickup last month. Get more details about it at Headlight.News.
Cadillac has backed away from its plan to offer “an all-electric portfolio by 2030,” the luxury brand’s global boss acknowledged Wednesday. While that could yet happen, said General Motors Vice President John Roth, Caddy is likely to continue offering vehicles using internal combustion engines well into the next decade.
Young boys often grow up wishing they could be one superhero or another. However, Batman enjoys a special hold on many because of all the technology he used to fight crime — especially his cars. Now you can drive the cars as Pininfarina’s created two new versions each of the all-electric B95 hyper Barchetta and Battista hyper GT inspired by Bruce Wayne. Find out more at Headlight.News.
If you’ve got some spare cash lying around and are looking for a new home up in the Hollywood Hills you might reach out to Henrik Fisker. He’s got a place for sale overlooking the legendary Sunset Strip for $35 million. Of course, you could also buy his car company, Fisker Inc. for less than $25 million – though you could wait if you might get it for even less as it struggles to avoid bankruptcy.
It was looking to be a very good week for Tesla, news of a weekend deal with the Chinese government sending the EV maker’s stock soaring. But that’s so yesterday in the 24-hour news cycle. And word that CEO Elon Musk has dismissed two key executives – with their entire staff set to follow – took the steam out of Tesla’s nascent stock rebound.