Ineos, the automotive startup focused on extreme off-road SUVs, unveiled what is set to become its third product line Friday, and the Fusilier will offer buyers two “green” powertrain options when it comes to market sometime in 2027, said company chairman Jim Ratcliffe.
Green Power
Rivian Slashes 10% of Salaried Staff, Trims Production as EV Sales Growth Slows
Rivian announced it will slash both its corporate staff and production this year after reporting more than $1.5 billion in losses for the final three months of 2023. Even as it prepares to unveil an entirely new family of battery-electric vehicles, CEO RJ Scaringe warned the nascent automaker “is not immune” to the headwinds battering the U.S. EV market after four years of record growth. Separately, EV startup Lucid also forecast flattening sales after reporting worsening losses.
First Drive: 2024 Honda Prologue — A Partnership Pays Off
Honda is finally getting into the EV game, the automaker getting ready to roll its first long-range model into U.S. showrooms in the coming weeks. The name is an appropriate one, the 2024 Honda Prologue set to become the first in a planned family of EVs set to debut later this decade. While future models will be developed in-house, however, the Japanese automaker took a shortcut with Prologue, turning to its longtime Detroit rival, General Motors for help. Headlight.News has the back story — and a first review of the 2024 Honda Prologue.
Cadillac Lyriq Regains $7,500 Federal Tax Credit — Gets Leg Up on Rivals
After revising its supply chain, Cadillac once again can offer $7,500 in federal tax credits to buyers of the Lyriq EV. The automaker briefly lost those incentives after the U.S. Treasury updated guidelines under the Inflation Reduction Act on January 1. The news means Caddy gets a critical advantage over a number of competing luxury EVs that have also lost their tax credits this year.
Ford Cuts Mach-E Pricing, Adds New F-150 Lightning Incentives
Hoping to perk up a slowing EV market, Ford Motor Co. has announced some lucrative financial deals for its two retail battery-electric models, the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning. Price cuts on the electric crossover run as high as $8,100, while there’s as much as $12,500 in “bonus cash” on the battery pickup.
Genesis Slowing EV Plans, Reportedly Adding Hybrids to Lineup
Korean luxury brand Genesis is reportedly rethinking its plans to evolve into an all-electric brand. The company is instead looking at other electrification options, with plans to launch its first hybrid model as early as next year. But what form it will take reportedly has not yet been determined.
Volvo Announces New EX40 & EC40 Nameplates, Confirms Other Updates
Volvo renames XC40 and C40 Recharge models EX40 and EC40 to help them fall in line with the rest of the EX lineup and also gives ICE-powered models separate updates as the company prepares to expand its presence in the green vehicle market while also giving the firm time to hone the bigger EX90 and EX30 model. Check out the story at Headlight.News.
From “Ruin Porn” to High-Tech Hub: Ford Set to Reopen Long-Abandoned Michigan Central Station
When it opened 110 years ago, the Michigan Central depot was the tallest train station in the world and a showpiece for a city at its peak. Since it shut down in 1988, however, it’s been a symbol of urban decay and the decline of Detroit, in particular. Now, after a...
GM Pushes Back Sale of Midsize Trucks Due to Software Issue
General Motors put a halt to the sale and delivery of its 2024 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups after a software glitch was discovered. The company is fixing the problem and expects to lift the hold soon. It’s the second major software problem to halt a high-profile vehicle. The stop sale hasn’t yet been lifted on the Chevy Blazer EV. Get details at Headlight.News.
Sales Growth Slowing, Biden Administration May Delay EV Mandates
Facing slowing sales growth — and pressure from automakers and their dealers — the Environmental Protection Agency may delay proposed emissions rules that would require EVs to account for as much as two-thirds of the new vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2032. The move would provide more time to address issues blamed for slowing adoption, including the high cost of EVs, as well as the lack of a robust public charging network.
With Stellantis Now Onboard, Tesla Has Won the Charger Battle
Stellantis will adopt the Tesla-style North American Charging Standard. The parent of brands including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram was the last holdout among major automakers to go with the NACS plug. It means owners will have access to a substantial wider network of plugs and formalizes Tesla’s Superchargers as the de facto winner in the charging battle. Tesla, meanwhile, is taking steps to prevent the embarrassing charger failures many owners ran into during a recent Midwest cold snap.
New EV Maker Scout Motors Breaks Ground on $2 Billion Plant
The stagnation of electric vehicle sales isn’t slowing the charge of automakers into the market. Scout Motors, Volkswagen’s U.S. EV subsidiary, broke ground on its $2 billion plant in South Carolina. The company expects vehicles to begin rolling off the line there in 2026. Headlight.News has details.