Stellantis is recalling nearly 285,000 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 models due to faulty airbags that can explode and throw shrapnel.
Regulatory
EPA Updates Emissions Rules, Delays EV Phase-In
Updated fuel economy rules from the Environmental Protection Agency delays phaseout of EV mileage rules that provide extra credits to automakers for EVs they sell as electric vehicle market faces cooling sales and demand.
Shell Shutting 1,000 Gas Stations in Shift to EV Charging
The Dutch-based energy giant Shell plans to eliminate 1,000 gas stations by the end of 2025 as it begins to put more emphasis on its EV charging operations, the company said in a new report. It already operates 3,700 charging stations in the U.S. and will not only add more facilities but expand the size of existing ones.
EPA Expected to Give Automakers a Break on Emissions and Mileage Standards
The Biden administration is expected to roll back new rules governing vehicle emission and mileage standards, a move that should prove particularly helpful for Detroit automakers who are heavily dependent upon large, fuel-hungry models like the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Suburban. But the changes likely also will benefit some Japanese manufacturers, including Toyota and Honda, that have been reluctant to invest heavily on EV technology.
Automakers Selling Data About Drivers Used by Insurance Companies to Set Rates
If your auto insurance has spiked recently, you might blame the company that made your vehicle. Cars, trucks and utility vehicles now collect all types of data about your vehicle. That information is often collected by automakers, then sold to insurance companies that use it to set the rates for your premium. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Waymo Gets the Go for a Big Robocab Expansion in California
When robocab start-up Cruise was involved in a near-fatal pedestrian crash in California last October, many observers wondered whether that would deliver an even more deadly hit to the quest for fully self-driving vehicles. But while GM-owned Cruise has been struggling, its chief rival, Alphabet’s Waymo, is moving forward. And it just won approval from California regulators to expand its base of operations in the state.
California Wants to Require Automakers to Install Speed Limiters
California lawmakers are considering a bill that could require new vehicles to come with an “intelligent speed limiter” that, in most instances, would prevent motorists from driving more than 10 mph above the speed limit. Such devices have also been recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board, though that has gained little traction on a federal level.
President Biden Orders Probe of Foreign Connected Vehicles
Citing Chinese automobiles and trucks with internet connectivity as a possible national security threat, President Biden directed the Commerce Department to launch an inquiry into foreign software in automobiles. Get details at Headlight.News.
Auto Companies Fight Battle Against Global Counterfeit Parts Makers
The recent investigation by U.S. Department of Homeland Security in metro Detroit turned up scores of counterfeit auto parts. The probe, aided by Detroit Three automakers, netted scores of inexpensive, but fake parts for Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge car parts. The bust is a microcosm of a much larger problem across the U.S. costing automakers billions of dollars. Find out more at Headlight.News.
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.
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.
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.