Auto Technology Revolution Looks Unstoppable, But Slow. “This highlights consumers’ hesitation to adopt electric vehicles as the cost comparison with traditional ICE vehicles does not favor them and consumers are not yet convinced about their utility” It’s not saying much to declare that Europe will see more electric cars launched this year than 2018, but […]
Brexit “Crash Out” From The EU Might Be No Bad Thing. “A hard Brexit will cost JLR more than $1.5 billion – it’s horrifying, wiping out our profit, destroying investment in the autonomous, zero-emissions (world) we share” “Trading under the WTO option is my preferred alternative to Chequers, as was – and most certainly is […]
Ghosn Demise Casts Shadow Over Future Of Alliance. Nissan Will Need More Power If Alliance With Renault Is To Continue. The arrest and incarceration of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn on corruption charges shocked shareholders invested in the alliance with Renault. The sudden downfall of such a powerful figure in the automotive business was seized […]
Autonomous Cars Face Hurdles; They Will Succeed, But When? “In the cities where all the software, mapping and knowledge is completed, and that number of cities increases, then you can have an AV of your own” The automotive industry is spending fortunes developing autonomous vehicles with no payback in sight, while the technology required to […]
Paris Auto Show – Significant Launches Led By BMW. “This attempt with DS to challenge the German premium brands does look an uphill struggle” It was the car show that much of the industry avoided, but it still attracted many significant new launches, from trend setting electric vehicles to the inevitable slew of new SUVs, […]
JLR Brexit Bluster Camouflages Underlying Profit Problems. “However JLR has issues beyond Brexit and a best case scenario – one in which the U.K. remains in the customs union – will not answer the fundamental questions surrounding the profitability of the company” Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) was all over the media in Britain saying a […]
Audi Delays E-tron Launch As Investors Ponder Stadler Crisis. Diess, The Outsider, Will Be Stronger. “It’s very hard to see what happens next because of the strange organisational structure of VW” Audi said it has postponed the August 30 launch of its all-electric e-tron following the arrest of CEO Rupert Stadler in connection with the […]
Could Electrified Roads Be Battery Cars Silver Bullet? “If you electrify the highways, manufacturers can use smaller batteries and it takes away range anxiety” The dream is that Sweden’s electrified road, which can recharge electric vehicles as they speed overhead, could be the magic bullet that shoots down the two biggest barriers to electric cars […]
Production Hiccup Undermines Tesla, But Will It Survive? “Tesla will learn from its mistakes fast and I’m pretty sure Elon Musk will succeed in fixing this Model 3 production problem” “a classic case of a new entrant taking the risk and creating the initial market, only to be caught by the entrenched incumbents” Tesla Inc’s […]
Angst Vanishes As China Hints At Lower Auto Tariffs. “China Targets Detroit, Hits Tesla and BMW Instead” President Trump’s intervention in the China/U.S. trade dispute led to much initial angst amongst auto investors, but this turned around after China President Xi JinPing hinted that a new deal to cut import tariffs on cars might be […]
