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January 17, 2023

Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up January 8-14, 2023

Nutson’s Auto News Weekly-Wrap-up January 8-14 2023

Every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Auto Channel Executive Producer, with able assistance from senior editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Auto Channel’s “take” on this past week’s automotive news, condensed into easy to digest news Nuggets.

LEARN MORE: Complete versions of today’s news nuggets, along with thousands of pages of relevant news and opinions, information stored in a million-page library published and indexed on The Auto Channel during the past 25 years. Complete information can be found by copying a headline and inserting it into any Site Search Box.

Here are Larry’s picks among the past week’s important, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted easy-to-understand automotive universe news nuggets.

* Kelley Blue Book released its December new vehicle average transaction price (ATP) report with record-breaking data, as prices are up 4.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} overall from 2021. The average price paid for a new vehicle in December was $49,507—a record high and up nearly $1K from November. Truck sales were particularly strong last month, more than 270,000 sold for the first time since the spring of 2021, and the average price paid for a new truck was more than $59,000. And, on the decrease are EV prices which went down more than $3,500 month over month with Tesla slashing prices and commanding more than 65{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the electric vehicle segment.

* The recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act brought about changes in the electric vehicle tax credit. If an individual bought and placed in service a new qualified plug-in electric vehicle (EV) or fuel cell vehicle (FCV) on January 1, 2023 or later and meet certain income limitations, they may be eligible for a clean vehicle tax credit up to $7,500 under Internal Revenue Code Section 30D. A new price limitation prescribes that the vehicle not exceed a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of $80,000 for vans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks and $55,000 for other vehicles. Of interest is the classifiction of some vehicles by the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service. For example they did not classify the Cadillac Lyriq as an SUV, meaning its retail price cannot be above $55,000 to qualify for up to $7,500 in federal tax credits. Similarly the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Ford Mach-E and Escape PHEV, Lincoln Corsair, select VW ID.4 models and the Tesla model Y with 5-seats cannot excedd the $55,000 limit. The IRS is following the 40 CFR 600.002 criteria that legally defines vehicle types. Recenlty, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said she thinks there is a sense of understanding from industry and consumer groups ‘about what the credits will entail and what will be eligible.’ PS: Not all so-called SUVs are in reality an SUV.

* U.S. DoE factoid of the week: The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Vehicle Technologies Office estimates the cost of an electric vehicle lithium-ion battery pack declined 89{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} between 2008 and 2022 (using 2022 constant dollars). The 2022 estimate is $153/kWh on a usable-energy basis for production at scale of at least 100,000 units per year. That compares to $1,355/kWh in 2008. The decline in cost is due to improvements in battery technologies and chemistries, and an increase in manufacturing volume.

* According to NHTSA the number of traffic deaths on U.S. roadways fell slightly during the first nine months of 2022, but pedestrian and cyclist deaths continued to rise. NHTSA estimates that 31,785 people were killed in crashes from January through September last year, down 0.2{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} from the same period of 2021. The number of cyclists killed in crashes rose 8{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} compared with a year earlier, while motorcyclist deaths rose 5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and pedestrian deaths were up 2{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. NHTSA said that Americans are driving more than during the height of the pandemic, with preliminary Federal Highway Administration data showing a 1.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} increase in vehicle miles traveled in the first nine months of last year.

* Inrix published the 2022 Global Traffic Scorecard that identified and ranked congestion and mobility trends in more than 1,000 cities, across 50 countries. Chicago (155 hours), Boston (134 hours), and New York (117 hours) lost the most time to traffic congestion in the U.S. and were all in the top five for most congested cities in the world, alongside London (156 hours) and Paris (138 hours). The typical American driver lost 51 hours in congestion, up 15 hours from 2021 but still nearly 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} below pre-pandemic levels.

* The head of the National Transportation Safety Board expressed concern about the safety risks that heavy electric vehicles, such as the 9,000-pound GMC Hummer EV, pose if they collide with lighter vehicles. “I’m concerned about the increased risk of severe injury and death for all road users from heavier curb weights and increasing size, power, and performance of vehicles on our roads, including electric vehicles,” Jennifer Homendy said in remarks prepared for the group. Also of concern is electric vehicles have very high horsepower ratings, allowing them to accelerate quickly even in crowded urban areas. “People are not trained to handle that type of acceleration,” said Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety.

* The Biden-Harris Administration released the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization. Developed by the departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Blueprint is a landmark strategy for cutting all greenhouse emissions from the transportation sector by 2050. It exemplifies the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to addressing the climate crisis and meeting President Biden’s goals of securing a 100{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} clean electrical grid by 2035 and reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

* According to research from S&P Global Mobility, the US will need more than 2.3 million chargers for electric vehicles by 2030 to service the projected 28 million EVs on the road by then. “Developments in battery technology, and how quickly EVs can receive power, will be as critical to improvements here as how quickly and plentifully infrastructure can provide the power,” said Graham Evans, research and analysis director for S&P Global Mobility.

* More than 90{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of vehicle-owning households in the United States would see a reduction in the percentage of income spent on transportation energy—the gasoline or electricity that powers their cars, SUVs and pickups—if they switched to electric vehicles. And more than 90{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of households that replace gas-powered vehicles with EVs would also reduce the amount of climate-warming greenhouse gases they generate, according to a new University of Michigan study. However, more than half of the lowest-income U.S. households (an estimated 8.3 million households) would continue to experience high transportation energy burdens, defined in this study as spending more than 4{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of household income on filling the tank or charging up. Hat tip to our friends at The Detroit Bureau.

* Rolls-Royce has achieved its highest-ever annual sales in 2022, delivering a total of 6,021 motor cars, up 8{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} on 2021, to clients in around 50 countries worldwide. This is the first time in the company’s 118-year history that its sales have exceeded 6,000 in a single 12‑month period. The USA was once again the marque’s largest overall market as a new generation of younger American entrepreneurs, wealth generators and job creators were drawn to Rolls-Royce for the first time, according to Rolls-Royce.

* Check back next week: Chevrolet plans to introduce the Corvette E-Ray on Jan. 17. The E-Ray, a gasoline-electric version of the eighth-generation sports car, also adds all-wheel drive for the first time.

* The 2023 NACTOY winners were announced. The Acura Integra is the 2023 North American Car of the Year. The Kia EV6 is the 2023 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Ford F-150 Lightning is the 2023 North American Truck of the Year. Congratulations to the winners. PS – The Detroit Free Press choices we mentioned last week were right on.

* Hertz believes in the saying “Let the good times roll.” Whether you’re planning a night out on the town for a big birthday; looking to arrive in style for your bachelorette party; or celebrating a milestone anniversary, you can celebrate your next exciting moment with a rental vehicle from Hertz complete with a custom-wrapped exterior. Hertz offers 19 different designs to choose from.

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* Reuters reports Federal vehicle safety regulators said they want Tesla officials to explain a tweet by Elon Musk suggesting he could order a software update that turns off the system that nags drivers to keep hands on the wheel while a Tesla driver operates the vehicle on Autopilot. Acting National Highway Traffic Safety Administration chief Ann Carlson said Monday that the agency is working “really fast” on its investigation of Tesla and Autopilot safety.

* A fire broke out at Guangzhou, China auto show on the eve before it opened. The fire, in IAT Automobile Technology Co. booth, was caused by an accident involving an external power switch, according to a company statement. The show opened with no delay and is currently running.

* Kevin Harvick announced that the 2023 NASCAR season will be his final season in the Cup Series. Harvick, 47, is in the last year of his contract with Stewart-Haas Racing and had previously said that an announcement would be made regarding his future before the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 19. Harvick was thrust into the Cup Series in 2001 after the death of Dale Earnhardt. He took over Earnhardt’s renumbered No. 29 car for Richard Childress Racing the week after Earnhardt died in the 2001 Daytona 500. Harvick then went on to be one of the most successful drivers of the 2000s. Overall, Harvick has scored 60 wins in 790 Cup Series starts and is a surefire NASCAR Hall of Famer on the first ballot

Stay safe. Be Well.

December 12, 2022

Nutson’ s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up December 11, 2022

Each Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Auto Male and Vehicle Channel Government Producer, with ready help from senior editor Thom Cannell from The Vehicle Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Auto Channel’s “get” on this earlier week’s automotive information, condensed into straightforward to digest information Nuggets.

Understand Extra: Finish versions of present-day news nuggets, along with 1000’s of webpages of applicable information and opinions, details saved in a million-website page library published and indexed on The Auto Channel all through the previous 25 yrs. Full data can be discovered by copying a headline and inserting it into any Site Search Box.

Nutson’s Automobile News Weekly-Wrap-up December 4-10, 2022

In this article are Larry’s picks amid the previous week’s significant, suitable, semi-mystery, or snappy automotive news, views and insider again stories offered as expertly crafted effortless-to-recognize automotive universe information nuggets.

* Regular gasoline selling price for U.S. motorists is at $3.41 for each gallon according to AAA. Some states have found gasoline tumble beneath $3.00. In response to the invasion of the Ukraine by Russia, a European Union boycott of Russian oil put together with a $60 cap on the for each barrel cost could guide to supply shortages. The White Household is pushing for far more oil supply to retain price ranges down.

* U.S.DoE factoid of the 7 days: Plug-in electrical cars reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 5.5 million metric tons in 2021. Estimates present that plug-in electric vehicles, together with all-electric motor vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric autos (PHEVs), lessened carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 5.5 million metric tons in 2021. The estimates applied regional electric powered grid mixes and EV/PHEV registration areas. Two-thirds of the emissions reduction was attributable to EVs, although the remainder was attributable to PHEVs. From 2011, the very first complete calendar year of mass sector plug-in car or truck sales in the United States, to 2021, EVs and PHEVs minimized a total of 19.7 million metric tons of CO2.

* Development of a nationwide world-wide-web of electric powered car charging stations could be delayed if the Biden administration enforces a January deadline to manufacture the chargers domestically, in accordance to business officials who are racing to build the network. Point out transportation companies, alongside with producers and operators of electric powered vehicle chargers, say “Buy America” guidelines mandating that the EV chargers be created and assembled with U.S. pieces and labor could derail their organizing procedures if they are implemented way too promptly. The officers are worried that the runway for “Buy America” implementation is as well quick. American manufacturing of EV charger materials is even now nascent and ramping up progressively, which means there is a large risk of bottlenecks and holdups as states and corporations contend for a constrained offer of domestic producing choices. EVgo and other teams are supportive of initiatives to onshore the provide chain for EV infrastructure but have requested that the Biden administration prolong the “Buy America” waiver by means of at minimum the stop of 2023.

* Several media report Ford Motor Co. has secured commitments from two of every single three sellers who approach to go all-in on offering electrical motor vehicles, CEO Jim Farley discovered in the course of an job interview. Of the estimated 3,000 Ford sellers in the U.S., 1,920 have enrolled in the voluntary Design e System for the preliminary 2024 to 2026 period of time. Prospects purchasing for electrical autos will shortly see signage that identifies dealers as Design e Certified Elite or Product e Qualified. This is major because it also tells the public the locale of quick chargers wanted to recharge electric powered automobiles. They have also stated that variations to Ford’s revenue design are necessary. With the Design e requirements, they intention to supply efficiencies pushed by changes these kinds of as e-commerce and electronic prospects, reducing floor inventory and “evolving” seller margins.

* GM is searching to double the total of electric car charging stations in the US and Canada, particularly in rural areas, fairly than coastal towns. The plan for 40,000 charging stations will help aid GM’s purpose to promote only electrical cars by 2035. In the Seller Community Charging Method, GM has chosen Flo as its charger provider. The plan phone calls for GM dealerships to set up up to 10 new Flo chargers in their neighborhood. The application enables the chargers to be put in at various locations in the dealer’s nearby local community, be it a park, a city constructing, or a buying middle. Chargers will be readily available for any person to use.

* California, for the 2nd yr in a row, has established itself as the leading state for clear strength specifications and effectiveness, in accordance to a new report. The American Council for an Electricity-Productive Economy, a nonprofit research organization, set America’s most populous condition at the prime of the record because it will save electrical power “on various fronts,” including through its car emissions, appliance and setting up standards. Subsequent California states in the Northeast region make up the rest of the top 9 with Minnesota rated No. 10. Massachusetts is No. 2 all round and been given specially large marks for utility and public benefits, point out authorities initiatives and industrial guidelines classes. See where by your state ranks appropriate listed here:
https://www.aceee.org/condition-plan/scorecard

* A new report from Edmunds states EVs are disrupting the way that individuals are procuring and perceiving automaker models. Early info displays that EVs are giving automakers the option to redefine their brand names in the eyes of people. Four major EV market place trends that reflect this notable change in client browsing habits have already begun to arise in 2022: EVs are attracting far more luxurious homeowners EVs are successful conquests from other brand names EVs are commanding major greenback and, EVs are appealing to young buyers.

* Valencia, Spain works by using street mild lampposts to recharge electrical automobiles. A take a look at application with 12 lamposts is prepared to extend the plan to 150 street light EV chargers. An additional new wrinkle: Motion detection cameras will quickly suggest these avenue lights switch on or increase their intensity when an individual walks earlier, as a even more energy saving evaluate.

* Ever-common pickup vehicles and large SUVs have developed in dimensions in excess of the past couple of a long time. And their escalating stature has led to a significant challenge: a huge blind zone in entrance of the grille exactly where young children and other pedestrians are not detectable to the driver. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) programs to introduce the Cease Frontovers Act. It aims to handle the hazard of “frontover” injuries—the form in which pedestrians, significantly little ones, can be wounded or killed by slow transferring trucks since the driver cannot see directly in entrance of the vehicle.

* Lexus has confirmed it is building a software program-dependent guide transmission for electric powered cars. Indeed, severely! Specifics were being launched at Toyota’s Kenshiki media forum in Brussels, Belgium. “From the outside the house, this auto is as peaceful as any other BEV. But the driver is ready to expertise all the sensations of a guide transmission auto. It is a software program-primarily based procedure, so it can be programmed to reproduce the driving knowledge of distinct vehicle varieties, letting the driver select their chosen mapping” according to Takashi Watanabe, Lexus Electrified Chief Engineer. The sytem is not related to a clutch due to the fact Lexus’s long run EVs is not going to have a clutch.

* Ford unveiled the keep track of-only 2023 Ford GT Mk IV that plays homage to the 1967 Le Mans-winning GT Mk IV that defeat Ferrari. Only 67 illustrations of this final model of its 3rd-generation GT supercar will be designed. Attributes incorporate specifically engineered twin-turbo EcoBoost motor concentrating on additional than 800 horsepower, race transmission, carbon fiber “long tail” entire body, additionally Multimatic’s Adaptive Spool Valve (ASV) suspension. A new customer software course of action (https://www.ford.com/efficiency/gt/mk-iv/) will commence for this $1.7M supercar, with client selections verified in the very first-quarter of 2023. Deliveries will get started in late spring 2023.

* For the fourth calendar year in a row, there is not going to be an car demonstrate in Vancouver, Canada. Organizers of the Vancouver International Automobile Present say they are pulling the plug on the March 2023 occasion mainly because of offer chain problems. It is really the next Canadian automobile present which is been cancelled in as lots of weeks.

* Subaru declared a security recall on specific 2019-2022 model year Ascent vehicles. The floor bolt that secures the floor terminal of the Beneficial Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater may have been improperly fastened through motor vehicle generation. This prospective affliction may possibly result in the melting of the floor terminal and encompassing factors, rising the possibility of hearth when the PTC heater is in procedure.

* Former Method A person driver Patrick Tambay has died at the age of 73, his relatives have verified. The French driver, who entered 123 races, died following a long struggle with Parkinson’s condition. He competed in F1 in two spells, to start with in between 1977 and 1979, and then from 1981 to 1986. He gained two races for Ferrari in the next of individuals intervals the 1982 German Grand Prix and the San Marino GP the following calendar year. His best complete in the driver’s championship came in 1983 when he finished fourth at the rear of Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost and Rene Arnoux.

Keep secure. Be Very well.

December 1, 2022

Layne Riggs’ gamble pays off with NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national title

Almost nothing has occur effortless for Layne Riggs from the second his car racing occupation commenced.

A veteran in late product inventory motor vehicle competitors despite being just 20, the 2nd-generation competitor from Bahama, North Carolina, has fought for every victory with a small procedure, all although ready for the proper option to observe in his father Scott Riggs’ footsteps as a driver in one of NASCAR’s top a few divisions.

The conclusion to wager on himself by heading for a NASCAR Advance Auto Areas Weekly Sequence title paid out off for Riggs, who joined a prolonged list of noteworthy nationwide champions with a stellar year that saw him claim 16 victories at five tracks, as well as a observe championship at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway.

Heading for the national championship was tough for Riggs on several fronts. He admitted getting capable to replicate on and cherish what he attained in 2022 with his workforce has been equivalent elements cathartic and validating.

“It’s been fantastic to celebrate with my crew and bask in our glory,” Riggs reported. “In the minute when we were being winning all the races, it was tricky to celebrate anything at all, as we experienced to concentrate on the subsequent day of racing. You could not take pleasure in the time, but we experienced a substantial staff social gathering, and it was good to share stories and celebrate what we did, especially since we’ll almost certainly under no circumstances do this all over again.”

Relevant: Remaining NASCAR Advance Auto Sections Weekly Sequence standings

Even even though he has a acquainted previous identify, Riggs does not see himself a great deal distinctive than the blue-collar motorists who dominate limited tracks along the East Coast.

Most of the crew customers who guide the Riggs spouse and children with their late design inventory car or truck program are volunteers, all of whom have labored tirelessly to retain the cars aggressive with other prime-tier companies that include things like JR Motorsports and Sellers Racing Inc.

Becoming a pupil at UNC Charlotte only served to complicate issues for Riggs as he poured each individual ounce of electrical power into defeating defending Weekly Series winner Peyton Sellers, but he managed to locate the fantastic stability by frequently speaking with his team about what he necessary to be comfortable in his automobile.

Peyton Sellers (26) follows Layne Riggs (99) as they attempt to pass Chris Denny (2, partially hidden behind Riggs’ car) during the second race of twin 65-lap NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division races that highlighted the Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event at South Boston Speedway on Sept. 4. (Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway) — Layne Riggs (99) experienced to struggle Peyton Sellers (26) all yr for the NASCAR Progress Vehicle Parts Weekly Sequence title, with Riggs in the long run prevailing by 4 details. (Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway)

The maturity and composure Riggs desired to remain concentrated amid his hectic routine came about by perfecting his race craft versus a lot of talented competition, which incorporated existing NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Josh Berry, Bobby McCarty, Deac McCaskill and Jared Fryar.

With out those people folks to lean on in his developmental period of time, Riggs thinks he would by no means have gotten close to the Weekly Series crown.

“This past time served as my final exam for late product inventory racing,” Riggs claimed. “I’ve figured out so substantially from all the veterans out there, but I experienced to use all the information. You don’t seriously see that advancement till you seem back and see all the methods you’ve created, but each aspect of myself has gotten far better.”

In the center of his pursuit for the national championship, Riggs eventually acquired the prospect to make his NASCAR nationwide series debut by signing a 3-race deal with Halmar Friesen Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series.

Riggs squandered no time demonstrating the broader NASCAR lover foundation the talent he possesses. Through his very first race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, immediately after beginning 23^rd, Riggs patiently climbed his way as a result of the field and challenged several of the very best drivers in the Truck Series before in the end settling for a seventh-position finish.

The subsequent two Truck Sequence appearances for Riggs saw him carry above the momentum from his general performance at IRP. Even though he did not eclipse his vocation-very best finish, Riggs certified fourth at Richmond Raceway and 2nd for the year finale at Phoenix Raceway, exactly where he led five laps just after passing eventual Truck Sequence champion Zane Smith shortly just after the preliminary commence.

Riggs is at this time functioning on securing the needed funding to compete in the Truck Sequence full-time in 2023. Details are nevertheless getting sorted out, but Riggs hopes to at the very least get acceptance for the opener at Daytona Intercontinental Speedway prior to viewing how the relaxation of the year turns out from a fiscal standpoint.

Relevant: Occupation stats for Layne Riggs

A extra lively existence in the Truck Collection signifies Riggs will move on from the willpower that formed him into the driver he is nowadays, but he even now plans to contend in a handful of late model stock motor vehicle events when he has free of charge time.

“I’ll probably do the Josh Berry plan in which I race [late model stocks] on off weekends,” Riggs explained. “There will not be a set routine, so I obviously won’t be running for any championships, but you’ll certainly see me at some short tracks just owning enjoyable.”

With a countrywide championship beneath his belt, Layne Riggs is getting ready to embark on what he hopes will be a entire NASCAR Craftsman Truck Sequence agenda following year. (Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway)

Riggs hopes the good results and notoriety he liked in 2022 is a favourable sign for other blue-collar racers on the lookout to crack into NASCAR’s best ranks.

Through his late model stock motor vehicle vocation, Riggs has occur across a good deal of drivers he understands would excel in NASCAR’s top series if provided the suitable option. Possessing been in that crowd himself, Riggs would like to see those same veterans stick to a similar path, and he thinks ongoing modifications in the business may possibly just one working day allow for them to do so.

For now, Riggs intends to symbolize the Southeast limited monitor sector as each a Weekly Collection winner and a Truck Series competitor. He anticipates a demanding finding out curve throughout his to start with year in the division, specifically when it will come to figuring out aerodynamics and heading up towards the diverse Truck Sequence roster.

“In the late product environment, you have your pick out veterans that are generally up at the entrance racing just about every other,” Riggs mentioned. “When you go to the Truck Collection, there are so lots of extra of them. The very best from the grassroots produced it to the Truck Collection, so there’s going to be a ton of competition. I felt like I was the very best in my space, so I consider I’m up to the process.”

Loads of hurdles lie in advance for Riggs as he transitions into a new section of his vocation, but he is all set to embrace the pending adversity and demonstrate that his nationwide championship is the initially of lots of NASCAR accomplishments to arrive.

November 29, 2022

Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up November 20-26, 2022

Nutson’s Auto News Weekly-Wrap-up November 20-26, 2022

* Consumer demand for new cars and trucks is cooling down in the United States, J.D. Power and LMC Automotive conclude in their forecast for November sales. Factoring out rising sales to fleets, Power-LMC forecast that U.S. retail car and truck sales will fall by 0.3{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} for November compared to a year ago. Average vehicle transaction prices are rising, but at a slower pace. In November, Power-LMC estimated 41{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of vehicles will sell for more than the factory sticker price, down from 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} sold over sticker price in July. New-vehicle transaction prices continue to rise but at slower pace than earlier this year. The average price in November will set a record for the month of $45,872, an increase of 3.1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} from a year ago.

* For the second straight week, the nation’s average gas price has declined, falling 11.9 cents from a week ago to $3.64 per gallon early thsi week according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million individual price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country. The national average is down 16.4 cents from a month ago and 24.5 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 6.7 cents in the last week and stands at $5.28 per gallon.

* US DoE factoid of the week: In 2021, 73{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of all plug-in vehicles on the road were assembled in North America, with 65{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of them built in the United States. Japan was a distant second at 12{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, followed by Germany at 6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. Since 2011—the first full year of mass market plug-in vehicle sales in the U.S.— a greater share of plug-in vehicles has been assembled domestically than conventional internal combustion-powered vehicles.

* How’s your vehicle’s resale value? The J.D. Power 2023 ALG Residual Value Awards have increased importance in today’s market for both automakers and consumers, given the recent increases in the cost of new and used vehicles. For a third consecutive year, Lexus received the brand award for best premium brand. For a second consecutive year, Honda received the brand award for best mass market brand. Kia received the most model awards overall and is the most improved mass market brand year over year, moving up three places. Porsche is the most improved premium brand, moving up four places. Learn more right here. https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2023-us-alg-residual-value-awards

* Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Domino’s Pizza Inc. is moving to electrify its pizza delivery with the acquisition of more than 800 custom-branded 2023 Chevy Bolt EVs. More than 100 of the General Motors electric cars are arriving at select franchise and corporate stores throughout the United States this month. An additional 700 will arrive in coming months, the company said, giving Domino’s the largest electric pizza delivery fleet in the country.

* Joe White at Reuters informs: People who buy electric vehicles tend to drive them less and keep them longer than combustion vehicles, according to new research from the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank. The result is relatively fewer, affordable used EVs on the market, which in turn could mean the U.S. vehicle fleet takes longer to convert to battery power from fossil fuels. The average new electric vehicle costs $66,000 – out of reach for many families. “The used vehicle channel has not nearly been as relevant for popularizing BEVs as it could be,” the Fed researchers write. By the time the average combustion vehicle is five years old, 55{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} have changed hands and been registered as used vehicles. But only 14{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of five year old electric vehicles are registered as used, based on registration and vehicle powertrain data from model year 2010 through 2021. BEV owners drive their electric cars a lot less, too. The average ten-year old electric vehicle has 50,000 miles on it, less than half the miles on the average ten-year old combustion car or truck.

* We read in Autoweek the AM radio band in particular is subject to electromagnetic interference from electric motors, which generate frequencies comparable in wavelength to AM radio signals. Many EVs have abandoned the radio band, while others—like the Ford F-150 Lightning—did include it but will soon cease to. A global radio aggregator and streaming service called TuneIn offers a solution, by delivering feeds from some 100,000 stations over a vehicle’s 5G wireless network access.

* Ford is recalling over 634,000 utility vehicles worldwide because a cracked fuel injector can spill fuel or leak vapors onto a hot engine and cause fires. The recall covers Bronco Sport and Escape models from the 2020 through 2023 model years. All have 1.5-liter, three-cylinder engines.

* Bond, James Bond! Bond In Motion: The Official Collection of Original James Bond Vehicles exhibition is at the Saratoga Auto Museum. Featured are 25 official vehicles from the longest-running film franchise in movie history. Bond In Motion runs through November 2023 at the Saratoga Automobile Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York. https://saratogaautomuseum.squarespace.com

* Comedian Jay Leno was released from the hospital after suffering burns to his face, according to multiple reports. Leno stayed at the Grossman Burn Center for 10 days after he was injured when flames erupted while working on his 1907 White Steam Car on Nov. 12. While he suffered third-degree burns, he should recover. “I am pleased with Jay’s progress, and I am optimistic that he will make a full recovery,” Dr. Peter Grossman, Leno’s doctor, said in a statement released by the Burn Center.

* Starting in 2023, Formula 1 is set to launch an all-female driver category, the F1 Academy, to develop and prepare young female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition – including W Series, Formula 1, Formula 2, and Formula 3. The series will consist of five teams run by current F2 and F3 teams, each entering three cars to make up a 15-car grid. The first season will comprise of seven events with three races each – amounting to a total of 21 races – plus 15 days of official testing, with the 2023 calendar set to be released in due course. The drivers will be getting behind the wheel of Tatuus T421 chassis, with Autotecnica supplying turbocharged engines that will deliver 165 horsepower, while Formula 1’s Global Partner Pirelli will provide the tires.

* A total of 277 vehicles officially entered last weekend’s internationally televised BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts. The season-finale of the four-race 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship was held over a technical, rugged race course around Baja California Norte on Mexico’s magnificent and majestic Baja California peninsula. Race course distance is 828.25 miles. The Honda Off-Road Racing Team with its Honda Ridgeline Baja Race Truck took Class 7 honors for the second consecutive year in the 55th running of the iconic Baja 1000.

* A next-generation race-prepped, stock Ford Ranger Raptor finished the SCORE-International Baja 1000 atop the stock mid-size class, then drove on public roads back to its base in Riverside, California after the race. The nearly-flawless Ford Performance global effort was powered by a low-carbon biofuel (Ethanol and Bionaptha) from Shell, demonstrating that commitment to sustainability does not require compromising performance (or Rocket Science Electric) .

* We hope you all had a safe and happy Thanksgiving. AAA predicted 54.6 million people would travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving. That’s a 1.5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} increase over 2021 and 98{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of pre-pandemic volumes. This year is projected to be the third busiest for Thanksgiving travel since AAA started tracking in 2000.

Stay safe. Be Well.

July 19, 2022

Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up July 10

AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO – July 17, 2022; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Auto Channel Executive Producer, with able assistance from senior editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Auto Channel’s “take” on this past week’s automotive news, condensed into easy to digest news Nuggets.

Nutson’s Automotive Weekly Auto News Wrap-up – Week Ending July 16, 2022 Below are the past week’s important, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as
expertly crafted easy-to-understand automotive universe news nuggets.

* Gas prices fell this week to a national average of $4.67, 12 cents lower than last week’s average, according to new data from AAA. The national average is 32 cents less than a month ago, but $1.53 more than last year, AAA reported. Just last month, gas prices reached an all-time high, surpassing $5 per gallon and hitting the highest point since AAA began tracking prices in 2000.This recent decrease came despite a surge in demand for gas after the July 4th holiday, according to AAA.

* Michael Sivak Sivak Applied Research examined the differences between the prices of gasoline in blue and red states. Blue states were defined as those states where in 2020 Joe Biden won all or a majority of electoral votes (26 states); red states are those where Biden won no or a minority of electoral votes (25 states). The average prices of regular gasoline on July 14, 2022 came from AAA. The average of state averages in blue states was $4.81 per gallon, while in red states it was $4.50. There was only 1 blue state in which the average price was below $4.35 (GA), compared with 11 red states (AL, AR, FL, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, SC, TN, and TX). Conversely, there were only 3 red states in which the average price was above $5.00 (AK, ID, and UT), compared with 6 blue states (CA, HI, IL, NV, OR, and WA).

* The average price paid for a new vehicle in the U.S. in June was the highest on record and marked the first time the average transaction price (ATP) surpassed the $48,000 mark, according to new data released by Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive company. The new-vehicle ATP increased to $48,043 in June 2022, according to KBB, beating the previous high of $47,202 set in December 2021. June prices rose 1.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} ($895) from May and were up 12.7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} ($5,410) from June 2021. The average price paid for a new non-luxury vehicle last month was $43,942, up $615 from May, the highest price for a non-luxury vehicle on record. The average luxury buyer paid $66,476 for a new vehicle, up $1097 month over month, the highest price for a luxury vehicle ever.

* Tesla Inc.’s new assembly plant in Gruenheide, Germany, is building the Model Y only in black or white, according to a report from Automotive News Europe sister publication Automobilwoche. Customers who choose red, blue, or silver vehicles will be supplied from the automaker’s Shanghai factory and will not receive their vehicle until March 2023 at the earliest. If they opt for black or white, they can expect their cars in October. Facing a global shortage of semiconductor chips and other supply-chain disruptions, other automakers in Europe are offering pared-down options for cars so customers can get their new cars quickly. Renault is offering “fast track” delivery for its Arkana crossover to customers who choose black, pearl-white or gray.

* New-vehicle sales in the second quarter struggled, up only modestly from the first quarter and down more than 20{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} from Q2 2021. But, Cox Automotive reports sales of battery-powered electric vehicles – pure EVs – jumped to 196,788, a record high and a 13{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} increase from Q1. Sales of electrified vehicles – combined EVs, hybrids, and fuel-cell-powered vehicles – jumped to 442,740 in Q2, an increase of 12.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} from year-ago levels. Electrified vehicles account for 12.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the U.S. market last quarter. In Q2, EV sales accounted for 5.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the total market, an increase from 5.3{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in Q1 and a record high. EV share in Q2 2021 was 2.7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.

* Electric vehicle chargers are coming to highway truck-stop gasoline stations. GM and Pilot Company (Pilot and Flying J) are collaborating on a national DC fast charging network that will be installed, operated and maintained by EVgo. This network of 2,000 charging stalls, co-branded “Pilot Flying J” and “Ultium Charge 360”, will be powered by EVgo eXtend and open to all EV brands at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J travel centers. Many of these sites will feature canopies to help protect customers from the elements while charging, as well as pull-through capability allowing convenient charging for electric pickup trucks and SUVs pulling trailers.

* There is an alarming increase in people being struck and killed while walking. The number of people struck and killed while walking reached yet another new high in 2020. More than 6,500 people were struck and killed while walking in 2020, an average of nearly 18 per day, and a 4.5 percent increase over 2019. This epidemic continues growing worse because our nation’s streets are dangerous by design, designed primarily to move cars quickly at the expense of keeping everyone safe. The result in 2020 was a significant increase in all traffic fatalities, even with less driving overall due to the pandemic. See the report here: https://smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-design/

* Various members of the automotive media were all abuzz over a story that BMW was going to charge a subscription fee for features such as heated seats to be activated in a vehicle. This led BMW of North America to issue a clarifying press release saying that’s not the case. BMW Functions on Demand on the other hand is designed to offer premium features through software upload that use data and sensors from factory option hardware already built into BMW vehicles. As an example, some BMW models equipped with certain specific options from the factory can currently add the first two Functions on Demand features available in the US – namely a dash cam function called BMW Drive Recorder and BMW Remote Engine Start function—through a software download in a customer’s vehicle.

* Yay, a new sedan is coming to market–and not another utility vehicle. Toyota pulled the sheet off the 2023 Toyota Crown. The Crown is a 4-door sedan with coupe-like styling, a traditional trunk opening and slightly lifted ride height. It will be have a hybrid powertrain and come with all-wheel drive as standard. The Crown is a premium sedan that will replace the Avalon.

* Bloomberg reports Chinese drivers are souping up their electric scooters, helping to grow one of the most successful corners of battery-powered transportation. Electric two-wheelers sold by companies like Niu Technologies have proved to be incredibly well-received in China’s megacities by delivery drivers and commuters who need to bypass traffic and travel short distances in little time. Their popularity has endured despite a 2019 move by the government to force manufacturers to cap speeds at 25 kilometers per hour (16 mph). Drivers and sellers have fought back by hacking software and taking online tutorials that allow them to bypass the controls, enabling some advanced models to hit speeds of 50 kph (31mph or more.)

* The Jeep brand is being recognized for the 20th consecutive year as America’s Most Patriotic Brand in the annual Brand Keys Inc. 50 Most Patriotic Brands survey. “Since 1941” is a badge of honor proudly displayed on all Jeep brand vehicles, recognizing the Jeep brand’s long-standing military heritage for over 80 years. Consumers surveyed based results on brands that best embody the value of patriotism in 2022.

* Nissan is recalling certain 2020-2022 Frontier and Titan vehicles. The transmission parking pawl may not engage when the vehicle is shifted into park, which can result in a vehicle rollaway. 180,176 units are affected.

* Autoweek reports former NASCAR driver and three-time USAC National Champion racer Bobby East died following a stabbing attack at a gas station in Westminster, Calif., on July 13. East was 37. East is credited with 56 career USAC feature race wins, including 48 in national divisions. He won the USAC Silver Crown Series championship in 2012 and 2013 with Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing. In 2012, East became just the ninth driver in USAC history to win on dirt and pavement tracks in the three top categories: Silver Crown, National Sprint Car and National Midget. He made 31 career starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and 11 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series between 2005 and 2008. His best NASCAR finishes were eighth-place finishes in the Truck Series for team owner Jack Roush at Texas and Memphis in 2008. He raced for the famed Wood Brothers Racing team in the Truck Series in 2006.

Stay safe. Be Well.

July 13, 2022

Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up July 3

Automobile CENTRAL CHICAGO – July 10, 2022 Each individual Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Automobile Channel Govt Producer, with in a position aid from senior editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Vehicle Channel’s “take” on this past week’s automotive information, condensed into straightforward to digest information Nuggets.

Understand Far more: Total variations of present-day news nuggets, together with hundreds of web pages of applicable news and opinions, facts saved in a million-webpage library released and indexed on The Car Channel all through the earlier 25 a long time. Complete info can be uncovered by copying a headline and inserting it into any Internet site Research Box.

Nutson’s Automotive Weekly Auto Information Wrap-up – Week Ending July 9, 2022 Underneath are the past week’s significant, appropriate, semi-key, or snappy automotive information, views and insider back again stories presented as
expertly crafted easy-to-fully grasp automotive universe news nuggets.

* We are 50 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} way by means of 2022 and microchip shortages and other supply chain constraints go on to hamper the vehicle field. Car or truck gross sales declines for the first 50 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of 2022 are down double-digit percentages for approximately each and every brand. GM says it has just shy of 100,000 vehicles that have left the assembly line with parts missing and are becoming held in storage to be finished. Cox Automotive puts the 2022 yearly product sales forecast at 14.4 million models. At the begin of the year Cox forecasted 16 million.

* GasBuddy.com studies we are in the midst of one of the steepest declines (what goes way UP! need to come down) in gasoline rates ever. The nationwide regular tied for its 2nd premier single day fall in the very last decade on Friday. The nationwide normal is now $4.699/gal. Each working day Us residents are investing $125 million considerably less on fuel vs 25 days in the past.

* Toyota has exhausted its U.S. tax credits for EV purchasers. Toyota mentioned it sold 3,876 plug-in hybrid and electrical vehicles in June. The U.S. permits automakers to provide a $7,500 tax credit history to purchasers of absolutely or partly electrical cars, but only up to 200,000 for each enterprise. The Japanese manufacturer will become the 3rd automaker to strike the limit, joining Standard Motors and Tesla.

* U.S.DoE factoid of the 7 days: Mass industry plug-in auto sales started in the United States at the end of 2010 with just a couple models out there to consumers. As new plug-in styles have been released and production volumes have amplified, sales have accelerated appropriately. It took approximately 8 decades to get to just one million cumulative profits but just two and a 50 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} more yrs to arrive at two million cumulative revenue. Just 10 months right after achieving two million in June 2021, cumulative income climbed to 2.6 million as of April 2022.

* TikTok’s Prime Motors: These are the automobiles racking up around 10 million views on TikTok: New research by Puzzled.com analyzed the quantity of sights on TikTok working with hashtags mentioning each and every car or truck model and product, revealing the most popular car designs and brands on the app. The most seen automobile on TikTok is the Ford Maverick, with 10.9 billion views. Closely pursuing in next spot is an additional Ford product, the Ford Mustang, with 10.7 million views. The most-viewed non-Ford car on TikTok is the Toyota Supra, with 9.4 billion views. Regardless of each individual of the top rated 2 vehicles remaining Fords, seeking at car models by themselves, it truly is BMW that statements the prime spot with 49.2 billion sights.

* A 7 days back we reported on a targeted traffic jam established by a quantity of Cruise autonomous automobiles blocking an intersection in San Francisco. Most recently, a Cruise LLC report submitted with the California Department of Motor Automobile informs of a collision in San Francisco involving an autonomous Cruise car and a Toyota Prius. Occupants of both cars obtained insignificant injuries from the collision.

* A increasing variety of customers are eager to obtain a battery electrical automobile, in particular if selected problems similar to EV possession are tackled, these kinds of as developing greater obtain to charging, extending auto array, and decreasing buy charges, according to conclusions from the most significant-at any time nationally agent survey from Consumer Reviews. 36{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of Us residents are scheduling to get or lease an electrical vehicle, or are very seriously considering to do so. Examine more on this study:
Here

* According to Mopar Insider, the last of the Dodge Hellcat products could operate on E85 and have much more ability than a Demon. The supercharged 6.2-liter will not likely be likely out without the need of the proverbial bang. The SRT workforce is apparently doing the job on a modified version of the V8 to operate on E85 gasoline in a bid to extract even much more electrical power. How substantially? It is thought the engine will force upwards of 850 hp in what will be a limited-edition Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody.

* From our fiends at The Detroit Bureau we study that Matthew Sidney Geourge was convicted in federal court for advertising so-termed “defeat devices” that can override the emissions methods created into Ford F-Sequence vans utilizing the 6.4-liter Ability Stroke diesel, violating the U.S. Thoroughly clean Air Act. The situation indicates he is going through 1 12 months and a working day powering bars. His firm Spartan Diesel Systems has been hit with a $2 million fantastic. The situation introduced by the U.S. Division of Justice also accused Geourge of tax evasion. A few associates at Spartan will encounter dwelling confinement of six months every, together with probation, neighborhood company and penalties — although they averted jail time. The federal governing administration has been cracking down on the two tuners and person diesel homeowners who have adopted a political stand opposing federal rules and contesting the concept of worldwide warming. Beware to these into the “rolling coal” motion.

* Thanks to probable fires in 2020-2022 Ford Escape, Lincoln Corsair, and 2022 Ford Maverick designs outfitted with the 2.5-liter I-4 hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain, Ford is recalling about 100,000 automobiles.
The difficulty is, in the event of an engine failure, there could be ample oil and gasoline vapor amassed to trigger a fireplace near ignition resources.

* Le Mans hero, driver, staff supervisor, massive character and long-time motorsports editorial contributor Alain de Cadenet has died at age 77. Alain de Cadenet was a television presenter and racing driver. Immediately after a job in sports vehicle stamina racing, he hosted quite a few shows and broadcasts for the Pace Channel, ESPN, the Velocity Channel, and the Petrolicious internet site. Alain’s tales in person, on stage and in his normal columns were being always hugely entertaining, reflecting a lifetime lived at the sharp stop – and typically on a shoestring – for the duration of a golden period of motorsport.

Stay harmless. Be Well.