UAW aims for unity after messy elections

The bargaining convention helped set the union's priorities ahead of looming weighty contract talks later this year.

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Musk must erase threatening tweet in labor fight, court says

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that Elon Musk must delete his 2018 Twitter post suggesting that Tesla Inc. workers could lose stock options if they formed a union, as it violated labor law.

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U.S. approves California plan requiring half of heavy duty trucks be EV by 2035

California plans to mandate by 2045 that all operations of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles be zero emission where feasible, shifting away from diesel-powered trucks.

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EV tax credit sourcing rules to take effect in April, officials say

Newly negotiated trade deals on critical minerals could qualify as a free-trade agreement, Treasury says.

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BMW bets on design and recycling, not mining, to lower battery costs

Bringing down battery costs, most of which come from raw materials, is the key challenge for carmakers attempting to generate profits from EVs equivalent to those from combustion engine cars.

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Hyundai, Kia offer free steering locks to combat TikTok-inspired car thefts

The viral videos target Hyundais and Kias that lack an electronic-security feature — called an engine immobilizer — that keeps the car from being started without a key.

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European Commission optimistic for U.S.-EU battery minerals deal similar to Japan's

European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said on Thursday that she is optimistic that an electric vehicle battery minerals trade agreement can soon be reached with the U.S. that is similar in substance to Washington's deal this week with Japan.

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Rivian, Lucid likely to report disappointing Q1 deliveries, forecast says

EV newcomers Rivian and Lucid are likely to report disappointing first-quarter deliveries as Rivian grapples with manufacturing issues and Lucid tackles waning demand.

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Magna Seating plans $100 million plant to serve GM in suburban Detroit

New plant stems from new business from GM; the jobs will be UAW-represented.

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Redesigned 2024 Porsche Cayenne cockpit borrows from Taycan, 911

A freshened Porsche Cayenne midsized crossover arrives midsummer with a more dramatic cockpit.

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Ford, partners sign deal for $4.5 billion EV battery material plant in Asia

Vale and Huayou began construction of the Indonesia plant in November and commercial operation is expected to start in 2026.

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Jeep concepts exhibit electrification, bring luxury to Moab

The 57th annual Easter Jeep Safari is showcasing eco-friendly powertrains and luxury with the brand's trademark ruggedness.

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Sen. Joe Manchin ‘willing to go to court' over EV battery sourcing guidance

Sen. Joe Manchin said at issue is how the U.S. Treasury Department might define key terms such as processing in the tax credit's EV battery sourcing rules that could go against the law's intent of U.S. energy security and reducing dependence on China.

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Redesigned 2024 Porsche Cayenne cockpit borrows from Taycan, 911

A freshened Porsche Cayenne midsized crossover arrives midsummer with a more dramatic cockpit.

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Moving on up: Toyota-Lexus dealer transforms a Manhattan high-rise

BRAM Auto Group built new Toyota and Lexus dealerships on the fourth floor of what will soon be a multiuse high-rise in Manhattan. To make it work — and make money — they had to use every trick in the book, including keeping their cars in another state.

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Powerful Lamborghini Revuelto plug-in hybrid launches brand into EV era

The Revuelto, which replaces the Aventador, combines the most powerful V-12 made by Lamborghini with three electric motors to boost its output to 1,001 hp.

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Group 1 buys Florida Chevy dealership, adds $150 million in revenue

The acquisition of Estero Bay Chevrolet in Florida will add $150 million in annual revenue to Group 1's operations.

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Lucid is cutting 18% of workforce amid slow sales

EV startup Lucid is reducing positions across the organization a cost-cutting measure, the California automaker said in a regulatory filing.

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Kia EV9 gets Level 3 autonomous driving, hauling brawn, software updates galore

Kia's new EV9 three-row, all-electric crossover is technological tour de force that will serve as the brand's new halo model.

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Ford project megasite in Michigan wins $120M state grant

The funding represents the latest chunk of an expected $1.7 billion in incentives and tax breaks supporting the project.

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Ex-Audi CEO Stadler faces conviction in VW diesel scandal case

Former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler could go to prison for up to 10 years after a Munich court gave a preliminary assessment that an accusation of fraud had been substantiated.

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VinFast prepares more EV crossovers for U.S., Canada

The Vietnamese automaker delivered its first VF 9 crossovers to domestic customers and is preparing the EV for export to the U.S. and Canada. A second batch of the smaller VF 8 crossover is coming to North America in April.

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NHTSA opens safety probe into Tesla Model X crossovers for possible detaching seat belts

The agency's Office of Defects Investigation said it received two complaints describing an issue with the front seat belt anchor detaching in those vehicles.

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U.S., Japan strike trade deal on EV battery minerals

The deal also aims to reduce U.S.-Japanese dependence on China for such materials by requiring collaboration to combat "non-market policies and practices" of other countries.

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Two Nissan dealership employees arrested in Ga. after customers allege fraud

Two customers alleged forgery, with one claiming her signature was faked on finance-and-insurance products she didn't buy. A couple also alleged their 2018 Ford F-150 XLT was described to the lender as an F-150 Platinum.

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Toyota says $50,000-plus average new-car prices coming this year

Top Toyota Motor North America executives said new-vehicle prices will likely continue to rise, while supply constraints will ease in 2023 as excess demand that was previously sidelined keeps industry economics robust.

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VC firm Assembly Ventures tapped to help IAA show mobility programming

Organizers of IAA Mobility 2023 said Wednesday they've reached an agreement with venture capital firm Assembly Ventures to oversee a portion of the show's conference programming this fall in Munich.

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Lucid recalls some flagship EVs that could lose power

Lucid is recalling several hundred electric vehicles due to a glitch that could cause its flagship model to lose power while being driven.

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VW Group's controlling family to get $425M dividend from Porsche SE

The Porsche and Piech families behind the unlisted holding company Porsche SE are the most powerful voice in VW Group,

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Rivian to relocate staff to Illinois plant to accelerate production, report says

The reorganization, expected to be announced soon, would mean those working on manufacturing engineering would be asked to relocate to central Illinois or its headquarters in Irvine, Calif.

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Narrow win adds to challenges for new UAW President Shawn Fain

Shawn Fain won by fewer than 500 votes and received the support of less than 7 percent of UAW members eligible to vote.

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Ads focus on celebs' pride in their Fords

Ford has tapped actress Sydney Sweeney, stunt driver Dee Bryant and surfer Kai Lenny to revitalize its 'Built Ford Proud' campaign, which had been dormant for three years.

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Shawn Fain wins election as UAW president; to be sworn-in Sunday

Shawn Fain, who ran as a reformer, will be the union's fifth president in the past five years.

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Why water leaks are a headache for the EV boom

As automakers and battery producers quickly ramp up to mass production of EVs, they need to look out for water leaks.

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Kia sales chief: Uncertainty will keep industry in check

Kia's sales chief Eric Watson says retail sales will remain at modest levels throughout the year, and economic headwinds will keep industry in check as inventory levels build back.

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Napleton Auto Group duo buy 5 dealerships in 3 deals

Napleton Auto Group partners Paul Napleton and Danny Randolph acquired five dealerships in Wisconsin and Illinois in three 2022 transactions.

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Canada Drives granted creditor protection as it restructures, abandons online

Used-vehicle retailer Canada Drives has filed for and been granted creditor protection as the company seeks to restructure its business and abandon online sales amid escalating inventory costs and weakening used-vehicle prices.

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U.S. Treasury to release EV battery sourcing rules next week

The auto, battery and clean energy industries have been awaiting guidance on complex questions governing eligibility for hundreds of billions of dollars of incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law last year.
 

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Ford's BlueOval City set to produce 500,000 electric pickups a year

The $5.6 billion campus in western Tennessee will build a next-generation EV pickup codenamed Project T3 starting in 2025.

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House Republican reintroduces bill to shorten design patents on auto repair parts

The bill was previously introduced in 2021 by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who said it will expand consumer choice for collision repair parts, reduce costs for drivers and insurers and increase competition in the auto repair parts market.

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Unions balk at Biden plan for mineral trade deals with EU, Japan

U.S. labor unions are pushing back on White House efforts to allow European Union and Japanese firms mining and processing critical minerals to tap some of the lucrative subsidies available in the Biden administration's massive climate law, fearing the move will sap American jobs.

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Hyundai recalls 568,000 crossovers, pickups for fire risk

Hyundai is recalling 568,000 vehicles and advising owners to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until a repair is completed.

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Toyota's outgoing CEO to stay on as Japan auto group chief

Akio Toyoda agreed to extend his JAMA tenure following a unanimous vote in January by members of the association's executive board

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VW's Cupra brand weighs entering U.S. market with larger EVs

Cupra has begun market testing for a possible expansion to the U.S., as it targets annual global sales of 500,000 cars a year. CEO Wayne Griffiths says any launch in the U.S. will come only after Cupra increases its market share in Europe.

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EVs boost Domino's pizza delivery as chain looks to attract drivers

A fleet of custom-wrapped Domino's electric delivery vehicles has hit the streets of southeast Michigan.

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Ford expects to lose $3 billion on EVs this year

The EV losses will mount as the company expects increased profits for its internal combustion and commercial vehicle businesses.

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Volkswagen warns of significant drop in earnings from car loans and leases

Volkswagen AG's financial-services division forecast a substantial drop-off in annual profit as better access to semiconductors and other components leads to normalization in the used-car market.

Earnings in 2023 are expected to be significantly below last year's level, Volkswagen Financial Services said in a statement Tuesday. Operating profit slipped to €5.6 billion ($6 billion) last year from a record result in 2021.Shortages of chips and other disruptions to supply chains and logistics have constrained auto manufacturers' pandemic recovery efforts, driving up prices of both new and used vehicles. Elevated residual values have been a boon to the in-house lending units that carmakers and their dealers tap to help consumers finance car purchases and leases, though their earnings have widely been expected to fall off this year.

"2022 was once again an exceptional financial year strongly affected by special factors," Frank Fiedler, chief financial officer of Volkswagen Financial Services, said in the statement. "It can be anticipated that a repeat of such a result will not be possible in the short term."

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GM must face class actions in U.S. court over defective transmissions

The decision by U.S. District Judge David Lawson covers several Chevrolet and GMC trucks and SUVs, several Cadillac models, and the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro, equipped with 8L45 or 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmissions.

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Ford factory subsidies, at $690,000 per job, tally up to much more than other deals

LANSING — Michigan notched a win with Ford Motor Co.'s decision to build a $3.5 billion, 2,500-job electric vehicle battery factory in Marshall.

But the deal, more pieces of which lawmakers could finalize as soon as Wednesday, will not come cheap.

The state will provide significantly more money for the project than for other major business expansions announced since the creation of a new fund to lure companies 15 months ago.

The cost is expected to total $1.7 billion, or about $693,000 a job, or $1 billion and $384,000 per job if only cash, but not a special tax break, is factored in.

The spending will be far more than what is being disbursed for other top projects benefiting from the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund or, in some cases, a direct appropriation enacted into law by the Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The account was formed in late 2021 after Dearborn-based Ford chose to locate EV assembly and battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky.

"I believe that we paid a premium for Ford to tell a good story, which is: 'We created this fund because we lost Ford, and now we've attracted Ford.' But the issue is at what cost? That's $1.7 billion of benefits they received, totaling $725,000 a job, which is way out of whack with what we paid" for other agreements, said House Minority Leader Matt Hall, a Republican from Kalamazoo County's Richland Township and a critic of the deal.

Legislators and Whitmer recently enacted a law setting aside $630 million for the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance to prepare the megasite for Ford's factory. An additional $120 million is expected to be sought in the future.

State officials defend the Ford project subsidies, pointing to especially tough competition from other states as the federal government provides incentives for domestic battery production. They say Michigan is playing catch-up to offer build-ready sites. They also say the Marshall site will create spin-off jobs and is big enough to host other businesses, not just Ford.

Michigan Economic Development Corp. CEO Quentin Messer Jr. said $525 million of the $750 million in site-readiness spending "would need to be done for this site to be competitive for any project, whether it was going to Ford or company A, B, C, Y or Z. It's important to note that other states and provinces have been doing this and deliver to companies, especially companies in the mobility space, semiconductor and clean energy, sites — lock, stock and barrel, water, wastewater, you name it — as part of the package."

The aid to buy and prep land, expand roads and upgrade water infrastructure is substantial. It is 11 times what is being spent to upgrade the site of an EV battery plant in Lansing that is considered more pad-ready partly because it is adjacent to a General Motors Co. assembly factory.

Here is what the state has committed toward different business expansions since early 2022:

 

• $1.7 billion for the Ford project. That includes a $210 million Critical Industry Program grant to Ford, a Renaissance Zone tax exemption worth $772 million over 15 years, $630 million for MDOT and the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance, and $120 million for other site prep work.
• $824 million for Detroit-based GM to spend up to $4 billion converting its Orion assembly plant to build full-size EV pickups and for Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture of GM and LG Energy Solution, to construct the $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion battery plant in Lansing. The agreement includes a $600 million Critical Industry Program grant to GM, a Renewable Energy Renaissance Zone exemption worth $158 million over 18 years and $66 million from the Strategic Site Readiness Program for electric, water and sewer upgrades. The projects will add between 3,200 and 4,000 jobs and retain 1,000 jobs. That comes to roughly $206,000 to $242,000 per new job.
• $715 million for China-based Gotion Inc. to build a $2.4 billion factory near Big Rapids and create at least 2,350 jobs. The deal includes a $125 million Critical Industry Program grant to Gotion — one of the world's biggest battery manufacturers — a Renaissance Zone break worth $540 million over 30 years and a $50 million SSRP grant to support the purchase of land and infrastructure improvements. That is around $304,000 per job.
• $222 million for Novi-based startup Our Next Energy Inc. to open a $1.6 billion plant at an existing facility in Van Buren Township and create 2,112 jobs. The agreement includes a $200 million Critical Industry Program grant to ONE and a tax exemption valued at $21.7 million. That is about $105,000 per job.
• $200 million for Billerud U.S. Production Holding LLC, a subsidiary of a Swedish company, to spend $1 billion and transform its Escanaba plant to make a more technologically advanced paper product known as paperboard or cartonboard, retaining at least 1,240 jobs in the Upper Peninsula. That is $161,000 per retained job.
• $135 million for Ford to add 3,260 jobs and spend $2 billion across 10 facilities. That deal includes a nearly $101 million Critical Industry Program grant and a $34 million State Essential Services Assessment exemption. That is $41,000 per job.
• $60 million for Muskegon County to help redirect wastewater, increase capacity and bolster growth in the local food and dairy industry. The agreement includes Strategic Site Readiness Program funds. Economic development officials have said five businesses will spend at least $187 million and add up to 145 jobs. That is $414,000 per job.
• $27 million to upgrade wastewater treatment infrastructure near Hemlock Semiconductor, a move officials have said will help the company spend up to $375 million and add up to 170 jobs. That is $159,000 per job.

 

Sen. Thomas Albert, Republican, said the $1.7 billion price tag for Ford's expansion is too much. Many workers, he said, will make $20 an hour, or $41,600 a year.

"I for one would like to see the math showing how Michigan taxpayers would ever receive a positive return on investment with this scale of commitment," he said. "Over the next 20 years, the investment is expected to return less in the state's personal income and sales tax revenue than the state's overall investment. This simply does not make good economic sense."

But House Speaker Joe Tate, a Detroit Democrat, said such an analysis does not tell the "whole story." Michigan must continue to secure auto investment amid the industry's electrification, he said

"You see the spin-off of other jobs. You see the co-location of the supply chain around the areas where there is this manufacturing," Tate said. "When you look at the technology that's going to be manufactured here, this is only the start of those opportunities. I think it's going to be definitely a value add not only for what's being built there but also the supply chain that's going to go along with it."

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Chevy, Buick, Honda and Acura dealerships sell in 4 states

Two dealership groups entered new states, a dealer and his group expanded in Chicago and an entrepreneur purchased his first franchised dealership — all in transactions that closed in the fourth quarter.

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Mercedes plant searched in Germany amid corruption probe, report says

Stuttgart prosecutors said they had searched the premises of an unspecified automaker and two suspects are under investigation for bribery in business transactions.

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Mexico makes lots of electric cars, but few Mexicans drive them

Mexico has lofty ambitions to boost EV ownership as Tesla gears up to develop its factory in the northern border state of Nuevo Leon.

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Ferrari cyberattack exposes customer data

Italian luxury sports car maker Ferrari was hit with a ransomware attack that exposed customers' personal information.

It's not clear when Ferrari's Italian subsidiary was contacted by a hacker or group with a ransom demand related to the exposure of customer information nor did Ferrari disclose the ransom amount.

Ferrari said it is investigating the breach with an unnamed "leading global third-party cybersecurity firm" and has informed law enforcement authorities.

Ferrari's policy is not to pay ransom demands to hackers because the company thinks it will perpetuate cyberattacks.

While many companies will pay white hat hackers to find vulnerabilities, the auto industry pays among the least for discovering potential breaches, according to research by San Francisco's HackerOne. It operates bug bounty programs for BMW, Ford, Rivian and Toyota.

"Instead, we believed the best course of action was to inform our clients and thus we have notified our customers of the potential data exposure and the nature of the incident," Ferrari said in a statement. "We can also confirm the breach has had no impact on the operational functions of our company."

Ferrari said it is working with third parties to reinforce the company's information technology systems.

It's not clear if Ferrari encrypted their customers' data.

"While most organizations view customer data as an asset when it's stored in an unencrypted fashion, it's actually a liability," said Dror Liwer, co-founder of Israeli cybersecurity company Coro.

Organizations facing extortion-related data leaks possibly face direct financial damages from lawsuits, fines, and loss of revenue from lawsuits and regulatory actions, Liwer said.

The number of publicly reported automotive cyberattacks is on the rise. In 2022, Israeli cybersecurity firm Upstream counted 268 publicly reported automotive cyberattacks, up from 245 incidents publicly reported in 2021.

Ferrari plans to make 80 percent of its cars battery electric powered by 2030. These EV offerings are likely to become even more software dependent and Internet connected in the coming years, possibly providing more avenues for cyberattacks.

Companies have a few avenues to deter ransomware attacks, said Javvad Malik, an executive at KnowBe4, a Clearwater, Fla., cybersecurity consultancy and training company.

"When it comes to ransomware, most attacks are successful through phishing, taking advantage of poor credentials or by exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities," Malik said. "So at a bare minimum, organizations should focus on these avenues of attack."

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NHTSA upgrades Stellantis probe involving Bosch fuel pump failures

In addition to the Ram heavy-duty trucks, the safety probe now covers Bosch's C4 fuel pumps and certain vehicles from Jeep and BMW.

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LaFontaine Automotive Group expands in metro Detroit

LaFontaine Automotive Group has purchased a Chevrolet store in metro Detroit, marking its second dealership acquisition of the year.

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U.S. Transportation Department awards $94 million for innovative mobility projects

The $1 trillion November 2021 infrastructure law dedicates $500 million over five years for "Smart" mobility projects.

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Mobile dash cam app yields safer driving behaviors, firm says

A cellphone used as a dash cam paired with a driver safety app is helping users implement safer driving behavior, data from Driver Technologies Inc. shows.

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Scout picked S.C. because of speed, says CEO Scott Keogh

Scout Motors picked a site in suburban Columbia, S.C. for its $2 billion factory in part because it was ready to go. Gov. Henry McMaster signed a $1.3 billion incentive package for the project into law Monday.

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Murgado Automotive adds more stores near Chicago

The transaction includes two dealerships, one selling Cadillac, and the other selling Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Infiniti and Honda from separate showrooms.

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Subaru names longtime exec Troy Poston to top sales job

Troy Poston will take over as head of U.S. sales for Subaru of America effective April 1, succeeding Jeff Walters, who moves to the automaker's top U.S. job with the retirement of longtime CEO Tom Doll.

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Scratched EV battery? Your insurer may have to junk the whole car

Battery packs can cost tens of thousands of dollars and represent up to 50 percent of an EV's price tag, often making it uneconomical to replace them.

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VW sees all its Russian assets frozen by court

VW is attempting to sell its Russian factory in Kaluga, south of Moscow.

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Audi seeks to catch up in China in test of Germany's automotive grit

Audi CEO Markus Duesmann says the automaker's transition to EVs in China is "a challenge" for the VW Group subsidiary. The shift to cleaner technologies presents more than one dilemma for Germany's largest automakers.

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VW diesel settlement helping to cut Great Lakes emissions

The Mackinac Island Ferry Co. plans to use a $3 million grant from Michigan's Volkswagen settlement fund to convert one of its boats from diesel to electric power.

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Automotive supplier takes over Ann Arbor 'light therapy' startup out of bankruptcy

Auburn Hills, Mich.-based Eypex, a tier-one supplier of magnetic fasteners for cars, came to terms with the trustee assigned to the case of JustLight, a maker of infrared light devices.

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Pittsburgh body shop generates revenue for Diehl Auto Group

Operating a large collision repair facility also has helped Diehl Automotive Group sell new cars. When cars come to the collision center and are deemed a total loss, Diehl has an opportunity to sell that customer a new vehicle.

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Jardine deal opens U.K. opportunity for Lithia

Lithia Motors' latest acquisition of Jardine Motors Group gives it a sizable presence the United Kingdom and gives it exposure to the agency model.

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Ferrari unveils softtop version of its Roma

The Roma Spider is the first of four new Ferrari models to be launched this year.

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Mazda names former North America chief Masahiro Moro as next CEO

Masahiro Moro, who has led Mazda's operations in Europe and North America during his career, takes over from Akira Marumoto. He says boosting U.S. sales is a key target.

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Mazda's new CEO says boosting U.S. sales is key target

Masahiro Moro, who has led Mazda's operations in Europe and the U.S. during his career, takes over from Akira Marumoto.

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Rivian Automotive's chief engineer returns to McLaren

Charles Sanderson, who joined Rivian nearly five years ago, has returned to McLaren Automotive as chief technical officer. Rivian has been losing top executives as it struggles with vehicle manufacturing.

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Dodge Durango Hellcat owners sue Stellantis for extending product run

Dodge originally said consumers would have just 'one shot' to buy the 710-hp utility vehicle, and those who did are mad that the model is coming back for 2023.

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ABB Robotics to invest $20M in Michigan plant expansion

Zurich-based robotics giant ABB Ltd. is planning to invest $20 million and create 72 jobs at its Auburn Hills, Mich., plant in response to the growth of automation in the automotive industry and others.

The company will increase robot production at its 538,000-square-foot building, adding new equipment to its manufacturing space and renovating its offices and demonstration center, said John Bubnikovich, ABB's U.S. Robotics division president.

The renovations at the plant, where the company has operated since 1993, are expected to be complete by November. The project is being supported with a $450,000 performance-based grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Automation continues to expand in the auto industry as carmakers accelerate electrification plans. Automotive is roughly half of ABB's robotics business, which supplies the major automakers, Bubnikovich said, declining to name customers.

At the same time, the company is seeing major growth in warehousing, logistics and health care. Besides needing more robots, the common demand among customers is having more control of what they do.

"We need to increase our production capacity to keep up with the market," Bubnikovich said. "How do we streamline our delivery process and become more intimate with the market here in North America?"

The answer has been to build robots locally, which allows for customers to be more involved in the process, Bubnikovich said. About 80 percent of ABB's robots sold in the Americas are delivered from local factories, and that is soon to be 90 percent, according to the company. Most of the robot parts are imported, though Bubnikovich said the company is looking at ways to localize production.

The Auburn Hills renovations will add a third manufacturing line, allowing the company to increase capacity by 30 percent.

Prior to launching its manufacturing plant in Auburn Hills in 2015, ABB focused primarily on systems integration and building assembly lines for automotive companies. It has prioritized diversifying the company in recent years.

ABB's, which has its U.S. robotics base in North Carolina, employs 105,000 people around the world, including 350 in Auburn Hills. The 72 new jobs will be manufacturing positions.

The jobs pay an average of $26 per hour and offer full benefits, according to an MEDC briefing memo. Crain's Detroit Business, an affilaite of Automotive News, requested pay details from the MEDC.

ABB joins other robotics companies growing their footprints in the Detroit suburbs. Last year, robotics giant and ABB competitor Fanuc announced an $86 million expansion in Auburn Hills, following a $51 million add-on in 2018. JR Automation, a customer of ABB, opened a new 227,500-square-foot systems integration plant in Orion Township late last year.

ABB, which recorded $29.4 billion in revenue last year, said it expects future investments in Michigan and the U.S.

"As the global mega trends of labor shortages, uncertainty, the near and reshoring of production, and a desire to operate more sustainably accelerate, more businesses are turning to automation to build resilience while improving efficiency and flexibility," Sami Atiya, president of ABB robotics and discrete automation, said in a news release.

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Miss. governor signs bill putting new restrictions on how EV-only manufacturers can sell

The law grandfathers in an existing Tesla location, according to the Mississippi Automobile Dealers Association.

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Ford recalls more than 1.3M Fusion, Lincoln MKZ cars globally for braking defect

The recall covers certain 2013-18 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. It affects nearly 1.3 million vehicles in the U.S., about 66,000 in Canada and 18,000 in Mexico, Ford said.

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29 Ford dealers drop out of EV program after changes

Dealers in North Carolina are the latest group to file a legal challenge against Ford over the program, following similar actions in New York and Illinois.

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Lawmakers authorize $585 million for Ford, Gotion, Our Next Energy EV battery plants in Michigan

LANSING — Lawmakers on Wednesday authorized the transfer of $585 million in state funding to support three new multibillion-dollar electric vehicle battery factories in Michigan.

The Democratic-led House Appropriations Committee supported the incentives on a 16-12 party-line vote, with Republicans opposed. The Democratic-controlled Senate Appropriations Committee also must OK the transfer before the money can be disbursed. The state's economic development board previously blessed the spending.

The package includes:

• a $210 million grant to Ford Motor Co. to build a $3.5 billion, 2,500-job plant in Marshall, an hour and a half West of Detroit. The Michigan Strategic Fund Board last month also awarded the automaker a 15-year tax break worth $772 million for the project and authorized a $36 million loan for the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance to buy, improve and transfer land. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer last week signed a bill with $630 million to prepare the megasite for Ford.
• a $200 million grant to Our Next Energy Inc. to open a $1.6 billion, 2,100-job EV battery plant in Wayne County's Van Buren Township. The MSF in October also OK'd a $21.7 million tax exemption and a $15 million loan for the Novi-based company.
• $175 million to support Gotion Inc.'s nearly $2.4 billion, 2,350-job EV battery factory near Big Rapids. Of that, $125 million is a grant to Gotion and $50 million is for The Right Place Inc., a regional economic development organization based in Grand Rapids, to make infrastructure upgrades in support of the project. The MSF in October also awarded China-based Gotion a 30-year tax break worth $540 million.

The panel's vote followed testimony from a Gotion executive and regional and local leaders including Ferris State University President Bill Pink. The committee heard last week from an Our Next Energy official and in February from a Ford official and state and local leaders who support the Marshall project.

Randy Thelen, president and CEO of The Right Place, said a confluence of factors are driving a wave of "extraordinary projects, the likes of which I have never seen." He pointed to companies realizing after the COVID-19 pandemic that their supply chains are stretched too thin and that onshoring is important. The electrification of the auto industry also is significant, he said.

"We have not historically competed for projects of this scale," Thelen said of the Gotion plant. "This is a rare moment for us to see this kind of opportunity. ... To see them consider a corner of the state, the northwest portion of the state, that hasn't seen projects like this frankly ever is a really exciting opportunity for us to see a path to really boost the economy in an area that's been in decline."

Rep. Donni Steele, a Republican from Oakland County's Orion Township who opposed the transfer, noted that all three projects are EV battery factories.

"I'm just really kind of concerned moving forward in the state of Michigan that we don't necessarily have really a vision and we don't really have a lot of diversification," she said.

She pointed to worker shortages and suggested that some of the incentives funding should instead go toward improving schools. Republicans also have criticized Chinese ties to two of the factories.

Thelen, however, said 40,000 people in West Michigan work for auto suppliers. He warned of a reduction in employment amid the transition to EVs because they are simpler to engineer and manufacture than cars powered by internal combustion engines.

"If we take no action, we stand to lose about a third of the employment in that industry, dramatically impacting the state of Michigan, dramatically impacting communities all across the state," he said. "We have to find ways to offset that loss and reposition ourselves as leaders in this new economy, in this new automotive economy. That to me is why I think this is imperative."

Rep. Phil Skaggs, an East Grand Rapids Democrat, supported the transfer. He cited competition from Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Nevada for EV investment.

"We have to win this competition for the engineering jobs that will come, the working jobs that will come, the entrepreneurs and the pizza shops, for the supply chain and the construction. This is an extraordinary, serious moment. And it calls for us to govern seriously, to put aside rhetoric, to put aside foreign policy hypotheticals and do what is right for Michigan, for Michiganders and our future."

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Lithia on cusp of buying Jardine Motors, report says

Lithia CEO Bryan DeBoer told in January that the group had been looking for the right partner in the U.K. for about five years and hoped to buy an auto group in the next few quarters.

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NHTSA revokes right to import for 2 Michigan registered vehicle firms

NHTSA says investigations revealed "serious and systemic violations of federal safety requirements."

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BMW expects to hit 50% all-electric sales target 'well ahead' of 2030

After doubling sales of full-electric BMW and Mini cars last year, the automaker expects demand for EVs will make up a quarter of sales by 2025, rising to 50 percent well ahead of its 2030 target.

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Microsoft-backed self-driving delivery truck startup Gatik inks deal with Kroger

Kroger will use Gatik's autonomous box trucks to transfer groceries between a distribution center in Dallas to multiple stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.

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GM extends production halt at Mexico truck plant over supply chain issue

General Motors' Silao Assembly Plant that makes Chevrolet and GMC pickups will extend a production halt through March 20.

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Column: Future engineers are already at work on EVs and AVs in FIRST Robotics in high school

The FIRST Robotics competitions taking place now around the globe is a huge affair; in the United States, around 615,000 high school students work on robotic teams. The program, founded in the 1970s by inventor Dean Kamen, serves as an incubator for talent for just about every industry that needs engineers, software developers, fabricators, code writers and technicians.

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Honda to move Accord production from Ohio to Indiana as part of EV shift

Honda's U.S. unit said it would move production of its Accord sedan to Indiana in 2025 after assembling the model in Marysville, Ohio, for more than 40 years, as part of its shift to EV production. Marysville will be Honda's first U.S. auto plant to transition to making EVs.

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VW raises spending to $193B to boost EV, software efforts

More than two-thirds of the automaker's new investment budget is allocated toward EVs and software as the group, whose brands include Porsche, Audi, Bentley, VW and Skoda, seeks to catch up with Tesla.

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Back seat safety: Ford, Subaru, Tesla score highest in IIHS crash test

The institute updated its moderate overlap front crash test, adding a rear passenger behind the driver to examine rear passenger protection.

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Porsche Taycan deliveries backed up for months, new SUV details revealed

For new-vehicle shoppers who have their eye on Porsche's newest model — the all-electric Taycan — the sports car maker has a message: Be patient.

Porsche estimates a 6-to 9-month wait for Taycan deliveries.

Geopolitics and the pandemic conspired to kneecap Taycan sales last year. Porsche delivered 34,801 units in 2022, down 16 percent from the previous year.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine halted Taycan production for "several weeks" last year, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said Monday.

"One hundred percent of all wire harnesses for the Taycan came from Ukraine," Blume said on a media call following the company's 2022 earnings report Monday.

COVID-related shutdowns in China — a major source of semiconductors — also gummed up Taycan deliveries last year.

But Porsche said it's working around the supply bottlenecks and expects to deliver at least 40,000 Taycans globally this year.

"We have a very strong order bank, very strong order intake at this point," Porsche CFO Lutz Meschke said on the call. "But we have to manage the supply chain shortages."

New ground

At they attempt to free up more production, Porsche executives also teased the brand's next all-new model — a new full-size SUV, codenamed K1, that will slot above the Porsche Cayenne.

Blume said the bigger model is "focused on the markets where our customers love to drive big cars."

Dealer sources first told Automotive News about Porsche's plans for the crossover in 2021, saying the vehicle should arrive in the second half of the decade and would offer three rows of seating — a first for a Porsche.

"It's very focused on the North American market and China," Blume said.

While the large crossover will be a new model, it will carry the familiar Porsche DNA. Blume called the K1 a "new approach for Porsche, combined with traditional values."

It "offers a very luxurious experience for our customers, but with a 100 percent Porsche touch and feel, with Porsche sportiness … and design aspects," he said.

The K1 will use Volkswagen Group's SSP Sport platform, which Porsche is developing.

The model will incorporate technology from the Mission R concept presented in 2021 at the IAA in Munich, Porsche said. K1 will include the direct oil-cooled electric motor in the Mission R and a new high-performance battery with a 920-volt electrical system to reduce charging times.

Blume said the new vehicle will be typical for Porsche, with "impressive performance, automated driving functions, and a new interior experience."

The new SUV is key to Porsche's ambitions of delivering about 80 percent of its new vehicles as full-electric models in 2030.

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VW picks Canada for first North American battery cell plant

The automaker and its in-house battery subsidiary PowerCo on Monday announced the landmark investment in the southwestern Ontario city midway between Toronto and Windsor.

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Porsche offers glimpses of new EVs including a flagship electric crossover

The new crossover above the Cayenne is part of Porsche's goal of delivering more than 80 percent of its new vehicles as full-electric models in 2030.

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China self-driving startup WeRide files for $500 million U.S. IPO, sources say

Chinese driverless technology startup Guangzhou WeRide Technology has filed confidentially for an initial public offering in the U.S., looking to raise as much as $500 million, according to people familiar with the situation.

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Canadian dealership group Ride Automotive enters U.S.

Ride Automotive Group of Ottawa, Canada, bought its first two U.S. stores in California in first-quarter transactions.

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Nissan’s outgoing U.S. marketing chief on why the brand still uses TikTok

Allyson Witherspoon reflects on her Nissan U.S. tenure as she prepares to take on a global marketing role for the automaker.

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EVs are attracting younger consumers to BMW, Mini, Subaru, Volvo, Cadillac

BMW was ranked fourth overall, and it was the highest of any auto brand in the AdAge-Harris Poll study.

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GM explores using ChatGPT in vehicles

GM is exploring uses for ChatGPT as part of its broader collaboration with Microsoft, a company executive told Reuters.

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Thieves nabbed after stop to recharge Tesla

Although the Model X has a range of more than 300 miles, the suspects were arrested when they stopped at a Tesla Supercharger a short distance away.

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Tires are the next frontier for automotive data collection and safety

Tire sensors — and the data they generate — are likely to become smarter and more important for vehicle owners in the coming years as EVs become more prominent, industry executives said.

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Gotion floats bigger battery plant plan as it awaits approvals

The Chinese battery parts manufacturer has presented a revised plan to local officials that would increase its initial footprint by a third, calling for the addition of two 500,000-square-foot plants on the site near Big Rapids, Mich.

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Kentucky Ford dealership provides 2nd chances

James Collins Ford has employed more than 50 men from the Beacon House, a transitional living facility, and trained them to become technicians or salespeople.

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Need a charge? 2024 GMC Hummer EVs can help

The 2024 GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV will gain the ability to send 6 kilowatts of charge to other EVs.

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Buyouts kick off $2B cost cutting drive

Job cuts and buyouts at the nation's largest automaker are happening not at a time of financial stress but following a year of record earnings and profit-sharing payouts to factory workers.

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Reynolds President Chris Walsh: ‘The story's not over yet'

Chris Walsh is helping to lead Reynolds and Reynolds' efforts to become more customer-centric, improving retention of existing dealership clients and adding new ones.

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Rebounding Mitsubishi Motors to invest more than $10 billion in electric vehicles, hybrids and EV batteries

Mitsubishi's new electrification plan calls for investing between $10.26 billion to $13.19 billion in r&d and facilities for electrification through March 31, 2026. It will partly fund the rollout of nine new electrified models, including battery-electrics, hybrids and plug-in hybrids, over the next five years.

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Toyota's Woven Planet speeds up development of software-defined vehicles

Woven Planet Holdings, the critical software-first company tasked with programming Toyota's next-generation digital cars, is again going through some reinvention.

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Nissan's electric comeback stalled by Ariya production woes

Dealers have stopped taking reservations for the Ariya as new assembly techniques slow down production of the car designed to put the automaker on the road to a comeback.

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Tesla's next phase: Manufacturing powerhouse

Tesla has big plans to move into mainstream segments with a new vehicle platform and an outlandish sales target of 20 million cars per year. The key to success: slashing costs by revolutionizing the manufacturing process.

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Premier Automotive, partners acquire 4 Ford and Chevy dealerships

The dealership group purchased its first stores in Virginia and Mississippi.

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Our Next Energy signs $200 million battery pack deal with Shyft Group

The agreement calls for the startup battery manufacturer to supply Shyft with 15,000 battery packs for Class 3-5 trucks over the next five years, ONE announced Thursday.

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Nissan sees price parity for EVs and e-Power vehicles

Nissan's newest electric powertrain advance will deliver an integrated unit that is 10 percent smaller in size and 30 percent less expensive to produce.

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ZF takes the plunge into software business

ZF Group is rolling out its first pure software product, as the world's third-largest parts supplier looks to establish itself in the fast-growing market.

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Ram to show dealers physical mockup of midsize pickup

Ram this month will show dealers a model of a potential midsize pickup that they can touch, the brand's CEO said Wednesday.

CEO Mike Koval Jr. told Automotive News that the concept would be in the form of a "physical property," not just a sketch or rendering.

Koval revealed during an interview at the Detroit auto show in September that Ram was thinking about giving retailers a peek at an early midsize concept to "gauge their interest," but it wasn't clear at the time whether that would be just an image or a tangible prototype.

Koval said the conceptual midsize pickup won't be as "mature" as the 1500 Revolution electric concept that debuted at CES in January.

"I can't think of a better incubator: a collection of 5,000 of my closest friends to tell me if I'm on the right path or not," Koval said. "If I get the thumbs up, I know I'm doing something right. If they throw something at me, I understand that too."

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Shift Technologies initiates a reverse stock split to boost share price

The reverse stock split is "primarily intended" to bring Shift Technologies' share price into compliance with the Nasdaq stock exchange's minimum bid price requirement of $1.

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Hyundai, Kia supplier must pay over $1.3M in U.S. penalties tied to worker's death

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission on Wednesday said it has affirmed citations issued by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration after Joon LLC — operating as Ajin USA — disputed them.

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U.S. opens new special probe into fatal Tesla crash

The fire department said a Tesla struck one of its fire trucks and the Tesla driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Auto industry risks security breaches by underpaying white hat hackers

Some automotive companies pay hackers "bug bounties" to find software vulnerabilities in their vehicles.

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VW pauses on Europe battery plants, awaiting EU response to U.S. Inflation Reduction Act

VW said it is still evaluating suitable locations for cell factories in eastern Europe and North America after a report said the automaker is prioritizing the U.S.

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Ferrari's first 4-door, the Purosangue, heads to buyers

Ferrari expects to start delivering its latest model to customers by mid-year. The supercar maker had resisted building four-door cars even as rivals turned to SUVs and bigger vehicles.

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Infiniti Chairman Peyman Kargar to retire as global brand head

Peyman Kargar's No. 2, Olga Filippova, will take over as acting head of Infiniti, parent company Nissan said.

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CATL's EV battery dominance draws scrutiny from Xi

After CATL Chairman Zeng Yuqun described in a private meeting how the company commands 37 percent of the global battery market, Chinese President Xi was quoted as saying that he was "both happy and worried," glad about its leading position but concerned about the risks.

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Woman charged in alleged embezzlement of more than $200K from Williams Brothers Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram

A Michigan woman was arrested last week for allegedly embezzling more than $200,000 from a Stellantis dealership in Dundee, Mich., an hour Southwest of Detroit.

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GM Ultra Cruise hands-free driving system is positioned as opposite of Tesla's approach

The system, which debuts in 2024 on the Cadillac Celestiq, can handle 95 percent of scenarios but will ask the driver to take over for complicated maneuvers.

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Founders of Ford’s defunct Argo unit launch new self-driving startup, report says

The venture by Bryan Salesky and Pete Rander will be backed by an investment from a company that approached them about starting a full-scale AV firm, Bloomberg reported. The identity of the backer wasn’t immediately clear.

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Luminar's deal with Swiss Re links lidar to car insurance rates

Lidar maker Luminar unveiled strategic partnerships, acquisitions and a rebrand of its semiconductor business at its first investor day.

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UAW presidential race hinges on challenged ballots

Reform candidate Shawn Fain leads incumbent Ray Curry by just 645 votes, with 1,608 challenged ballots yet to be resolved.

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Cadillac, Infiniti stores top online responsiveness study

Lexus, Mazda, Kia, Lucid, Dodge and Mercedes-Benz were the only brands to fail to improve.

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AutoCanada Q4 net income plunges 79% on used-vehicle writedowns, floor plan costs

AutoCanada Inc.’s net income fell in the final three months of 2022 as the company took a writedown on its used-vehicle inventory and saw floorplan financing costs climb with interest rates.

Canada’s only publicly traded dealership group last week reported (in Canadian dollars) net income of $14.8 million ($10.9 million USD) for the fourth quarter, down 79 percent from $69.4 million the year before.

Used-vehicle writedown provisions cost the company $12.4 million during the quarter, while added floorplan financing costs amounted to $13.3 million.

“These new hits to profitability impacted what was otherwise a historic quarter for AutoCanada,” said the company’s Executive Chairman Paul Antony on a conference call with financial analysts March 2.

Despite the lower net income, AutoCanada revenue hit a fourth quarter record of $1.4 billion, up from $1.2 billion in the same quarter of 2021. For the year, AutoCanada reported revenue of $6 billion for 2022, up from $4.6 billion for 2021.

Antony said “continued fluctuations” in used vehicle pricing prompted the writedown, before adding that the revaluation positions the company’s used inventory properly heading into the spring selling season. On Jan. 1, AutoCanada also implemented new measures to better address changes in used-vehicle prices, rolling back a change it had enacted as the used market accelerated during the pandemic.

After rising steeply in 2020 and 2021 to a peak in March 2022, used-vehicle prices in Canada declined in the second half of 2022, according to the Canadian Black Book Used Vehicle Retention Index. Used-vehicle values declined about 5.4 percent between March and December of 2022, the index shows.

AutoCanada’s gross profits on used vehicles were lower in the final three months of 2022, though its used sales climbed 21.2 percent during the quarter to reach 14,418 vehicles.

This compares to a 1.3-percent decline in new-vehicle sales for the period across AutoCanada’s 82 new-vehicle dealerships in Canada and the U.S.

Despite the current challenges, Antony said the company continues to move further into the used market in pursuit of growth.

“We see ourselves as being a hybrid of a lot of the largest auto retailers in the U.S., and CarMax. … We want a bunch of new-car dealerships and a bunch of used-car dealerships that sell both online and in-store.”

In the fourth quarter, the company sold 1.78 used vehicles for each new vehicle sale. This compares to a used-to-new ratio of 1.45 in the same period of 2021, and a ratio of 0.88 in the fourth quarter of pre-pandemic 2019.

The company is also expanding its presence in the collision centre and vehicle repair business. 

On Feb. 27, it announced the acquisition of DCCHail, a paintless dent repair company specializing in the insurance claim management process and repairing hail damaged vehicles, with a national presence, including Canada’s largest hail repair facility in Calgary, Alta.

DCCHail generates more than $15 million in annual revenue, AutoCanada said.

“The current management team will continue to operate the business going forward,” the company said. “Apart from continuing to strengthen the operation's performance, the acquisition unlocks additional growth opportunities, including the potential to expand the business by leveraging AutoCanada’s dealership, parts and service and collision platforms.”

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Ford, Stellantis, GM, Mazda dealerships sell in Q3, Q4 transactions

Dealerships selling Ford, Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram, Chevrolet-GMC and Mazda vehicles traded hands in third-quarter and fourth-quarter transactions across four states.

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Lordstown Motors Q4 loss widens as higher costs, delivery delays weigh

The Q4 net loss stood at $102.3 million, compared with $81.2 million a year earlier. The results included an impairment charge of $36.5 million.

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Tesla slashes prices of Model S, Model X in U.S.

Tesla slashed prices of its Model S sedan and Model X crossover in the U.S. late Sunday night $5,000 and $10,000 respectively as the company seeks to goose demand in the final month of the quarter.

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CDK's massive outsourcing plan could affect customer service in uncertain ways

Customer service quality is a concern for dealers once CDK's outsourcing plan with Genpact is fully enacted.

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Ford to sell EVs with 2 types of batteries, depending on customer needs

Ford will offer the less-expensive lithium iron phosphate chemistry on its Mustang Mach-E this spring and on the F-150 Lightning next year.

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How digital twins give automakers 'superpowers' on the factory floor

Digital twins are emerging as crucial to fast, safe and efficient production, as automakers race to keep up with trends such as electrification and the software-defined vehicle.

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VW apologizes after demanding $150 to help find toddler taken in carjacking

A representative from VW's remote-access service refused a request from police before collecting the payment because the vehicle's trial period had expired.

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Singer Adam Levine sues car broker, says rare Maserati was fake

Adam Levine says he traded two Ferraris for what he believed to be a rare 1971 Maserati Ghibli worth more than $1 million.

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Buick shows off interior on upcoming Electra E5 electric crossover for China

The Buick Electra E5, confirmed only for China, will feature the Virtual Cockpit System and a 30-inch curved screen.

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EV battery startup Our Next Energy to provide energy storage for Berkshire Hathaway project in W.Va.

EV battery startup Our Next Energy will supply its new energy storage products to a $500 million Berkshire Hathaway Energy solar-powered industrial site in West Virginia and open a new factory there to build more of them.

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Calling the customer soon after visit — and listening — improves satisfaction

Robin Ford added two specialists to its call center. Their only job: Call new- and used-vehicle, service and commercial customers for feedback. The calls usually take place a day or two after the customer visit.

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Toyota recalls 144,000 Tundra pickups in North America

The recall affects certain 2022-23 Tundra pickups with optional Toyota-genuine tonneau covers.

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GM considering Palace of Auburn Hills site in suburban Detroit for 'supplier park'

A location for the GM supplier park has not yet been determined, but it could be north of 1 million square feet, sources have said.

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Vietnam's VinFast delivers first EVs to U.S. customers

The Vietnamese automaker handed over 45 of its VF 8 crossovers to customers at nine stores. The deliveries, about two months behind schedule, marked VinFast's official entry in the North American market.

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Dealer, automaker tensions emerging in the states

As dealers look to strengthen protections in franchise laws and preserve dealerships' independence from automakers, tensions between the two sides are emerging in statehouses across the U.S.

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Dealer, automaker tensions emerging in the states

As dealers look to strengthen protections in franchise laws and preserve dealerships' independence from automakers, tensions between the two sides are emerging in statehouses across the U.S.

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VW board said to discuss two new N. America plants

VW's board is expected to approve a site in the U.S. to build its Scout brand, while discussions about a battery factory, likely in Canada, are ongoing.

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Subaru picks new CEO who pledges flexibility in electrification age

Atsushi Osaki, Subaru's new next CEO, says the automaker will respond quickly to market trends such as electrification and will seek to grow in the U.S. and new markets such as Australia.

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Gotion exec: $2.4 billion EV battery plant near Big Rapids ‘not a done deal'

Since announcing the plant and plans to create 2,350 jobs last year, the Chinese battery manufacturer has run into some resistance that has caused it to delay construction and reconfigure the factory footprint.

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3rd-gen Chevrolet Traverse captured in spy images

Spy photographers have captured images of what appears to be the redesigned Chevrolet Traverse during road testing in Michigan.

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Polestar reduces Q4 loss, eyes 60% sales increase this year

Polestar Chief Financial Officer Johan Malmqvist said the company expects its 2023 gross profit to be in line with last year, adding that the automaker expects to increase global sales 60 percent to 80,000.

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Saudi Aramco to invest in Renault-Geely combustion-engine venture

The deal would make Aramco the first major oil producer to invest in the car business as EVs threaten its traditional oil-based business. 

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Hyundai, Kia, Subaru sales advance 7th straight month; Toyota slips

U.S. light-vehicle sales are forecast to rise 3.9 to 7.2 percent in February, analysts say, with sharply higher fleet deliveries once again offsetting flat retail volume.

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CDK ‘fit and focus' strategy continues with massive employee outsourcing plan

The dealership management system giant plans to contract out certain key functions to Genpact, which will employ many of CDK's affected employees.

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Hyundai, Kia sales advance 7th straight month; Toyota slips

U.S. light-vehicle sales are forecast to rise 3.9 to 7.2 percent in February, analysts say, with sharply higher fleet deliveries once again offsetting flat retail volume.

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Former Okla. Kia dealer accused of tampering with case while awaiting fraud sentencing

Authorities said Bobby Mayes helped his co-defendant Courtney Wells flee to Mexico while they awaited sentencing on his 2021 conviction for fraud at his Big Red Dealerships group. Prosecutors said he also fabricated evidence and made a call to the U.S. Western District of Oklahoma Court with false information.

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Tesla readies revamp of Model Y code-named Juniper, report says

Tesla will make changes to both the exterior and interior of the SUV with a target of starting production in 2024, Reuters reported.

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Ford will reveal VW-based EV on March 21

The car is the first of two EVs that will be built on the VW's MEB platform at Ford's factory in Cologne, Germany.

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