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Stellantis Enjoys Warm Welcome from European Investors

January 18, 2021 admin

Stellantis Chairman John Elkann is meeting with the media tomorrow to talk about the company’s future.

Not every merger involving an automaker these days involves a blank-check company. The newly minted tie-up between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and Peugeot S.A. was finalized over the weekend and the resulting company, Stellantis N.V., is enjoying a warm welcome.

At least on the stock market.

The new company’s stock trades on three exchanges and it finished the day on the Paris exchange up nearly 7%, closing at €13.14. It also jumped up 7.7% on the Milan exchange.

The New York Stock Exchange, the third exchange it’s traded on, was not open today due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

(Chrysler is no more as Stellantis comes to life.)

CEO Carlos Tavares has a lot on his corporate plate now that the merger is complete.

The $52 billion merger of near equals creates a massive enterprise with operations on six continents, employs about 400,000 people, sells – at least for the time being – 14 vehicle brands and sells 8.1 million vehicles annually, making it the fourth-largest automaker in the world behind Volkswagen, Toyota and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

With all of those possibilities, it’s going to take a press conference Tuesday to start revealing what Stellantis will look like now that’s it’s a living, breathing entity. What brands will stay? How many workers will keep their jobs?

People are nervous because the CEO of the new enterprise, Carlos Tavares, has a history of being fearless when it comes to eliminating unprofitable operations and processes in the pursuit of corporate profit. One need only look at how what he did with former General Motors’ subsidiary Opel. A money-loser for a decade, he had it in the black in one year.

(FCA CEO Manley gets new assignment following Stellantis merger.)

“Stellantis faces a mixed outlook as U.S. stimulus plans may buoy Chrysler vs. a more uncertain outlook for Peugeot in Europe,” Michael Dean, BI automotive analyst told Bloomberg. “Former PSA CEO Carlos Tavares takes the helm and, similar to his handling of PSA’s takeover of Opel in 2017, we anticipate a new strategy in the first 100 days of his stewardship. All regions face a difficult 1H amid continued lockdowns.”

Quirky name aside, investors gave Stellantis a warm welcome when it began trading Monday.

The two companies have worked to allay fears of major cutbacks in France and Italy. While top managers have outlined plans to trim costs by $6 billion following the merger, they insist they will be able to do that without closing any plants. They have outlined 40% of those cost savings coming from purchasing, 40% from combining product development efforts, and 20% from marketing and other operations.

However, it’s unclear how Tavares plans to tackle other issues such as improving the company’s performance in China, the world’s largest automotive market, and bolstering its electrification efforts, especially in the aforementioned China as well as in the U.S. Just addressing those two issues are likely to require billions of dollars and euros. Some of plans for these things and more may get touched on Tuesday, Marco Santino, a partner at consulting firm Oliver Wyman, told Reuters.

(Fiat Chrysler and PSA not exactly a “merger of equals.”)

“He has proven to be the kind of person who prefers action to words, so I don’t think he will make loud statements or try to over-sell targets,” he said.

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Auto Sales Gain Traction as Americans Avoid Mass Transit

January 14, 2021 admin

Fewer and fewer people are relying on taxis to get them around town due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taxi business in New York City has dropped by 90% since the start of the pandemic, even as mass transit ridership has fallen precipitously.

The situation, repeated across the country, reflects a variety of factors, including a huge increase among those working from home and a sharp decline in business travel. But even among those who must commute, there’s been a sizable shift away from mass transit and ride-hailing services to the use of personal vehicles. And that is leading not only to a surge in car sales, both new and used, but also in the type of vehicles American motorists are purchasing.

Among new car buyers, in particular, motorists are ordering vehicles loaded with the latest in high-tech features, from smart safety devices to infotainment systems, as well as in-car WiFi and other technology, members of an expert panel agreed during a session at the virtual CES 2021.

(Pandemic may not have changed car buying habits of consumers.)

Workers who had previously taken public transportation are now shifting to driving themselves in large numbers.

“COVID is probably going to change commuting patterns permanently,” said Carla Bailo, the CEO of the Center for Automotive Research, noting research that finds only 20% of Americans expect to go back to their offices full-time, while 90% expect to go to an office less frequently. Americans “won’t revert back,” stressed Bailo, “even when we get through the COVID pandemic.”

It’s not just the way Americans travel for work that’s changing, added Bailo. Though tens of millions wound up traveling during the Christmas and New Year holidays, AAA found a significantly higher percentage took the family car, rather than flying or traveling by train, compared to pre-pandemic holidays.

“We’ll see for some time people reverting back to their cars for social holidays,” said Bailo.

The pandemic has not only made people more reliant on their cars for traveling, but seen people use their vehicles as places to work and even to get a break from family members after extensive isolation, said Christiane Zorn, a senior marketing executive with Audi. And the pattern is playing out in other global markets, as well, she added.

The car, suggested Zorn, is becoming “a personal device,” one increasingly loaded up with even more technology than the typical home or office, echoed Andrew Poliak, an executive with Panasonic Automotive.

Due to the pandemic, travel during the holidays was be down slightly, but most of those trekking to see friends and family were driving.

“We’re coming to this point of convergence,” Poliak said, where many of the things a person could do at home or office can be done in the car. Indeed, he added, it’s becoming increasingly common to have a better audio system in the family vehicle than in the typical living room.

(Auto industry “in much better place,” but price surge likely to continue.)

“Technology will play a big part in the design of the automotive interior in the future,” according to Poliak, and that’s reflected by some of the latest automobiles, such as the Cadillac Escalade, with its 39 inches of video screens. The new Mercedes-Benz EQS due out next year will have a “pillar-to-pillar” Hyperscreen display, the automaker announced during a separate CES event.

Tellingly, when Ford redesigned its F-150 for the 2021 model year it developed a retractable gearshift lever that opens up a large workspace that can be used for a motorist’s laptop computer.

While much of the new wave of technology is designed for passenger comfort and convenience, there’s also been significant growth in the use of advanced driver assistance systems, such as forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. Some new models offers dozens of these smart safety features.

New and used car sales are on the rise as people move away from public transportation and back into personal vehicles for their commute.

And the first semi-autonomous driving systems, such as Tesla’s Autopilot and General Motors’ Super Cruise, are receiving warm public receptions. Stefan Buerkle, a senior vice president at mega-supplier Robert Bosch, expects to see the growth of auto-parking technologies that could allow a motorist to exit at their destination and then send their vehicle off to find a parking spot on its own. A press of a keyfob or a tap on a smartphone app would summon the vehicle later.

“You won’t have to park your car anymore, or go looking for a spot,” something that adds to urban congestion, said Buerkle. But there’s another advantage, he added. “That will also make much better use of the infrastructure, especially in cities, where space is at a premium.”

Self-parking technology could allow cities to shift to remote parking locations and reduce the need for lots to be set up in dense urban centers, the CES panelists agreed.

While such technology is likely still a few years from production, it will simply add to the trend that has seen new car prices rise rapidly in the last several years. At a separate conference last week, analysts from Cox Automotive noted that the typical new vehicle sold in the U.S. is now rolling off the dealer lot for a record price of around $40,000.

(Commuting may have changed forever, finds new study.)

But the new technologies showing up in the latest vehicles also seem likely to change the basic business model of the auto industry, Bailo and her fellow panelists said. The push to add 4G and even 5G connectivity will allow automakers to not only sell new vehicles but also develop new revenue streams. That will include providing in-vehicle entertainment and using smartphone-style over-the-air updates to add additional features, said Zorn, much as Tesla plans to do with the next major update of Autopilot.

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BMW Takes U.S. Luxury Sales Crown for 2020

January 11, 2021 admin

The 2020 BMW X3 xDrive30e offers performance and style in a very attractive wrapper. The company took the top sales spot for luxury automakers in the U.S.

Depending on how you count, BMW appears to have to emerged as the best-selling luxury brand in the United States, pushing past archrival Mercedes-Benz, which fell two spots to third place.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, BMW brand sales totaled 98,750 vehicles, only a 2% decrease from the 100,797 vehicles sold in the fourth quarter of 2019, for the full year 2020, BMW brand sales dropped 17.5% on total sales of 278,732 compared to the 338,003 vehicles sold in 2019.

Lexus sold a total of 275,041 passenger cars and utility vehicles moved into second place, nosing out Mercedes-Benz. For the full year, Lexus sales dropped 8.3% in 2020.

(BMW ‘significantly increasing” electric vehicle production.)

Mercedes-Benz USA reported sales of 78,078 vehicles during the fourth quarter. On a full-year basis, MBUSA recorded sales of 274,916 Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles as fell behind BMW. In addition, MBUSA also sold 50,999 Mercedes-Benz vans, which include some luxury vehicles and commercial vehicles, bringing MBUSA’s total sales to 325,915 units, a decrease of 8.9% versus 2019.

Lexus rode its utility-vehicle sales to a second-place finish in the luxury segment for 2020, passing Mercedes-Benz.

“There is no doubt that 2020 was a challenging year for automotive sales, but we have found that these challenges were due more to the circumstances, rather than consumer demand,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO, BMW of North America.

“We owe our dealers and regional teams a lot of credit for their flexibility and dedication while adapting to the situation. With their support we felt very confident throughout the second half of the year as consumer deliveries grew quickly — even exceeding own expectations.”

Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing global pandemic, BMW brand sales in the U.S. improved significantly in the second half of the year – including several outstanding months – as the sales network reopened, production restarted, and inventory levels improved.

The last four months of the year were particularly strong, owing much to increased production at Plant Spartanburg, which helped meet customer demand for top-selling models such as the BMW X3, X5 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles.

(Mercedes launching six all-electric models by 2022 — with two to be built in U.S.)

BMW and Mercedes have been trading the top position for the past several years, but Mercedes’ drop to third position. However, the brand expects to be back on top in short order with an influx of product.

Mercedes may have slipped two spots in 2020, but it’s counting on a wave of new products to put it back on top in the U.S. in 2021.

Dimitris Psillakis, president and CEO of MBUSA said, “We are excited to introduce nine new models in the months ahead, including the all-new S-Class and the EQS electric, and continue to leverage the natural market gravitation of SUVs.”

In addition, sales of Mercedes-AMG high-performance models increased 29.1% to 11,128 units, which pushed the sub-brand to its best-year ever as sales increased 1.5% to 34,079 vehicles.

Audi, the third of the popular German luxury brands, reported its sales dropped 4.8% in the fourth quarter and its sales for the full year declined 17% to 186,620.

Volvo Car USA reported 14,244 cars sold in December, up 15.2% compared with 2019 and its seventh consecutive month of year-over-year growth. The company finished 2020 up 1.8% from last year with a total of 110,129 cars sold. The monthly result continued a strong upward trend, which saw the brand up 40% in December 2019 over 2018.

“Given the challenges our industry faced this year, I am humbled by what our employees and retail partners were able to achieve together,” said Anders Gustafsson, senior vice president, Volvo Car Americas and president and CEO, Volvo Car USA.

(End of year auto sales pick up due to pickups.)

Sales by Cadillac, General Motors’ top brand, saw its sales drop 17.1% in 2020 to 129,495. GM executives are hoping the new Escalade will boost Cadillac’s fortunes in 2021. Meanwhile, Lincoln, Ford Motor Co.’s luxury brand, reported a 6.1% decline in sales to 105,410 units. Much like it’s Detroit-based competitor, it’s counting on its recently rounded out line-up of utes to grow sales in 2021.

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Jaguar J-Pace Could Pose Challenge to Tesla Model X

December 24, 2020 admin

The I-Pace was Jaguar’s first all-electric model. The J-Pace is expected to be bigger – and may also offer hybrid and plug-in powertrain options.

With the launch of the I-Pace, Jaguar became one of the first automakers to deliver an all-electric model in luxury car territory. Now, the British brand is readying its second battery-electric vehicle, the even larger J-Pace.

Expected to arrive later in the 2021 model year, the Jaguar J-Pace will be go up against other premium midsize SUVs, such as the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and, in particular, the Tesla Model X.

The automaker hasn’t said much about its plans for the J-Pace, just confirming that additional battery-electric vehicles are in the works. But set to be its second entry into the BEV market, it will be both larger than the current Jaguar I-Pace and longer range, thanks to a battery pack expected to store about 100 kilowatt-hours.

(Jaguar keeps celebrating E-type’s 60th anniversary with unique F-Type.)

That’s in line with the longest-range version of the Model X which can deliver an EPA-rated 348 miles per charge. But whether Jaguar’s electric driveline can match its rival’s efficiency remains to be seen. Currently, Jaguar gets an EPA rating of just 234 miles out of a 90 kWh pack with the smaller I-Pace.

The coming J-Pace will be comparable to the Tesla Model X, although the Model X has a longer range, but changes by Jaguar could change that.

The J-Pace, however, could manage a bit more as it will be using an all-new platform that also will underpin other Jaguar Land Rover battery-electric vehicles. That will include the next-generation Jaguar XJ, along with a future version of the Range Rover. JLR has confirmed the all-electric sedan but only hinted at full electrification plans for the Land Rover side of the company.

It has, nonetheless, made it clear that its future will involve electric drivetrain technology pretty much across the board. But that will include hybrid technology – and plug-ins, in particular – as well as all-electric vehicles.

Significantly, the new platform set to underpin the XJ and J-Pace has been designed to accommodate both full battery-electric drivelines as well as hybrid and traditional gas-powered systems. Some speculation centers around a possible debut of JLR’s new inline-six-cylinder engine with the launch of the J-Pace. Most likely, however, it would be used as part of a plug-in hybrid system with a smaller battery pack than the all-electric version of the J-Pace.

Whatever the final options Jaguar offers, it takes a distinctly different approach from the direction Jaguar took with the I-Pace, its first BEV. That model is offered only with a battery drive system.

(Jaguar offering new, but old electric vehicle: E-type Zero.)

Adopting a flexible architecture has its advantages: it allows a manufacturer to mix and match powertrains, depending upon market demand, without having to develop separate platforms.

The new J-Pace will likely share its platform and dimensions with the Range Rover Sport, but get a very different look.

But there are numerous compromises to such a design. All-electric architectures tend to resemble oversized skateboards, optimized to have motors, batteries and other key components mounted below the load floor. Among other things, they tend to have lower centers of gravity and good front-to-rear weight distribution. But that changes when you need space up front for a possible gas engine.

The Jaguar I-Pace, in particular, took advantage of its electric-only design by recapturing some of the space normally required for an internal combustion engine, repurposing it for passengers and cargo.

Nonetheless, the J-Pace is expected to pick up many of the distinctive design cues of the I-Pace, albeit with a somewhat longer nose.

It will offer more interior space and more high-line features, according to various sources. There will be an emphasis on technology, including a version of the Duo Pro touchscreen infotainment now offered on the most recent JLR entries. That system uses twin SIM-based communications systems to enhance its speed. One is used for such things as downloading mapping and traffic info, while also being able to handle smartphone-style over-the-air updates for the vehicle’s software.

(2021 Jaguar E-Pace gets “thorough freshening.”)

While Jaguar is expected to continue using internal combustion technology, how long it will do so is unclear. It may follow a path similar to that of Volvo which expects to continue relying on plug-in and BEV systems, at least through the end of the decade. But the British brand has begun signaling that it could go entirely electric beyond 2030. Considering that’s the year that Great Britain now plans to ban sales of new vehicles using internal combustion engines, that would clearly make sense.

Return of the Rotary: Mazda Will Use Wankel as Range Extender for All-Electric MX-30

October 9, 2020 admin

Mazda CEO Akira Marumoto revealed that the company plans to use the Wankel rotary engine again.

Mazda has formally confirmed a report that first appeared on TheDetroitBureau.com in March 2017: the rotary engine set to make its return in 2022.

Otherwise known as a Wankel engine, it was a beloved part of the Mazda engine family for decades but was phased out with the demise of the RX-8 sports car in 2012. But unlike past applications, the rotary the Japanese automaker is now developing won’t be used to directly power a vehicle. Instead, it will serve as a range-extender for the all-electric Mazda MX-30.

Mazda has been slow to embrace electric powertrain technology, preferring to focus on its efficient SkyActiv gas and diesel engines. But increasingly stringent global mandates – notably, with many countries planning to ban internal combustion engines entirely – means it has to move quickly to bring out hybrids and all-electric models, something CEO Akiro Marumoto described as a “green move” in a video confirming plans for the rotary redux.

(Return of the Rotary redux? Mazda hints that MX-30 could get a Wankel range extender.)

The new rotary engine will be used as a range extender for the MX-30 EV in 2022.

There was a time when many auto industry leaders saw the rotary engine as the way of the future. A number of manufacturers began tooling up to produce Wankels due to their simplicity, compact size and high power output. But the buzz didn’t last long. General Motors, among others, backed away as it became apparent the design wasn’t up to early expectations.

Mazda remained the only manufacturer committed to the technology, even after a series of problems led to massive failures requiring substantial payouts that threatened the company’s very survival. Mazda engineers eventually overcome reliability issues, but by the turn of the millennium the Wankel had become little more than an afterthought. It was last used for the RX-8 sports car which ran from 2003 to 2012.

Since then, Mazda has repeatedly hinted that it would bring back a new version of the rotary engine that could address its biggest problem: relatively meager fuel economy. The automaker isn’t revealing specific details about the new rotary, but it appears it has found a way to overcome that limitation by changing the way the Wankel is used. It turns out that the engine is most efficient when operating at a fairly consistent rate, rather than dealing with the constant revving up and down required when powering a conventional automobile.

(Mazda unveils MX-30 — and delivers a surprise, a hybrid comes before the EV.)

That’s perfect in a range extender application, where the goal is to provide extra energy for an electric vehicle that either can be used to boost performance or take over when the batteries are discharged. It’s a concept similar to what we saw with the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, as well as the BMW i3 REx – though both of those used conventional gas engines as range extenders.

Mazda’s last rotary-powered car, the RX-8.

The key point is that range-extending engines never actually drive the vehicle’s wheels, so they can run at a steady rate that maximizes their efficiency.

The MX-30 itself is Mazda’s first battery-electric vehicle and began arriving at showrooms in Europe recently, with a mild hybrid version now on sale in Japan, as well. Company insiders hint a version of the little BEV could arrive in the U.S. late next year.

The crossover, which shares the same underlying platform as the Mazda 3 and CX-30, has limited space available for batteries so, like the BW i3, range is relatively limited. An extender will address that problem and the rotary engine has the advantage of taking up relatively little space.

(Mazda celebrates 100 years with special edition Miata.)

We’re hoping Mazda will soon provide more technical details about the package and, perhaps, let us know if the MX-30 with a rotary range extender will also make it to the States.

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Detroit Auto Show Organizers Moving NAIAS Again: Fall 2021

September 21, 2020 admin

A rendering of the 2021 North American International Auto Show reveals a new feature: a chance for visitors to test drive new vehicles. It will now be a fall show.

The North American International Auto Show for 2021 is moving from its projected June date to now late September in what organizers are calling a “reimagined indoor and outdoor show.”

Public days for the show will now be Sept. 28 – Oct. 9, 2021 with the media preview and other events actually kicking off Sept. 24. Organizers say the NAIAS will be a “fall show going forward.”

The annual event was previously held in early January, but due to competition with other auto shows and the Consumer Electronics Show held just prior, organizers elected to move the event to mid-June to give themselves some breathing room while coinciding with a slew of other auto-related events in the Detroit area during that time like the Detroit Grand Prix and the Woodward Dream Cruise.

(“Whichever way is necessary,” the Detroit Auto Show will be back in 2021, organizers say.)

There were some who were unhappy with those new show dates, although grumbling was kept to a minimum. However, the auto show schedule has been thrown into chaos due to the COVID-19 pandemic and shows have been shifting to new dates or cancelling altogether as everyone tries to made due the best they can.

“We have talked with many of our partners, particularly the OEMs, and they are fully on board and excited about the date change,” NAIAS Executive Director Rod Alberts said in a statement.

That uncertainty apparently provided some time for reflection — and change. NAIAS officials say the show “is teed up to be a global powerhouse of current product and next-generation mobility combined with immersive brand activations and product engagement for both the international media and the public.”

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Toyota Aims for the Moon

September 1, 2020 admin

Toyota is developing a lunar land rover that the company hopes NASA will use for a 2024 lunar mission.

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has a grand vision of flying off to Mars. Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda is thinking of somewhere just a bit closer to home: the moon.

Toyota is working up the design for a six-wheeled, hydrogen-powered rover that you might want to think of as a Lunar Land Rover. Substantially more sophisticated and capable than the dune buggy-like rovers used during the Apollo mission a half-century ago, the Japanese automaker hopes its design will be picked by NASA for the Artemis moon mission it is planning to launch by 2024.

“We have now found a new ‘road,’ which is the moon. And for this new road, we will be able to make a new vehicle,” Takao Sato, project head of Toyota’s Lunar Exploration Mobility Works and a former interior design engineer who worked on the Prius hybrid. “This is a dream for us.”

(Cost of Toyota, Mazda Alabama plant jumps 50% to $2.3B.)

It’s been nearly 50 years since the Apollo mission wrapped up. After the initial landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in Apollo 11, the astronauts assigned to subsequent missions had the opportunity to spread out from their landing site using a primitive, open-air buggy developed, in part, by General Motors.

Going forward, NASA and partners, including the European Space Agency, want something more sophisticated that not only features greater range but also offers more amenities. That starts with an enclosed and pressurized cabin that includes both toilet facilities and sleeping quarters. Those would be essential considering the Artemis missions intend to have astronauts planting boots on the moon for weeks at a time.

Toyota’s Lunar Rover design adds an extra axles, six wheels expected to give it greater mobility on the pockmarked moon’s surface.

Then there’s the powertrain. Rather than going with a battery, with its hefty mass and limited energy storage, Toyota is lifting an idea from its Mirai fuel-cell vehicle. Its lunar design would be powered by hydrogen – though, without an atmosphere to draw oxygen from, both gases would need to be carried onboard.

Eventually, the goal would be to produce both hydrogen and oxygen from the water believed to be available on various parts of the lunar surface, primarily near the poles. Initially, tanks of the fuel – and the oxygen to combine with — would have to be delivered to the lunar surface.

(Toyota surprises analysts, turns small Q1 profit.)

Whatever the method, NASA wants whatever rover it finally goes with to be able to manage 1,000 kilometers – about 621 miles — per tank, and as much as 10,000 kilometers during a 42-day period.

The Lunar Rover will use individual wheel motors, six of them each generating 40 kilowatts, or about 54 horsepower, apiece. The maximum speed will be between 12 and 15 mph, according to Toyota.

The Toyota design would still make use of the sun, when available, with a retractable solar panel on its roof to provide additional electricity.

There will be three big antenna on the roof, as well, including ones to send data while also allowing NASA to operate the rover remotely – though, even at the speed of light there will be a roughly 1.5 second delay between issuing a command on Earth and it reaching the lunar surface.

How much each Lunar Rover would cost hasn’t been determined, though it will be far more expensive than anything Toyota has built to date. That said, the original Apollo rovers were supposed to cost about $19 million each but, with cost overruns, doubled that to about $38 million each. Adjusted for inflation, that would work out to about $274 million today, adjusted for inflation.

A decade ago, when the Lunar X Prize was announced, it was estimated that it would cost as much as $950,000 per pound to get something to the moon. Toyota expects its Lunar Rover – which would be about the size of two microbuses – will weigh in at 3.5 tons. So, the price of getting such a big machine to the moon will likely dwarf a rover’s price tag.

(Toyota building lunar rover for Japan’s 2030 moon landing.)

Toyota is by no means the only company hoping to land the plum, out-of-this-world contract. Company official say they hope to find out if they’ve won by year-end.

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Electrifying! Cadillac Debuts All-New Long-Range Lyriq EV

August 6, 2020 admin

The new Cadillac Lyriq, the luxury brand’s first EV, made its debut Thursday evening.

It’s become the General Motors corporate mantra, the automaker routinely reminding us that it is on “a path to an all-electric future.” We’ve already got the Chevrolet Bolt, with an extended version coming out next year. There’ll also be two different GMC Hummers: an SUV and a full-size pickup.

All told, GM plans to introduce “20 or more” all-electric products by 2023 and as important as any will be the new Cadillac Lyriq, the luxury brand’s first pure battery-electric vehicle. With Lyriq, Caddy throws down the gauntlet with a direct challenge to competitors including Tesla. More significantly, the electric SUV will determine whether Cadillac is on the right path itself considering brand boss Steve Carlisle has confirmed that 100% of the marque’s line-up will be electric come 2030.

“This is a very big moment for Cadillac and General Motors,” said Carlisle, recently given the additional role of president of North American operation. Lyriq, he added during a media backgrounder this week, “really is a cornerstone upon which we’re going to build the future.”

(Cadillac pulls plug on April debut of Lyriq EV due to coronavirus concerns.)

After months of hints and one delay, Cadillac finally lifted the covers on the Lyriq.

Caddy has been dropping more and more hints about the electric SUV in recent months. It was originally scheduled for a spring unveiling but the timetable got tossed due to the coronavirus. Instead, GM’s premier brand had to settle for today’s digital debut. Even so, with the production model still the better part of a year away – for the Chinese market, with the U.S. version not rolling into dealerships until the 2022 model-year – Cadillac is leaving much unsaid for now.

With the formal debut of the Cadillac Lyriq, here are some basics that we do know:

What we see today is officially described as a “concept,” but there will be relatively few changes with the production version;
The midsize Lyriq will ride on an all-new BEV3 architecture flexible enough to handle a wide range of different products;
Its skateboard platform will mount battery pack and motors below the load floor, and it will have the capability of offering different pack sizes and motor layouts;
Available only in two-row form, that approach frees up space for the interior that otherwise would have been used for a gas engine;
Two versions will be offered initially, a base model and a high-performance version.

The new Lyriq is part of GM’s larger plan to bring out nearly two dozen EVs in the next few years.

Longer-term, don’t be surprised to see additional variants, confided Marty Hogan, Lyriq’s chief engineer. Cadillac “will evaluate the need,” among other things, for a Lyriq equivalent of the V-Series packages now offered on conventional, gas-powered Caddy models such as the CT4-V. “I see V-variants across the range as time goes on,” echoed brand chief Carlisle.

The good news is that the BEV3 architecture is extremely flexible, capable of being used for front- rear- or all-wheel-drive layouts. The base model will be RWD, the performance model going AWD, with motors on both front and rear axles, though precisely how many motors is uncertain.

Also unknown is how much power the base and performance models will make. We know that the GMC Hummer will be offered with a top-line, AWD package punching out a tire-spinning 1,000 horsepower. That level could be reserved for a future Lyriq V-Series or even Blackwing model. Something more in the 400+ range appears likely for the Performance version. Even then, GM insiders are hinting at something on the order of 4 seconds 0-60. And, thanks to the instant-on torque of electric motors, the SUV’s launch feel should be intense.

The electric SUV’s hallmark feature will be this gently curved, 33-inch LED display running virtually the full width of the instrument panel.

When the automaker’s second-generation EV technology, used in the Chevy Bolt, came out, its initial 238-mile range was seen as significant. Today, that’s barely enough, Tesla recently launching a long-range Model S delivering 400 miles per charge.

At the upper end, expect to see Lyriq delver at least 300 miles and, if anything, “We’re working to get all of our powertrain combinations north of 300 miles range,” said Hogan.

Lyriq will use the new Ultium batteries GM plans to produce at a new plant in Ohio operated as part of a joint venture with Korea’s LG Chem. Unlike Tesla’s cylindrical batteries, these are prismatic – or pouch-style – which GM claims offers more flexibility in their layout, allowing more customization depending upon the vehicle.

In some applications, GM will be able to load in as many as 200 kilowatt-hours of batteries – that will be needed to give the Hummer its promised 400-mile range and towing capacity. In Lyriq, expect something around 100 kWh or slightly more, depending on the range option.

(GM outlines EV plan to cover every brand, product segment and price range.)

Recent Cadillac models have softened the distinctive Art & Science design language, Lyriq returns to a more aggressive and distinctive styling language.

The lithium-ion cells will be able to charge using second-generation 140 kilowatt quick chargers at 400V DC. That should mean an 80% charge-up at under an hour, though that’s another detail GM will reveal later.

There had been some speculation Lyriq would come with a more advanced, 800V system capable of utilizing a 350 kW charger, much like the Porsche Taycan. That more expensive system is in the works for future BEVs and, based on what GM President Mark Reuss told TheDetroitBureau.com last March, could eventually yield a 90% charge in under 10 minutes.

In terms of home charging, Lyriq will be capable of handling as much as a 19 kilowatt Level-2 240-volt system, one of the fastest home-charging rates now available.

(GM launches partnership with EVgo to rapidly increase availability of public chargers.)

In keeping with the high-tech nature of the Lyriq, one of the electric SUV’s hallmark features will be a gently curved, 33-inch LED display running virtually the full width of the instrument panel.The system will operate the latest version of the Cadillac Cue infotainment system.

The Lyriq interior offers plenty of simple controls for its electric powertrain.

Among other high-tech features, there will be a multi-plane head-up display that not only shows familiar information, such as speed, turn signals and warnings, but appears to project navigation information onto the road ahead. An arrow will point directly at the corner where you should turn, for example, if you’re using navigation. Meanwhile, the Lyriq will be offered with the updated Super Cruise semi-autonomous system, allowing hands-free operation on 200,000 miles of U.S. roads and adding the new ability to change lanes simply by tapping the turn signal.

The entire interior will adopt a more high-tech look and feel. And for those who complain that today’s Caddy cabins are elegant yet boring, the overall design is clearly one of the most striking and distinctive the brand has ever come up with.

EVs tend to be shockingly quiet. Caddy aims to eliminate the more unusual sounds that can enter the cabin, including wind and tire noises, using an active cancellation system relying on accelerometers, as well as microphones. On the flip side, it will debut with a 19-speaker AKG Studio audio system.The exterior follows the design approach of the interior. Where the latest-generation Cadillac models have softened the distinctive Art & Science design language that helped put the brand back on the map, Lyriq returns to a more aggressive and distinctive styling language. It revives the Caddy theme vertical lighting, boxing in a distinctive, slat-like grille that alternates what design chief Andrew Smith describes as “floating metal bars” between “crystal-like” slats. The grille, as well as the familiar Cadillac grille, both light up.

The Cadillac Lyriq will be able to use next-gen 150 kW quick chargers, GM partnering with EVgo to expand their availability in the U.S.

A coupe-like roofline flows into a crisply formed rear end with a relatively small back glass and mostly vertical lighting.

With the launch of Lyriq, Cadillac takes dead aim at competitors such as Jaguar, Audi, BMW and, of course, Tesla. It remains to be seen where the new SUV will be priced, though company officials hinted during the backgrounder that we should see it start below $75,000. Audi’s e-tron starts at $77,400 and has been faulted for a range of just over 200 miles.

Add up all the competitors and they’re barely matching what Tesla generates in sales. So, taking on the 800-pound gorilla of the EV market will be a challenge for Cadillac, especially when you consider how long it is taking to get Lyriq into showrooms.

“This is an important launch for Cadillac. They clearly need to be in the electric vehicle market,” said Sam Abuelsamid, principal analyst with Navigant Research. “My main concern is that it seem like it’s going to be late,” he added, noting most luxury competitors will already be competing in the BEV space, many by then with multiple products.

(GM confirms Hummer debut “this fall.”)

On the plus side, Navigant believes BEVs will still only account for about 3.5 to 4% of the automotive market at that point so, if Lyriq proves as good a product as promised, it could ride the wave as the EV revolution takes hold.

FCA CEO Manley Says Hybrid Wrangler Arriving By End of 2020

June 26, 2020 admin

FCA CEO Mike Manley told attendees at the company’s annual shareholder meeting held online that the new Jeep Wrangler would be here by the end of 2020.

After sitting on the sidelines when it came to electric vehicles and their derivatives Fiat Chrysler revealed it’s now in the game with the introduction of the Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid.

FCA CEO Mike Manley discussed the importance of the new entry during the company’s annual general meeting held online Friday. Prior to the Wrangler, the company’s only real efforts at electrification were the current Chrysler Pacifica hybrid and a past iteration of the Fiat 500e.

That vehicle was so reviled by then-CEO Sergio Marchionne, he implored people not to buy it because he said the company lost too much money on the sale of each vehicle. The new Wrangler hybrid will usher in a new era at FCA.

(Jeep bringing three plug-in hybrids to CES.)

“Jeep’s icon the Wrangler will arrive on the market with a 4xe version that will be on the front line of our electrification strategy in North America,” he said during the automaker’s annual general meeting held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Detroit News.

All Jeep plug-in hybrids will adopt this badge in the future, starting with the new Wrangler hybrid.

Going forward, all electrified Jeep products will carry a special “4xe” badge. Now the arrival of the hybrid Wrangler wasn’t really a surprise, as had been discussed for some time and made an earlier appearance at CES in Las Vegas in January.

No real details were given at the time, but now Manley said it will be available in the U.S. by the end of this year. China and Europe will get it sometime in the first quarter of 2021. Manley didn’t offer up what Jeep models are next to be electrified, if you will.

(Click Here for an earlier look at Jeep’s PHEV plans.)

However, at CES the Wrangler was joined by Compass and Renegade hybrid vehicles. It wasn’t even the first real event for those vehicles either, Jeep having teased versions of the Compass and Renegade plug-ins last year.

The new Jeep Wrangler hybrid is slated to arrive at the end of 2020.

If it hasn’t torn up those original plans, we can expect to see the new plug-in hybrids deliver up to 31 miles range and the ability to operate at speeds up to 62 mph in all-electric mode. The gas and electric power sources, the brand said last year, combine to deliver about 240 horsepower.

The hybrids are critical to the commitment to offer electrified versions of all Jeeps by 2022 to meeting tougher carbon emissions standards in other parts of the world. Orders for the plug-in Jeep Compass and Renegade crossovers in Europe will start in by early July.

(FCA makes splash at SEMA as Jeep takes 4×4 award.)

Manley did not talk about the brand’s larger, pricier models, which will need to find a place for a plug sooner rather than later, especially the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, which will be built in Warren, Michigan.

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