Category: Automotive

Jaguar Land Rover plans two-week shutdown

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is planning a two week shutdown of its Solihull plant at the end of October. Britain’s biggest carmaker blamed weakening global demand, especially in China, and has faced falling diesel sales in recent months. JLR said employees at the West Midlands plant would be paid for the duration of the shutdown… Continue reading Jaguar Land Rover plans two-week shutdown

Uber deploys JUMP scooters and bikes in Santa Monica

Following approval from the city of Santa Monica, Uber is deploying bikes and its first set of scooters via JUMP, the bike-share startup it acquired earlier this year. Although these are Xiaomi Ninebot scooters, Uber says it’s branding them with JUMP for the sake of consistency when it comes to its personal electric vehicle services. “JUMP… Continue reading Uber deploys JUMP scooters and bikes in Santa Monica

Geely Automobile Holdings acquires two engine firms with RMB1.265 billion

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Geely Automobile Holdings Limited (the Company) announced on October 5 that Zhejiang Geely Dongli Zongcheng Company Limited (Zhejiang Dongli), an indirect 99% owned subsidiary of the Company, agreed to acquire two engine firms with a total of RMB1.265 billion involved. The announcement shows that Zhejiang Dongli entered into an acquisition agreement with Taizhou… Continue reading Geely Automobile Holdings acquires two engine firms with RMB1.265 billion

How will VW price its next-generation electric vehicles? Think TDI

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Volkswagen MEB platform architecture
Volkswagen says that it aims to make “electric vehicles for millions, not millionaires” with its next-generation EVs.

While that’s a clever tagline, what ultimately will matter to many households who want a new electric vehicle in the driveway is whether they can afford one of those models.

Speaking at an event last month previewing some fundamentals of the upcoming modular electric platform (MEB) that it hopes will underpin a million EVs a year by 2025, Thomas Ulbrich, the member of the VW Group Board of Management responsible for e-mobility, gave some important guidance about the automakers intended pricing: These vehicles will be priced at the level of a comparable diesel car.

DON'T MISS: Here's the battery pack behind VW's global electric-vehicle push

“And then we are sure we can convince millions, because then it is no longer a price range for special customers,” said Ulbrich.

VW Electric for All

To look at how Volkswagen priced TDI models just prior to the diesel scandal, a 2015 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T SE started at $19,815, while a 2015 Jetta TDI SE started at $24,895—a 25-percent increase. Going upscale to the SUV side of the market, to the Touareg, the gasoline model started at $45,615 while the TDI started at $53,155—about 17 percent higher.

Those models will start arriving in the U.S. in 2020, as previewed by the ID hatchback and ID Crozz crossover, and then in 2022 with the much-anticipated electric take on the Microbus.

CHECK OUT: Will Volkswagen's electric Microbus be made in the USA?

That gap between EVs and equivalent gasoline models will likely close over time, too. Bloomberg New Energy Finance, last year, anticipated that electric cars will reach price parity with gasoline models by 2025, due to falling battery costs. That’s based on U.S. medium-segment vehicle price estimates, and an assumption that prices on internal-combustion vehicles will slightly rise.

What remains to be clarified is whether such a pricing scheme would initially include the $7,500 federal EV tax credit. Volkswagen isn’t yet close to reaching its 200,000-unit ceiling for the credit. If Volkswagen prices that first MEB model, rumored to be called the Neo, like a TDI before the tax credit, it could prove very popular indeed.

WPP loses role as Ford’s lead creative agency

(Reuters) – Advertising giant WPP (WPP.L) has lost its position as lead creative agency for Ford Motor Co (F.N), WPP said. FILE PHOTO: A WPPA sign on a wall outside the advertising company’s offices in London, Britain April 30, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson/File Photo WPP said Ford had given the job to another agency, named by… Continue reading WPP loses role as Ford’s lead creative agency

Volkswagen furloughs workers in Brazil as demand from depressed Argentina weakens

SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Volkswagen’s (VOWG_p.DE) Brazil operation is putting workers on a 20-day furlough, the company said on Monday, citing reduced demand from Argentina, which is undergoing an economic crisis that has derailed growth and slashed spending power. FILE PHOTO: A Volkswagen logo is pictured in front of a slum, at the Volkswagen plant… Continue reading Volkswagen furloughs workers in Brazil as demand from depressed Argentina weakens

Electrify America Announces Stage 2 Of Its EV-Based Plans (For California)

Electrify America announced a second 30-month investment cycle for the state of California, which envisions more charging infrastructure (DC fast chargers and normal AC L2 charging stations) and various other actions (education and awareness). The company, was established by Volkswagen to implement the $2 billion ZEV Investment Commitment outlined in Volkswagen’s Court-approved settlement involving 2.0L… Continue reading Electrify America Announces Stage 2 Of Its EV-Based Plans (For California)