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Automakers bank on buyback option to tackle slowdown

It’s not just the established companies that are offering this facility but also the new ones. Nilanjan Banerjee of New Delhi bought Mahindra’s premium luxury SUV, Alturas, this month. No big deal, except that he will keep the vehicle for three years, or 30,000 km, after which he is assured a buyback at 57% of… Continue reading Automakers bank on buyback option to tackle slowdown

“Incredible historical process”: Chaos days at Opel: carmaker announces renitenten employees

Opel plant in Rüsselsheim All Opel employees who have personally objected to their planned transfer to Segula have now been released from their duties with immediate effect. (Photo: AP) Munich It is done. Beaming with joy, Christian Müller and Martin Lange look into the camera. With a strong handshake seal the OpelDevelopment boss and the… Continue reading “Incredible historical process”: Chaos days at Opel: carmaker announces renitenten employees

Exclusive Interview With Chris Anthony: Aptera’s CEO

He talks about the past and especially about the future of the company. Chris Anthony was one of the founders of the original Aptera. He is also one of the executives that want to finally deliver what promises to be the most energy-efficient car in the world. “We never stopped thinking Aptera since 2011 so… Continue reading Exclusive Interview With Chris Anthony: Aptera’s CEO

General Motors cuts some 350 jobs in Thailand operations – Yahoo Finance UK

The GM logo in Warren Michigan More By Chayut Setboonsarng BANGKOK (Reuters) – General Motors has cut about 350 jobs from its Thai subsidiary’s operations, a labour representative said on Friday, slashing more than 15% of the workforce for the U.S. automaker that has two factories in Thailand. Thailand is a major manufacturing hub in… Continue reading General Motors cuts some 350 jobs in Thailand operations – Yahoo Finance UK

Ford recalls 550K vehicles for seat strength problem

Detroit – Ford is recalling more than 550,000 trucks and SUVs in North America because seat backs may not properly restrain people in a crash. The recall covers certain 2018 through 2020 F-150 pickups, 2019 and 2020 Super Duty trucks, 2018 and 2019 Explorer SUVs, and 2019 and 2020 Expedition SUVs. All have manual driver… Continue reading Ford recalls 550K vehicles for seat strength problem

General Motors cuts some 350 jobs in Thailand operations

BANGKOK (Reuters) – General Motors (GM.N) has cut about 350 jobs from its Thai subsidiary’s operations, a labor representative said on Friday, slashing more than 15% of the workforce for the U.S. automaker that has two factories in Thailand. FILE PHOTO: A sign of the General Motors (GM) plant is pictured in the Eastern Seaboard… Continue reading General Motors cuts some 350 jobs in Thailand operations

MARELLI forms strategic partnerships with Highly Group

“ MARELLI forms strategic partnerships with Highly Group SAITAMA, Japan – August 30, 2019 Leading automotive supplier MARELLI is delighted to announce that it has entered into a strategic partnership with China-based Shanghai Highly (Group) Co., Ltd. (Highly). Under the terms of the deal, MARELLI has agreed an Equity Transfer Agreement with Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air… Continue reading MARELLI forms strategic partnerships with Highly Group

Walmart Sues Tesla Over Rooftop Solar Fires

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Published on August 22nd, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

Walmart Sues Tesla Over Rooftop Solar Fires

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August 22nd, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Update: This story may not be as straightforward as initially presented:

We’ve reached out to Tesla to ask for further commentary.

Another update (full linked document also available here):

As a 3rd update, read our new piece on this story, which is basically Part 1 of this subject: What’s The Real Reason Walmart Is Suing Tesla?

Back in 2010, Walmart was one of the first major companies to get involved with the solar power revolution. It teamed up with SolarCity, the rooftop solar company started by Elon Musk’s cousins Lyndon Rive and Peter Rive, to install rooftop solar arrays on 224 of its stores.

To date, seven of those rooftop installations have caught fire, causing millions of dollars in structural damage and lost sales. Unable to resolve their differences, Walmart has now sued Tesla, claiming the company, which purchased SolarCity in 2016, has been guilty of a long list of failings ranging from negligence to incompetence to mopery on the high seas.

Image courtesy SEIA/Solar Means Business report

The SolarCity Mess
We are accustomed to thinking of Tesla as a well managed company with a clear road map to the future in place. Yet it has floundered repeatedly with the solar end of things since acquiring SolarCity, a decision many analysts said at the time was little more than a bailout for a pair of cousins whose company was about to sail over the brink of viability into the ignominy of bankruptcy.

According to a reporter at Business Insider who has a long history of negative Tesla stories, the complaint by Walmart says Tesla has no explanation why the rooftop systems caught fire, adding that Tesla had no accurate drawings of the solar panels, no procedures in place to deal with the issue, and no employees trained in how to inspect or fix them. In fact, its own employees had to show Tesla employees where there were cracks and temperature issues involving the solar panels.

Tesla says its inspections found 157 areas that need repair or replacement at all 224 stores. Walmart claims the total number of defects is far higher. “On information and belief, the actual conditions are worse than as documented by Tesla, based on Tesla’s history of deficient and incompetent inspections, including Tesla’s reliance on untrained, unqualified, and unsupervised personnel to install and maintain the systems,” Walmart said in its court filing.

According to CNBC, Walmart alleges in its claim that Tesla bought SolarCity to “bail out the flailing company” and mentions SolarCity 46 times throughout the lawsuit. The complaint further alleges that SolarCity created a culture that tolerated defects because of its desperate need to keep cash coming in the door and that Tesla has failed to address that issue.

Lastly, it also accuses Tesla of filing reports that said it had made repairs to Walmart’s roofs when it had not. As part of the relief sought, Walmart is seeking to terminate its solar roof contract with Tesla and force Tesla to remove all the rooftop systems it has installed on the roof of Walmart stores.

Were Investors Told?
The suit raises a lot of “he said, they said” issues that will get thoroughly hashed out in court. But the most important threat to the company comes from what Tesla may or may not have told its investors — both stockholders and bondholders — about its financial exposure as a result of the Walmart situation. Business Insider asks a number of cogent questions:

Did Tesla ever disclose the loss of Walmart’s business to shareholders?
Did Tesla ever disclose the loss of Walmart’s business to SolarCity bondholders?
Is Tesla concerned about possible class actions related to SolarCity roofs now?
Does Tesla have insurance that would cover a lawsuit like that?
Have other customers (homeowners or businesses) experienced fires like this?

CleanTechnica is often accused of being a Tesla fanboy site. It’s true that we do write a lot of articles that are laudatory of the company and its chief executive. Yet, it’s possible our hero has the proverbial feet of clay. He does have a penchant for over-promising and under-delivering, for moving fast even when yellow caution lights are flashing.

Confusion Abounds
Plenty of outside observers have suggested Elon Musk bullied the board of directors for both Tesla and SolarCity to approve a merger without completing the due diligence such a decision required. Since the merger, Tesla has altered its solar business model multiple times, first dismantling the door-to-door sales model SolarCity followed, then announcing a major link-up with Home Depot that was quickly cancelled, and also rolling out a splashy reveal of the Tesla Solar Roof nearly two years ago.

In the meantime, Gigafactory 2, the Tesla solar factory in Buffalo, New York, seems to be drifting along and doesn’t get the attention, fanfare, or revolutionary output figures many expected. Even deliveries of the company’s Powerwall residential home battery are way behind schedule. But for the company’s success in utility-scale battery storage, the SolarCity piece of the Tesla puzzle seems to be running poorly and is a huge hit to Musk’s aura of invincibility.

It’s not hard to argue that Tesla could have pursued its energy storage ambitions without taking on the debts of SolarCity. The latest debacle with Walmart could be a serious black eye for the company, one that could cause a loss of confidence in Tesla and its leadership at a critical time for the company.

About the Author

Steve Hanley Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Rhode Island and anywhere else the Singularity may lead him. His motto is, “Life is not measured by how many breaths we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away!” You can follow him on Google + and on Twitter.

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China to exempt Tesla cars from 10% purchase tax

BEIJING (Reuters) – China will exempt Tesla Inc’s (TSLA.O) electric vehicles from its purchase tax, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on Friday, a concession made amidst trade tensions with the United States. Tesla sees China as one of its most important, growing markets, and the exemption from a 10% purchase tax… Continue reading China to exempt Tesla cars from 10% purchase tax

Mahindra introduces New Bolero City Pik-Up

Newsroom/Press Releases/Mahindra introduces New Bolero City Pi…

Mahindra introduces New Bolero City Pik-Up

Best suited for Intra-city applications

Competitively priced at Rs.6.25 Lac (ex-showroom, Bengaluru)

New Bolero City Pik-Up is perfectly suited to city applications with its easy manoeuvrability, stronger suspension, bigger cargo box and reliable, high-power engine.

Specially designed for City Application with a shorter bonnet, leading to better manoeuvrability on narrow and crowded city roads.
Higher payload capacity of 1.4T and a large 8.7 ft cargo box
Strong Suspension – the rear suspension is over slung in nature allowing for a higher loading capability
Large 215/75 R15 inch (38.1 cm) tyres for better road grip and overloading
Warranty of 3 years/ 1 lakh kilometers for complete peace of mind
Superior performance with the proven 2,523cc m2Di engine, power of 46.3 kW (63 HP) & torque of 195 Nm
Wider co-driver seat for comfortable seating of people in the cabin
Aimed at transportation needs of stand operators, small & medium scale businessmen and traders across India to ensure last-mile connectivity

Bengaluru, August 29, 2019: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., a part of the US $20.7 billion Mahindra Group and a leader in the Indian pick-up segment, today announced the launch of the ‘New Bolero City Pik-Up’, an addition to its ‘pick-up’ range. This new model scores high on parameters such as manoeuvrability, reliability and comfort, and is available at a competitive price of Rs.6.25 lac (ex-showroom, Bengaluru).

The New Bolero City Pik-Up has been developed keeping in mind the need for easy manoeuvrability, ruggedness and comfort. The new model boasts a strong suspension, with the rear suspension strengthened to take any type of load in city driving conditions. The cabin ergonomics have been further enhanced with a wider co-driver seat, giving the best driving experience during intra-city business trips. All these make the New City Pik-Up an ideal pick up for urban goods transportation.

Speaking on this occasion, Vikram Garga, Vice President – Marketing, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “”As market leaders in the pick-up segment for over two decades, it is imperative that we know the pulse of the market; hence new product offerings at regular intervals are necessary. With The launch of City Pickup, Now Bolero Pik-up Range has clearly defined portfolio for different needs – 1.7T Bolero Pickup for Intercity Application and Bolero City Pickup & Bolero Maxitruck plus for Intra city application. The new Bolero City Pik-Up reflects our customer centric approach to delivering on the increasing need for better manoeuvrability in cities, to counter traffic congestion, along with enhancing the earning potential for our customers, while retaining the tough and rugged DNA associated with Bolero Pick-ups”.

The New City Pik-Up is powered by Mahindra’s proven 2,523cc, m2Di, four-cylinder, diesel engine providing power of 46.3 kW (63 HP) & torque of 195 Nm for better performance. The City Pik-Up has a payload capacity of 1.4T and an 8.7ft x 5.6ft cargo box to carry heavy loads effortlessly. It sports eye catching wrap around headlamps, a stylised front chrome grille, a trendy dual tone instrument panel and comfortable fabric seats with matching door trims, giving it a more stylish and elegant look.

With a warranty of 3 years/ 1,00,000 kilometres and minimal maintenance costs, customers are guaranteed to earn more profit and have complete peace of mind.

As leaders in the pick-up segment for 20 years, Mahindra has continuously focussed on understanding the evolving needs of its customers in the areas of performance, reliability, profitability and comfort. To add to this, the widespread Mahindra dealer network facilitates easy repairs and servicing. Today with over 15 lakh delighted customers in India, the Bolero Pik-Up range scores far higher than its competitors.

About Mahindra

The Mahindra Group is a USD 20.7 billion federation of companies that enables people to rise through innovative mobility solutions, driving rural prosperity, enhancing urban living, nurturing new businesses and fostering communities. It enjoys a leadership position in utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership in India and is the world’s largest tractor company, by volume. It also enjoys a strong presence in agribusiness, aerospace, commercial vehicles, components, defense, logistics, real estate, renewable energy, speedboats and steel, amongst other businesses. Headquartered in India, Mahindra employs over 2,40,000 people across 100 countries.

Learn more about Mahindra on www.mahindra.com / Twitter and Facebook: @MahindraRise

Media contact information:

Mohan Nair
Vice President (Communications)
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Office Direct Line – + 91 22 28468510
Office Email Address – nair.mohan@mahindra.com