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2018 BMW i3 recalled for circuit-board issue causing sudden shutdowns

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2018 BMW i3
Some BMW i3 models from the 2018 model year are being recalled for an issue that could cause sudden power loss and shutdown.

At root of the issue is a printed circuit board, part of the Electric Motor Electronics (EME) module, that may not have been made to specifications. The issue could cause the lack of electrical contact, causing the EME module to shut down high-voltage electrical power after detecting the condition.

The issue affects 134 BMW i3 REx vehicles and just 25 i3 BEV vehicles. That covers a specific range of build dates in January for the REx and in January and February 2018 for the BEV.

CHECK OUT: 2019 BMW i3 to get bigger battery with 153-mile range

According to paperwork filed by BMW, the circuit board “may not have undergone a sufficient cleaning process during Tier-2 supplier production.”

2018 BMW i3

BMW cites “several field incidents” as leading to the discovery of the issue but is not aware of any accidents or injuries stemming from the issue.

The i3, and especially the i3 REx, have been affected by several significant recalls over the past couple of years:

Last October BMW issued a recall for the charge cords of nearly all 2018 and 2019 plug-in vehicles it built for sale in the U.S.—including the i3.
In 2017 it recalled 19,130 i3 REx models from the 2014 through 2017 model years for an issue with the fuel vent.
BMW also in late 2017 recalled more than 30,000 i3 it had then sold in the U.S. from the 2014 through 2018 model years to reprogram the airbag to accommodate drivers not wearing their seatbelt [yes, still a U.S. requirement].
Under this new recall, dealers will replace the EME module on affected cars. The effort will start around June 7, 2019, and owners will be notified. Those with questions or concerns can call BMW at 800-525-7417.

Ford recalls 270,000 Fusion cars to fix glitch that can cause vehicles to shift gears and roll away

Ford Motor Co. Fusion vehicles move down the production line at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock, Michigan.Jeff Kowalsky | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesFord Motor said Wednesday that it is recalling more than 270,000 Fusion vehicles in North America to fix a transmission glitch that can cause the car to shift gears and roll away.
The recall is for 2013-16 Fusion vehicles with 2.5-liter engines that were built at the automaker's Flat Rock, Michigan, and Hermosillo, Mexico, assembly plants.
The company said the bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the vehicle's transmission may detach, which can result in “unintended vehicle movement.” Ford said it is aware of three reports of property damage due to the issue and one injury “potentially” related to the problem.
VIDEO2:2802:28Ford on the road to nowhereTrading NationAbout 260,000 of the cars were recalled in the United States. More than 10,000 and 3,000 vehicles were also recalled in Canada and Mexico, respectively.
Ford also recalled about 3,000 2019 Ranger pickup trucks in the United States and Canada that were built at the company's Wayne, Michigan, assembly plant. The automaker cited another transmission issue for the Ranger recalls, saying that the transmission shift cable bracket in affected vehicles may not have been torqued correctly and can eventually come lose.
This can cause the vehicle to shift into a different gear than the one selected by the driver, which can lead to the pickup truck rolling away and “increasing the risk of crash or injury.”
The company said it has not received any incident reports regarding the faulty Ranger vehicles.
Read Ford's full statement here.
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In addition to SUV also E-, C- and S-class affected: suspected manipulation at Daimler is expanding

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It’s Back: 2020 GR Supra Ready for the Road

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Original Article

Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory Update — Unbelievable Progress Over A Single Month

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Published on May 7th, 2019 |

by Dr. Maximilian Holland

Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory Update — Unbelievable Progress Over A Single Month

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May 7th, 2019 by Dr. Maximilian Holland

In the latest aerial flyover video of the Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory, the main roof structure is now essentially complete, the walls along the east side of the main structure are also complete, and the rest is rapidly being finished. The progress over the past month has been spectacular, as we can see when comparing images over that time period.

Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory images courtesy of 烏瓦 and Jason Wang (see article text for links)

The above shots (click to zoom), both looking from south to north along the length of the Gigafactory site, come from an April 5th video by 烏瓦 and a 7th May aerial video by Jason Yang. It is stunning to see the speed of construction progress over essentially just a single month, scarcely believable were it not for the evidence of our own senses.

As can be seen in Jason’s full video (below), whilst there remains some construction work to be done on two taller structures at the north and south ends of the factory, the central body of the structure is now basically complete. The main roof is effectively in place (roof workers can be seen in the video, finishing up the last remaining small patches), the main east side wall is up (visible in the above shot), and the west side wall is near to completion.

It’s an amazing transformation from the build state just one month ago, when the structure was still in the early phases and the first few roof panels were just starting to be laid down.

Recall that the goal is to have the factory in a ready state to start pilot production runs sometime in September, with volume production beginning in the 4th quarter:

“It looks like we’ll reach volume production at the end of this year with, let’s say, more than 1,000 cars a week, maybe 2,000 from Shanghai Giga at the end of this year. That’s what it looks like to be the case right now. If it’s not at the end, it will be shortly thereafter.” Elon Musk, Q1 2019 Tesla earnings call

For those of you who want to marvel at what can be achieved over just a month, remind yourself of what the site looked like on 5th April, from the video by烏瓦 …

… and then watch Jason Yang’s latest video, dated 7th May:

About the Author

Dr. Maximilian Holland Max is an anthropologist, social theorist and international political economist, trying to ask questions and encourage critical thinking about social and environmental justice, sustainability and the human condition. He has lived and worked in Europe and Asia, and is currently based in Barcelona.

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MG ZS EV To Be Equipped With 44.5 kWh Battery

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Statement: Power Lock Actuator Control Assembly

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Volkswagen says EV batteries to last “the life of the car”

Volkswagen ID Buzz Concept
In an announcement last month, Volkswagen joined Nissan and Tesla as the only automakers to explicitly warranty not just the batteries in its cars but specifically how much life it expects them to retain.

Frank Blome, the head of VW's Center of Excellence in Battery Cells, said in an outward facing internal marketing interview that the company expects the battery packs in its upcoming line of ID cars to last “the life of the cars,” he said.

READ THIS: Here's the battery pack behind VW's global electric-vehicle push

Of course, for a key component of the car that costs five figures to replace it's an open question whether a dead battery becomes a self-fulfilling condition of a dead car.
Volkswagen has previously said—at several points—that its batteries will retain 70 percent of their original capacity for 8 years or 100,000 miles. That's the standard time frame for an EV battery warranty, though not all companies go so far as to provide a definition of how much capacity the battery needs to retain at that point.

CHECK OUT: Volkswagen details the foundation for 10 million electric vehicles

Batteries for the Audi E-tron quattro, the first all-electric car from the Volkswagen Group's luxury division come from Korean supplier LG Chem. LG's South Korean rival, SK Innovation, which was just sued by LG Chem at the International Trade Commission, will supply batteries for VW's new products in Europe as well as the U.S.

SKI is building new battery factories in Hungary and the U.S. state of Georgia to supply the batteries. In China, VW will rely on local batteries from CATL.

DON'T MISS: VW Group has nailed down $25 billion of batteries for electric cars, it said today

Blome confirmed that Volkswagen continues to work with Silicon Valley startup QuantumScape to develop solid-state batteries for its next generation of batteries for electric cars sometime between 2025 and 2030.

He also affirmed that he expects VW's European Battery Union partnership with Swedish battery maker Northvolt to produce more and better batteries, and to promote more battery production in Europe. The EBU is expected to begin research in 2020. “This new consortium will cover the entire battery value chain,” he said. “The primary aim is to gain broader expertise in battery cell production.”