American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings is selling its commercial vehicle axle business in India to Bharat Forge for $65 million, pending regulatory approval. AAM India's manufacturing facilities focus on axles for light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks and passenger buses. The business generated about $165 million in sales over the 12 months ending June 2024. "The strategic decision to sell our … [Read more...]

NASHVILLE — Nissan Motor Co. has a fix for its Achilles' heel — a lack of hybrid vehicles in a market gravitating toward the gasoline-assisted powertrain. The Japanese automaker will deliver a pair of electrified Rogue crossovers in the next roughly two years, Nissan said at an Oct. 16 event at its Americas headquarters here. The models are part of Nissan's ambition to introduce 34 electrified … [Read more...]

Autonomous vehicle startup Pony.ai plans to file publicly for an initial public offering in the U.S. as soon as this week, according to people familiar with the situation. The company is looking to raise as much as $300 million from the listing, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing a private matter. Guangzhou Automobile Group, a top Chinese automaker and backer of another … [Read more...]

There is a new supercar at the top of Ferrari's lineup. The 1,183-hp F80 hybrid follows in the footsteps of the supercar maker's previous range toppers, which include the F40, F50, Enzo and LaFerrari. The F80, which debuted on Oct. 17, was designed to embody “the ultimate in engineering” for a car with an internal-combustion-engine, Ferrari said. Ferrari will limit production of the F80 to 799 … [Read more...]

Increasing vehicle and charger connectivity creates more cyberattack opportunities, but the industry is learning to use artificial intelligence to turn back hackers. More than half of vehicles sold globally are connected, according to McKinsey & Co. The consulting firm forecasts that figure will rise to 95 percent by the end of the decade. That connectivity gives hackers more targets. Last … [Read more...]

Omead Afshar, one of Elon Musk’s closest confidantes, has been promoted to oversee Tesla Inc.’s operations in Europe and North America, according to people familiar with the matter. Afshar, who worked in the “Office of the CEO,” is now a vice president overseeing manufacturing and sales, said the people, who declined to be identified discussing a private matter. Afshar's direct reports … [Read more...]

Plug-in hybrids are not the electric vehicle compromise that consumers have been clamoring for, according to a new study from J.D. Power. "There's been a lot of focus on creating intermediary steps for consumers who may not be ready to fully adopt a battery-electric vehicle yet," Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power, told Automotive News. But the experience of plug-in … [Read more...]

When Chevrolet revealed the 2025 Corvette ZR1 in July, engineers said its top speed would surpass 215 mph. It did, easily. Not only did the 1,064-hp, turbocharged ZR1 clock in at 233 mph, with General Motors President Mark Reuss at the wheel, Chevy said it now holds the record for speediest production vehicle priced less than $1 million. Exact pricing for the ZR1 hasn't yet been announced. The … [Read more...]

Accuride Corp., a supplier of wheels for semitrucks and light vehicles, has filed for bankruptcy with $486 million of debt as it seeks to exit an unprofitable General Motors contract and recover from depressed demand. Accuride and its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Canada petitioned for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week in the District of Delaware as well as restructuring in … [Read more...]

Apple and BYD teamed up around 2017 to build a battery system using lithium iron phosphate cells, Bloomberg reported, signaling just how far the iPhone maker went in its efforts to produce a car. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]

Subaru’s next-generation strong hybrid, to be optioned in the Crosstrek and Forester crossovers, achieves across-the-board improvements in engine power, motor output, torque, battery capacity, fuel economy and driving range. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]

A service adviser doesn't have to be a pushy salesperson to sell needed repairs or maintenance to a customer, said Darryl Terrell, service and parts director at Matt Bowers Ford in Metairie, La., on "The Multi-Point Inspection Podcast." Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]

Elevating team communication can shift the service department from frustration to open discussions that make technicians feel valued, said Jonathan Carr, president of fleet vehicle remanufacturing firm Vehicle Reman, during a conversation with technician coach Joshua Taylor.To accomplish this, shop leaders need to do three things, the two said. The first is to hold 10-minute staff huddles at which … [Read more...]

The partnership plans to fuse language-based models and advanced robotics to accelerate AI integration, and eventual integration in production lines. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]

General Motors has invested $10 million in materials science company Forge Nano to team up on electric vehicle batteries. The automaker's investment, through its GM Ventures unit, includes a strategic partnership on potential uses of Forge Nano's atomic layer deposition technology in GM's EV batteries. Forge Nano, of Thornton, Colo., uses thin-film coatings on battery materials to manage their … [Read more...]

Suppliers increasingly view artificial intelligence as a means to become more efficient, reduce disruptive  maintenance and better analyze new requests for business. “If you think of where to apply AI in manufacturing, it can be very useful in pretty much every step,” said Benjamin Saltsman, Magna International’s director of data analytics, simulation and Internet of Things, during an Oct. 15 … [Read more...]

LAS VEGAS — Americans this summer were having a harder time paying bills and feeling greater concern about making ends meet compared with a year earlier, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia survey. The trends could even be seen among consumers making $150,000 or more, data from the Philadelphia Fed's Labor, Income, Finances, and Expectations Survey showed. "People are struggling to … [Read more...]

The Biden administration is poised to loan nearly $671 million to Aspen Aerogels Inc. to make a key component of electric car batteries in the election battleground state of Georgia. Aspen Aerogel shares surged as much as 20 percent in New York.  The conditional financing, being announced Wednesday by the U.S. Energy Department, will fund construction of a new manufacturing plant producing … [Read more...]

The swift ascent of Chinese electric vehicle makers and stark fall for Detroit automakers in the Far East has automotive suppliers in the West rethinking their business strategies. As Ford, General Motors, Stellantis and other traditional automakers lose ground rapidly in China, their suppliers are scrambling to fill the void and preserve positions in what is now the world’s largest auto … [Read more...]

Canadian miner Lithium Americas said on Wednesday General Motors will contribute $625 million to their new joint venture for developing the Thacker Pass project in Nevada. U.S. automakers are ramping up their output of EVs and hybrids and aiming to reduce their reliance on China for battery-related materials in a competitive market. U.S.-listed shares of Lithium Americas were up 16.5 percent at … [Read more...]