AD #3076 – Mercedes Electric Van Concept; Electric Macan Development Details; New Mitsubishi Outlander Impressive

This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.

LABOR & INDUSTRY GROUPS CONCERNED ABOUT EV TRANSITION
EVs threaten to eliminate tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs in the automotive industry. Not only do EV powertrains use far fewer components, about one in three jobs can be eliminated in assembly plants. So in the U.S., that prompted the United Auto Workers, the League of Conservation Voters, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club and the Union of Concerned Scientists to band together to find solutions. The Detroit News reports that one thing they hope to do is create a domestic supply chain for EV materials and components to create more jobs. But while the environmentalists want to see ICE vehicles banned, labor unions and industry groups are leery of moving too fast.

GM CREATES SCHOOL TO TRAIN WORKERS ON EVs
In a related move, General Motors created the GM Automotive Manufacturing Electrical College, or AMEC, to train employees on how to work on complex electrical systems for ICE vehicles as well as assembling and designing EVs. The AMEC is brand new. The Detroit Free Press reports only 16 employees are enrolled, but the effort was delayed last year because of the pandemic. It’s open to new hires right out of high school, or for long-time GM veterans. They get on the job training, as well as classroom instruction at the GM Tech Center in Warren, Michigan.

NIKOLA SHARES VIDEO OF TRE TESTS
Last week Nikola posted its Q1 earnings. And while it lost money, it was a lot less than analysts expected, and the stock took a nice bump up on the news. Nikola also posted this video of its electric semi-truck, the Tre, undergoing testing. It included going 75 miles an hour with an 82,000-pound load, going up a 20% grade, and drag racing with a Ford F-350, during which it was able to keep up. Nikola says it has enough battery cells to build 50 to 100 Tre’s this year, but warned there could be supply issues with batteries, chips, touch screens as well as some other parts. While Nikola’s founder Trevor Milton had to resign from the company for lying to investors, Nikola continues to make some progress.  

TOYOTA PARTNERS WITH ENEOS ON HYDROGEN DEVELOPMENT
Toyota continues its hydrogen push. It’s teaming up with hydrogen maker ENEOS to supply and develop hydrogen solutions for Toyota’s city of the future, called Woven City. The two plan to establish and operate refueling stations, install fuel cell generators as well as promote and run hydrogen-powered mobility solutions. The hope is to create a carbon neutral society by 2050.

PORSCHE REVEALS ELECTRIC MACAN DEVELOPMENT DETAILS
General Motors and Porsche are bragging about how they’re using digital tools and computer simulation to develop their EVs. But while GM says these tools allowed it to take 9 months out of its new product development process, Porsche seems to be taking a more deliberate pace. Porsche started working on the all-electric version of the Macan four years ago but it will not go into production until 2023. That makes it a 6-year program whereas most automakers take about 3 years to develop a new vehicle. And the next Macan will not be electric. Porsche says it’s coming out with an ICE version later this year, because “Demand for electric vehicles continues to rise, but the pace of change varies considerably across the world.”

MERCEDES UNVEILS ELECTRIC VAN CONCEPT
Mercedes revealed the concept version of a new small van that’s coming out next year, called the T-Class. It will be offered with both ICE and EV powertrains, with seating for up to seven people and is about the same size as a Ford Transit Connect. Mercedes didn’t go into much detail beyond that, so let’s stick with styling, which it calls near-production. That means much of what you see here will be very close to what you see on dealer lots and out on the road. This is the all-electric EQT version, which wears a grille similar to some of Mercedes’ other electric vehicles. Who knows if it will stay into production, but that chrome accent around the side windows contrasted with the dark paint, really draws our eye into that area. The rear is highlighted by LED taillights that have a similar lighting signature to the Kia Telluride, but are attached together via a long, thin illuminated bar. The interior looks mostly uncluttered and features the gear shifter mounted higher up on the center console and a floating display screen placed between the two round center air vents. Along with the T-Class, Mercedes says it will unveil the Citan van this year, which will have a fully electric version as well.

VW TEASES NEW POLO GTI
Volkswagen revealed a sketch of the upcoming Polo GTI, which is based on the new Polo that was unveiled last month. The automaker is being tight lipped about details but as you can see it features sharper, more angular styling compared to the previous model. But we’ll learn more when the new Polo GTI makes its official debut at the end of June.

PONY.AI PICKS LUMINAR LIDAR FOR AUTONOMOUS CARS
Chinese self-driving startup Pony.ai, which is backed by Toyota, announced it’s collaborating with lidar company Luminar. Pony.ai will use Luminar’s Iris technology for its newly designed platform, which it hopes to have operating in AV fleets by 2023. Four of these lidar units will be mounted on the roof to provide a 360-degree view. And one of the main reasons Pony.ai went with Luminar’s unit is that it’s more compact rather than those “monstrosities” you see, as Luminar’s CEO puts it. The unit for Pony.ai only sticks 10 cm or about 4-inches off the roof. 

ALL-NEW MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER IMPRESSIVE
Mitsubishi is pretty much an afterthought in the U.S. market. But the company is attempting a comeback with new design and technology. And the all-new Outlander is a reflection of that commitment. After having the chance to get behind the wheel of the SUV, it was a pleasant surprise. Mitsubishi did a nice job of making it modern and its new design language, gives it a more expressive look. Inside is very nice with lots of soft touch surfaces, along with plenty of leather. The stitching on the seats and along the door provides a nice look as well. The Outlander is powered by a 2.5L four-cylinder engine with direct injection that’s mated to an 8-speed CVT. But it’s been tuned to act like a traditional automatic to give you the sensation of shift changes when accelerating. It’s also equipped with the company’s new all-wheel-drive system, which it calls Super All-Wheel Control. Fuel economy is decent at 26 MPG combined. And it doesn’t feel sluggish at all for being a smaller, naturally aspirated engine with 181 horsepower and the same amount of torque. The Outlander starts just under $27,000 including destination charges but our tester was loaded up which pushed the price tag to about $38,000. The new model is just arriving at dealers and it couldn’t come at a better time. Outlander sales were down nearly 70% in the first quarter.

But that’s it for today, thank you for watching.