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Runtime: 7:48
0:27 GMC Unveils New Sierra HD
1:13 2018 European Electrified Sales
2:43 New Porsche 911 Can Detect Wet Roads
3:42 Opel Zafira Switches to PSA Platform
4:31 Protecting the Mustang Shelby GT500’s Wheels
6:03 Waymo Picks Michigan To Build AVs
6:45 Subaru Halts Production in Japan
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On today’s show…GMC reveals the Heavy-Duty version of the Sierra…the new Porsche 911 can detect wet roads…and sales of electrified vehicles in Europe are starting to take off. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.
This is Autoline Daily the voice of the automotive industry.
GMC UNVEILS NEW SIERRA HD
We got a lot of comments about the appearance of the new Heavy Duty version of the Chevy Silverado, so it’s going interesting to read what you have to say about the Sierra HD that debuted yesterday. But moving on from the styling, there’s loads of new technology in the truck. A bunch of it is focused on trailering, including 15 available camera views to make sure you can see from every possible angle. There’s also a 15-inch head up display and it gets that nifty multi-function tailgate. A new AT4 model improves off-road capability with unique suspension, skid plates, locking rear diff and an off-road driving mode. The new Sierra HD will go on sale later in the year.
2018 EUROPEAN ELECTRIFIED SALES
As sales of diesel cars continue to slide in Europe, car buyers are really warming up to hybrids and battery electrics. LMC Automotive reports that Europeans bought over 900,000 electrified cars last year. That compares to 672,000 that were sold in the U.S. market. Interestingly, Europeans bought more battery electrics than plug-in hybrids. But many PHEV models were delayed for approval because, ironically enough, they did not meet CO2 emission targets. Sales of strong hybrids topped half a million vehicles, which should worry European automakers, because those sales are dominated by Japanese and Korean automakers. The Europeans are concentrating on 48-volt mild hybrids and LMC Automotive says 2019 could be a big year for these systems since they offer good fuel efficiency at much lower cost. Overall, LMC says that sales of electrified cars in Europe should hit 1.5 million units this year, and it expects sales of battery electrics to really take off next year.
| 2018 EU ELECTRIFIED VEHICLE SALES | |
|---|---|
| EVs | 190,000 |
| PHEVs | 150,000 |
| Strong Hybrids | 515,000 |
| Mild 48-volt | 60,000 |
| TOTAL | 915,000 |
| Source: LMC Automotive | |
And we’ll be back with more right after this.
NEW PORSCHE 911 CAN DETECT WET ROADS
If you caught our coverage of the Detroit auto show you may have seen our interview with Steve Lietaert, the President of supplier Hella’s Corporate Center. One of the things he talks about is its SHAKE technology, which is a vibratory sensing device that can be used in a number of applications, including detecting a wet road. And now we’re seeing the first use of the technology in a production vehicle. Porsche applied the sensors to the inner wheel wells of the new 911 to detect spray water. If the system detects a wet road, it won’t dial back engine power or reduce top speed, but a warning will pop up instead. That warning recommends that the driver manually switch into Wet Mode, which will adjust the Stability and Traction Management systems, throttle responsiveness, active aerodynamics and optional Torque Vectoring system. The same Wet Mode is also suitable in snowy conditions as well.
OPEL ZAFIRA SWITCHES TO PSA PLATFORM
The fourth-generation of Opel’s compact van, the Zafira, is getting a major overhaul. The outgoing model rides on GM’s Delta II platform, but since GM sold Opel to the PSA Group, the van had to change. The new Zafira Life, as it’s now called, rides on PSA’s EMP2 platform, which underpins other vans like the Peugeot Expert and Citroen Jumpy. And as you can see, it looks very similar to those vans. It comes in three wheelbases: small, medium and large, each of which can seat up to 9 people. There will also be an option for 4-wheel drive when the new Zafira Life launches in February. And for the first time, Opel will offer an all-electric version in early 2021.
PROTECTING THE MUSTANG SHELBY GT500’S WHEELS
The new Mustang Shelby GT500 is being billed as a great car for the drag strip or race track. And to ensure drivers can bring the 700+ horsepower machine to a stop, it’s fitted with massive 16.5-inch brakes and 6-piston Brembo calipers in the front. Anyone who knows a little bit about racing, knows a few hard laps and those brakes are going to be smoking hot. That’s not always an issue, but those gigantic brakes come awfully darn close to the GT500’s carbon fiber wheels. But the wheels are supplied by Australia’s Carbon Revolution which has developed a ceramic coating that reduces wheel temperatures. The coating is applied to the inner part of the wheel and to the back of the spokes using a plasma arc process that liquefies the ceramic material, creating a thin, tough surface. This allows even the most aggressive drivers to run lap after lap and pass after pass without having to worry about their wheel melting.
Coming up next, Waymo will open a factory in Michigan to build its autonomous vehicles.
WAYMO PICKS MICHIGAN TO BUILD AVs
Waymo announced it will assemble its self-driving cars in Michigan. The company just won approval from the state to build AVs and will open a facility in the Detroit area. Waymo picked Michigan because of its skilled workforce and the state’s snowy weather will help in its autonomous testing. Plus an $8 million dollar grant from the state probably didn’t hurt either. Waymo will integrate its self-driving system at the facility into Chrysler Pacifica’s or Jaguar I-Pace’s. And it has hired the supplier Magna to help equip the vehicles with the system. This will be the first factory that’s 100% dedicated to making Level 4 autonomous vehicles.
SUBARU HALTS PRODUCTION IN JAPAN
And in other manufacturing news, Subaru is halting production at its only plant in Japan because of a part defect. Reuters reports that production stopped last week and could be down for nearly two weeks. The company found a possible defect in a power steering component but it’s not sure what the cause is. The Forester, Impreza and XV are affected but production of all models at the plant had to be halted because they’re all built on the same line. The plant accounts for 60% of its global production. Subaru is investigating whether its U.S. plant is affected by the defect but production is continuing for the time being.
But that’s it for today, thanks for watching and please join us again tomorrow.
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John McElroy is an influential thought leader in the automotive industry. He is a journalist, lecturer, commentator and entrepreneur. He created “Autoline Daily,” the first industry webcast of industry news and analysis.
