AD #3222 – Volvo Got Hacked; BMW to Reuse i3 Name; Lancia Wants to Be More Like Mercedes

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

VOLVO GOT HACKED
We start off today with bad news about bad guys. Volvo said hackers broke into its computers and stole some of its research and development data. Worse still, Volvo says that could hurt its operations though it did not divulge any details. The only good news is that it doesn’t look like any customer personal data was stolen. Volvo is conducting its own investigation and working with a third-party specialist. Cyber security is a major issue for the auto industry. And if you want to learn more about it check out an Autoline This Week program we did. That show is called Automakers Unite To Confront Cyber Security Threats. The show number 2525.

VW PARTNERS WITH BOSCH
The European Union represents one of the strongest economic blocs in the world. But Bosch’s outgoing chairman, Franz Fehrenbach, says Europe is too reliant on other parts of the world for materials and parts. He wants Europe to make important components like chips and battery cells and not rely on Asia. Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper reports that Bosch is partnering with Volkswagen’s software unit, Cariad, to develop automotive software. VW will reportedly invest at least a hundred million euros in the partnership. Volkswagen’s software offensive is called Cariad. Remember that name. You’re going to be hearing it a lot. VW CEO Herbert Diess is now personally in charge of Cariad and he says automotive software is the next big battleground in the industry.

VW SETS UP NEW BATTERY COMPANY FOR EUROPE
We know a little bit more about the guy that VW stole from Apple, Soonho Ahn. He will take a leading role in the development of battery cells for Volksagen, a similar role that he held at Apple. He’s actually part of a new European company established by Volkswagen that it says will handle everything “from processing raw materials to developing a unified Volkswagen battery to managing the European gigafactories.”

 

BMW TO RELAUNCH i3 NAME ON A SEDAN
It wasn’t all that long ago that BMW started dropping the i3 from most major markets, so it will surprise some to learn that the name is already making a comeback. But it kind of makes more sense now because the name will likely be used on an electric version of the 3 Series sedan for the Chinese market. AutoExpress got its hands on these images that BMW submitted to the Chinese patent office, which shows the new model. The i3 sedan is expected to launch next year and it’s based on the same platform as the i4. So while BMW hasn’t revealed any specs it could have a similar setup to the i4.

MINI EV CONTINUES TO SET CHINA SALES ON FIRE
Sales of the tiny Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV continue to scorch the Chinese market. According to the China Passenger Car Association, more than 40,000 were sold in November, up 22% from a year ago. That puts year-to-date sales at nearly 345,000 units. The model is closing in on 500,000 cumulative sales since it was launched in China 18 months ago. That makes it the best selling electric car in China. While Tesla made more than 53,000 Model 3s and Ys in China in November, over 21,000 were exported, mainly to Europe. And that’s why Hong Guang is still at the top of the EV sales charts.

CADILLAC STARTING LOGO CHANGEOVER
In case you missed it, Cadillac changed its logo. Well, sort of. It’s basically a black and white version of the one it’s been using since 2014, which got rid of the iconic wreath around the logo. It got rid of the ducks years before that–excuse me, the merlettes as they’re officially known. The old logo will stay around for ICE models. The new one is for BEVs. And you should start seeing it a lot more. It’s now featured on Cadillac’s media and brand website as well as its social media channels, so it should start popping up in ads real soon.

NIO OPENS 700TH SWAPPING STATION IN CHINA
Chinese EV startup NIO announced that it installed its 700th battery swapping station in China. So far it’s provided over 5.3 million battery swaps. That sounds pretty impressive, right? Well, on average, each station only swaps batteries for 258 cars a month. Sounds to us that means each station is only serving about 8 cars a day on average. Inside EVs reports that NIO has sold about 140,000 cars in total in China.

HYUNDAI INOIQ 5 PRICING
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 is getting a lot of positive press, and now we know what the base version will cost—at least in the U.S. market. With a 58 kilowatt-hour battery and one rear 168 horsepower motor the price comes in at $40,925. The SE version with a 77.4 kilowatt hour pack and one 225 horsepower is $44,875. These prices do include destination charges but do not include a $7,500 federal tax credit for buyers who have that much taxable income to write off. If you want to go whole hog, an all-wheel-drive, 320 horsepower IONIQ 5 will set you back by $55,725.

LANCIA WANTS TO BE MORE LIKE MERCEDES
Automotive cognoscenti have a soft spot in their hearts for the Lancia brand. Established in 1906 it always stood for fine Italian design and elegance. But it’s been struggling for decades. Under Fiat-Chrysler, Lancia got rebadged versions of the Chrysler 200 convertible, the Chrysler 300 sedan and Voyager minivan to sell in Europe. That didn’t help and now the brand is down to one model: the Ypsilon, which is only sold in Italy. Fast forward to today and under Stellantis, Lancia wants to move sharply upscale and compete at a level with Mercedes-Benz. It’s going to launch three models. In 2024 a new Ypsilon will come in hybrid and BEV versions. In 2026 it gets a compact crossover BEV, and in 2028 a compact hatchback will come out. Lancia is also going to branch out to Germany and France, and then other wealthy European countries. Hopefully it all works, but to introduce only three models over a six year period doesn’t sound very aggressive to us.

Hey, any idea what this is? We’ll give you a hint. It’s a revolutionary design for an internal combustion engine that is amazingly compact, incredibly powerful, and pretty cheap to manufacture. It can run on hydrogen and may be perfect as a range extender. There’s also a zillion other applications. It’s coming from a company that’s been running under the radar for years, but is about to go public this Thursday on Autoline After Hours. So join John and Gary for some of the best insights into the latest technology in the automotive industry.

But that’s it for today, thanks for tuning in.