AD #3287 – Maserati Unveils New Grecale SUV; Waymo Ready to Launch Robotaxi Service; Chevy Teases New Equinox EV

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

WAYMO READY TO LAUNCH ROBOTAXI SERVICE IN SAN FRANCISCO
Waymo announced it’s getting ready to launch a robotaxi service in San Francisco without a safety driver on board. For the past six months, Waymo has given free rides with a safety rider on board to a select group of people. And last month, it received a permit to start charging riders for robotaxi rides with a safety driver. However, it still needs a separate permit for driverless rides. Waymo didn’t say when the fully-autonomous service will begin but it will announce more details in the coming months.

DAN AMMANN JOINS EXXON MOBIL
And the former head of GM’s self-driving unit, Cruise, has a new gig. Dan Ammann is joining Exxon Mobil to become the president of its Low Carbon Solutions business. Ammann abruptly quit Cruise at the end of last year. Reportedly, he wanted to spin-off Cruise while GM CEO Mary Barra wanted to keep Cruise more in-house. It’s pretty obvious who won that battle.

VOLKSWAGEN PLANS BATTERY PLANT IN SPAIN
It seems like there’s battery news every day and today is no different. Automakers need to make sure they have enough batteries to make the transition to EVs. First up, Volkswagen is planning to open a new battery plant in Spain and will invest 7 billion euros in the country to create an EV hub. VW is aiming to start battery production at the new plant in 2026, which will have the capacity to produce 40 GWh annually.

STELLANTIS MAKES BATTERY DEALS WITH LG, MERCEDES
Next up, LG Energy Solution is forming a joint venture with Stellantis to open a $1.5 billion battery plant in Canada. And lastly, Mercedes is joining the Automotive Cells Company or ACC, which was formed by Stellantis and TotalEnergies in 2020 to build batteries in Europe. The group will produce 120 GWh by 2030 and start supplying the automakers by mid-decade. The ACC already announced plans to open factories in France and Germany and it will also convert an existing Stellantis engine plant in Italy into a battery facility.

MASERATI UNVEILS ALL-NEW GRECALE SUV
No more waiting on Maserati’s all-new SUV. It’s here. The Grecale made its debut yesterday, so we’ve got the highlights. It comes in four different variants. The base GT is powered by a 4-cylinder engine with 48-volt technology that produces nearly 300 horsepower. The Modena has a 325 horsepower 4-cylinder engine with 48-volt technology. The Trofeo comes with a 3.0L V6 that makes over 520 horsepower and will launch this crossover from 0-60 in 3.6 seconds. And lastly is the Folgore, which is the name Maserati will use for all its electric models. There’s no info on this model yet, other than it will have 400-volt technology and launch next year. The interior of the Gracale looks rather modern. There’s a dual screen layout that combines the HVAC controls and infotainment system, which kind of looks like an open book turned on its side. The instrument cluster is also a large digital display. The first versions can be ordered now and deliveries are expected to kick off in the fall.

MERCEDES-AMG DEBUTS MOST POWERFUL CUSTOMER CAR EVER
Mercedes is taking the already capable AMG GT and cranking it up a notch to 11. The new Track Series is the most powerful customer car ever developed by Mercedes-AMG. At its heart is a twin-turbo 4.0L V8 engine that’s been upgraded with custom fuel injectors and a specific engine tune, which boosts output to 734 horsepower. That’s fed through a 6-speed racing gearbox and onto the rear wheels. To aid road-hugging ability, the Track Series features Bilstein shocks all the way around and extra louvers and wings to improve aerodynamics and downforce. But unlike other AMGs, there’s no posh interior. This is a true racer with only the bare essential controls. Heck, there’s not even a radio. Those are some of the reasons it’s only going to be limited to 55 examples. And it will have a price tag to reflect that. The Mercedes-AMG GT Track Series will start at 369,000 euros or over $405,000 when it goes on sale in the second quarter.

YOUNGER BUYERS PREFER USED VEHICLES OVER NEW
Used car prices are at record highs but a new survey from Ally Financial found that Millennials and Gen Z car buyers would rather buy a used vehicle over a new one. 71% said they prefer used over new. Soaring new car prices is likely the reason but the survey also found that sustainability plays a role. 63% of young car buyers said they prefer used vehicles because they use fewer resources than building new vehicles. And while nearly three-quarters of young consumers said they’d consider buying an electric vehicle, almost half said the high cost of EVs could prevent them from purchasing one.

OPEL REVEALS SMALL CARGO CAR BASED ON THE CITROEN AMI
Citroen came out with a little electric car called the Ami. Then Opel came out with its own version, called the Rocks-e. Then Citroen came out with a delivery version, called the Ami Cargo. So, now Opel is coming out with the Rocks-e Kargo, but its Kargo starts with a ‘K.’ Like the Ami Cargo, the Rocks-e Kargo comes with a modular compartment in place of the passenger seat, which is being shown here to deliver pizzas. The Rocks-e Kargo will first be available in Germany and the Netherlands sometime later this year and Opel plans to expand to other markets after. 

CHEVY TEASES NEW EQUINOX EV
Chevy is showing off a little more of the Equinox EV. In this short teaser video, we get to see the front end and its lighting animation as well as the rear end and how it lights up. As someone suggested in the comments on YouTube in the past, Chevy is emphasizing the ‘E’ in Equinox and you may also notice the style of the ‘E’ is similar to the lettering of its Ultium logo. The Equinox EV is scheduled to go on sale in the fall of next year with a starting price around $30,000.

But that’s a wrap for today’s show. Thanks for making Autoline a part of your day.