AD #3639 – Canadian Union Targets Ford; BYD to Surpass BMW & Mercedes; Rivian Brings Motors In-House

  

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

UNIFOR TARGETS FORD
Unifor, the Canadian autoworkers union, announced that it picked Ford as its bargaining target. Unifor’s president says Ford offers the best opportunity for its members because the company has been transparent with the union on its product programs and business plans. Its contract with Ford ends on September 18 and Unifor will use its deal with Ford to pattern its agreements with GM and Stellantis. The Canadian union is seeking wage increases, pensions, new plant investments and support for workers in the transition to electric vehicles. The Detroit Three are also negotiating a new contract in the U.S. but the UAW is negotiating with all of them at the same time.

HELLCAT IS MOST STOLEN CAR IN AMERICA
“If you own a Hellcat, you better check your driveway.” That’s a warning from the Vice President of the Highway Loss Data Institute or HLDI because the Charger Hellcat topped its list of the most stolen vehicles in the U.S. for model years 2020-2022. And it was by a significant margin. Theft claims for the model were 60 times higher than the average for all vehicles and the Charger HEMI, which was the second most stolen vehicle, was 20 times higher than the average. Four Kia models also made the top 20 list because of all those viral social media videos showing how to start certain vehicles without a key because they weren’t installed with an engine immobilizer. At the other end of the spectrum, 6 of the top 20 least stolen vehicles were electric models. The HLDI speculates that’s because EVs are often parked overnight in well lit and relatively secure areas for charging.

U.S. AUGUST SALES LOOK STRONG
Automakers in the U.S. will start reporting their August sales tomorrow and the numbers could look pretty good. Cox Automotive says we’re going to see a big increase in sales compared to a year ago. It forecasts sales will hit 1.3 million vehicles and that the seasonally adjusted annual rate, or SAAR, will come in at 15.4 million. And it says that used car sales are the strongest they’ve been all year.

BYD TO SURPASS MERCEDES, BMW & RENAULT
We think that BYD has become the most important car company in the world to watch. Some even say it’s going to out-Tesla Tesla. Despite a slowing Chinese economy and car market, BYD says sales are going strong and that it’s going to sell 3 million cars this year. That would make it the 9th largest automaker in the world, putting it ahead of Mercedes, BMW and Renault. And this week it reported that its second quarter earnings shot up 145% to just under one billion dollars. Interestingly, BYD hasn’t cut prices as much as some automakers by instead coming out with more models targeted at different price points.

ALFA STRADALE IS ONE SERIOUS SUPERCAR
Alfa is coming out with what we think is a beautiful new supercar that pays homage to the 1967 33 Stradale in both looks and name. The new 33 Stradale is a 2 seater made from an aluminum H-frame and carbon fiber monocoque. It features a double-arm suspension setup with active shock absorbers as well as a brake-by-wire system and Brembo carbon ceramic brakes. Power will come from one of two setups. Either a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 that sends 620 horsepower to the rear wheels through an 8-speed DCT or a pure BEV model that makes 750 horsepower and has 450 kilometers or about 280 miles of range. Alfa says both setups will be capable of going 333 km/h or 206 MPH and doing 0-100 km/h in under 3 seconds. The interior is minimal for a modern car and the controls it does have are very mechanical with a good number being toggle switches. Unfortunately, Alfa is only going to make 33 examples. However, the CEO says “This is the brand’s first custom-built car since 1969, and I promise it won’t be the last.”

RAM TRX GETS $10,000 PRICE HIKE
Speaking of expensive vehicles under the Stellantis umbrella, Ram’s Hellcat-power truck, called the TRX, is going extinct at the end of this year and it’s getting a price hike before it goes away. According to reports, the performance pickup will start at nearly $97,500, including destination charges, which would be an increase of over $10,000 compared to the previous model year. And the price will top out at over $120,000 with the new Final Edition model. It comes standard with a number of upgrades, like bead-lock wheels, unique badges and stitching as well as the top technology package. Pricing for the Final Edition starts at over $119,500, including destination.

RIVIAN BRINGS MOTORS IN-HOUSE
Rivian officially launched a new electric motor that is built completely in-house at its manufacturing site in Normal, Illinois. Called the Enduro, it integrates the inverter and gearbox into one unit, which cuts manufacturing costs. Base models with a Dual Motor combination are rated at 533 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque. Rivian will continue to use motors from Bosch, which gives it dual sources for production. It says that the new motor, along with LFP batteries, have cut the materials cost for its van by 35%. It’s going to do the same with its pickup and SUV, and already cut the base price of its pickup by $8,000.

TESLA FACES BATTERY OF INVESTIGATIONS
NHTSA is stepping up scrutiny of Tesla’s Autopilot system. The agency wants more details about a secret mode that, if it’s able to be activated, allows the driver to use Autopilot for extended periods without keeping their hands on the wheel. NHTSA wants to know how many customers have the mode unlocked and Tesla’s plans for wider distribution. It’s also concerned that some customers will try to activate the mode now that it’s been made public. But Tesla still says drivers must pay attention while using Autopilot so they can take over if they need to. NHTSA started investigating the technology after several vehicles, claimed to be operated on Autopilot, crashed into parked emergency vehicles with their lights on.

NEW PASSAT PHEV GETS MORE RANGE
Back in July VW showed off some camouflage pictures of the all-new Passat, but now it’s pulling off the wrap and providing more details. As we noted in July, the new Passat is based on VW’s MQB Evo architecture and will be available with gas, diesel, mild hybrid or a plug-in hybrid setup. The PHEV pairs a turbocharged 1.5L 4-cylinder gas engine with one of two electric motors. The base setup provides a combined 150 kW or 201 horsepower and the other provides 200 kW or about 270 horsepower. Both versions feature a nearly 20 kWh battery pack, which can now be DC fast charged for the first time at up to 50 kW and will provide around 100 kilometers or 62 miles of range. Another big upgrade for the Passat is a more modern interior with large digital display screens and the latest version of VW’s infotainment system. Look for the new model to launch in Europe in the first quarter of next year.

That’s a wrap for this Autoline Daily, but don’t forget to tune into Autoline After Hours at 3PM EST. Many people paint a rosy picture for the future of EVs, but today’s show will try to uncover all the thorns that may stick in their side.