High prices for electric vehicles dampen green-energy hopes
Consumer worries about high prices, sparse charging infrastructure and the risks of road-testing new technology are still obstacles to mainstream acceptance, analysts and car buyers say.
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Stellantis CEO says cost cuts necessary due to higher EV prices
Without cost reductions, EVs will be too expensive for the middle class, shrinking the market and driving costs up more, CEO Carlos Tavares told reporters Thursday at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas.
U.S. auto sales fell 8% last year amid supply-chain woes, high prices
Shortages of computer chips and other parts continued to hobble the U.S. auto industry last year, contributing to vehicle sales dropping to their lowest level in more than a decade.
Mohr Automotive buys north-side Chrysler dealership
Finalized this week for an undisclosed price, the purchase makes Champion Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram at 4505 W. 96th St. the Mohr company’s 12th dealership.
Supplier plans $75M Kokomo facility to aid EV battery makers
Soulbrain MI, a subsidiary of South Korea-based Soulbrain Holdings, announced Tuesday it will hire 75 employees for the 30,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Kokomo.
Indianapolis startup Overfuel aims to streamline website experience for car dealers
Overfuel, which had its public launch this week, is targeting small- to medium-sized independent car dealers, offering them software that helps them streamline their websites and glean more information about customers’ online activities.
GM to invest $45M to expand EV parts production at Indiana plant
The investment will be used to support additional production of electric vehicle drive unit castings ahead of what GM anticipates will be strong demand for the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV full-size pickup trucks.
Carvana shares fall as rising rates, inflation cut used car sales
Carvana had been growing quickly as used car prices soared after the pandemic. But it has been caught in an environment where rising interest rates and high prices have sent many potential used car buyers to the sidelines.
Stellantis says park older models after more Takata air bag deaths
The latest fatalities bring the death toll from exploding Takata air bags to at least 32 worldwide, including 23 in the United States.
Car loan rates head for 14-year high in new barrier for buyers
The average annual percentage rate on new-car loans was 6.3% last month, the highest since April 2019, according to Edmunds.
Carmel-based KAR announces 300-plus job cuts amid belt-tightening moves
Eliminating the back-office jobs in the U.S. and Canada and moving the functions overseas is expected to result in cost savings of more than $10 million per year, according to the auto auction firm.
Honda chooses Ohio for $3.5B battery plant, will hire 2,200 people
The company had been expected to choose either Ohio, where it has a plant in Marysville, or Indiana, where it has a plant in Greensburg, for the battery factory. It announced Ohio as the location on Tuesday.
Biden’s pledge to make federal fleet electric faces slow start
President Joe Biden last year directed the government to purchase only American-made zero-emission passenger cars by 2027.
Senator says electric car tax credit needs ‘flexibility’
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock from Georgia is raising concerns that the tax credit President Joe Biden signed into law last month could place some automakers at a competitive disadvantage.
Thieves key on hack that leaves Hyundai, Kia cars vulnerable
An insurance industry group said some Hyundai and Kia cars and SUVs are stolen at nearly twice the rate of the rest of the auto industry because their keys lack computer chips for theft “immobilizer” systems.
UPDATE: Work at Stellantis plant to resume after deal with UAW
Stellantis said that operations at the plant in Kokomo would resume late Monday after UAW Local 1166 workers voted to ratify the agreement.
UAW workers go on strike at Stellantis plant in Indiana
The 1,200-worker plant, Kokomo Casting, is the world’s largest die cast facility, according to Stellantis. It makes aluminum parts for components including transmissions and engine blocks.
Cheaper electric vehicles coming despite high battery costs
The latest announcement came Thursday from General Motors, a Chevrolet Equinox small SUV with a starting price somewhere around $30,000 and a range-per-charge of 250 miles.
17 states weigh adopting California’s electric car mandate
States with vehicle emission standards tied to rules established in California face weighty decisions on whether to follow that state’s new rules that require all new cars, pickups and SUVs to be electric or hydrogen powered by 2035.
LG, Honda looking at Ohio, Indiana for $4.4B joint venture to make EV batteries
The plant’s site is still undecided, but construction will begin in early 2023, with mass production of advanced lithium-ion battery cells to start by the end of 2025.