NHTSA Autonomous Vehicle Test Web Pilot Tool Is Active
States and companies can voluntarily submit information about automated vehicles and testing to NHTSA.
Toyota
A Star Is Born — China EV Sales Report
A star is born in China. And it is not the flashy Xpeng P7 (1,725 units) or BYD Han EV (1,205), but something far more humble. More on that below.
Kia Niro EV = New #1 EV In The Netherlands
The Dutch automotive market is out of its pandemic-related disruption, having reached positive numbers in July (+4% year over year/YoY), but while the overall market has finally recovered, the plugin segment is officially in Warp Speed (up 139% last month).
Michigan Building the Road of the Future between Ann Arbor & Detroit
A first-of-its-kind connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) corridor will improve transportation across Southeast Michigan and continue Michigan’s leadership in smart infrastructure and future mobility.
Toyota Announces Fluoride-Ion Solid State Battery, Plans To Stop Selling Prius In Germany
Researchers at Kyoto University working with Toyota say they have developed a solid state fluoride-ion battery with 7 times the energy density of a lithium-ion battery.
US Auto Sales Down By 1.5 Million In 2nd Quarter, Amplifying Long Trends
US auto sales, as we all know by now, took a massive hit in the second quarter of 2020. After collecting the sales data of 31 auto brands (almost all of them), I decided to dig in a little deeper — and further back in time — to try to get a better sense of trends and which companies are facing particularly challenging mid- to long-term circumstances.
Automakers Improving Online Shopping & Increasingly Offering Online Ordering
Auto dealers have waged a long (and mostly losing) legal and legislative battle against Tesla’s direct-to-consumer sales model. While Tesla has won the right to sell directly to car buyers in many US states, the dealers’ relationship with major automakers hasn’t changed — they remain an integral part of the retail process. Their showrooms, however, are beginning to move online.
VW’s Accra Factory Starts Production, & Toyota & Nissan Also Set To Open Plants This…
Ghana’s new Automotive Development Policy has encouraged VW, Toyota, and Nissan to look into opening assembly plants in the country. The Ghana Automotive Development Policy provides the necessary framework to establish assembly and manufacturing capacity in Ghana. The initial focus will be on new passenger cars, SUVs, and light commercial vehicles which would include pickups, minibuses, and cargo vans. VW Ghana’s new vehicle assembly plant has already started production in Accra’s North Industrial Area.
Tesla & The Minions — China EV Sales Report
The overall Chinese market returned to negative numbers in June, down 6% year over year (YoY), but on paper, plugins fared much worse, down 53% last month.
Africa Needs Toyota-Branded BEVs, & Here’s Why
The Brookings Institution says consumers in Africa are brand conscious and brand loyal. When it comes to cars, that brand is Toyota! In the brand new vehicle market, the Toyota Hilux is king in South Africa and also tops other charts. Other popular models in the new vehicle market are the Corolla, the Fortuner, and the Yaris.
