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☆ Google wasted its pandemic opportunity. Now, it's scrambling to catch up.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

This Amazon worker similarly enjoys office life. The company is currently also lagging in the AI space (thanks to the buzzy AI chatbot ChatGPT). Now, the company is going all in on AI instead. Check out his experiences with the AI tools here. It remains the only Big Tech company to avoid widespread layoffs.

☆ 9 questions you should always ask when buying a car
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Many of the car brands with more inventory on lots than others might also have higher loan payments. "The role of a dealer isn't just to sell them a car, it's to help them find the lowest interest rate possible, and that's both new car dealers and used car dealers. "Even based on the specific car, one bank may provide a lower interest rate on a specific sort of make and model." The used car market might be even more complicated for car shoppers than the new market right now. As a result, far fewer car shoppers have opted to lease a car in recent years.

☆ GM extends production halt at Mexico truck plant over supply chain issue
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies General Motors Co FollowMarch 14 (Reuters) - General Motors (GM.N) said Tuesday its Silao Assembly Plant in Mexico that makes Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks will extend a production halt through March 20 because of an undisclosed temporary supply chain issue. The largest U.S. automaker previously announced it was halting production from March 4-12 because of a supply chain issue. The automaker said is working with suppliers to resolve the supply chain issue and plans to resume production next week. Reporting by David ShepardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The 9 best cars for families
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US News & World Report released its ranking of the best cars for families in 2023. US News & World Report on Tuesday issued its annual ranking of the best new cars for families. Best 2-Row SUV: Hyundai Santa FeThe Hyundai Santa Fe. HyundaiBest Hybrid Car: Toyota Camry HybridThe Toyota Camry Hybrid. Tim Levin/InsiderBest Hybrid SUV: Toyota Highlander HybridThe 2023 Toyota Highlander.

☆ Why EV dealers might try to coax you into a 6-month lease
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Only used electric cars priced under $25,000 can qualify for a used EV tax credit. Automakers might offer shorter lease terms on new EVs to get those cars into the used market sooner. And automakers and dealers, in anticipation of what the used EV tax credit can do for them in terms of spurring demand with customers who might not consider an EV otherwise, might adjust their EV lease contracts accordingly. But for other, cheaper models, automakers want to profit off those cars as much as possible, so that might mean some unconventional lease terms. That gives customers the opportunity to lease an EV for a short period of time and makes the used EV market more accessible.

☆ 31% of new cars sold for above sticker price last month. These 10 models have the biggest premiums
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An estimated 31% of new vehicles were sold above MSRP last month, according to a joint forecast from J.D. On average, new autos are priced 8.8% above the manufacturer's suggested retail price, or MSRP, according to new research from iSeeCars.com. The biggest premiums paid are for luxury vehiclesAs for which cars are priced the most above MSRP: Most of them are luxury models, according to the iSeeCars study. Coming in first for the highest premium is the Genesis GV70, whose average price of $56,476 is 27.5% above an MSRP of $44,299. For instance, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 comes with an average price of $50,116, which is 1.9% below an MSRP of $51,103.

☆ GM is teaming with Microsoft to develop a ChatGPT-like virtual assistant for future cars, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

GM is reportedly working on a virtual assistant based on the AI behind ChatGPT, Semafor reported. The company plans to use its connections to Microsoft, which has helped improve self-driving technology. Microsoft has invested billions in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, and already incorporated it into Bing. Microsoft, which has invested billions in OpenAI, also partnered with GM in 2021, as the automaker sought assistance with improving its self-driving technology. Miller confirmed to Semafor that GM is working on an AI assistant, and said it could be capable of more than simple voice commands that have been used in GM cars in the past.

☆ These hopeful electric-car buyers have deposits at multiple automakers. They just want a car.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Nora Naughton | Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"At this point I've pretty much made up my mind," Pao said, "I'm just going to cancel my Rivian order." Customers are hedging their bets with orders for vehicles from multiple companies, from startups like Rivian to legacy companies like Ford and Toyota. EV startups learn customer serviceElectric vehicle startups are learning a tough lesson in customer service, Caldwell said, as they try to keep would-be buyers on the hook for years on end. Some of Rivan's order-holders are losing hopeInsider has spoken or corresponded with nearly three dozen current and former Rivian order holders in recent months. Are you a current or former Rivian employee, Rivian vehicle owner, or Rivian order holder?

☆ There's one big problem with Tesla's plan to open its exclusive Supercharger network: The cords aren't long enough for other EVs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla opened up some of its exclusive Supercharging stations to rival electric vehicles. But the cords are designed for Teslas, meaning that owners of some other cars need to use two spaces. Early this month, Tesla opened a handful of its roughly 1,700 US charging stations to non-Tesla vehicles. (Tesla designed its own charging connector, while the rest of the industry uses a different standard.) Tesla owners sometimes experience long lines at charging stations, particularly during popular travel times.

☆ GM's Cruise to focus on cost cuts as it ramps up robotaxis
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Abhirup Roy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ford Motor Co (F.N) and Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) last fall announced they would shutter their Argo AI self-driving unit and focus on driver-assistance technology that provided more immediate returns. Cruise's rival and Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) self-driving technology unit, Waymo, has this year laid off over 8% of its workforce. The company is also developing a fully autonomous vehicle called Origin from scratch without a steering wheel and with subway-like doors for rideshare and deliveries. "This is a really pivotal year for us that will really transform not just Cruise but the whole perception of autonomous vehicles." Reporting by Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Toyota's new Prius is the best argument yet for hybrids
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —After I parked a new 2023 Toyota Prius and walked away, I turned around to look at it. How could hybrids, vehicles that burn gasoline, reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than vehicles that burn no gasoline at all?. reducing emissions rather than just acting as an inducement to buy an electric car, pointed out Jason Keller, Toyota’s director of dealer policy in the US. Prices for the Toyota Prius, for instance, start at just $27,000, a price only a few electric vehicles, like the Chevrolet Bolt, can approach. Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand, is expected to sell only electric vehicles by 2030.

REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File PhotoMarch 6 (Reuters) - American carmakers will lean on technology to keep the horsepower wars going among their electric muscle cars, a tectonic shift from the big, rumbling motors of the past. GM and Dodge have both issued timelines to stop selling gas-powered muscle cars and replace them with electric variants that will wear the same badges. Dodge's Charger and Challenger muscle cars will not be made next year, while Chevrolet has laid out plans for an electric Corvette. Brands such as Polestar and Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) have announced optional power upgrades to their sedans that improve acceleration and total horsepower via paid OTA (over-the-air) software updates. Dodge has said it will transition its muscle cars to an electric platform, and is working to differentiate those models.

DETROIT/WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) on Friday said it was studying ways to boost output of gasoline-powered and hybrid F-150 trucks at a Michigan factory as part of a broader plan to boost production of several models. The automaker reiterated that it is still on track to triple F-150 Lightning EV production this year, targeting an annual production run rate of 150,000 by the end of 2023. The automaker was forced to halt production in early February after a battery fire, and plans to resume production on March 13. Ford's U.S. F-150 sales fell 9.9% in 2022 to about 654,000, including 15,617 F-150 EV trucks, as the company struggled with production and supply chain problems. Postal Service this week said it would buy 9,250 E-Transit delivery vehicles from Ford starting later this year.

☆ That shiny new electric car you bought will cost more to insure — here's why
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Car-buyers should understand the nuances of EV insurance and why it might cost more. Right now, new EVs cost more on average. The latest estimate from NerdWallet said the national average cost of car insurance stands at about $2,148 per year. Plus, there aren't as many shops with technicians trained to fix electric vehicles versus traditional vehicles." Where EV insurance and upfront costs look more than with a gas-powered car, drivers could see substantial fuel and maintenance costs-savings from going electric.

☆ Ford will start making Lightning electric trucks again on March 13
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Following an issue with a battery fire during testing, Ford will restart production of its popular F-150 Lightning electric pickup on Monday, March 13, the company announced Thursday. During pre-delivery inspections, one of the trucks caught fire, according to Ford, and the company halted production and deliveries of the F-150. In the coming days, the new battery cells will be assembled into the battery packs that Ford uses to build the trucks. Stellantis is also supposed to begin production of the Ram 1500 Rev electric truck later next year, as well. The automaker is also building production facilities in Kentucky and Tennessee to build electric vehicle batteries and electric trucks.

☆ Factbox: As Tesla prepares a Mexico plant, a look at auto plants in Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A general view shows the General Motors assembly plant in Ramos Arizpe, in Coahuila state, Mexico February 11, 2021. REUTERS/Daniel BecerrilFeb 28 (Reuters) - Mexico has long been a manufacturing hub in North America for multiple automakers, and the country is trying to position itself for the wave of electric vehicles (EVs) to come. The auto sector is a driver of Mexico's major manufacturing industry, which is heavily integrated into U.S. and Canadian supply chains. Mexican officials on Tuesday said Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) is the latest automaker with plans to build a plant in Mexico. Here are major automakers with plants in Mexico -General Motors Co (GM.N)Silao Plant in the central city in Guanajuato state, produces Chevrolet and GMC full-size pickup trucksRamos Arizpe Plant in the northern city in Coahuila state, builds the Chevrolet Equinox and Blazer SUVs now and will build the 2024 Blazer EV and Equinox EVSan Luis Potosi Plant in the state capital of the central state of San Luis Potosi, produces the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC TerrainFord Motor Co (F.N)Cuautitlan Assembly plant in the central city of Cuautitlan Izcalli, produces Ford Mustang Mach-EHermosillo Assembly Plant in the state capital of the northern state of Sonora, produces Ford Bronco Sport and Ford MaverickToyota Motor Corp (7203.T)Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California in the northern border city of Tijuana, Baja California, produces the Toyota Tacoma pickupToyota Motor Manufacturing de Guanajuato in Apaseo el Grande, Guanajuato, produces the Toyota TacomaStellantis (STLAM.MI)Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant in the state capital of Coahuila, produces Ram light and heavy-duty pickupsSaltillo Van Assembly Plant, makes the Ram ProMaster vanToluca Assembly Plant, produces the Jeep CompassNissan Motor Co (7201.T)Nissan Mexicana (Cuernavaca) in the central city of Jiutepec, produces NP300 pickup truckNissan Mexicana (Aguascalientes 1 Plant) in the central city of Aguascalientes, produces March, Versa, KicksNissan Mexicana (Aguascalientes 2 Plant), produces SentraNissan also has a joint venture plant with Mercedes (MBGn.DE) in Aguascalientes, making the Infinti QX 50 and 55 SUVs, and Mercedes GLB SUVHonda Motor Co (7267.T)Honda de Mexico (HDM) in Celaya, Guanajuato, produces HR-VVolkswagen (VOWG_p.DE)Volkswagen de México in Sanctorum, Puebla, produces Jetta, Tiguan, TaosVW's Audi unit in San José Chiapa, Puebla, produces Audi Q5 premium SUV and plans to start manufacturing EVs by 2027Mazda Motor Corp (7261.T)Mazda de Mexico Vehicle Operation (MMVO) in Salamanca, Guanajuato, produces Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda CX-30Kia AmericaHyundai Motor Co's (005380.KS) Kia has a plant in Pesqueria, Nuevo Leon, produces Kia Forte, RioBMW AGBMW Plant in San Luis Potosi, produces BMW 3 Series, 2 Series and will produce fully electric "Neue Klasse" modelsSOURCES: Carmakers and Auto Forecast SolutionsCompiled by Kannaki Deka in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Car buyers rejoice: Discounts are making a comeback — but you might have to ask for them
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Car buyers didn't see the end-of-year blowout sales in November and December that they had been used to in holiday seasons' past. Instead, shoppers had to settle for new and used vehicles with markups above sticker price and no wiggle room. That puts discounts now at around $1,297, about 1% higher than the same time in 2022, Deutsche Bank analysts estimated this week. Where buyers might find the best incentivesLuxury vehicles saw the highest incentives at 6.2% in January, KBB said. "There's also some loyalty cash, and there's a pretty decent amount of rebates on some of the higher end vehicles.

☆ Thinking about an electric car? Leasing might actually be a good idea
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Automakers might want to lean on leasing EVs. A car owner might also get the commercial tax credit through leasing. While Teslas have always had a higher purchase rate, EV leasing overall took a tumble in 2022, according to Experian. Car buyers obviously wouldn't get the new EV purchase tax credit with a lease, but there is a sort of loophole. Lucid recently encouraged its customers to consider leasing in order to qualify for the commercial EV credit (for cars that are too expensive or don't otherwise qualify for the purchase credit).

1 EV maker worldwide in 2022, but China's BYD (002594.SZ) and others are closing the gap fast, according to a Reuters analysis of global and regional EV sales data provided by EV-volumes.com. In fact, BYD passed Tesla in EV sales last year in the Asia-Pacific region, while the Volkswagen Group (VOWG_p.DE) has been the EV leader in Europe since 2020. Reuters GraphicsThe most significant challenges to Tesla are coming from established automakers and a group of Chinese EV manufacturers. Tesla's vehicles offered features, such as the ability to navigate into a parking space or make rude sounds, that other vehicles lacked. IDRA, the Italian company that builds huge presses to form large one-piece castings that are the building blocks of Tesla vehicles, said it is now getting orders from other automakers.

The major Detroit pickup truck brands are sitting on growing inventories of unsold vehicles, according to Cox Automotive data provided to Reuters. Inventory levels are over 100 days’ supply for rival Stellantis NV's (STLAM.MI) Ram half-ton and heavy-duty pickups. Stellantis said in a statement it had no downtime planned at any of its North American plants, but constantly reviewed its inventory levels and would make production adjustments as needed. February sales growth was led by a 54% increase in sales to fleet customers, Power and LMC said. Especially for trucks," said Ohio dealer Rhett Ricart, whose Ricart Automotive Group sells Ford and GM trucks at different stores.

☆ GM to idle Indiana truck plant for two weeks as demand plateaus
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Priyamvada C | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - General Motors (GM.N) said on Thursday it will halt production at its Fort Wayne Assembly truck plant in Indiana for two weeks from March 27 as inventory starts to outweigh demand with the easing of supply-chain snags. Shares of the U.S. automaker fell 3% in early trade, while rival Ford Motor Co (F.N) was about 1% lower. Analysts have warned that rising interest rates and high vehicle prices could begin to depress demand, even as inventories of new vehicles have been rising over recent weeks. GM said in a statement that its production was up over the past month while demand remained "fairly consistent", leading to an increase in inventory. Last year, GM's truck plant was idled for two weeks over semiconductor chip shortages.

☆ After driving 22 electric cars, these are the 3 I'd steer clear of
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I've gotten behind the wheel of 22 different electric vehicles. I've enjoyed most of them, but I'd steer clear of three EVs if I was in the market for one. The GMC Hummer EV, Nissan Leaf, and ElectraMeccanica Solo have their pros, but they don't fit my personal needs. While my experiences have overall been positive, three vehicles stand out as ones I'd steer clear of. 2023 Nissan Leaf.

☆ These are the best car brands of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Consumer Reports released a list of top car brands Thursday. Consumer Reports released its list of the top car brands for 2023 on Thursday. Taking the bottom five spots are Mitsubishi, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Jeep, and Land Rover, with Land Rover at the very bottom. Consumer Reports ranked brands first by determining a road-test score using braking, handling, comfort, convenience, and fuel economy evaluations. The other domestic brands fell in the bottom-third of the rankings.

☆ Ford warned F-150 Lightning owners about separate EV battery issue before this month's fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

DETROIT – A defective battery that caused a Ford F-150 Lightning in the company's possession to catch fire earlier this month isn't the only problem the Detroit automaker has recently experienced with its new all-electric pickup truck. For Ford, the F-150 Lightning problems are part of ongoing quality and operational issues, as outlined by CEO Jim Farley to investors days before the fire occurred in a Ford holding yard. The amount of "customer service actions" Ford has issued for the F-150 Lightning since its launch in April 2022 was not immediately available. The F-150 Lightning is being closely watched by investors, as it's the first mainstream electric pickup truck on the market and a major launch for Ford. Ford does not release production data for the F-150 Lightning, however the company sold more than 2,200 of the vehicles last month.

☆ Ford halts production and shipments of its electric F-150 Lightning due to potential battery issue
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ford workers produce the electric F-150 Lightning pickup on Dec. 13, 2022 at the automaker's Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center (REVC). DETROIT – Ford Motor has paused production and shipments of its electric F-150 Lightning pickup due to a potential battery issue, the company said Tuesday. Ford has not established a timeline for when production and the shipments will resume, Bergg said. Bergg said the company is unaware of any incidents or issues associated with the potential battery issue. The F-150 Lightning is being closely watched by investors, as it's the first mainstream electric pickup truck on the market and a major launch for Ford.

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