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☆ Ford set to resume F-150 Lightning production next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, March 10 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) said on Friday it was on track to resume production of F-150 Lightning vehicles on Monday after the No. Ford said it had recently established "that 18 vehicles containing cells from that four-week period had made it to dealers and customers." Ford said it will replace the battery packs in the 18 vehicles but said it is not aware of any fires or any injuries related to the recall. The automaker said Friday "the root cause identified was related to battery cell production at the SK On plant in Georgia. Ford said Friday it still has not set a date for resuming deliveries but said production is on track to resume Monday with a "clean stock of battery packs."

☆ Ford recalling 18 electric F-150 Lightning pickup trucks after battery fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

DETROIT – Ford Motor is recalling 18 electric F-150 Lightning pickups that the company has identified as potentially having a battery cell defect that caused a truck to catch fire last month. A Ford spokeswoman declined to disclose how many trucks Ford has in holding that may have the issue. Ford said it is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to the battery issue or recall. 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 initially opened customer reservations for the F-150 Lightning when it was revealed in May 2021.

☆ Ford's satirical Women's Day ad touts a 'car for men' with no blinkers, windshield wipers, or heaters
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ford celebrated Women's Day with a Ford Explorer Men's Only Edition. It's important to recognize women innovators and continue to boost equity in the auto industry. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops — delivered daily to your inbox. Ford's advertisement this week showcased a new Ford Explorer void of many crucial vehicle features developed by women in the auto industry. Ford's advertisement this week showcased a vehicle that was void of many crucial features developed by women.

☆ 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.

☆ Elon Musk's dream of producing 20 million Teslas per year hangs on whether or not it can pull off a major shift in battery tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | Asia Martin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Tesla wants to make lower cost electric vehicles, as a key part of its plan to fend off challenger. Still, given Tesla's delivery of roughly 1.3 million vehicles last year, it clearly has a long way to go to hit Musk's goal. The growing portion of Tesla's LFP vehicles have, in part, been the result of a deal it struck with Chinese battery supplier CATL in 2020. Tesla and the rush for lithiumA lack of supply chain controls hinders efforts to produce low-cost EVs. The company started to take steps towards taking control of lithium supply into its own hands.

☆ Salesforce: A New Dawn. CEO Marc Benioff is pivoting the cloud company from family to profitability.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I'm Diamond Naga Siu, and I'm not just talking about the Selena/Hailey 'mean girls' saga — I'm fascinated by the Salesforce spectacle. CEO Marc Benioff recently oversaw the departure of two leading candidates to inherit the Salesforce throne. Now, under their careful watch, Benioff needs to guide the company through a cost-cutting period — something he's never done before. This is quite the turn, considering he was still emphasizing Ohana after laying off 10% of the company in January. CEO Marc Benioff announced on Wednesday that the company is starting a "new day."

☆ Ford plans to restart production of the electric F-150 Lightning on March 13
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

DETROIT – Ford Motor plans to restart production of its electric F-150 Lightning pickup on March 13 – more than a month after a battery issue caused one of the vehicles to catch fire. 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. The battery issue adds to ongoing "execution issues" detailed to investors last month by Ford CEO Jim Farley that crippled the automaker's fourth-quarter earnings. Ford initially opened customer reservations for the F-150 Lightning when it was revealed in May 2021. More than 200,000 reservations were placed prior to Ford temporarily closing the process to attempt to align production with expected demand.

☆ 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.

☆ Ford's February sales jump 22% from subdued results in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

DETROIT – Ford Motor's February sales increased by more than 20% from subdued results a year earlier, as the automaker ratchets up production of its F-Series pickups and electric vehicles. Ford's sales were hampered by supply chain problems in February 2022 making for one of its worst months since 2021. Sales of Ford's F-Series pickups increased 22% last month compared to a year earlier, increasing to about 55,000 units, including 3,600 units of its electric F-150 Lightning. So far this year, sales of F-Series pickups are up 15%. Ford's electric vehicle sales continue to increase, up 88% from a year earlier.

☆ What's next for Disney and Ford? Here's our view on the latest news on both Club stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Walt Disney (DIS) and Ford Motor (F) could both be at inflection points. Here's the latest news on both Club holdings as of Thursday, and our take on where things stand. Iger simultaneously unveiled a comprehensive restructuring program, part of a larger effort to make its beleaguered direct-to-consumer (DTC) unit — which includes streaming platforms Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ — profitable. Citi reiterated a buy rating on Disney stock and a price target of $130 per share. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ How Rivian went from Wall Street darling to another struggling EV startup
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Alexa St. John | Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Another Rivian customer told Insider they placed a reservation last July. A Rivian spokesperson told Insider that timing is "based on a number of factors, including delivery location, configuration and original preorder or reservation date." The Rivian spokesperson told Insider Scaringe's language refers to "how we deliver over the long term." An employee laid off in Rivian's first round of cuts last summer told Insider it felt like growing pains many other companies have experienced. Are you a current or former Rivian employee, Rivian vehicle owner, or Rivian order-holder?

☆ Here's our Annual Meeting update on 9 consumer names in the Club portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Here's an update on our consumer discretionary and consumer staples stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust, the 35 holdings that make up the CNBC Investing Club's portfolio. TJX Companies (TJX): TJX is a winner in a slower economy as shoppers love the treasure-hunting experience for cost-saving deals. If their stores have excess inventory, that could serve as a catalyst for TJX stock to go higher. Constellation Brands (STZ): Consumer demand for Constellation's premium alcoholic beverages is strong even as inflation weighs on consumers since people continue to drink beer in an economic slowdown. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ Car companies want to make billions by charging monthly fees for features like heated seats — and electric cars makes it easier than ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Electric cars are less profitable for automakers than gas-powered ones. There's a simple reason why: EVs aren't very profitable for automakers — and certainly nowhere near how profitable gas-powered cars. Subscriptions and additional offerings post-initial transactions are part of why automakers are especially interested in leasing their EVs. So major changes are in store as automakers navigate shifting consumer behaviors, industry headwinds, and especially, increasingly attractive competition. "This looming threat adds pressure on the traditional dealer model and threatens to impact the bottom line," the report says.

☆ Ford suspends electric F-150 Lightning production for another week following battery fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

DETROIT — Ford Motor is suspending production of its electric F-150 Lightning pickup for another week following a battery issue that resulted in one of the vehicles catching fire early this month. "The teams worked quickly to identify the root cause of the issue," Ford said in a statement Friday. Ford last week said it expected Lightning production to be down through at least this week, as engineers determined the root cause of the battery issue and implemented improvements to the manufacturing process. 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. The battery issue adds to ongoing "execution issues" detailed to investors earlier this month by Ford CEO Jim Farley that crippled the automaker's fourth-quarter earnings.

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.

☆ These highly rated value stocks are doing well this year, and analysts expect them to build on those gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

They also have at 10% or more upside to the average analyst price target, per FactSet. Five-star rated Citigroup is up 11% for the year and has almost 12% upside to the average analyst price target. Shares are up more than 10% year to date and have another 5% upside to the average analyst price target. TFC YTD mountain Truist Financial's year-to-date performance Truist can rally nearly 11% upside over the next 12 months, based on the average analyst price target. Ford Motor shares could also rally almost 11%, according to the average analyst price target.

☆ LG Chem Buys Stake in North Carolina Lithium Miner
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Yusuf Khan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

South Korea’s LG Chem will take a stake in Piedmont Lithium Inc., boosting its North American presence and banking on incentives to scale up its role in U.S. electric-vehicle supply chain. LG Chem will commit $75 million to Piedmont in return for a 5.7% stake in the miner, whose shares are listed on the Nasdaq and Australian Securities Exchange. PREVIEWThe U.S. is our key market and by preemptively securing raw materials this deal allows LG Chem to provide North American customers with products that satisfy IRA standards, said Mr. Hak-Cheol Shin, Vice Chairman and CEO of LG Chem in a statement. LG Chem is planning to build a $3 billion cathode plant in Clarksville, Tenn., slated to open in 2027. Already, Piedmont has an existing contract to supply Tesla with 50,000 tons annually until 2025, in addition to its new LG Chem supply deal.

☆ Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president, is in hospice care
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Former President Jimmy Carter speaks to the congregation at Maranatha Baptist Church before teaching Sunday school in his hometown of Plains, Georgia on April 28, 2019. Former President Jimmy Carter, who at 98 years old is the longest-lived American president, has entered home hospice care in Plains, Georgia, a statement from The Carter Center confirmed Saturday. Jason Carter, the couple's grandson who now chairs The Carter Center governing board, said Saturday in a tweet that he "saw both of my grandparents yesterday. That's a staggering drop from when The Carter Center began leading the global eradication effort in 1986, when the parasitic disease infected 3.5 million people. I would not deserve to be your president," Carter said often as he campaigned.

☆ Ousted Tesla cofounder Martin Eberhard sounds off on Elon Musk, how the company has changed, and the EV wars
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

But Eberhard and Musk butted heads, and Musk ousted Eberhard from his CEO role in 2007. Musk said that Eberhard was holding up production of Tesla's first car, the Roadster, and that Eberhard was responsible for other operational issues. And the proof is for the first time ever in decades we built a car company successfully. "His behavior changed dramatically as soon as we started having press about Tesla," Eberhard said. Musk has said the company "is as much a software company as it is a hardware company."

☆ Just How Good for the Planet Is That Big Electric Pickup Truck?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Elena Shao | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

But as electric vehicles have bulked up, they have also faced new questions over their environmental and safety impacts. Less emissions per mile More emissions per mile Electric vehicles Vehicle SIZE, BY WEIGHT: Heavier vehicles tend to have higher emissions. Take the Ford F-150 pickup truck compared with the electric F-150 Lighting. The same beeswarm chart as in the previous graphic, but Ford F-150 Lightning and Ford F-150 gas-powered models are highlighted. Larger batteries have also added significant weight to many big electric vehicles, anywhere from hundreds to thousands of pounds.

☆ 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.

☆ 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.

☆ Renault CEO questions wisdom of electric vehicle price cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Renault CEO Luca de Meo on Thursday questioned the wisdom of price cuts rivals have been implementing in a bid to bolster market share for their electric vehicle fleets. Ford followed on Jan. 30 with price trims for its electric Mustang Mach-E crossover. However, De Meo signaled that sales price volatility could erode consumer confidence in EV products. "Because those kinds of swings are kind of value destroying for the customer, think about residual value, etc. Under the reshaped, previously lopsided alliance, Renault will reduce its shareholdings in Nissan from roughly 43% to 15%.

☆ Ford's latest EV blunder increases the odds we'll drop the stock, if there's no progress this quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Ford Motor (F)'s decision to halt production and shipments of its electric pickup truck further undermines our confidence in the automaker. CEO Jim Farley said the weak earnings were a function of the automaker's transition to a new business structure that limited production capacity, combined with poor execution. "It's inexcusable that Ford had a bad quarter," Jim said at the time. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

☆ American drivers have a blinding headlight problem. It could last for years.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Drivers say they're routinely getting blinded by surrounding cars' headlights. This isn't because headlight regulations have changed — regulations on brightness haven't been altered in decades. This isn't because headlight regulations have shifted — they haven't changed in decades, according to Greg Brannon, AAA's director of automotive engineering. Adaptive driving beams automatically adjust the high beams emitted from LED car headlights in real time to avoid blinding pedestrians and other drivers. So prepare for the immediate future to be even brighter, as the blinding glare problem may get worse before it gets better.

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