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And now, Shawn Fain is representing nearly 150,000 auto workers in one of the biggest labor strikes in decades. Referring to Biblical scripture, Fain asked union members: "Are you willing to have faith and move that mountain? The Wednesday before contract expiration, he said UAW members must fight for a better contract "by any means necessary" - one of Malcolm X's most quoted phrases. That six-week strike cost GM $3.6 billion and stressed the finances of UAW members. Company executives have said the UAW's demands will make them uncompetitive as the shift to EVs offsets the profits delivered by the combustion trucks UAW members build.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Rebecca Cook, Malcolm X, Detroit carmakers, Fain, handshakes, Bernie Sanders, they’ve, “, ”, Darwin Segers, Mack, Malcolm X's, Garrett Nelson, Jim Farley, Joe White, Ben Klayman, Eric Cox, Bianca Flowers, David Shepardson, Matthew Lewis, Diane Craft Organizations: United Auto Workers, Ford Motor Michigan, REUTERS, Detroit, Ford Motor, General Motors, Detroit Three, Wall, UAW, GM, CFRA, Teamsters, United Parcel Service, UPS, Hollywood, Company, Ford, CNBC, Thomson Locations: Wayne , Michigan, U.S, Detroit, Hollywood, Chicago, Washington

A person carries a flag with the patch from the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor union during a May Day rally for media workers held by The NewsGuild of New York on International Workers' Day in Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S., May 1, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDETROIT, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers union launched simultaneous strikes at three Detroit Three factories early on Friday, kicking off the most ambitious U.S. industrial labor action in decades. Fain's decision to go with targeted walkouts could limit the cost to the union of strike pay. UAW President Fain has taken an unorthodox approach to the negotiations, bargaining with all three Detroit automakers simultaneously. But the Detroit automakers build some of the U.S. market's best-selling vehicles, such as the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks and Jeep SUVs.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Shawn Fain, Fain, Stellantis, Sam Fiorani, Ford, Gerald Johnson, Jim Farley, Joe Biden, Biden, Biden's, Dan Ives, market's, Joseph White, David Shepardson, Peter Henderson, Mehr Bedi, Jamie Freed Organizations: United Auto Workers, UAW, International Workers, REUTERS, Rights, Detroit, Ford Bronco, Chevrolet, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Cox Automotive, Forecast Solutions, Bronco, Tesla, GM, Toyota, Honda, Mercedes, Chevrolet Silverado, Deutsche Bank, Thomson Locations: New York, Manhattan , New York City , New York, U.S, Chevrolet Colorado, Wayne , Michigan, Wentzville , Missouri, Toledo , Ohio, Toledo, Detroit Three's U.S, United States, Detroit, Washington, San Francisco, Bengaluru

The Friday walkout would start with targeted strikes designed to "create confusion," among automakers, Fain said, leaving the door open for last-minute agreements. Referring to Biblical scripture, Fain asked union members: "Are you willing to have faith and move that mountain? On Wednesday, he told UAW members they must fight for a better contract "by any means necessary" - one of Malcolm X's most quoted phrases. That six-week strike cost GM $3.6 billion and stressed the finances of UAW members. Like the Hollywood unions, the UAW members at the Detroit Three face threats from new technology that a richer contract will not resolve.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, Malcolm X, they’ve, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Malcolm X's, Joe White, Ben Klayman, Bianca Flowers, David Shepardson, Matthew Lewis, Diane Craft Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, Detroit Three, automakers, General Motors, Ford, Stellantis, UAW, Wall, Detroit, GM, Teamsters, United Parcel Service, UPS, Hollywood, Thomson Locations: Hollywood, Detroit, Chicago, Washington

"We are preparing to strike these companies in a way they have never seen before." Fain said the Detroit Three automakers had offered 146,000 U.S. autoworkers pay raises of as much as 20% over four and a half years but called the hikes inadequate. Coordinated strikes would mark the first-ever simultaneous labor stoppage at all three Detroit automakers and one of the largest U.S. industrial labor actions in recent years. The UAW is considering initially targeting only some specific plants for work stoppages at the Detroit automakers, two sources briefed on the matter said, adding the strike plan could still change. Targeting strategic plants could quickly force automakers to halt U.S. production and could extend the time before the UAW's $825 million strike fund is exhausted.

Persons: we're, Shaw Fain, Fain, Stellantis, Joe Biden, Jared Bernstein, Biden, Bernstein, Liz Shuler, Reuters autoworkers, Shuler, Bernie Sanders, David Shepardson, Nick Zieminski, Deepa Babington, Chris Reese Organizations: United Auto Workers, Detroit Three, UAW, Detroit, Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Anderson Economic Group, AFL, Reuters, GM, Detroit automakers, Thomson Locations: Michigan, United States, DETROIT

The company's leaders put all their chips behind a new car they called the "Neue Klasse," or "new class." Now, BMW is at another crossroads, and is turning again to a "Neue Klasse" to drive a new strategic direction. Neue Klasse vehicles will be powered by 48-millimeter-diameter cylindrical batteries in different lengths. The Neue Klasse is targeting a 50% reduction in battery pack costs and 25% more range per kilowatt-hour, a measure of efficiency, executives said. Neue Klasse vehicles will have four "super brains," to control propulsion, driver assistance systems, infotainment and other functions, Weber said.

Persons: trailblazer Tesla, Adrian van Hooydonk, that’s, Frank Weber, Tesla, Oliver Zipse, Evangelos Simoudis, Weber, Mercedes, Stephan Durach, Durach, Joe White, Mark Potter Organizations: Neue, Reuters, BMW, REUTERS, Rights, trailblazer, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Benz, Neue Klasse, Munich, Klasse, chipmaker Qualcomm, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, Detroit, Hungary, Silicon

Mercedes will also offer a lithium-iron-phosphate, or LFP, battery in the new CLA model lineup due to hit showrooms in early 2025, a first for any Mercedes EV, the CEO said in an interview. Mercedes will preview the future electric CLA with a prototype to be unveiled at the IAA auto show in Munich, Germany on Sunday. Getting more driving range using less energy from the battery is the key target for the German automaker's future EV development, Kaellenius said. Driving range remains a critical competitive benchmark in the EV market. Mercedes engineers have been testing ways to improve EV efficiency using long road trips in a prototype vehicle called the Vision EQXX.

Persons: Ola Kaellenius, Mercedes, Tesla, Kaellenius, Joe White, Susan Fenton Organizations: DETROIT, Benz, Reuters, EV, Tesla, Sunday, VW, Consumers, Thomson Locations: China, Munich, Germany, Europe, United States

Aug 25 (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers (UAW) union on Friday said members voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike at the Detroit Three automakers if agreement is not reached before the current four-year contract expires on Sept. 14. Fain reiterated that the union did not plan to extend the deadline to get a new labor contract. We have a lot of options that we are looking at but extension on the contract is not one of them." Fain said he expected the Detroit Three to come to the bargaining table next week with counter proposals to the UAW demands. The vote does not guarantee a strike will be called, only that the union has the right to call a strike if there's no agreement by Sept. 14.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, We've, Shivansh, Joe White, David Shepardson, Nathan Gomes, Arun Koyyur, Emelia Organizations: United Auto Workers, UAW, Detroit Three, General Motors, Ford Motor, Detroit, Ford, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru, Detroit, Washington

The UAW president has rattled automakers with combative rhetoric, delivered via Facebook Live videos, including one where he threw contract proposals from Stellantis into a trash can. U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday urged the automakers and the union to come to a "fair agreement." The three automakers have signaled such a move would add billions in liabilities and make their unionized U.S. operations uncompetitive. Fain said the union's analysis concluded that the automakers could fund defined-benefit plans for roughly the same cost as current 401(k) savings plans. Walkouts at the Detroit Three could benefit Tesla (TSLA.O) and other non-union automakers including Toyota Motor (7203.T), Honda Motor (7267.T), Nissan Motor (7201.T) and Hyundai Motor (005380.KS), Anderson said.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, Joe Biden, Biden's, Anderson, Joe White, Matthew Lewis Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, Reuters, Detroit Three, General Motors, Ford, UAW, Facebook, Detroit, Monday, Anderson Economic Group, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Thomson Locations: North America, Michigan, U.S, Detroit, East Lansing , Michigan

Ford has added 1,200 workers to the Lightning assembly system and plans to run it on a three-shift work rotation. As one of several new moves to boost demand, Ford said individual retail customers can now order the least expensive F-150 Lightning Pro, a $49,995 version of the truck originally designed for commercial customers only. To support increased Lightning production, Ford will focus sales efforts on "attracting more traditional customers, or the early majority," Gjaja said. “Challenges still remain around customer awareness and acceptance” of electric vehicles among mainstream buyers, he said. Ford said last week its electric vehicle operations are on track to lose $4.5 billion this year, a 50% wider loss than previously projected.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, Ford, Tesla, Marin Gjaja, Gjaja, Jim Farley, Joe White, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Rouge Electric Vehicle, Reuters Connect DETROIT, Ford, EV, Detroit's, Motors, Silverado, Lightning, Ford's, Thomson Locations: Dearborn , Michigan, U.S

The Bolt does not align with GM's long-term EV technology strategy, but it is the Detroit automaker's best-selling and most affordable EV in North America, by far. Barra and GM officials did not say how much the new Bolt would cost or where it would be built. For GM, the Bolt has been the mainstay for its North American EV sales. In the first six months of this year, U.S. Bolt sales totaled 33,659 vehicles, outselling Ford's Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai's Ioniq 5 and other EVs from established automakers. Bolt sales rebounded this year after GM was forced to halt production of the car for nearly six months to fix problems linked to battery fires.

Persons: Rebecca CooK, Mary Barra, Barra, Sam Fiorani, EVs, Sandy Munro, Elon Musk, Fiorani, Bolt, Paul Lienert, Joseph White, Nick Zieminski Organizations: North American, REUTERS, General Motors, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Chevrolet, Detroit, GMC Hummer EV, GM, AutoForecast Solutions, Barra, Bolt, Munro & Associates, UAW, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, U.S, North America, United States, Ohio, Michigan, Orion, Detroit

GM said adjusted pre-tax profit and margins in its key North American market fell from the first quarter, despite a jump in revenue and per-vehicle transaction prices. GM said it now expects full-year net income of $9.3 billion to $10.7 billion, up from a previous forecast of $8.4 billion to $9.9 billion. GM's pre-tax profit margin for the first six months of the year fell to 8.3% of revenue, down from 8.9% a year ago. Barra said GM can cut capital spending by simplifying its product line, reducing the number of different combinations of colors and features offered. In the first half, GM built about 50,000 EVs, most of them the older Bolt model, which is priced from $27,495.

Persons: Mary Barra, Chevrolet Bolt, Sam Fiorani, Barra, Paul Jacobson, GM's, Jacobson, Tesla, Elon Musk's, We're, Garrett Nelson, Joseph White, Paul Lienert, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis, Louise Heavens, Nick Zieminski Organizations: DETROIT, General Motors, GM, Chevrolet, AutoForecast Solutions, LG Electronics, LG Energy, United Auto Workers, Thomson Locations: Lordstown , Ohio, North America, Barra, Detroit

GM's higher profit outlook also reflects decisions to ratchet down spending. The automaker said it also will expand a previously announced drive to cut operating costs by $2 billion through the end of 2024. GM will now target an additional $1 billion in overhead, marketing and other costs, Jacobson said. GM's decisions to cut new product investment and operating costs come as the automaker's profit margins are under pressure. GM's pretax profit rose from a year earlier to 7.2% of revenue in the second quarter.

Persons: Paul Jacobson, Jacobson, Tesla, Elon Musk's, We're, GM's, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis, Louise Heavens Organizations: DETROIT, General Motors, GM, Detroit, United Auto Workers, LG Energy, Chevrolet Bolt, Thomson Locations: North America, Korean, China, Detroit

Demand for used vehicles, which accelerated during the pandemic, has taken a hit after automakers started to ramp up production as the global supply chain crisis gradually eases. Consumers wanting to buy vehicles with advanced safety technology and a lower turnover for newer models in the pre-owned market have also dented demand for used vehicles. AutoNation said its second-quarter unit sales of new retail vehicles rose 8%, while unit sales of used vehicles fell 11%. Manley attributed the decline in AutoNation's used vehicle sales during the quarter to decisions to keep inventories lean amid choppy pricing. "As we built our used vehicle inventory in the quarter...we exited the quarter in line with industry: flat year over year," he said.

Persons: AutoNation, Mike Manley, Manley, Nathan Gomes, Raechel, Shilpi Majumdar, Mike Harrison Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

[1/2] United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain greets workers at the Stellantis Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, to mark the beginning of contract negotiations in Sterling Heights, Michigan, U.S. July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File PhotoDETROIT, July 13 (Reuters) - United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain is not a shouter. When he addresses union members in Facebook videos, or appears in public, he rarely raises his voice. "The only real limits we have are the ones we place on ourselves," he told union members in a video address on Tuesday. LONG-TERM TECHNOLOGY THREATSThe UAW president is unsparing in criticism of his immediate predecessors - two of whom, Dennis Williams and Gary Jones, were convicted of corruption.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Rebecca Cook, Fain, I’ve, Malcolm X, Bernie Sanders, Dennis Williams, Gary Jones, “ We’re, Matt Frantzen, “ He’s, Frantzen, Tesla, Peter Berg, Joe White, Ben Klayman, Bianca Flowers, David Shepardson, Matthew Lewis Organizations: United Auto Workers, Sterling Heights Assembly, REUTERS, DETROIT, UAW, Detroit, General Motors, Ford, EV, GM, Teamsters, United Parcel Service, Toyota, Michigan State University, Thomson Locations: Sterling Heights, Sterling Heights , Michigan, U.S, Washington, Belvidere , Illinois, Hollywood, California, Detroit, Chicago

Rising inventories and price-cutting could represent only a short-term pause in EV market growth. If production of EVs continues to outpace demand, automakers will have to choose between slashing prices and profit margins, or slowing assembly lines. More than 90 new EV models are expected to hit the U.S. market through 2026, according to AutoForecast Solutions. In a statement, Volkswagen's U.S. sales arm said "we have seen some softening in EV sales in the U.S. recently" as supply chain bottlenecks have eased, allowing for increased production. Wakefield said it is too soon to declare that U.S. EV demand has hit a plateau.

Persons: Tesla, EVs, Cox, Ford, Vitaly Golomb, Biden, Price, Mark Wakefield, Wakefield, Joe White, Nick Zieminski Organizations: DETROIT, EV, North, AutoForecast Solutions, Dealers, General Motors, Ford, Hyundai, Toyota, Cox Automotive, U.S, Cox, GM, Cadillac, GMC, Volkswagen, U.S ., VW, Industry, EVs, Thomson Locations: U.S, North America, United States, Texas, Washington, Tennessee

DETROIT, June 15 (Reuters) - The venture capital arm of automaker Stellantis (STLAM.MI) said on Thursday it will invest about 100 million euros ($108.3 million) in automotive and battery technology startups and a mobility venture fund. Stellantis Ventures will put an undisclosed amount into a mobility venture fund that Bazih said he could not name because it has not finalized regulatory paperwork. The company is one of several established automakers that have set up venture capital arms to gain access to new technology and talent. Venture capital investments can go wrong 70 to 80% of the time, he said. Lyten, EV battery technology including lithium sulfur batteries.

Persons: Stellantis, Adam Bazih, Bazih, Joe White, Matthew Lewis Organizations: DETROIT, Stellantis Ventures, Venture, Stellantis, EV, Thomson Locations: Stellantis, Lyten, Detroit

This should enable the automaker to reap tens of billions of dollars in additional profit, according to Reuters estimates, before it shifts completely to zero-emission electric vehicles in 2035. It never said when exactly it would stop producing gasoline-powered trucks and SUVs, though suppliers and analysts expected it would be well before 2035. GM plans to run its heavy-duty combustion pickups at both plants until 2035, according to AFS, which provides data and analysis to vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. The automaker will gradually reduce annual production of its big SUVs in Arlington as it begins to introduce new electric companions, starting around mid-decade. By 2030, AFS forecasts Arlington production could drop to around 200,000 vehicles, which could still produce at least $2 billion in pretax earnings.

Persons: Paul Jacobson, “, Jim Farley, May, Michael Ward, ” Ward, Paul Lienert, Joe White, Matthew Lewis Organizations: DETROIT, General Motors, GM, Reuters, U.S, United Auto Workers, ICE, Chevrolet Silverado, Ford, SEC, Arlington, AutoForecast Solutions, Ward, Benchmark, GMC, Silverado, GMC Sierra, AFS, Yukon XL, Thomson Locations: United States, Canada, Flint , Michigan, Arlington , Texas, Fort Wayne , Indiana, Oshawa , Ontario, Flint, Fort Wayne, Arlington, Oshawa, Suburban, Yukon, Ward, Detroit

[1/3] A Chevrolet 2020 heavy-duty pickup truck is seen at the General Motors Flint Assembly Plant in Flint, Michigan, U.S. February 5, 2019. GM has outlined this year a total of $1.7 billion in investments in Flint facilities to support the next generation of its heavy duty pickups. GM said it will spend $579 million at its Flint Engine Operations to produce a sixth generation of its small block V-8 combustion engine. Another $103.5 million will be spent upgrading a separate Flint facility that supports truck production. GM expects to start bargaining with the United Auto Workers union for a new contract with a deadline of Sept. 14 to reach an agreement with it U.S. production workers.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, Ram, Mike Booth, Shawn Fain, Fain, Priyamvada, Shilpi Majumdar, David Gregorio Our Organizations: General Motors, REUTERS, General Motors Co, GM, Ford Motor, Detroit Three, United Auto Workers, Investment, UAW, Thomson Locations: Flint , Michigan, U.S, Flint, Kokomo , Indiana, Kokomo, Asia, Bengaluru

DETROIT, June 2 (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) Chief Executive Mary Barra had a message on Friday for investors and rivals who see no profitable future in autonomous vehicles: You're wrong. That target assumes deployment of Cruise technology and services outside the United States - Dubai and Japan are among the future markets - as well as expansion into goods delivery and personal autonomous vehicles, Barra said. Rivals, including Ford Motor Co (F.N) and Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE), have pulled the plug on autonomous vehicle efforts as losses mounted. Barra said those states have a more welcoming regulatory environment for self-driving vehicles. GM has petitioned U.S. vehicle safety regulators to deploy up to 2,500 of its Origin vehicles, which have subway-like doors and no steering wheel.

Persons: Mary Barra, Barra, Sanford Bernstein, Cruise, Joe White, Tiwary, David Shepardson, David Holmes Organizations: DETROIT, General Motors Co, Cruise, GM, Rivals, Ford Motor, Volkswagen AG, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Tesla Inc, EV, Thomson Locations: GM's, United States, Dubai, Japan, San Francisco, Arizona and Texas, Washington, U.S, China

[1/3] Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang speaks at the COMPUTEX forum in Taipei, Taiwan May 29, 2023. Under the agreement, announced at the Computex technology trade show in Taipei, MediaTek will integrate an Nvidia graphic processing unit chiplet and Nvidia software into the system-on-chips it supplies to automakers for infotainment displays. MediaTek systems using Nvidia software would be compatible with automated driving systems based on Nvidia technology, the companies said. The partnership with MediaTek gives Nvidia wider access to the $12 billion market for infotainment system-on-chips, the companies said. MediaTek, which has its base in the Android smartphone chip sector, sells its Dimensity Auto technology to lower-priced, mass market vehicle lines, and has strengths in mobile connectivity and Android systems.

MUNICH, May 17 (Reuters) - Electric car maker Fisker Inc (FSR.N) is exploring collaboration with other companies to scale up market share faster, Chief Executive Henrik Fisker said on Wednesday. If we collaborate with someone, you can scale quicker ... it could be with suppliers, other car companies, tech companies - we are exploring all these avenues," Fisker said, speaking at the Reuters Automotive Conference in Munich. The PEAR will have 25% fewer parts than a comparable car today, Fisker said. Instead, Fisker will build vehicles from steel, combining multiple parts into one using single stampings, he said. Fisker said eventually the company plans to have production capacity in Europe, China, the United States and India.

DETROIT, May 10 (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) will consolidate North American sales operations for commercial vehicles, parts and telematics services under a new brand umbrella, GM Envolve, that will compete with Ford Motor Co's (F.N) Ford Pro unit and others for revenue from business vehicle fleets. GM executives said the reorganization is aimed at making it easier for commercial fleet customers to negotiate electric and combustion vehicle purchases and sign up for services and software offerings that GM is developing to generate revenue after the vehicle sale. GM is battling with Ford and Stellantis NV for a bigger share of the commercial fleet market. Ford created its Ford Pro commercial fleet unit in May 2021, and is aiming to increase its annual revenue to $45 billion by 2025, driven in part by software-enabled services. Both Ford and GM say they are leaders in commercial fleet sales, using different definitions of the market.

[1/2] A Ford Ranger Raptor is seen at a Ford event in Michigan, U.S., May 5, 2023. REUTERS/Joe WhiteDETROIT, May 10 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) on Wednesday unveiled the latest addition to its muscle truck franchise - a Ranger Raptor midsize pickup with a 405-horsepower engine and a suspension designed for racing across the desert, made possible in part by Ford's electric vehicles. But a Ranger Raptor will start at $56,960, Ford said. Ford is also ramping up production of its Mustang Mach-E, Ford F-150 Lightning and Transit electric vehicles - generating credits that allow it to sell more high-performance, combustion vehicles such as the Ranger Raptor, the Bronco Raptor and the F-150 Raptor. "We're doing it through a portfolio of products" that includes electric vehicles and a hybrid Maverick pickup, Baumbick said.

WASHINGTON, May 3 (Reuters) - Ford CEO Jim Farley said on Wednesday that price cuts in the electric vehicle market were "a worrying trend" after the U.S. automaker dropped prices for its Mustang Mach-E in response to a series of reductions by rival Tesla (TSLA.O). Ford on Tuesday announced a price cut of up to 8% of its Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle, the second cut the automaker announced this year. Farley compared the price war in the EV market to Henry Ford's series of price cuts for the Model T starting in 1913. Ford will follow Tesla price cuts for models such as the Mustang Mach-E that competes head-on with Tesla's Model Y, he said. Ford chose to build a new electric vehicle manufacturing hub near Memphis, Tennessee, in part because the region has cleaner electricity from hydro and nuclear facilities, Farley said.

The company for the first time broke out financial results for its Ford Blue, Ford Pro and Ford Model e units. Ford Blue earnings before interest and taxes doubled to $2.56 billion, a margin of 10.4%, and Ford Pro EBIT nearly tripled to $1.4 billion, a margin of 10.3%. For 2023, the automaker expects full-year EBIT for Ford Blue to climb slightly to $7 billion, while Ford Pro EBIT could nearly double, to almost $6 billion. Its combustion-vehicle business, Ford Blue, averaged pretax profit of $3,715 a vehicle, while the Ford Pro commercial business earned $4,053 per vehicle, based on the company's financial data. Most of the pricing improvement Ford achieved during the quarter came from the company's Ford Pro commercial vehicles.

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