Today, we look at GM’s hybrid plans, BYD eyes North America, Ford has a new labor fire, and Rivian’s app guy is in trouble.
Be sure to check out below the fold (A newspaper term that now means “scroll down” instead) to grab a spot in our upcoming webinar with Upstart. We have come to Baltimore this May for ASOTU CON 2024.
GM announced at the NADA show that they will shift toward reintroducing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in the US. The plan is to bridge the gap between traditional ICE and the brand's goal of an all-electric future.
Seems like everybody can be happy with the news: dealers, GM, the EPA, and consumers.
More on this topic from Paul and Kyle on The Automotive Troublemaker. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, or YouTube.
BYD continues to push into international markets.
They just announced an EV factory in Mexico to become an export hub to the US. They've already taken Tesla's top EV sales crown, so they may as well take their strategy, too.
This could bring BYD’s cheap EVs to the US market with Clean Energy Tax credit eligibility driving their cost even lower. Suddenly, China isn't so far away.
We all want affordable, but who hasn’t found out too late that they settled for “cheap?” Looking forward to getting a look at some of these vehicles up close.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire?
Ford is facing a potential strike in the UK. 3,000 union white-collar workers rejected a pay offer and said Ford has not engaged in negotiations. The pay offer includes a one-off payment for salaried staff and performance-related bonuses for managers but no guarantee for cost-of-living raises.
The union says its demands are fair and that greed is the issue.
Loose lips sink ships, and loose apps tell everybody your business.
Riviain's latest app update inadvertently leaked details about its upcoming NACS adapter. The adapter would allow the company's EVs to use any of Tesla's chargers, including DC fast chargers. This would simplify the process for Rivian drivers.
The company is already topping the Consumer Report annual owner satisfaction survey. The brand, not a specific model, won the top spot despite some customers expressing dissatisfaction with the R1S throttle response.
Maybe they can update that too?
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Taking a bite is quick, but chewing takes time.
Take some time to chew these developments in the industry, and let us know what you think. How do dealers keep delivering solid experiences in a shifting environment?