Auto Industry Archive

The sorry state of the auto industry provides at least a sliver of good news for the struggling Detroit Three: Dismal auto sales will thin their dealer ranks at a rapid pace by encouraging voluntary consolidation and closings. The National Automobile Dealers Association predicts 1,200 of the nation’s 20,000 dealerships will close this year, up from 900 in 2008, and about 80 percent will...

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Cornell Professor David Pimental is a leading critic of corn-based ethanol, claiming that to power just one automobile for a year requires 11 acres of farmland—enough space to feed a family of seven for that same 12 months. He also claims that corn ethanol is energy negative, producing fuel at a net loss. Pimentel has his critics (it all depends on how you measure the energy going into...

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It’s interesting to note the contrast between government bailouts for the auto industry in United States versus other governments, especially in Europe. The French government, for instance, on Feb. 9 approved about $8.4 billion worth of loans to Peugeot and Renault. French government aid is reportedly tied to using the money to preserve production and jobs in France. According...

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Nissan Motor Co. in Japan had a net loss of about $810 billion in the quarter ending Dec. 31, versus net income of $1.28 billion in the year ago quarter, thanks to the nearly worldwide drop in auto sales. Nissan also announced today it expects a net loss of about $2.6 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31. As a result, Carlos Ghosn, Nissan president and CEO, said the company will take...

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The Obama Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency signaled it will probably approve stricter standards for greenhouse gases from auto emissions in California. The net effect would be to hike the average miles per gallon required for cars sold in California, to more than 40 mpg within about five years, according to the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, an...

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You might think that the 2010 Toyota Prius would sell itself. After all, it gets an estimated 50 miles per gallon from a larger (1.8-liter) engine than its second generation predecessor. And it offers such neat innovations as an optional sunroof with a built-in solar panel that ventilates the interior while you’re away, a Touch Tracer information panel that puts data where you can see it and...

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It’s tempting to say that conspicuous consumption is out, but based on my experience in the early 1990s, it’s just going to lie low for a while. One month of sales does not a trend make, but U.S. auto sales in January looked like “Revenge of the Nerds.” Nearly all of the sexy, powerful brands fell on their faces, while Hyundai, Kia, Smart and Subaru posted year-over-year...

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Could it be that the “killer app” automotive battery carmakers are frantically trying to find will not use lithium technology? One of the country’s most respected battery researchers, Donald Sadoway of MIT’s Department of Materials Science Engineering, is beginning to think so. The holy grail is a battery that can carry a car 200 miles on a single charge, and do it reliably over eight...

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The U.S. auto industry is suffering the opposite of the “Field of Dreams” phenomenon, where the mysterious voice says, “If you build it, they will come.” GM, Ford and Chrysler, plus the biggest Japanese brands with North American production, have all cut back on production in the first quarter. That’s truly the last resort for a car company, which makes its money...

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Does it matter to America if GM ceases to exist? William Holstein is arguing that it does, in a book about to be published  called “Why GM Matters.” Holstein, a veteran journalist (and former BNET blogger), has a preview of the book in this video (embedded below). Despite its terrible quality (it’s like a YouTube mugshot) it’s worth listening to. He argues that GM is poised to regain...

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