Janine Robar

According to the Detroit Free Press, automakers have made little progress in repairing the oldest PASCARS that have potentially life-threatening defects. And it's an issue that's costing NA manufacturers billions per year. In Michigan alone, there are more than 1.5 million cars and trucks on the road today that have unrepaired safety defects (2024 Carfax analysis of vehicle recall and registration data).

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New on The Long Haul: Electric school bus adoption is increasing as school districts are transitioning to cleaner options thanks to increased production, federal and state funding, and new technology and infrastructure advancements. Learn more about some of the latest advancements for electric buses: https://lnkd.in/g9xUmezV #TheLongHaulBlog

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The powerful combination of funding & finance can help districts nationwide electrify their fleets. 🚍⚡ Learn about the diverse financial mechanisms available for #ElectricSchoolBus procurement in our new Financial Solutions Guide ⬇

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Amazon-Hyundai’s marketplace business model is just the beginning. Read Hyundai’s patent application for an “Electric Vehicle Energy Sharing Marketplace” (think mobile e-commerce meets portable charging stations) https://lnkd.in/gJgfn5Qa Sadly other major automotive companies were aware of the potential for these business models to be disruptive (eg Ford’s Lightning has the ability to charge multiple compatible EV batteries and speculations that a multi side platform business model could generate network effects for commercial businesses, leveraging enterprise capabilities, such insurance, financing, fleet telematics, smart camera theft systems, accessories ordering, parts inventory, and installation services and warranty, etc). 👸🏽 https://lnkd.in/g-XD-CCD #amazon #hyundai #cars

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Auto execs: The revamped Center for Automotive Research #CARMBS will dissect issues that matter, expand your network and enhance your career. The North American auto industry’s top thought leadership event, here are some highlights you can expect, including General Motors President Mark Reuss: https://bit.ly/45kqDpF #automotive #thoughtleadership

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North America’s ever-evolving regulatory landscape can be confusing. This walkthrough of the various rules, along with where and when they are in play for trucking fleets, by a Cummins regulatory expert may provide helpful clarity.

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DETROIT (AP) — Facing competition from automakers with lower costs, Ford Motor Co. is shifting its electric vehicle strategy and now will focus on making two new electric pickup trucks and a new commercial van. The company says all will cost less, have longer range and be profitable before taxes within a year of reaching showrooms. Ford, which is losing millions on its current EVs, gave few details about the new products. But it said production of its next generation full-size electric pickup truck in Tennessee will be delayed 18 months, until 2027. The company also says it won’t build fully electric three-row SUVs due to high battery costs, but instead will focus on making those vehicles as gas-electric hybrids. The other new pickup will be mid-sized, based on new underpinnings developed by a small team in California. It also will go on sale in 2027. Production of the unspecified van will start at an assembly plant west of Cleveland in 2026.

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I'm paraphrasing, but a long time ago some executive in the automotive industry told me that if your brand was relying on fleet sales to prop itself up, something was seriously wrong. That was the old days, when "fleet sales" meant selling 10,000 white Buick Skylarks to Enterprise just to keep production numbers looking good. Today, there's a staggering amount of innovation coming out of fleet services. And it's not just for the huge fleet customers with tens of thousands of pickups on the road. Even if you're a one-man plumber with a single van, brands like Ford Motor Company have a solution for you. What's really exciting to see is how this is going to influence EV sales in the fleet segment. If a purchasing manager gets a report that models the reduction in maintenance and fueling costs for a fleet of 2,000 Transit vans or Lightning Pros by shifting to electric power, they'd be out of a job if they ignored it. Your average consumer may not like the idea of connected services, but fleet managers live for it and are willing to pay for it.

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General Motors is now facing consolidated class action lawsuits for allegedly sharing OnStar data without drivers' consent. Our CEO, Scott Hardy, who is committed to consumer justice, shared his thoughts on the implications: “Consumers have a right to privacy and the right to expect that their personal and driving data will be protected and used only for intended purposes. If the allegations are true, any unauthorized sharing of driver data by GM with insurance companies could be a significant violation of their rights.” He further emphasized the broader business impact: “Information shared by companies with insurers could lead to discriminatory practices, such as unfairly increased insurance premiums or denied coverage based on driving habits that insurers deem risky.” Visit the link below to hear more thoughts from our CEO on the claims against GM! #ClassAction #ConsumerRights

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Ford Motor Company (and other legacy automakers) need to prioritize affordable EVs and add PHEV and Hybrid options. 🔋 🔌 🍃 ⛽️ Some decisions will be disappointing, but necessary to adjust the product and powertrain lineup to meet customer demands. - 3 Row Electric SUV canceled (expensive, low volume) - 3-Rows will get Hybrid Powertrains to improve fuel economy - Next Gen Commercia Electric Van built in Ohio, previously described as "all new" or will it be the e-Courier/e-Transit Connect? - MID-SIZE ELECTRIC PICKUP built off all-new, low-cost "skunkworks" platform in 2027 👍 - T3 Electric Truck platform delayed until late 2027 😯

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Excerpt from the NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration) Motor vehicle crashes cost American society $340 billion in 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced today. The agency’s new report, “The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2019,” examines the costs of one year of crashes that killed an estimated 36,500 people, injured 4.5 million, and damaged 23 million vehicles. “This report drives home just how devastating traffic crashes are for families and the economic burden they place on society,” said Ann Carlson, NHTSA’s Acting Administrator. “We need to use the safe system approach embraced in DOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy to dramatically decrease the number and severity of crashes: safer roads, safer people, safer vehicles, safer speeds, and better post-crash care.” The report draws on data from a range of crashes, including ones that lead to property damage, serious injuries and fatalities. Data sources include NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Crash Investigation Sampling System and the Crash Report Sampling System. The report also examines crashes not reported to the police, using consumer survey data, in-car observation techniques and a variety of other sources. The $340 billion cost of motor vehicle crashes represents the equivalent of $1,035 for each of the 328 million people in the United States and 1.6% of the $21.4 trillion real U.S. gross domestic product for 2019.

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BusVic’s Transitioning to Zero Emission Buses Summit brought together the industry to discuss one of the biggest changes in its history

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Aarian Marshall on Scout Motors Inc. for WIRED: “Scout Motors is pitched as a rugged, American brand, heavy on the nostalgia. (The brand is named after the International Scout, an iconic off-roader produced from 1961 to 1980 and still prized by gearheads.) So it makes some sense that the Terra and Traveler will come with a range-extender option, called the Harvester system. (Another tip of the hat to Americana: International Harvester manufactured the International Scout, along with agricultural and construction equipment.) The extender will increase the vehicles’ ranges from around 350 miles per charge to more than 500 miles—enough for Scout owners to haul that boat to the lake without worrying about another charge.” https://lnkd.in/gpMgtR5n

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