Lottie Holland, MBA, CPSD (She/Her/Hers)

🌟 Monday Momentum: Detroit’s New Era of Mobility and Innovation 🚀 This week on Monday Momentum, we turn our attention to a city with a legendary past and a reimagined future: Detroit, Michigan. Once the heartland of America's automotive industry, Detroit is now propelling itself as a hub for modern mobility and innovation. 🌆 Spotlight on Innovation: David Medina Álvarez, a visionary designer, is making waves at LIVAQ, a mobility-focused incubator housed in Detroit’s revamped historical buildings. With roots stretching back to Detroit's automotive golden age, Medina Álvarez’s electric all-terrain vehicle, the EQUAD, symbolizes the city’s forward-thinking approach in a post-industrial landscape. 🚙💨 LIVAQ, nestled in a former book depository that's part of a $1 billion rejuvenation project by Ford Motor Company, is one of the 103 startups driving the future of mobility right from the heart of Motor City. From electric vehicles to advanced mobility solutions, Detroit's innovators are not just reviving the city; they're redefining it. Emerging from the Ashes: Detroit’s resurgence is supported by Newlab, a 270,000-square-foot incubator that fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation, much like its counterparts in Silicon Valley and Brooklyn. This space, which once echoed with the whispers of history, now buzzes with the energy of over 700 creatives and technologists. 🌍 The narrative of Detroit’s transformation is further enriched by startups like Energy Safety Storage Products International, founded by Ron Butler, a retired firefighter. Butler’s venture into fire safety innovations for lithium-ion batteries is a response to modern challenges, showcasing the city's adaptability and resilience. Looking Ahead: As Detroit continues to cultivate a landscape where technology and history converge, the city sets a blueprint for transformation that other post-industrial cities might follow. It’s a testament to how legacy cities can pivot and thrive by embracing technology and innovation. Detroit teaches us that with innovation comes rebirth. As we explore the narratives of cities reinventing themselves, let's ponder how we can apply Detroit's lessons to our communities and industries. 🌐 Stay tuned for more insights on how transformational changes are reshaping our world in next week’s Monday Momentum! Source: https://lnkd.in/g_TZb3Hz #MondayMomentum #DetroitInnovation #Mobility #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship #BusinessTransformation #Innovation #GWStartupAve

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Sixteen years after the 2008 Great Recession, Chrysler and General Motors faced bankruptcy, and now another domestic automaker is on the brink of layoffs. The core issue lies in the flawed automotive business model of manufacturing vehicles before they are sold. Automakers pass unsold vehicles to Franchised Dealers who take loans to buy them before selling to consumers. Prior to the 1960s, U.S. automakers only built vehicles after purchase. A return to this model is crucial for the industry's profitability. #Stellantis #BusinessModel #Layoffs #Profitability https://lnkd.in/ebGmRWtf

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Coming to you live from MBS, CAR read the latest White Paper from the Center for Automotive Research, Affordability: The Twenty-Five Thousand Dollar Electric Vehicle. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gZn4XfJU Dr. K. Venkatesh Prasad, SVP of Research at Center for Automotive Research shared how the topic on the minds of consumers and automotive industry members alike relates to vehicle affordability. In this whitepaper, CAR outlines the drivers of increasing production costs, determining how to reach economies of scale via supply, and analyzing whether a $25000 vehicle is, in fact, affordable for consumers to bolster demand. Finally, CAR examines how policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions impact vehicle manufacturing and sales.

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General Motors Announces Relocation of Global Headquarters to Hudson’s Detroit in 2025 General Motors (GM) has revealed plans to relocate its global headquarters to Hudson’s Detroit, a historic site in the heart of downtown, affirming its enduring commitment to the city. This move, slated for 2025, underscores GM’s deep-rooted connection to Detroit, marking its fourth headquarters location in the city since 1911. The decision solidifies GM’s position as the anchor tenant at Bedrock’s development on the site of the former J.L. Hudson Department Store, a significant milestone in the company’s rich history. CEO Mary Barra expressed pride in GM’s continued presence in Detroit, stating, “Our new headquarters will provide collaboration areas for […] - https://lnkd.in/dUvRtAtZ #automotive #evs #ev #electricmobility #emobility #ebikes #fleets #evfleet #evnews #autonews #electricvehicles #electricvehicle #automotiveindustry #automotivejobs #cleantech #cleanenergy #hydrogen #lithium #evbattery #sustainability #climatechange #detroit #generalmotors #northamerica #usa

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To help SEMA members and the community of automotive enthusiasts participate in November’s general election, SEMA is releasing a series of voter guides to serve as a resource to help members know where lawmakers and/or candidates stand on important issues to the industry. ⏩ https://lnkd.in/eu9HcN6h Voter guides provide straightforward information that voters can use to evaluate candidates for office based on key votes and legislation in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. SEMA will also provide information on the Democratic and Republican candidates for President of the United States. SEMA’s Voter Guides are non-partisan; all information is strictly based on candidates’ stated positions on issues or their voting records on legislation identified by SEMA staff as important to the automotive aftermarket industry. The Voter Guides are part of SEMA’s Drive The Vote initiative to encourage participation in the 2024 election and can be found a https://www.sema.org/vote

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To help SEMA members and the community of automotive enthusiasts participate in November’s general election, SEMA is releasing a series of voter guides to serve as a resource to help members know where lawmakers and/or candidates stand on important issues to the industry. ⏩ https://lnkd.in/e4Q2DHst Voter guides provide straightforward information that voters can use to evaluate candidates for office based on key votes and legislation in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. SEMA will also provide information on the Democratic and Republican candidates for President of the United States. SEMA’s Voter Guides are non-partisan; all information is strictly based on candidates’ stated positions on issues or their voting records on legislation identified by SEMA staff as important to the automotive aftermarket industry. The Voter Guides are part of SEMA’s Drive The Vote initiative to encourage participation in the 2024 election and can be found a https://www.sema.org/vote

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This month in Ford History: September In September 1995, over 17,000 international leaders gathered in Beijing, China, for the fourth World Conference on Women, a pivotal step forward in the global partnership toward gender equality. Representatives from governments, nonprofits, and legal organizations discussed strategies to ensure and expand rights for women and girls, combining five decades of legal advances into the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It laid out a map for greater gender equality across 12 areas, including education, health, the economy, and the media, and was ratified unanimously by all 189 countries in attendance. The World Conference on Women, which Ford supported as a partner to the United Nations, was also the launching pad for the United Nations Development Fund for Women, which continues to provide financial and technical assistance to work that fosters women's empowerment and gender equality. Next March, world leaders will convene in New York for Beijing+30, the United Nations’ 30th anniversary conference, to celebrate the progress of three decades and recommit to supporting those who fight for greater gender justice. Ford will continue to partner with UN Women and women's rights and gender justice organizations for Beijing+30, working to convene discussions and events that center and amplify the voices of feminist, community, and gender justice leaders from around the world. Read more in our September newsletter: fordf.org/LatestSeptember #UNGA #UNGAxFord #Goal5 #GenderEquality

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Ford faces a significant setback as Michigan slashes its state factory incentives by over 50%. This reduction comes after Ford scaled back its electrification plans, including downsizing investment in its EV battery factory. The tax breaks have been cut from $1.03 billion to $409.1 million. Additionally, Ford loses $772.8 million in tax breaks and $100.8 million in grants due to missed job creation targets. Despite these challenges, Ford's EV sales in the US have shown strong growth in Q2 2024. The company remains America's second-largest EV brand and plans to launch several new electric models in the coming quarters. https://lnkd.in/gtDvXNFw #Ford #EVIncentives #Michigan #ElectricVehicles #BatteryProduction #BlueOvalBattery #AutoIndustry #EVMarket #TaxBreaks #JobCreation #FordExplorer #LincolnAviator #MustangMachE #ETransit #USAutos #GreenMobility #EVAdoption #AutomanufacturingUSA #EVBatteries #SustainableTranspor

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#GLOBALSOUTHALERT: #TRUST FROM SINCE MEDIEVAL #ENGLAND, TO BEYOND #AMERICAN DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ON JULY 4, 1776. [FOR DETAILS: https://lnkd.in/ewiwj4Nz ] TAGLINE: "#TREASURE THE #PEARL , RIDE #SPECIAL #MOBILITY." iSPECIAL MOBILITY ECOSYSTEM LINK: https://lnkd.in/dQeAywjs VISION STATEMENT: "WHOLE BUSINESS SECURITIZATION (#WBS) FOR #AFRICA AND #BEYOND."

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DETROIT — Republican governors of six states on Tuesday condemned the United Auto Workers’ push to organize automotive factories in the South, warning the union’s efforts could lead to layoffs and fewer future investments. More than 4,000 employees at VW’s SUV factory in Chattanooga, Tenn., are scheduled to begin voting today (Wednesday) on whether to be represented by the UAW, with results expected by the end of the week. The VW vote is part of an unprecedented labor organizing drive announced last year by UAW President Shawn Fain that targets 13 automakers operating in southern states and elsewhere. Last year the union negotiated record contracts with General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler parent Stellantis. The elected state leaders, including Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, argue such contracts provide short-term assistance but have long-term negative implications on jobs and investments. Aside from Lee, other Republican governors to sign the statement were: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. “We have worked tirelessly on behalf of our constituents to bring good-paying jobs to our states. These jobs have become part of the fabric of the automotive manufacturing industry. Unionization would certainly put our states’ jobs in jeopardy — in fact, in this year already, all of the UAW automakers have announced layoffs,” read the statement. Since the ratified UAW contracts with the Detroit automakers, there have been buyout offers, as well as layoffs of salaried and hourly workers at the companies. Automakers have been cutting costs in part to invest billions in all-electric vehicles, as well as to prepare for slowing market conditions and fears of an economic downturn. Stellantis — a product of a January 2021 merger between Fiat Chrysler and PSA Groupe — has led the cuts, but many have been of supplemental, or temporary, workers who do not have the same pay or benefits as traditional assembly plant workers under the deals. The transatlantic automaker has reportedly cut more than 1,000 supplemental workers this year, citing a review of its manufacturing operations “to ensure all facilities are operating as efficiently as possible in very challenging market conditions with all actions in accordance with the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement” with the UAW. It’s also cut shifts at two Jeep plants at least, citing the complexity of the agreements among other reasons. Ford has offered voluntary buyouts to its workers and announced layoffs, but many of its laid-off workers were transferred to other nearby facilities. GM is offering voluntary buyouts, though its post-contract layoffs have largely, if not completely, dealt with factory changes. For example, the company laid off 1,300 workers in Michigan due to the end of vehicle production at two plants.

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Back in September, South Korean automaker Hyundai and Detroit Big Three automaker General Motors announced and signed a Memorandum of Understanding, an agreement on paper that recognizes the two companies' interest in a joint venture. In a statement at the time, GM CEO Mary Barra said that the partnership would enable the respective companies to share technologies and other resources that can bring the best out of each company. Although new offerings in GM and Hyundai's lineups indicate that the potential JV may revolve around EVs and EV technology, a new report from a South Korean business publication may indicate that GM's bread and butter may interest the South Korean automaker. More: https://trib.al/jx3dBab

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