Trade News

TOKYO – Toyota’s next CEO, Koji Sato, is pledging to “drastically” revamp the carmaker’s slow-going electric vehicle strategy with a new leadership team he just unveiled to reinvent the world’s largest automaker as a mobility company in a challenging new era of industry upheaval.

While announcing the new roster Monday, Sato said the accelerated EV rollout would center around a next-generation platform, which is expected to arrive around 2026.

The ramp up comes amid mounting criticism among some investors, environmental activists and EV enthusiasts, that Toyota Motor Corp. is falling behind in the global race for battery-powered cars. Sato appointed a new top executive to steer the push, starting from Lexus.

“Lexus is going to have a leading role for that,” Sato said.

Toyota’s new management lineup keeps some executives in place and elevates younger ones as the 85-year-old automaker taps fresh blood and flexible thinking. Sato, 53, said he is prio…

The nation's public charging network, with its steep learning curve and fussy technology, is proving to be a challenge for an auto industry working hard to sell consumers on electric vehicles.

While some early EV adopters are figuring out ways to navigate around broken stations, slow charging, tacked-on fees, unreliable software and myriad other hassles, these pain points are giving prospective EV buyers some pause.

Kurt Lammon, president of a Rainsville, Ala., company that supplies products to body shops to repair plastic components, is interested in EVs. He commutes around 120 miles per day, but he's not convinced that public chargers work well enough yet to make an EV practical for him.

"Time is the most valuable thing I've got. I'm not going to waste it charging an EV. But once they get charging figured out, maybe I'll consider it," Lammon said.

Pete Pryce, a program coordinator at a suburban Detroit automotive eng…

Electric vehicle detractors are often quick to point out perceived faults: EVs are too expensive, they don't have enough range for long trips, they're not truly "green," they're a hassle to charge.

It's hard to argue against that final point — if you have to rely on public charging. If the automotive industry wants to sell EVs to American consumers who aren't able to plug in at home or who need to drive long distances, it has to overcome this significant obstacle.

This week's issue of Automotive News examines a number of problems with the nation's charging network.

Richard Truett takes a deep dive into how consumers are navigating the charging network and its quirks. As newer EV drivers become acquainted with the network, they are learning that all charging experiences aren't created equal — different chargers refuel at different speeds, the charging companies' smartphone apps and payment software don't always work as advertised, and some chargers have surp…

For the want of a reliable EV charger

Electric vehicle detractors are often quick to point out perceived faults: EVs are too expensive, they don't have enough range for long trips, they're not truly "green," they're a hassle to charge.

It's hard to argue against that final point — if you have to rely on public charging. If the automotive industry wants to sell EVs to American consumers who aren't able to plug in at home or who need to drive long distances, it has to overcome this significant obstacle.

This week's issue of Automotive News examines a number of problems with the nation's charging network.

■ Richard Truett takes a deep dive into how consumers are navigating the charging network and its quirks. As newer EV drivers become acquainted with the network, they are learning that all charging experiences aren't created equal — different chargers refuel at different speeds, the charging companies' smartphone apps and payment software don't al…

Reynolds and Reynolds Co., Cox Automotive and CDK Global are all seeking or contemplating new acquisition deals in 2023 as they work to modernize their offerings. And they may have their pick of potential targets because of a tough fiscal environment for startups.

Leaders of the three biggest retail technology companies confirmed to Automotive News that they're looking to buy other companies or products or are at least open to opportunities should they arise. While none offered details, they'll likely target dealer management software technology that includes legal compliance, consumer data platforms, robotic process automation and new-vehicle inventory tools, said Steve Greenfield, CEO of venture capital firm Automotive Ventures.

"The three legacy DMS providers have the benefit of thousands of existing paying dealer customers and are thus ideally positioned to acquire 'tuck in' acquisitions to cross-sell into their installed dealer base," Greenfield told Auto…

Anyone overhearing Ram's Super Bowl ad from another room might confuse it with a run-of-the-mill male enhancement pitch.

Ram's spot, however, is about providing a different kind of spark. The truck brand is taking on range anxiety ahead of the 2024 launch of its electric pickup that will be known as the 1500 REV.

The innuendo-packed commercial planned for the fourth quarter is one of two from Stellantis after the company sat out last year's Super Bowl. Jeep is also using Sunday's game to spread the word about its electric ambitions. It's the first time Jeep created a Super Bowl spot to be deployed at a global level, the company said.

Stellantis is expected to be joined by only a few other automakers. General Motors is promoting its transition to EVs, while Kia is touting a new off-road version of its gasoline-powered Telluride crossover.

Ram's 60-second commercial provides the first glimpse of the production version of the 1500 REV and explores "…

GM, Kia and Stellantis have ponied up the money for 60-second ads during Super Bowl LVII. Here is a look at the ads.

Ram: Premature Electrification

Comedian Jason Jones, a former correspondent on "The Daily Show," offers a reassuring message for those who might be suffering from EV range anxiety. The upcoming electric 1500 REV pickup has a cameo.

Jeep: The Jeep 4xe “Electric Boogie”

This second Stellantis offering for the big game features a remix of the popular "electric slide" line dance by Jamaican Reggae singer Marcia Griffiths. Reggae artist and producer Shaggy joins Griffiths for the new track, which also has performances by up-and-coming artists Amber Lee, Jamila Falak and Moyann.

Kia: Binky Dad

A desperate dad needs a vehicle that will help him retrieve his baby's binky, and his odyssey becomes a viral sensation. Kia is presenting three alternate endings for the ad on its TikTok channel to generate engagement.

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The MIT research scientist discusses his work with the Advanced Vehicle Technology Consortium probing how new driver-assistance tech influences human behavior, and how these systems differ by manufacturer.

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Detroit's City Council is calling for Stellantis to resolve long-standing complaints about foul odors emanating from a Jeep assembly plant by relocating some of the nearby residents.

The council last week approved a resolution urging the automaker to "offer home buyouts at fair market value." It also asks Stellantis to cover the costs of retrofitting homes near the plant with air filters, air monitors, HVAC systems and new windows — or to "completely and permanently eliminate the noxious odors emanating from the facility."

Stellantis has agreed to a $1.8 million fund to repair residents' homes to protect them from local environmental effects, the resolution said, but the money is "apparently insufficient" to meet residents' needs.

Air pollution issues near the Detroit Assembly Complex - Mack date to 2021 when the plant began production and neighbors started complaining of foul paint smells.

Since September 2021, Stellantis has been subject to a ha…