Trade News

<!--*/ */ /*-->*/ Taking life on Mars for a spin

Scooter riders could soon take a bit of Mars technology for a spin.

NASA, SMART Tire Co. and micromobility company Spin are testing tire technology that was used on lunar and Mars rover missions for consumer applications.

SMART — which stands for Shape Memory Alloy Radial Technology — is applying NASA's shape memory alloy tire technology to an eco-friendly bike tire named METL.

METL is an airless, lighter-weight tire that "is elastic like rubber yet strong like titanium, exhibiting perfect shape memory," SMART said in a statement. The technology is a flexible, "space-age" metal that never goes flat, SMART says.

The company has been developing shape memory alloy tires for traditional bicycles and is conducting R&D for e-scooters at Spin, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Co.

"Shape memory alloys look extremely promising in revolutionizing the entire terrestrial tire industry," San…

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Thursday he was unaware of any support by the Biden administration to ban gas-powered vehicles after 2035 as California aims to do.

Asked by a lawmaker at a U.S. House hearing if the Biden administration supported California's plan to ban the sale of new gas-powered passenger cars and trucks in 2035, Buttigieg said he had "not heard of anything to that effect at the national or federal level."

He did note that automakers like General Motors have set a goal of ending gas-powered passenger vehicle sales by 2035. "I've not heard of that in a mandatory context but that certainly seems to be where the U.S. auto industry is headed."

During the 2020 campaign, Biden declined to endorse California's plan.

This week, a growing number of Democratic lawmakers have called on President Biden to endorse banning gas-powered vehicles by a specific date.

On Wednesday, a group of more than 70 U.S. House Democrats l…

WASHINGTON -- Two groups of Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday urged President Joe Biden to reinstate tough Obama-era vehicle emissions standards through 2025 and do more to shift the U.S. toward electric vehicles.

A group of more than 70 House Democrats led by Representative Doris Matsui urged Biden to set tough emissions rules that ensure "60 percent of the new passenger cars and trucks sold are zero-emission by 2030," while 10 U.S. senators led by Democrat Edward Markey urged Biden "to set a date by which new sales of fossil fuel vehicles will end entirely."

Markey's letter, which was also signed by Senators Richard Durbin, Sheldon Whitehouse, Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley and others says it is essential "to ensure that we are on a trajectory to achieve the near-zero emission fleet that scientists have called for by 2050."

The House letter, which is signed by Democrats, including Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler, Anna Eshoo, Adam Smith and Rashida Tlai…

WASHINGTON -- Tesla Inc. is pressing a U.S. appeals court to immediately reinstate a 2016 Obama regulation more than doubling penalties for automakers who fail to meet fuel efficiency requirements, according to court filings.

The Trump administration on Jan. 14 delayed the start of higher penalties until the 2022 model year. Tesla told the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals the Trump action was "unlawful" and "diminishes the value of performance-based incentives that electric vehicle manufacturers, such as Tesla, accrue under the standards."

Although Pres. Joe Biden supports tougher emissions standards, his administration opposes Tesla's request for immediate court action, saying NHTSA is scrutinizing the Trump action on Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) penalties and will complete its review in six months. A group representing major automakers also opposes immediate action.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. NHTSA declined commen…

LMP Automotive Holdings Inc. has acquired another General Motors store as part of its first wave of franchised dealership closings: Bachman-Bernard Chevrolet-Buick-GMC-Cadillac in Greeneville, Tenn.

LMP, a publicly traded used-car and vehicle subscription company that wants to roll up dozens of dealerships, acquired the store on Tuesday from Phil Bachman and Myron Bernard.

In a regulatory filing last year, LMP said it would pay $7.9 million for the dealership and the land. LMP COO Richard Aldahan confirmed on Wednesday the sales price and that it will keep the dealership's name.

"Bachman-Bernard has been a staple in the Greeneville market and we intend to continue the legacy," Aldahan said in an email to Automotive News.

Earlier this month, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., company spent $93.1 million to buy five franchised dealerships and three used-vehicle stores. It bought two Florida Kia stores in Port Charlotte and Cape Coral from Fuccillo Automotiv…

Industry groups representing automakers and dealers of imported vehicles are supporting a newly relaunched coalition that is calling for the rollback of certain tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

The Tariff Reform Coalition — a group of 37 associations including Autos Drive America, the American Automotive Policy Council and the American International Automobile Dealers Association — urged policymakers on Wednesday to remove Section 232 tariffs on imported steel and aluminum and reassess Section 301 tariffs on imports from China.

"At a time when so many businesses and workers in the United States are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, we urge the Biden administration to reconsider the Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs that are causing serious damage to those already struggling," said Rufus Yerxa, president of the National Foreign Trade Council, one of the coalition's members.

"Eliminating unwarranted, ineffective and self-defeating import …

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Predatory Loan Prevention Act into law Tuesday. The law, which immediately took effect, places a 36 percent interest rate cap on all loans below $40,000 extended in the state. It includes guaranteed asset protection products sold on automobile purchases as part of the interest rate calculation.

The Illinois General Assembly passed the actin January as part of a broader initiative by the Legislative Black Caucus to curb racial inequities in the state. The law borrows heavily from the federal Military Lending Act, which contains the same interest rate cap for service members and covered relatives.

Some experts say the Predatory Loan Prevention Act limits credit access for consumers who fail to qualify for lower interest rate terms. Several groups, including the American Financial Services Association and the Illinois Automobile Dealers Association, urged Pritzker to veto it.

David Gemperle, par…

In this first installment of a two-part interview, Harry Cohen, psychologist and author of Be The Sun, Not The Salt, shares his strategies for cultivating a positive mindset to help build and maintain strong relationships with employees.

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Customers who shop online aren't looking for the lowest price, they're looking for an honest price.

According to a January Market Scan poll of 200 vehicle shoppers, nearly half of customers are willing to walk away from a vehicle purchase over a difference from the in-store price of as little as $75. Twenty-one percent of the shoppers polled said they'd reject a deal if the price in-store is off by less than $50.

Price remains the priority for car shoppers who answered the online survey, but 34 percent said they'd be willing to pay extra if it meant the online shopping experience accurately reflected the in-store process.

Many respondents felt the online price was akin to a false promise rather than a starting point for negotiation. Nearly half of respondents said entering the dealership scrapped any progress they made online.

To improve customer satisfaction, dealerships need to make sure their online shopping experienc…

Stellantis is recalling more than 20,000 heavy-duty Ram diesel trucks globally over an issue that could cause an engine compartment fire.

The affected vehicles include 2021 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups and 3500, 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs equipped with a Cummins 6.7-liter turbodiesel engine. In the U.S., the recall covers about 19,200 vehicles. It also covers an additional 685 vehicles in Canada and 223 in certain markets outside of North America.

In a document filed with U.S. vehicle safety regulators, the automaker previously known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said the vehicles "may experience an engine compartment fire originating from an electrical short in the intake air heater relay, which can potentially lead to a vehicle fire" whether the ignition is on or off.

A Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company is aware of three non-customer vehicle fires. The automaker is unaware of any related injuries, accidents, warranty claims or customer com…

MG Motor is positioning the Marvel R Electric compact SUV as the technology-led flagship of its European range as it expands in the region.

Sales of the battery-powered model will begin in the summer. It will compete against EVs such as the Volkswagen ID4 and Skoda Enyaq iV.

The Marvel R will only be sold as a left-hand-drive model, meaning it will not be offered in the UK, the brand's largest European market.

MG says features such as a 19.4-inch interior touchscreen and a 12.3 -inch digital instrument panel, boost the Marvel R’s credentials as a technology flagship.

The SUV will also have active safety equipment, MG said, without giving details.

The Marvel R Electric’s all-wheel-drive top-spec version has three electric motors for a combined output of 284 hp. It has a range of more than 400 km (249 miles) on a single charge as measured by Europe’s WLTP test cycle. The company did not give an exact figure.

MG declined to disclose th…