Automakers and the United Auto Workers union had lobbied DOE to soften its original petroleum equivalency factor rule. They argued that more aggressive targets would have required them to sell more EVs to meet stricter federal fuel economy standards amid uncertain demand, making it impossible to comply. Environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council and Sierra Club, asked the Biden administration for stricter MPGe standards in 2021, which had not been updated since 2000. “The automakers’ free ride is over,” said Pete Huffman, senior attorney at NRDC, in a statement. “This important update from the Department of Energy will curtail automakers’ use of phantom credits they used to keep selling gas guzzlers. They now need to hit the accelerator on more fuel-efficient vehicles, saving consumers money at the pump.”     The Department of Transportation uses DOE’s petroleum equivalency factor to calculate MPGe and CAFE, which averages the fuel economy of all v...

GKN Automotive’s former parent company, Melrose Industries, formed a new public company dubbed Dowlais. Melrose completed its demerger in April 2023, spinning off GKN Automotive, GKN Powder Metallurgy and GKN Hydrogen under Dowlais, while GKN Aerospace remains under Melrose Industries. Dowlais is independent from Melrose.     “We have a clear strategy to create value for our stakeholders by: delivering industry leading financial performance; facilitating the world’s transition to electric vehicles through a portfolio of cutting-edge products; and accelerating growth through a disciplined M&A strategy,” Dowlais CEO Liam Butterworth said in an April 2023 press release. The Timberlake facility is the second North Carolina site GKN Automotive closed in the past year. The auto parts maker closed its facility in Sanford in March of last year, according to a WARN Act post.

For legacy automakers, collaborating with tech companies like Mobileye can speed up the development and rollout of software-powered technology, including more advanced automated driving systems. Just one in four automakers are fully prepared for software-defined vehicles, according to an AlixPartners survey in January. The same report found that Tier 1 suppliers must adapt to automakers’ needs as the industry pivots to building more software-defined vehicles. The Volkswagen Group has collaborated with Mobileye, owned by chipmaker Intel Corp., on autonomous driving technology since 2018. The technology supplier specializes in computer vision processing for highly automated driving functions and vehicle advanced driver assist systems, such as automatic emergency braking and lane centering control.     As the companies develop more advanced driving systems, Mobileye will provide the automaker with production-ready technologies, including Level-2 automated driving capabilities. ...

Stellantis plans to cut about 400 jobs among its nonunion engineering and software staff in the United States. The company provided a statement Friday that suggested a challenging industry picture as the reason. It said the cuts, which are separate from other reductions affecting union-represented workers announced in recent months, would be effective March 31. Stellantis owns the Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat brands.     “As the auto industry continues to face unprecedented uncertainties and heightened competitive pressures around the world, Stellantis continues to make the appropriate structural decisions across the enterprise to improve efficiency and optimize our cost structure. After rigorous organizational reviews, Stellantis confirms that we will reduce our engineering/technology and software organizations by about 2% in the U.S.,” according to the statement provided by spokeswoman Jodi Tinson.

BEIJING — China filed a World Trade Organization complaint against the United States on Tuesday over what it says are discriminatory requirements for electric vehicle subsidies. The Chinese Commerce Ministry did not say what prompted the move. But under a new U.S. rule that took effect Jan. 1, electric car buyers are not eligible for tax credits of $3,750 to $7,500 if critical minerals or other battery components were made by Chinese, Russian, North Korean or Iranian companies. The credits are part of President Joe Biden’s signature climate legislation, named the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.     A ministry statement did not mention the specific restriction. It said, though, that under the act and its implementing rules, the U.S. had formulated discriminatory subsidy policies for new energy vehicles in the name of responding to climate change. It said the U.S. move excluded Chinese products, distorted fair competition and disrupted the global supply chain for new energy vehi...

New Delhi: Electric vehicles (EVs) are considered to be the future ofmobility, though certain stumbling blocks are keeping most people awayfrom them. According to the Vahan data, EV sales rose by 82% in March2023 YoY to 1.3 lakh units. In 2024, the overall EV sales are expected toslow down according to recent studies. Several factors have collectively contributed to the change in consumerpreference from ICE to EVs. Some of these factors include: increasedavailability of EV charging infrastructure, lower maintenance cost ofEVs, new technology, etc.     The maintenance cost of EVs is less than that of ICE vehicles, though thecost ofreplacement of parts in EVs is higher. This increased cost is dueto expensive components used like batteries, motors, and many more.Batteries in EVs which account for almost 50% of cost make themcostlier than the conventional ICE vehicles. Thus to tone down the EVprice, battery cost reduction is inevitable. Indigenization a way to curb high EVprices...

NEW DELHI: Tesla’s Autopilot, a suite of self-driving features, has become a major driver for the US electric car maker, now the world’s second-largest electric car maker. In addition to this, Autopilot allows a Tesla to autonomously drive from a highway entry point to an exit point. Tech startup Minus Zero hopes to offer the same functionality in production vehicles within the next 2.5 to 3 years.     “It’s like a highway self-driving system. You can do anything on the highway from start to finish, but given the regulations we have in the country right now, the driver needs to be there,” said Negative Zero co-founder and chief operating officer officer Gursimran Kalra told ETAuto. The claimed “best part” of the system is that it also works in Indian driving environments with potholes or no lane markings. The system will allow hands-free driving on highways, but the driver will have to take control of the vehicle in situations such as left/right...

Officials of the Jaipur City Transport Services Limited (ICTSL) aremulling a proposal of the Traffic Control Board of the JaipurDevelopment Authority (JDA) to convert a few of the bus stands intocharging units for e-buses. The state government is all set to procurearound 500 e-buses, majority of which would ply on Jaipur roads.     “Most bus stands of the city are lying unutilized. On the other hand, weneed one or two charging points on all roads where our buses ply. So, inthe last TCB meeting it was proposed to convert a few of the bus standsor a portion of these buses into charging units for the e-buses,” said aJCTSL official. Officers claimed, once the corporation starts procuring e-buses it wouldinstall charging units at all the depots so that buses can be charged whennot in use. Still, they need at least one or two units of all roads whereJCTSL’s buses ply- depending on the number of buses plying on thatparticular road – for emergency. “We had started proces...

The first BMW X2 didn’t really fit the mould. For starters, it was smaller than the X1, despite occupying a larger number in BMW’s model hierarchy. In BMW’s world, where the X4 is a coupe version of the X3 and the X6 is a coupe version of the X5, the X2 was more like a chubby version of the 1 Series hatchback and not a sleeker alternative to the mightily popular X1 SUV. For the second generation, the new X2 is visually a much stronger relation to the X1. It shares a familiar imposing front end, functional interior and powertrains, with the rear-end providing the major difference.     That’s right. BMW has now aligned the X2 properly against the X1, so it has a sloping roofline and more athletic proportions. While these pricier coupes only sell a fraction of the volumes their SUV counterparts achieve, there’s undeniably a growing trend towards this bodystyle. Peugeot has just redesigned its popular 3008 with a sleeker silhouette. This review is centred on the electric iX2, wh...

Hyundai has confirmed to AM it will be reducing the number of partners it works with from 70 to around 55 by 2029 in the UK as part of its” future proofing” plans. The Korean brand said it has worked in partnership with its retail partners to streamline the network, but made it clear that it would not be reducing the overall number of showroom locations, which is currently at 165, as part of these plans. In fact, Hyundai is planning to maintain the number of showrooms across the UK and eventually increase this number to 173 in the future. A third of the network will also be making investments and enhancements to their showrooms “to create a more profitable business proposition which delivers an enhanced retail experience”.     Hyundai said the aim of these improvements is address the long-term sustainability of the relationship with partners, “as well as the experience for customers throughout the sales and ownership journey”. AM understands Hyundai dealers had b...

The carburetor is a mechanical device that mixes a certain proportion of gasoline and air under the vacuum generated by the engine’s operation. As a precision mechanical device, the carburetor uses the kinetic energy of the inhaled air flow to atomize gasoline. Its important role in the engine can be called the “heart” of the engine. The complete device should include starting device, idle device, medium load device, full load device and acceleration device. The carburetor will automatically proportion the corresponding concentration and output the corresponding amount of mixed gas according to the different working conditions of the engine. In order to make the mixed gas mixture evenly mixed, the carburetor also has the function of atomizing the fuel. effect for the machine to operate normally.     Classification Carburetors are divided into simple carburetors and complex carburetors. Carburetors can also be divided into downdraft and flat-draft types. Car...

Car seat belts are safety devices designed to restrain the occupants during a collision and to prevent secondary collisions between the occupants and the steering wheel and instrument panel, or to prevent the occupants from rushing out of the car during a collision, resulting in death or injury. Car seat belts, also known as seat belts, are a type of passenger restraint device. Car seat belts are recognized as the cheapest and most effective safety devices. Among vehicle equipment, seat belts are mandatory in many countries.     Origin Seat belts existed before the invention of automobiles. In 1885, when horse-drawn carriages were commonly used in Europe, seat belts were simply used to prevent passengers from falling off the carriage. By 1910, seat belts began to appear on airplanes. In 1922, sports cars on the racing circuit began to use seat belts. By 1955, Ford cars in the United States began to use seat belts. Generally speaking, the seat belts during this period were ma...

The clutch is located in the flywheel housing between the engine and the gearbox. The clutch assembly is fixed on the rear plane of the flywheel with screws. The output shaft of the clutch is the input shaft of the gearbox. While the car is driving, the driver can depress or release the clutch pedal as needed to temporarily separate and gradually connect the engine and the transmission to cut off or transmit the power input from the engine to the transmission.     The clutch is a common component in mechanical transmission, which can separate or engage the transmission system at any time. Its basic requirements are: smooth joining, rapid and complete separation; easy adjustment and repair; small outer size; small mass; good wear resistance and sufficient heat dissipation capacity; easy and labor-saving operation. Commonly used ones are divided into tooth-embedded and There are two types of friction type. Definition The clutch, commonly known as Jilizi in Hong Kong, comes fro...

SUV refers to a sports utility vehicle, which is different from an ORV off-road vehicle that can be used on rough terrain; SUV refers to a sports utility vehicle or a suburban utility vehicle, an off-road vehicle that has the space capabilities of a station wagon and is equipped with a cargo truck. Ability models.     Features The characteristics of SUV are strong power, off-road capability, spaciousness and comfort, and good cargo and passenger carrying functions. Some people also say that SUV It is the comfort and refinement of a luxury car combined with the nature of an off-road vehicle. SUVs are hybrid descendants of cars and off-road vehicles. Compared with their ancestors, SUVs have greater advantages. The biggest characteristics of off-road vehicles are their strong passing ability and certain cargo-carrying capacity, but their sportiness and comfort are not outstanding. After strengthening these shortcomings of off-road vehicles, they can be called SUVs. It not only ...

The electronic airbag system is a passive safety protection system that works in conjunction with seat belts to provide effective anti-collision protection for the occupants. In the event of a car collision, car airbags can reduce the rate of head injuries by 25% and the rate of facial injuries by about 80%.     History The airbag was first proposed by Hetrick in August 1953 and obtained the U.S. patent for “automobile buffer safety device”. With the formulation of vehicle safety standards in various countries, the equipment rate of airbags is getting higher and higher. The airbag equipment rate in cars in Europe, the United States, Japan and other countries has reached nearly 100%. Structure It is mainly composed of airbag sensors, anti-collision airbags and electronic control devices. The driver’s side anti-collision airbag is installed in the steering wheel; the passenger’s side anti-collision airbag is usually installed on the dashboard. The airba...

Transmission, also known as gearbox, is a mechanism used to change the speed and torque from the engine. It can fix or change the transmission ratio of the output shaft and input shaft in fixed or stepped gears. The transmission consists of a speed change transmission mechanism and a control mechanism. Some cars also have a power output mechanism. Most of the transmission mechanisms use ordinary gear transmission, and some use planetary gear transmission. Ordinary gear transmission transmission mechanisms generally use slip gears and synchronizers.     Classification 1. Stepped transmission Stepped transmissions are the most widely used. It adopts gear transmission and has several fixed transmission ratios. Depending on the type of gear train used, there are two types of axis-fixed transmissions (ordinary transmissions) and axis-rotating transmissions (planetary gear transmissions). The transmission ratio of transmissions for cars and light and medium trucks usually has 3-5 ...

The spark plug is an important component of the gasoline engine ignition system. It can introduce high-voltage electricity into the combustion chamber and cause it to jump across the electrode gap to generate sparks, thereby igniting the combustible mixture in the cylinder. It is mainly composed of wiring nut, insulator, wiring screw, center electrode, side electrode and shell. The side electrode is welded on the shell.     Introduction The spark plug, commonly known as the burner, is used to discharge the pulsed high-voltage electricity sent from the high-voltage wire (burner wire), breakdown the air between the two electrodes of the spark plug, and generate electric sparks to ignite the mixed gas in the cylinder. The main types are: quasi-type spark plugs, rim-protruding spark plugs, electrode-type spark plugs, seat-type spark plugs, pole-type spark plugs, surface-flash type spark plugs, etc. The spark plug is installed on the side or top of the engine. The early spark plu...

Car bumpers are safety devices that absorb and slow down external impact forces and protect the front and rear of the car body. Many years ago, the front and rear bumpers of automobiles were stamped from steel plates into channel steel and riveted or welded to the frame longitudinal beams. There was a large gap between the car body and the car body, which looked very unsightly.     With the development of the automobile industry and the extensive application of engineering plastics in the automobile industry, automobile bumpers, as an important safety device, are also on the road to innovation. In addition to maintaining their original protective functions, today’s front and rear bumpers of cars must also pursue harmony and unity with the body shape and pursue lightweighting. The front and rear bumpers of cars are made of plastic, which are called plastic bumpers. Generally, the plastic bumper of a car is composed of three parts: outer panel, buffer material and cross ...

The wiper is an important accessory installed on the windshield. Its function is to remove rain, snow and dust on the windshield that obstructs the view. Therefore, it plays an important role in driving safety.     Overview Wipers generally include vacuum wipers, electric wipers and wipers with electronic control units. The disadvantage of vacuum wipers is that the movement speed of the wiper blade is unstable. When the vacuum degree of the engine is reduced (for example, when the car is climbing a hill), the wiper blade will stop, blurring the driver’s vision. Vacuum wipers were phased out in 1972, replaced by electric wipers. Structure The electric windshield wiper is driven by a motor and generally consists of a wiper arm, wiper blade assembly, rubber brush blade, brush blade support, brush blade holder, wiper arm spindle, wiper base plate, and motor , deceleration mechanism, drive rod system, drive rod hinge, wiper switch and wiper switch knob. Of course, wipers wi...

The automobile engine is the device that provides power for the automobile. It is the heart of the automobile and determines the power, economy, stability and environmental protection of the automobile. According to different power sources, automobile engines can be divided into diesel engines, gasoline engines, electric vehicle motors and hybrids.     Common gasoline engines and diesel engines are reciprocating piston internal combustion engines, which convert the chemical energy of the fuel into the mechanical energy of piston movement and output power to the outside. The gasoline engine has high speed, low mass, low noise, easy starting, and low manufacturing cost; the diesel engine has a large compression ratio, high thermal efficiency, and better economic performance and emission performance than the gasoline engine. History development The engine is the power source of the car. Most automobile engines are thermal energy power devices, referred to as heat engines. Therm...