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    2015–2019 Lincoln MKC Recalled for Fire Risk, Owners Told to Park Outside

    Lincoln is recalling 142,734 of its MKC crossovers from the 2015 through 2019 model years over a problem that could lead to an underhood fire.The problem can occur without warning, even when the vehicle is parked and off, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).The issue is with a battery monitor sensor, which could experience an electrical short and cause a fire. Lincoln is asking owners to park the vehicle outdoors until it can be fixed.Lincoln will recall more than 142,000 2015–2019 MKC crossovers to fix a problem that could lead to a fire under the hood. The automaker has called for owners to park the vehicles outdoors until a repair can be made. In documents filed with NHTSA, Lincoln said the problem is that the battery monitor sensor could become damaged during battery servicing and cause an electrical short and potentially a fire. To date, owners have reported 19 underhood fires, of which 11 were in the United States, seven in China, and one in Canada. According to the recall report, all fires occurred while the vehicles were parked and off. Dealers have already been notified, and owners will receive letters from Lincoln by the end of June. In the meantime, they are urged not to park the vehicles indoors. Owners can check whether their vehicle is involved in the recall at the NHTSA recalls website.Other Recent RecallsDigital DirectorLaura Sky Brown has been involved in automotive media for a very long time, and she sees it as her calling to guard the legacy and help ensure the continued high quality of Car and Driver. She was one of the first staffers at Automobile Magazine in the ’80s and has worked for many other car magazines and websites as a writer, editor, and copy editor ever since. It has been her privilege to edit many of the greats of automotive journalism over the years, including the ones who currently write for C/D. More

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    Automated Emergency Braking, Already Common, Could Be Required by 2028

    Many new cars have automated emergency braking as part of their ADAS driver assistance packages, but now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing that every new passenger vehicle have AEB tech by the end of the decade.The industry started talking about requiring AEB back in 2016, and a series of voluntary pledges and required rules in the U.S. and Europe have led to major automakers already having AEB on more than 90 percent of the cars they sell.Requiring AEB tech would be “a major leap forward,” but the new rules don’t yet require cars to brake for cyclists. Commercial vehicles are also not included in NHTSA’s new rules.In the mid-2010s, automakers really started hyping the fact that all of their latest models, even the entry-level cheapos, would soon come with backup cameras. And these driver-assist devices would be standard. It was great news, and also true. But what the car companies didn’t mention as often was that all those new cameras were being installed because the U.S. Department of Transportation required them with a rule that passed in 2014 and came into effect in early 2018.We mention that bit of history because this week, multiple automakers hyped the fact that many of their vehicles already have automated emergency braking (AEB) systems. GM issued a release that said at least 95 percent of all the vehicles it sells, including all 2023 and newer EVs, have standard AEB technology. A Ford spokesperson said on Twitter that AEB with pedestrian detection is already present on over 96 percent of Ford cars, trucks and SUVs.Which brings us to the news that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing a new rule for the auto industry that all new passenger cars and light trucks will be required to have automatic emergency braking systems with pedestrian detection.What Is AEB?Like other new driver-assistance technologies, AEB technology goes by different names at different companies. Toyota calls its version Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, for example. But whatever the name, the idea is the same: a vehicle will automatically apply the brakes when the driver doesn’t in a situation where the car’s sensor and software suite determines that a crash is imminent. Not all AEB systems on the road today can identify a pedestrian, but the new NHTSA rule would require cars to detect both vehicles and pedestrians. NHTSA said it is “actively conducting research” to determine how well AEB systems can respond to bicycles and motorcycles.In January 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued its first National Roadway Safety Strategy in response to the rising numbers of transportation deaths and serious injuries. The DOT promoted AEB as one way to make roads safer. NHTSA has long said AEB systems are a solution to these “significant safety problem[s]” and has been pushing for more AEB systems in more cars for years. Last October, a study conducted by the AAA found that while AEB systems are useful, many still have flaws.A Brief History of the RulesNHTSA is not requiring AEB technology out of the blue. This has been a long process and it will end up being more than a decade between the first discussions about widespread AEB adoption and the rule’s implementation deadlines. If the new NHTSA rule goes into effect, automakers would have at least four years from the date it is implemented to meet all the requirements of adding AEB technology to every new vehicle. Small-volume manufacturers, final-stage manufacturers and alterers have five years.That means it will be 2028 or 2029 before AEB tech is required. The industry has had time to prepare. In 2016, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and NHTSA proposed a voluntary pledge that auto manufacturers could take to make AEB technology better and more widely available. By the end of 2017, four automakers had made AEB tech standard on more than half of their 2017 model year vehicles, and 20 had pledged to put at least low-speed AEB systems on all their new passenger vehicles by September 1, 2022. European regulators passed a rule that made AEB standard starting in 2022.Safety advocates are in favor of NHTSA’s proposed rule. The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement that requiring AEBs would be “a major leap forward for road safety” but that the timeline was too far into the future and that cyclists need to be included in the kinds of road users that AEB can see. The NTSB also said the new AEB rules should apply to commercial vehicles.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Contributing EditorSebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology’s importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.  More

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    TVS Motor Sales May 2023 – Apache, Jupiter, XL100, Ntorq, Raider

    New TVS RaiderTVS Motor two wheeler sales has posted exceptional YoY growth – TVS has over 30k pending orders of the iQubeTVS Motor Company has released sales figures for May 2023. It may be seen from the attached table that YoY sales growth was seen across motorcycle and scooter sales as well as where the company’s moped and e-scooter were concerned. Exports on the other hand have been lackluster, finishing in the red, both in terms of two and three wheelers.TVS Motor Company has registered 9.12 percent sales growth in May 2023. Sales (2+3 W) stood at 330,609 units in the past month, up from 302,982 units sold in May 2022. This was a volume growth of 27,627 units. On a MoM basis as well, the company has reported a 7.96 percent growth from 3,06,224 units sold in April 2023.TVS Motor Sales May 2023Talking exclusively about the company’s two wheeler sales, growth was reported across motorcycles, scooters, moped and sole electric scooter – iQube. Motorcycle sales improved by 9.21 percent to 1,62,248 units in May 2023. Up from 1,48,560 units sold in May 2022. It was also a 6.49 percent MoM growth from 1,52,365 units sold in April 2023. Motorcycle share currently stands at 50.81 percent. TVS motorcycle range includes Apache, Raider, Sport, etc.Scooter sales also saw a YoY growth of 2.52 percent to 1,03,203 units in May 2023, up 2,538 units as compared to 1,00,665 units sold in May 2022. MoM sales of scooters dipped 3.99 percent from 1,07,496 units sold in April 2023. TVS scooters include Jupiter, Ntorq, iQube, Scooty Pep+, etc.TVS Motor sales May 2023 vs May 2022 – YoY comparisonTVS Motor has been seeing good demand for the iQube e-scooter, sales of which surged to 17,953 units in May 2023, up 580.81 percent as against 2,637 units sold in May 2022. On a MoM basis as well, sales improved by 188.31 percent from 6,227 units sold in April 2023. From 1st June 2023, the company has increased prices of the TVS iQube in the range of Rs 17,000 to Rs 22,000 depending on variant.There is also the TVS XL 100 moped, sales of which increased by 42.32 percent YoY and 54.17 percent MoM to 52,844 units. This took total two wheeler domestic sales up 31.97 percent to 2,52,690 units in the past month up from 1,91,482 units sold in May 2022. MoM sales improved by 8.47 percent from 2,32,956 units sold in April 2023.Exports of two wheelers were lower on a YoY basis by 30.31 percent to 66,605 units from 95,576 units shipped in May 2022. MoM exports however improved by 7.72 percent over 61,830 units shipped in April 2023. Two wheeler total sales increased by 11.23 percent YoY and 8.31 percent MoM to 3,19,295 units in May 2023.TVS Motor sales May 2023 vs Apr 2023 – MoM comparisonTVS Motor 3W Sales and ExportsIn the three wheeler segment the company posted positive YoY sales in domestic markets but finished in the red in terms of exports. 3W domestic sales stood at 1,312 units in the past month, up 4.54 percent from 1,225 units sold in May 2022. MoM sales however, dipped 18.26 percent from 1,605 units sold in April 2023.Exports on the other hand fell on a YoY basis by 31.82 percent to 10,002 units from 15,669 units sold in May 2022. MoM exports saw a marginal increase of 1.72 percent from 9,833 units shipped in April 2023. Total 3W sales fell 28.95 percent YoY and 18.26 percent MoM to 11,314 units. More

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    New KTM 390 Duke production starts – Gets bigger 399cc engine?

    New KTM 390 Duke production startsThe new engine on 2023 KTM 390 Duke will probably displace 399cc as opposed to 373cc in outgoing model – 45+ bhp and 40+ Nm torque is possibleProspect of a new KTM 390 Duke is an exciting one. For there are a lot of updates coming with it. From a revised engine to new design, this 2023 update for KTM’s highest selling motorcycle is an important one. The updates on this will define other motorcycles like RC 390 and 390 Adventure as well.Launch seems to be nearing as there are more spy shots of production-spec models. The recent spy shot shows an uncamouflaged new KTM 390 Duke from the front at what appears to be Bajaj manufacturing plant in Pune. We can see a bunch of Pulsar motorcycles in the background.New KTM 390 Duke spied againThe last sighting of this motorcycle was abroad and on road and it didn’t feature camouflage too. Given the frequent sightings, we would wager that launch might be nearing. KTM is yet to disclose whether the new 390 Duke will debut in India or abroad.Regardless, we like what we see. KTM has stuck to its edgy design language but executed it differently with its latest iteration. There are multiple inspirations from the bigger 1290 Super Duke R. Even the new 390 Duke’s colour is a direct inspiration from Super Duke R. Headlights follow a similar theme as the outgoing model, but executed differently.New KTM 390 Duke production startsLED DRL signature is now not continuous as in the outgoing model and is an overall smaller unit. There is a new TFT display as well. KTM has placed it higher for easy visibility. Fuel tank is slightly different and gets pronounced tank shrouds. These lend a lot of character and aggression to the motorcycle. Frame and new 5-spoke alloys are finished in bright Orange, typical KTM.That said, both alloys and trellis frame are brand new along with rear subframe, split design seats and rear tail lights. There is a ‘T’ shape in the tail light LED signature that reminds me of TVS Ronin’s headlight LED signature. Disc rotors are now bolted directly on alloys and calipers are radially mounted too as before.Has displacement gone up to 399cc?The main change could be in its engine. A new engine architecture is evident from spy shots. Speculations suggest a larger 399cc displacement along with 45+ bhp of power and 40+ Nm of torque. For context, outgoing 390 Duke displaces 373cc and generates 42.9 bhp of power and 37 Nm of torque.Bump in features is likely too. We expect additions like traction control and cornering ABS, both of which are already present with RC 390 and 390 Adventure. Asking for wheelie control would be pushing it a little. That said, features like Quickshifter+ (bi-directional clutchless shifts), ride-by-wire, Bluetooth connectivity, will be on offer like on the outgoing model. More

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    Kinetic e Luna First Pictures Leak Online – Likely To Get Pedals

    Kinetic e Luna First PicturesThe first leaked image of Kinetic e Luna suggests presence of pedals that could come handy while on the go, if battery exhaustsFor a long time, Luna ruled the Indian moped market. So impactful that people still call all mopeds Luna. Like Xerox is every copying machine and Jeep is every ladder-frame vehicle. Such was its impact. Now, Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions is launching a new electric vehicle and bringing back the iconic Luna name.Recently, CEO Sulajja Firodia Motwani revealed the finalised name “e Luna”. And now, the first image of e Luna has leaked online. It is a no-brainer that Kinetic would stick to Luna’s iconic design language to establish semblance with the blast of the past. Let’s take a look at everything new.Kinetic e Luna First Pictures Leak OnlineRecently, the CEO revealed the confirmed e Luna name. In the same Tweet, she also kindled our memories with the iconic “Chal Meri Luna” advert of the yesteryears as well. This iconic Luna of the past is the primary source of inspiration for new Kinetic e Luna. The leaked images show how e Luna maintains a similar silhouette.The new e Luna is still unmistakably a Luna. Kinetic has playfully added a dash of sophistication with a red contrast used against black base colour. It lends some character to this moped. There are chrome wire-spoke rims at both ends. These are likely to be 16” in size, similar to TVS XL100. Headlight is a round reflector unit, housed in a square housing.Kinetic e Luna First PicturesLeaked image suggests telescopic front forks, but there is a good chance that these might be just shock absorbers too (think Activa 3G). Rear gets dual shock absorbers for weight-bearing capability. There are split seats on offer on e Luna. Rear seat might have a removable function to accommodate luggage.Kinetic e Luna is likely to be primarily a commercial vehicle for the last mile delivery sector (both B2B and B2C models). Front step-through passage and rear removable seats might be enough for most last mile delivery applications. Leaked image suggests presence of pedals too, which would come in handy when battery runs out.Electric powertrain for commercial applicationsNew e Luna will feature an electric powertrain. Kinetic hasn’t revealed battery and motor specs. We would wager that a small battery with 50 to 100 km of range from a single charge is highly likely. This is likely to be a fixed battery, unlike Honda Benly e, which features a removable battery and will target a similar market upon launch.In terms of features, we expect bare minimum. For example, a digital instrument cluster (LCD), halogen headlights, tail lights and turn indicators, crash guard at the front, a grab rail at the back, drum brakes at both ends and not a lot more. Pricing could be around Rs. 50,000 mark.Source More

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    Honda 2W May 2023 Sales – Challenges As Numbers Plunge

    New Honda ActivaHonda 2W May 2023 Sales Shake Up – Mayhem in Numbers is a Rollercoaster RideIn May 2023, Honda two-wheeler sales were subdued. Domestic sales stood at 3,11,144 units. Exports accounted for 18,249 units, resulting in a total of 3,29,393 units. A year prior, in May 2022, domestic sales were slightly higher at 3,20,844 units, whereas exports were 32,344 units. That amounted to a total of 3,53,188 units.This indicates a decline for Honda 2W May 2023 sales compared to the previous year. With a difference of -9,700 units domestically and -14,095 units in exports, culminating in an overall decline of -23,795 units.May 2023 Sales Slump: Honda Two-Wheelers Battle the OddsAnalysing the year-on-year growth percentage reveals a negative trend. Domestic sales witnessed a decline of -3.02 percent. Exports experienced a significant decrease of -43.58 percent in May 2023 compared to May 2022.This downward trend suggests that Honda faced challenges in both the domestic and international markets. Examining sales market share distribution for May 2023, as always, domestic sales held a dominant position at 94.46 percent of total sales.Honda 2W sales May 2023Honda Two-Wheeler Sales Take a Dive: May 2023’s Rollercoaster RideExport market sales share is significantly smaller, accounting for only 5.54 percent of Honda’s overall sales. This stark contrast highlights the company’s heavy reliance on the domestic market, which could pose risks if domestic demand were to decline.Shifting focus to the month-on-month performance, comparing Honda 2W May 2023 sales with April 2023, Honda experienced a decline in both domestic and export sales. Domestic sales dropped by -27,145 units, exports declined by -18,209 units, resulting in an overall decrease of -45,354 units. This signifies a negative growth rate of -8.02 percent on a month-on-month basis.Mayhem in May: Sales Encounter a Rocky RoadAnalysing the market share for April 2023, Honda domestic sales held a dominant share of 90.27 percent, with exports contributing a mere 9.73 percent to the overall sales. However, the declining sales figures for both domestic and export markets indicate a challenging business environment for Honda during this period.Month-on-month comparison indicated a negative growth rate, reflecting a challenging business environment for Honda during this period. More

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    Royal Enfield Sales May 2023 at 77k – Starts CKD Ops in Nepal

    Royal Enfield Meteor 350Royal Enfield sales and exports for the month May 2023 stood on a positive note in both YoY and MoM analysis in domestic market – While exports took a hit YoYThe Chennai-based motorcycle manufacturer has unprecedented popularity in classic and retro motorcycles both here in India and abroad. With a slew of 350cc, 650cc and 411cc motorcycles, Royal Enfield pretty much has a motorcycle for everyone. The company will introduce a new 450cc platform that will take sales figures even higher.The highest selling range in Royal Enfield’s portfolio is 350cc. There are a multitude of 350cc bikes in the portfolio including Bullet 350, Classic 350, Hunter 350 and Meteor 350. Together, Royal Enfield sold 69,038 units of 350cc bikes. Compared to 53,835 units sold a year ago, RE saw 28% YoY growth.Royal Enfield Sales May 2023YTD sales till May 2023 include 1,33,766 units which is 27% higher YoY over 1,05,399 units sold between Apr 2022 – May 2022. While the 350cc business is booming, Royal Enfield saw a slight setback in 350cc+ motorcycles. These includes the 411cc Himalayan and Scram along with Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650 and Super Meteor 650.This setback accounted for 14% YoY decline as Royal Enfield sold 8,423 units of 350cc+ motorcycles last month as opposed to 9,808 units a year ago. This trend persisted with YTD numbers too. Royal Enfield sold 16,831 units of 350cc+ bikes between April 2023 and May 2023, which was 17% less than 20,399 units it sold in the same period a year ago.Royal Enfield Sales and Exports May 2023In total, Royal Enfield managed to sell 77,461 units (350cc + 411cc + 650cc). With the highly popular 350cc motorcycles lift the numbers, Royal Enfield showed an overall 22% YoY growth as opposed to 63,643 units sold in May 2022. YTD sales demonstrated a strong 20% YoY growth with around 25K units gained in volume.Exports for the month May 2023Royal Enfield’s exports didn’t show the same growth that the company demonstrated in the domestic market. In fact, there was no growth at all. Instead, Royal Enfield lost 34% in exports YoY. The company shipped precisely 6,666 units last month, which was not enough to surpass 10,118 units shipped a year ago.In YTD analysis, this effect is even pronounced as there was 41% YoY decline. The company sold 10,921 units between April 2023 and May 2023 and in the same period last year, the company sold 18,421 units. That said, Royal Enfield has performed better than it did in April 2023 with 68,881 units sold in domestic market and 4,255 units shipped globally.Royal Enfield Sales and Exports May 2023Royal Enfield CKD operations in NepalRoyal Enfield has announced a new CKD facility in Nepal. This is RE’s 5th CKD unit outside of India – after Brazil, Thailand, Colombia and Argentina. RE Nepal plant will have a capacity to assemble 20k units annually. Operations will start with the assembly of Classic 350 and Sram 411. The modern facility is spread over 1 lac sq ft and will cater to growing demand in Nepal. More

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    Hero MotoCorp Sales May 2023 – 4.30 lakh Motorcycles, 27k Scooters

    Hero SplendorHero MotoCorp has posted a 7 percent YoY growth in May 2023 while MoM sales have also increased significantlyHero MotoCorp has registered a 7 percent YoY growth in May 2023 to 5,19,474 units. The company has seen outstanding growth in domestic sales, while exports have dipped. Factors conducive to the company’s growth in India are on account of improved buyer sentiments, predictions of normal rainfall and a host of new launches.Hero MotoCorp is also set to refresh and expand the company’s product lineup with five new motorcycles and scooters over the next couple of months. It was the Hero Splendor that has done exceedingly well, bringing in rich rewards for the company, scaling over every other motorcycle on the top 10 list with 32,55,744 units sold in FY 2023. The company also introduced the OBD-II and E20 compliant XPulse 200 4V in May 2023.Hero MotoCorp Sales May 2023Hero MotoCorp has reported total sales (domestic + exports) of 519,474 units in May 2023. This was a YoY growth of 7 percent over 486,704 units sold in May 2022. On a YTD basis, the company has reported total sales of 9,15,581 units as against 9,05,326 units sold in YRD FY2022.Motorcycle sales stood at 4,89,336 units in the past month, up from 4,52,246 units sold in May 2022 thus relating to a 37,090 unit volume growth. During the period April-May 2023, the company sold 8,58,166 motorcycles as against 8,44,873 units sold in the April-May 2022 period.Hero MotoCorp sales May 2023Scooter sales stood at 30,138 units, a YoY de-growth as against 34,458 units sold in May 2022. Sales of scooters on a YTD basis also fell to 57,415 units in the FY 2023 period as against 60,453 units sold in the corresponding period of 2022. The relatively new Hero Xoom scooter, which featured at No. 5 on the top 10 scooter list in April 2023, has added good number to total scooter sales.Total domestic sales (motorcycles + scooters) of the company thus stood at 5,08,309 units in May 2023, up from 4,66,466 units sold in May 2022. Growth was also seen on a YTD basis at 8,94,493 units sold during April-May 2023 as against 8,64,956 units sold in April-May 2022.In May 2023, Hero MotoCorp reported a YoY de-growth in terms of exports which fell to 11,165 units in May 2023 from 20,238 units sold in May 2022. This was a 9,073 unit volume de-growth. YTD exports slipped to 21,088 units from 40,370 units sold in April-May 2022 period.Hero MotoCorp upcoming launchesHero MotoCorp plans to introduce the new Hero Karizma 210cc along with an updated version of the Xtreme 160R. Refreshed models of the Hero Passion Pro along with new Glamour models are also in the pipeline while a scooter in the 125cc segment is also a part of its upcoming launches. However, the most anticipated model is that being produced jointly by Hero MotoCorp and Harley Davidson – X440 Roadster has just been opened for bookings at a down payment of Rs 25,000 ahead of a July 2023 launch. More