Motor News

Ram was ranked #1 and Dodge #2 in the J.D. Power 2021 Initial Quality Study.The study surveys new-car owners on problems they had with their vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership, and it ranks brands according to problems per 100 vehicles. Lower scores are better.The study was redesigned last year to give new-car owners more ways to report problems. In the 2020 study, infotainment was the most troublesome category.The results of the 2021 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study are in, with Ram and Dodge securing the top two spots. The 223-question study surveys new-car owners on problems they experience with their new cars in the first 90 days of ownership and assigns each brand a score based on the problems per 100 vehicles. Problems could range from serious mechanical issues to difficulties related to the infotainment system. In this year’s survey, Ram owners reported 128 issues per 100 new cars, while Dodge owners had 139 complaints per 100 vehicles.

J.D. Power surveys tens of thousands of new-car owners each year to suss out problems with the quality and user-friendliness of new cars. Owners can report a wide variety of complaints ranging from problems with the powertrain to issues with the driver assistance systems, infotainment, or climate control. In fact, in 2021 smartphone connectivity was the issue most frequently complained about. The 128 problems per 100 vehicles reported by Ram owners in the 2021 study represented a 13-point improvement compared to 2020. Dodge’s problems per 100 cars score was up slightly from 136 last year. Ram is the first truck-only brand to top the J.D. Power survey rankings. Ram Brand CEO Mike Koval Jr. told Car and Driver that the ranking is “clearly an accomplishment, but also not a surprise,” citing what he described as a “clear trend in quality improvements.” The company says its rise from a 21st-place finish in 2019 was driven by the heavy-duty 2500 and 3500 trucks it released for 2020, which ranked first among heavy-duty trucks in this year’s study. The half-ton Ram 1500 ranked second in its class, which also includes the bestselling Ford F-150. The Dodge Charger and its cousin, the Chrysler 300, made the podium in the large-car class.

J.D. Power

The Initial Quality Study can be a helpful starting point when shopping for a new car, but it shouldn’t be taken as gospel. The study focuses entirely on the quality of brand-new cars. Ninety days is only a tiny fraction of a car’s life, and plenty of things can go wrong after that period that would never be captured by this survey. And though the study notes serious malfunctions and manufacturing defects, low scores could also be caused by so-called “design defects”—features that may work exactly as intended but are criticized by the customer because they are frustrating, unintuitive, or unfamiliar. If you’re interested in a bigger picture, J.D. Power also conducts a three-year vehicle dependability study. In this year’s study, which ranked cars from the 2018 model year, Lexus and Kia earned top honors.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

The EV startup Rivian announced in a statement Friday that it has submitted its registration to the Securities and Exchange Commission as it prepares to take the company public.According to Bloomberg, who spoke with people close to the matter, the company is aiming for a $80 billion valuation and hopes to have its IPO in late November. (For comparison, the Detroit Free Press notes that General Motors and Ford have market capitalizations of $72 billion and $53 billion.)Rivian said it will begin production of its R1T electric pickup in September, with the R1S SUV expected to enter production next year.Electric vehicle startup Rivian initially planned to launch its R1T pickup truck in July, but the start of production was delayed to September. With production now apparently right around the corner, Rivian is preparing to take the next step toward securing its future, with the company announcing on Friday that it has submitted its S-1 registration to the Securities and Exchange Commission in advance of an initial public offering.

Rivian is seeking an approximately $80 billion valuation, according to Bloomberg, which said it spoke with sources with knowledge of the situation. Bloomberg’s sources also said that Rivian, which is based in Irvine, California, but also has a large presence in Michigan, is aiming to have its initial public offering around Thanksgiving, but the company still needs approval from the SEC before that happens. Rivian officially says that the size and price range for the IPO is still being worked out, and the company is partnering with advisers including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley on the process.If the $80 billion valuation proves accurate, Rivian would become more valuable on paper than General Motors and Ford. Those automakers, the Detroit Free Press notes, currently have market capitalizations of $72 billion and $53 billion, respectively. Ford has been a major investor in Rivian, helping contribute $10.5 billion to the startup alongside companies like Amazon. These investments have allowed Rivian to construct a factory in Normal, Illinois, where it will build the R1T and its R1S SUV counterpart. The company will also produce 100,000 electric vans for Amazon over the coming decade. Rivian is also planning to construct a $5 billion, 10,000-acre factory somewhere in the southwestern United States for additional production starting in 2023.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Ford is no longer taking online reservations for the new Bronco SUV after receiving 190,000 refundable $100 deposits. The temporary move is because of high demand and production issues with the hardtop model’s roof. Ford’s Said Deep told Car and Driver that the reservation system will be back in October. The Ford Bronco can’t catch a break. Ford has stopped taking customer reservations for the new SUV because of increased demand and production issues, as first reported by the Detroit Free Press. Through July, about 3200 Broncos have been sold, Ford communications chief Said Deep told Car and Driver. To date, Ford has received more than 125,000 orders for the Bronco, which debuted as a 2021 model, with 190,000 people having put down $100 refundable deposits. The reservation system will be back in October. Ford’s website now directs customers interested in the Bronco to contact their local dealership for details on options and timing. “They have a better line of sight in what’s coming in,” Deep explained.

We contacted our local dealership, Varsity Ford in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Brian House, a Varsity sales manager, said the dealership is telling customers they’ll have to wait six months or for the 2023 model year, depending on what Bronco configuration they choose. Ford suggested that would-be Bronco buyers have the possibility of securing an incoming softtop model if someone else cancels an existing order. That’s because the softtop model is not affected by the supplier quality issue plaguing the two- and four-door hardtop models. A customer could also change their own spec. For instance, they could forgo the Sasquatch package and wait to add the beefier tires later if they are set on getting into a Bronco earlier. But House said lots of customers are already calling Varsity Ford and trying to switch their build to speed up the process. Unfortunately, there’s nothing coming in. Every Bronco Varsity has received has gone straight to the customer who ordered it, according to House.Production of the 2022 Bronco will begin in December. For 2022, changes include new colors, including Eruption Green, and the addition of manual-equipped models with the off-road-focused Sasquatch package. Ford is aiming to begin replacing every hardtop model’s roof in October.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

The city of New Orleans suspended a ban on parking on “neutral ground,” a term New Orleanians use to refer to grassy medians, during Hurricane Ida.The city sometimes lifts the parking ban during heavy rain events to help drivers keep their cars safe from potential floods. It’s never safe to drive through flood waters. Many cars will stall in six inches of water or less and can be carried away by two feet of water.

As New Orleans prepared for Hurricane Ida, which was a Category 4 storm when it made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday before being downgraded to a tropical storm, city officials made one surprising move: They lifted a parking ban that usually makes it illegal for drivers to park on grassy medians, known as “neutral ground” in New Orleans. The medians are raised by several inches compared to the street, so parking there pre-emptively gives vehicle owners some protection against flood damage. Hurricanes and the flooding they cause can damage huge numbers of cars; in 2018, flooding from Hurricane Harvey may have destroyed as many as a million cars in the Houston area.
This content is imported from Twitter. 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.

This wasn’t the first time the New Orleans city government had suspended the neutral-ground parking ban. It’s a technique employed regularly to limit damage from flooding in the city, which sits around eight feet below sea level. But even in emergencies, it’s still not a parking free-for-all (at least according to the authorities). Drivers are allowed to park cars on neutral ground while the ban is lifted, but they still can’t park in ways that would impede the flow of traffic, block intersections, or block the travel of streetcars, which in some places run through the middle of the grassy dividers.

Some people in other flood-prone cities are calling on their governments to adopt a similar strategy during heavy rains. In Houston, which has had seven flooding events since 2014, the streets are designed to channel water during heavy rain, which can make street-parked cars vulnerable to damage. Drivers there may find themselves driving or pushing their cars onto medians or raised lawns for lack of better options once flood waters start rising, but it’s not currently an officially sanctioned practice.Whether your municipal government allows you to park your car out of harm’s way pre-emptively or not, it’s never safe to drive your car through flood waters. Many cars can stall in as little as six inches of water, float in a foot of water, or be carried away by two feet of water. Flood water may carry debris (including snakes, according to the National Weather Service) that can damage cars or injure people. And even shallow running water can sweep you off your feet. It may be hard—and expensive—but if you discover too late that your car is parked in the way of a flood, it’s best to leave it be. If you’re driving and come across flood water, turn around and head to higher ground. And if flood waters begin to rise around your car, abandon the car and seek safety.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Ford is recalling 16,430 of its 2021 F-150 SuperCab pickup trucks over a seatbelt issue.Ford urges owners of the affected vehicles not to drive their trucks until the issue is resolved due to safety concerns.Vehicles that were manufactured between January 2 and May 27, 2021, are affected by this recall.Ford is recalling 16,430 F-150 SuperCab trucks from the 2021 model year over an issue with seatbelt installation. The webbing of the seatbelt may have been incorrectly routed through a rubber trim sleeve instead of an anchor as it should have been, and in the instance of a crash, the seatbelt may be unable to properly restrain the driver and passenger, increasing chances of injury.

Ford will be mailing owners information that will advise and instruct them to check their front-row seatbelts. If the passenger seatbelt does not pass the test, then they should avoid driving with a passenger. If the driver’s seat has the issue, then they are advised not t0 drive the truck until repairs are performed. All repairs will be performed free of charge.This recall is only for the F-150 SuperCab trucks; regular-cab and crew-cab vehicles are not affected. Owners are asked to contact their dealership and have the truck towed to receive repairs or call the Ford toll-free number (866–436–7332) for assistance.If you are unsure if your vehicle has been recalled, use the VIN (vehicle identification number) lookup tool on the Ford website or on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recalls site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

As the battery-related recall expands to include every Bolt EV and Bolt EUV Chevrolet has sold in the U.S., the automaker and NHTSA have offered updated suggestions to Bolt owners to minimize the risk of fires. One temporary remedy for the defective battery is that Bolt EVs should not be charged indoors, overnight, or to more than a 90 percent state of charge. They should also not be driven so that the battery shows less than 70 miles left in the pack. But Recurrent, which can monitor battery usage from its subscribers, says that up to 30 percent of Bolt drivers are not following these rules.The already large Chevy Bolt EV recall grew this week to include every unit that Chevrolet has sold in the U.S., even the new Bolt EUVs that use the same battery pack. The problem, as we’ve known since General Motors announced the initial recall in the fall of 2020, is that in rare circumstances the battery could ignite due to “defective battery modules.” The recall now involves 110,000 EVs, and their owners have been given specific guidance about how to take care of their vehicle while waiting for a full replacement to happen. The problem, according to battery-monitoring service Recurrent: about 30 percent of Bolt drivers aren’t following that guidance correctly.

Chevrolet

As we’ve noted, GM and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have offered different fixes for this problem since it first announced a recall for 2017-2019 model year Chevrolet Bolt EVs in November 2020. At the time, GM said Bolt owners should not park indoors and also limit charging to at most 90 percent full (the setting can be adjusted using the Bolt’s Hilltop Reserve mode in 2017–2018 vehicles and Target Charge Level mode in later models). Then, in July, owners were told not to recharge their EVs overnight and to not drive so much on one charge that the battery drops to below 70 miles of remaining range. This month, the recall was expanded to include 2019 model Bolt EV and all 2020–2022 Bolt EV and Bolt EUV models. The total cost to GM is now estimated to be $1.8 billion.

The overall number of Bolt EV fires suspected to be caused by this defect is quite low. NHTSA started investigating the issue due to three fires and later said it was aware of four fires that started despite drivers following the suggested remedies. However, despite the potential seriousness of the problem, it appears not all Bolt drivers are listening to the company or NHTSA. This insight comes to us from Recurrent, which monitors battery information from electric=vehicle drivers who subscribe to the service in order to analyze battery health. Recurrent has been watching 1000 Chevy Bolt subscribers since early August, and this week said its real-world numbers show that up to 30 percent of these Bolt owners are not following GM’s new charging guidelines to keep the pack below 90 percent full and above 70 miles of remaining range, which the NHTSA calls “deep discharge mode.””Our data is showing that a lot of Chevy Bolt owners are going to have to change their behavior,” said Recurrent CEO Scott Case in a statement. “For some, this could be a hardship if they have long commutes and require more range than the new guidelines allow, especially during the summer when hot temperatures and extra A/C usage affect battery performance.”

Recurrent says its subscribers represent “highly engaged and attentive owners,” and that, in general, they did respond to the new charge level guidance from GM, but there are still people who either don’t know about the safety suggestions or have decided not to follow them. The recall’s expansion to include 2019–2022 Bolt vehicles means it’s likely it will take even longer for GM to provide permanent fixes. “Newer Chevy Bolt owners need to pay attention to this recall now,” Case said. “One hundred thousand batteries can’t get replaced overnight given supply-chain woes and high demand for new EVs so this will take some time.”
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

For a variety of reasons, from emissions to safety to cost, carmakers don’t bother bringing certain vehicles stateside. While many of these cars are pretty undesirable, some are reportedly amazing. So a viewer asked us what forbidden fruit we would import if we had a shady car-smuggling friend who could bring over anything from the world beyond our borders. If you’re worried about how we might register such a vehicle, this friend also has the connections and ability to make it street legal. We set a budget of $50,000, set Google to translate, and started searching foreign websites.To answer the Window Shop challenge, we asked deputy testing director K.C. Colwell, senior editor Joey Capparella, contributor Jonathon Ramsey, deputy editor Tony Quiroga, and, of course, Road & Track senior editor John Pearley Huffman to scour the internet for contenders. Most of the crew makes smart choices. Two of the contestants pick hot performance cars from Down Under, another selects a very special Toyota Yaris that deserves to be imported, someone else champions a Renault that breaks the budget, and Pearley presents a car that he could legally import and register in the U.S. today, no shady friend necessary. (If you’ve watched this show before, you already know that Pearley isn’t a careful reader of the challenges.)There are plenty of laughs, a few Britishisms, some valuable information, a couple of trivialities, and of course a winner—sort of.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Hyundai will host “Hydrogen Wave,” a virtual event where the company will discuss its plans for hydrogen fuel cells and show off some new hydrogen-powered vehicles.A teaser video shows a hydrogen-powered sports sedan speeding around a racetrack, but Hyundai did not provide any more details on this potential new model.Another teaser shows a long-distance freight truck, with a design that shares some similarities with the HDC-6 Neptune concept from 2019.Most automakers have been pledging to convert their lineups to battery-powered electric vehicles, touting gains in charging times and range, but a few companies have continued developing hydrogen fuel-cell technology, which promises sustainability and quick five-minute refills. Hyundai was one of these companies. It has offered the Nexo, a hydrogen-powered crossover, in California since 2019. While the Nexo is a niche vehicle finding only a couple hundred buyers each year, Hyundai is doubling down on hydrogen technology, announcing yesterday that it will host a virtual forum called “Hydrogen Wave,” during which the Korean automaker will reveal its vision for a hydrogen-fuel-cell future.
This content is imported from YouTube. 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.

Along with outlining its plans for hydrogen fuel-cell development, Hyundai says that it will unveil “state-of-the-art future fuel-cell electric vehicles” at the event, although it did not specify how many or what they might be. However, a few short teaser videos provide some hints. In the first video, we catch a few glimpses of a hydrogen-powered sedan decked out in blue, black, and white camouflage as it tears up a racetrack. The vehicle appears to be an athletic sports sedan, and Hyundai has said before that its N performance subbrand will include hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles as well as traditional EVs. The vehicle looks roughly similar in size to the Sonata, but it’s not yet clear whether Hyundai’s first performance hydrogen car will be based on an existing model or new from the ground up.

In one of the other videos, we get a brief look at a hydrogen-fuel-cell truck as the camera pans along the side of a vehicle with HTWO logos, Hyundai’s nascent hydrogen fuel cell sub-brand. Although it’s not a perfect match, some of the vehicle we see looks similar to the design of the HDC-6 Neptune semi-truck concept Hyundai showed off in 2019. The virtual forum will take place on September 7 on the Hyundai Motor Group Youtube channel before the company hosts a physical exhibition, presumably of the new vehicles, in Goyang, South Korea, from September 8 to 11.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More