Reading Time: 3 minutes Canadian farmers are expressing concern about the possibility of their access to AM radio disappearing. Ford, which has been Canada’s best-selling auto brand since 2009, has stated it plans to stop putting AM radios in non-commercial vehicles by 2024. The automaker’s decision follows those of companies such as Tesla, Mazda and Volkswagen, which have removed […] Read more

Potential loss of AM radio in vehicles a concern for farmers
Many farmers rely on AM range, signal; U.S. lawmakers launch legislation

GM buyouts cut 5,000 jobs, CFO says
Not much more room seen to raise prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — About 5,000 General Motors salaried workers took buyouts to leave the company, putting the company well on the way to hitting a US$2 billion cost-cutting target, the automaker’s chief financial officer said Tuesday. GM shares were trading down nearly two per cent at midday, even though CFO Paul Jacobson said demand for GM’s […] Read more

Ford hikes electric F-150’s price again to battle high costs
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Ford Motor Co. has raised the base price of its popular F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck again, the automaker’s website showed on Thursday, the latest in a series of price hikes aimed at offsetting high costs. The base variant of Ford’s electric F-150 truck now starts at $59,974, excluding shipping and taxes, up […] Read more

Ford hikes price of cheapest F-150 electric truck variant
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Ford Motor Co. has raised the price of the cheapest variant of its F-150 Lightning electric truck by nine per cent, to US$55,974, the company’s website showed on Thursday. The automaker has raised prices for its electric pickup trucks twice in a span of three months, as it navigates higher costs and supply […] Read more

U.S. EPA proposes revamp of biofuel program to include EVs
Mandated biofuel levels to rise through 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes New York | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration on Thursday unveiled a three-year proposal to expand the U.S. biofuels policy with bigger volume mandates and — for the first time — to include a pathway for electric vehicle manufacturers to generate lucrative credits. Biden wants to fight climate change by reducing fossil fuel […] Read more

Ford raises prices of electric F-150 amid high commodity costs
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it would raise the prices of its electric F-150 Lightning pickup as the U.S. carmaker deals with surging raw material costs. The automaker said prices for its 2023 F-150 lightning will be increased in the range of $6,000 and $8,500 depending on the variant, with the cheapest Pro […] Read more

GM CEO says ‘we are selling every truck we can build’
Rising fuel prices not seen undermining big truck demand, yet
Reading Time: < 1 minute Detroit | Reuters — General Motors CEO Mary Barra said on Monday the automaker is “selling every truck we can build” and expanding North American truck-building capacity, even as U.S. gasoline prices hit record highs. Barra made her comments during the automaker’s annual shareholder meeting. GM is pursuing a two-track strategy: Investing heavily in electric […] Read more

Stellantis’ battery plans take shape in Italy, Canada
LG and Stellantis set up j.v. for Windsor gigafactory
Reading Time: 3 minutes Milan/Ottawa | Reuters — Stellantis took significant steps in its battery production plans in Europe and North America on Wednesday as carmakers race to meet rising demand for electric vehicles. The maker of Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat and Jeep vehicles said its Automotive Cells Co. (ACC) joint venture with Mercedes-Benz and TotalEnergies would build a […] Read more

GM ramps up EV push with plans to make battery materials in Canada
Automaker and BASF both plan CAM plants at Becancour
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — General Motors and South Korea’s POSCO Chemical will build a $400 million facility to produce battery materials in Canada as the carmaker ramps up plans to produce mainly electric vehicles (EVs) in the future, the companies said Monday. The plant will produce cathode active material (CAM) for vehicle batteries at Becancour, Que. Cathodes […] Read more

GM to chase rivals with US$105,000 electric Silverado
Less expensive retail Silverado EV to follow in 2024
Reading Time: 3 minutes Detroit | Reuters — General Motors’ US$35 billion electric vehicle strategy will face its biggest test in 2023 when it launches an electric version of its Chevrolet Silverado pickup with a six-figure price tag, more than a year after rivals Ford and Rivian Automotive. GM CEO Mary Barra on Wednesday told the annual CES technology […] Read more