Dover Fueling Solutions debuts EV charger
Dover Fueling Solutions has installed its first direct-current fast charger at a Chevron site in Loganville, Georgia, the company announced in late December. The electric vehicle charging hardware, Wayne PWR, offers up to 400 kilowatts per connector and features a point-of-sale-agnostic payment system. While the pressure for c-stores to add EV charging has eased over the past few years, U.S. drivers bought a record number of EVs in Q3 2024 and many companies are still looking to add charging infrastructure.
5 auto industry trends to watch in 2025
As automotive market trends continue to shift, many global brands are re-evaluating their product offerings in 2025. Whether it is Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi’s hopes for a deal or the rapid growth in the hybrid vehicle segment, automakers are trying to stay competitive each year without losing sight of their long-term electrification goals. However, they still face many headwinds, including global competition from China-based brands, regulatory uncertainty, and slower-than-expected electric vehicle adoption in 2024.
Used vehicle prices expected to continue to stabilize in 2025 after pandemic volatility
Used vehicle prices are expected to continue to stabilize in 2025 after swinging wildly for several years before starting to calm down in 2024. Auto data and logistics firm Cox Automotive expects wholesale prices on its Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, which tracks prices of used vehicles sold at its U.S. wholesale auctions, will end this year 1.4% higher than in December 2024. Pricing will fluctuate month to month due to selling seasonality and other factors, but it’s not expected to be as drastic as in previous years, according to Cox.
Tesla under investigation for parking retrieval feature crashes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into crashes It said occurred while Tesla vehicles were operating with a parking feature that allows owners to summon a car from a parking space without anyone being in the vehicle. The preliminary investigation, into an estimated 2.6 million Tesla vehicles with the “Actually Smart Summon” feature, was disclosed Monday. The agency said that it is aware of “multiple crash allegations” where the user was unable to prevent a collision, either due to line of sight or reaction time issues. It is the latest probe by the federal safety regulator into self-driving features of Tesla vehicles.
Bosch nabs $225M in CHIPS funds
The Department of Commerce is offering up to $225 million in CHIPS and Science Act funding to automotive supplier Bosch, the agency announced in December. The funding, which includes an additional $350 million in loans from the CHIPS Program Office, supports Bosch’s $1.9 billion project to expand its Roseville, California, facility for silicon carbide semiconductor production for the automotive industry.
Lucid reports record quarterly vehicle deliveries, meets production target
Lucid Group on Monday reported record quarterly vehicle deliveries for the fourth quarter and confirmed production of more than 9,000 vehicles in 2024 — meeting a previously announced target. The electric vehicle manufacturer reported production of 9,029 units and deliveries of 10,241 cars in 2024. That included production of 3,386 units and delivery of 3,099 vehicles during the fourth quarter, the company said.
DHL Supply Chain deploys Volvo autonomous trucks in Texas
DHL Supply Chain has launched autonomous transportation services along two routes in Texas through a partnership with Volvo Autonomous Solutions, according to a December press release. The company is now hauling freight along the Dallas to Houston and Fort Worth to El Paso lanes using the Volvo VNL Autonomous. Trucks in the fleet are integrated with the Aurora Driver self-driving system. While DHL Supply Chain provides services in all sectors, this Texas launch is focused on retail freight, Jason Gillespie, senior director of continuous improvement and innovation, told Supply Chain Dive in an email.
Welcome to the New World Order of automakers. Soon, only the big survive
Honda and Nissan are the latest automakers to discuss combining forces. They won’t be the last. The two Japanese automakers announced last week that they plan to merge and create the world’s third largest automaker. Details aren’t yet finalized, but they expect to announce the combination within six months. Mergers in the auto industry are nothing new. They have taken place since the acquisition of various brands formed General Motors (GM) in the first decade of the 20th century. But experts say the Honda-Nissan deal could help to spark a string of combinations that could soon reshape the industry
Ford and GM report best annual U.S. sales since 2019
DETROIT — Both General Motors and Ford Motor on Friday reported their best annual U.S. new vehicle sales since 2019, prior to impacts from the coronavirus pandemic and yearslong supply chain problems. Those results are in line with industrywide expectations for automakers. Market research firms expected U.S. automakers to report total sales of nearly 16 million vehicles in 2024, which would mark the industry’s best year since selling roughly 17 million units in 2019.
Tesla reports first annual decline in deliveries
Results for the quarter represented the first annual drop in delivery numbers for Tesla, which reported 1.81 million deliveries in 2023. It reported 484,507 deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2023.