Indicators of what shape global auto sales could be in by the end of the year suggest that the outlook for 2018 could be brighter than initially thought. Figures published by Moody’s Investors Service in March suggest that vehicle sales should hit 1.5% growth in 2018, with the revision leading to the bond credit business revising its outlook from negative to stable over the next 12 to 18 months. It predicts this growth to slow slightly, with global auto markets expected to grow by 1.3% in 2019. The report is not a rating action, rather an update to markets from the rating agency. US sales to be better than expected As part of the predictions, Moody’s noted that the predicted contraction in US vehicle sales should be less impactful than was previously thought. In the report, published March 14, it revises total light vehicle sales for the calendar year 2018 up to about 16.9 million in total. Its previous prediction, back in December, indicated that sales would total 16.8 … [Read more...] about Positive outlook on global auto sales for 2018 as US contraction to be narrower than previously expected
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Toyota Building First Zero Emissions Megawatt Scale Electricity And Hydrogen Facility In US
Toyota of North America announced at the Los Angeles auto show on November 30 that is it constructing the world’s first megawatt scale carbonate fuel cell power generation plant with a hydrogen fueling station in southern California. Called the Tri-Gen facility, it will use California sourced agricultural waste to generate water, electricity and hydrogen. In a press release, Toyota says, Tri-Gen will generate approximately 2.35 megawatts of electricity and 1.2 tons of hydrogen per day — enough to power 2,350 homes and meet the daily driving needs of nearly 1,500 vehicles. “The power generation facility will be 100% renewable, supplying Toyota Logistics Services operations at the Port and making them the first Toyota facility in North America to use 100% renewable power.” “For more than twenty years, Toyota has been leading the development of fuel cell technology because we understand the tremendous potential to reduce emissions and improve … [Read more...] about Toyota Building First Zero Emissions Megawatt Scale Electricity And Hydrogen Facility In US
China to Lead EV Development for Ford, US Lags
Last week, Ford announced plans to launch 15 new “electrified” vehicles- including a long-awaited, “pure” electric car with a 300-mile range- by the year 2025. That’s great news, but there’s a catch. The company’s new electric cars are being built for China. “From luxury Lincolns to Ford cars and SUVs, to an all-new electric vehicle brand, we will meet the growing desire and need in China for great new energy vehicles,” said Jason Luo, chairman and CEO of Ford China, in a statement released Dec. 5th. For those of you who haven’t been paying attention to Ford’s electric and hybrid car line up, the implication here seems to be that the company won’t be releasing any new electrified models in the US for 2019. If that’s the case, it will mean that the automaker hasn’t introduced a single new hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or pure electric model to the US market since 2013. In the meantime, Ford has actually … [Read more...] about China to Lead EV Development for Ford, US Lags
2019 Hyundai Tucson facelift drops turbo, DCT in US
The third-generation Hyundai Tucson is now three years old. Having been introduced in April 2015, it’s high time the Honda CR-V fighter gets updated. Well, wait no more, because the Tucson facelift has just been unveiled at the New York International Auto Show. The mid-life update brings about considerable styling changes – from the front, the CUV (crossover utility vehicle) gets a new bumper and redesigned LED headlights with new LED DRLs. The signature cascading grille is bolder and more angular than before as well. Wheel options range from 17- to 19-inch items, and all are newly designed. At the back, the taillights are shaped slightly differently and feature new graphics. Things are also fairly different on the inside. For example, the top portion of the dash is completely new – the seven-inch Display Audio system is now a “floating” unit and supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionalities. The air vents have also been redesigned, but … [Read more...] about 2019 Hyundai Tucson facelift drops turbo, DCT in US
Thread: While Bhutan was playing hard-to-get and Sikkim bro-zoned us, I fell in love with Darjeeling..
Day 3: Phuentsholing to ...... So, it was a beautiful morning in Phuentsholing. We saddled up and rode towards the Immigration Office. We met a bunch of guys who were agents and helped us to get the permits. While in the Office, some of the officials were interested in exchanging Bhutan Ngultrum with our Rupees. Mossy and I exchanged about 5000 rupees each there, thinking it will be easier for us once we ride more into Bhutan. FYI, Indian Rupees is accepted all over Bhutan. The officials were pretty, hence the exchange :P outside the Hotel We got a call from them at 11AM saying that the Transportation Office is closed and that we won't be able to get out permits. That was another blow to our enthusiasm for the ride. We headed out to the Transportation Office to try our luck again but no matter what we tried, we were unsuccessful. Tried making a few calls to the officials but they all declined since it was not a working day. For three hours we stood there, trying every possible and … [Read more...] about Thread: While Bhutan was playing hard-to-get and Sikkim bro-zoned us, I fell in love with Darjeeling..