Tag Archives: electric vehicles

How Canadian Companies Developed an All-New EV Crossover

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By Gary S. Vasilash

Each year there are some two million vehicles and $35-billion in auto parts produced in Canada. The country has several top-notch facilities, both in terms of companies that produce things and universities that develop things of an automotive nature.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has a plan for a zero-emissions future by 2050. So the Canadian Automotive Parts Manufacturer’s Association (APMA), being aware of that plan, decided that it would do its part by developing an electric vehicle. A vehicle that is designed and engineered in Canada and is fully assembled using parts, systems and technologies from Canadian suppliers, 58 in all.

Project Arrow: An EV developed by a team organized by the Canadian Automotive Parts Manufacturer’s Association. It’s all-Canadian. (Image: Project Arrow)

Named “Project Arrow” (a tribute to a supersonic jet development program that occurred in Canada in the 1950s), the $20-million (CN), the crossover was designed by the Carleton University School of Industrial Design, engineered by an APMA-led team, and the running prototype was built at Ontario Tech University.

The Project Arrow vehicle had its debut at the 2023 CES in Las Vegas earlier this month.

According to APMA president Flavio Volpe the Project Arrow vehicle had a massively successful reveal. He said that the focus going forward is that if an OEM is interested in taking the crossover to production, it will be as Canadian as it is now (this wouldn’t be the case of, “Quite a crossover. We’ll build it in ________________ (not Canada) with parts from suppliers in _______________ (not Canada).” This won’t happen.)

On this edition of “Autoline After Hours” Volpe provides insights into the vehicle that has a 500-km (a.k.a., 310-mile) range, and 550 hp from its dual-motor setup. The price would be less than $60,000.

One interesting thing that Volpe points out is that the Lexus RX is produced in Cambridge, Ontario, and that that vehicle was one that the Project Arrow team benchmarked.

Volpe talks with “Autoline’s” John McElroy, freelance writer John Voelcker and me.

Watch this “Autoline After Hours” right here.

Building Cars Is Hard

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By Gary S. Vasilash

On September 18, 2021, this announcement was made by Rory Harvey, vice president, Global Cadillac:

“Today, reservations for the 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ Debut Edition sold out in just over ten minutes and we continue to see a lot of enthusiasm around the brand – both current product and in our all-electric future. The initial response for LYRIQ has been extraordinary. Since the show car unveiling last year, more than 200,000 people have expressed interest in learning more about the vehicle and our electric future.”

Deliveries of the electric SUV, which had obtained significant, deserved acclaim, began in July 2022.

The Cadillac LYRIQ: an impressive electric SUV that more people would undoubtedly like to be behind the wheel of. . .except production is rather limited. (Image: GM)

The LYRIQ is built in the GM assembly plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee. The factory originally built for Saturn. At the plant the Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6 and GMC Acadia are also produced.

LYRIQ went into production on March 21, 2022.

So keep in mind: production starts in March, deliveries start in July, and thousands of people wanted to get behind the wheel of Cadillac’s first electric vehicle.

Now admittedly all OEMs in 2022 had to deal with all manner of issues related to COVID and chips and supply chain snafus.

But here is something that is simply startling:

GM announced its U.S. deliveries for 2022.

All in, 2,274,088 vehicles, making it #1 in the U.S.

Cadillac LYRIQ: 122 vehicles.

How many of those LYRIQ “hand wavers” are going to put down their arms and go across the street to an Audi or Mercedes store?

And what about those who were part of the 10-minute sellout? How are they feeling about their decision?

Yes, building vehicles is hard.

But you would imagine that for a vehicle that is as important to Cadillac as the LYRIQ is, that would have been addressed and any speedbumps mitigated.

(Incidentally: while the LYRIQ was the vehicle with the fewest deliveries among all GM vehicles for 2022, the second lowest was another electric vehicle that sold out in 10 minutes when its reservations opened in October 2020 and is now said to be sold out for at least two years: the HUMMER EV. GM delivered 854 in all of 2022.)

Why Would Apple Bother?

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By Gary S. Vasilash

The 23rd KPMG Global Automotive Executive Survey—some 900 execs in 30 countries surveyed—includes an array of findings that should be of startling interest to OEMs, particularly those vehicle manufacturers that are, as they sometimes say, “all in” on electric vehicles.

For example, in the 2021 survey the execs predicted that by 2030 EVs would be 52% of the U.S. market.

A year later that number is down to 29%.

Quite a tumble.

Remember: these are execs in the auto industry, people whose livelihoods depend on how vehicle sales play out.

(Do some of those people look at that 29 and think about the billions being invested in EV assembly plants and battery facilities?)

Another question was about what companies would be market leaders in electric vehicles by 2030.

The top three are Tesla, Audi and BMW.

The fourth is somewhat of a surprise: Apple.

While the rumors of an Apple entry into auto have been rife for a number of years, the question as to why the company would want to get into what is a low-return space should squelch said rumors.

Vehicle manufacturers aren’t doing particularly well from a Wall Street valuation point of view.

Here is a list published today by CNBC of the performance of OEMs over the past year:

  • Ferrari (RACE): -18%
  • Stellantis (STLA): -25%
  • Toyota (TM): -26%
  • Nissan (NSANY): -35%
  • General Motors (GM): -43%
  • VW (VWAGY): -46%
  • Ford (F): -46%
  • Fisker (FSR): -57%
  • Tesla (TSLA): -68%
  • Nio (NIO): -68%
  • Lordstown (RIDE): -69%
  • Nikola (NKLA): -75%
  • Rivian (RIVN): -82%
  • Lucid (LCID): -83%
  • Canoo (GOEV): -86%

Yes, every single one of those companies with a minus sign in front of two digits.

The EV Market May Not Be What Some Think It Will Be

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By Gary S. Vasilash

There must be—and certainly ought to be—some consternation this week at GM HQ.

International consulting and accounting firm KPMG came out with its 23rd Global Automotive Executive Survey, with responses from execs in and related to the auto industry. More than 900 of them from 30 countries.

When asked to rank the companies they think will have a leadership position in electric vehicles by 2030, it went like this:

  1. Tesla
  2. Audi
  3. BMW
  4. Apple
  5. Ford
  6. Honda
  7. BYD
  8. Hyundai-Kia
  9. Mercedes
  10. Toyota
  11. Baidu
  12. Fisker

Look what’s not on the list. And I don’t mean VW, though that is absent, too.

Yes, Apple is on the list. It was last year, too. Then it was in 8th position. Clearly there are more than a few people in the industry that see something that many of us don’t (i.e., Why should Apple bother getting into a low-margin industry? It is unlikely that it could get considerably more in the way of subscription monies than it already has.)

There is another somewhat troubling survey results across the board.

On the question of what percentage of the market battery electric vehicles will have in 2030:

  • U.S.:             29%
  • China:          24%
  • Europe:        24%

While there is some evident optimism regarding the potential uptake of EVs in the U.S., 29% surely isn’t the 50% that is regularly bandied about by domestic OEMs.

And while some may think the 29% average is satisfactory, the median may give them more joy: 35%.

Until they find out that the median number for the percentage of EVs in the U.S. market by 2030 in last year’s KPMG survey was 65%

Cadillac CELESTIQ Explained

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By Gary S. Vasilash

“Go make something epic.”

That, Tony Roma, chief engineer of the Cadillac CELESTIQ, says was the mandate he and his team received from GM management to develop a vehicle for the brand that is more like an aurora borealis than a mere halo.

This is a full-size uber-lux electric vehicle that customers will commission, not simply buy.

The Cadillac CELESTIQ is an expression of what can be accomplished by a team given a mandate to “make something epic.” (Image: Cadillac)

It is a sedan that has aluminum mega-castings at the base of its overall structure and an exterior skin made primarily with carbon or glass fiber panels. Roma says that the doors are made with SMC—because the material is transparent to radar, and there are radar units in the doors. Yes, the vehicle is also ladened with plenty of technology, including Ultra Cruise, which will allow hands-free driving in multiple driving scenarios, going well beyond the Super Cruise that GM offers in Cadillacs and other brands.

The CELESTIQ has an 111-kWh Ultium battery pack and a two-motor, all-wheel drive system that generates an estimated 600-hp and 640 lb-ft of torque: Roma says that the car goes faster in a straight line than a CT-5 Blackwing—but the vehicle, he says, is powered such that it provides confidence for the driver and is not meant to have performance for performance’s sake.

This is not simply another vehicle in the Cadillac lineup: the companies benchmarked for the CELESTIQ included Rolls-Royce and Bentley. The pricing for the vehicle is on the order of $300,000+.

Roma says that the production rate of the hand-built vehicles—and the building is going to occur not in a factory, but at the GM Global Technical Center in a special clean-room like facility that is called the “Artisan Center.” The company has made an $81-million investment for producing the vehicle. Within the Artisan Center there will be no more than six vehicles being built at any given time.

Speaking of the development of the vehicle Roma says, “This is all-in house. We didn’t write a check [to another company] and put our badge on it.”

The CELESTIQ, in effect, is a vehicle that makes a statement that Cadillac is a brand that is competitive at the highest echelon within the auto industry.

Roma talks about the engineering that goes into the CELESTIQ on this edition of “Autoline After Hours” with “Autoline’s” John McElroy, Frank Marcus of MotorTrend and Richard Truett of Automotive News.

It is arguably one of the most comprehensive insider looks on what will be a landmark vehicle, not only for Cadillac, but for the overall auto industry.

And you can see it here.

All About Jeep

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By Gary S. Vasilash

While Jeeps have been rolling along—literally and figuratively—since 1941, and while the competitors have come, gone, and come back again, it seems that the brand has essentially stuck to its knotting,* building vehicles that allow drivers the freedom to go places where other vehicles would fail to get beyond the parking lot.

Jeeps now come in a wider range than ever, with the iconic Wrangler at one end of the spectrum and the Grand Wagoneer at the other.

Spend some time driving a Wrangler on the highway and you’re going to hope that you get to your destination sooner rather than later—and you’re going to hope that the destination includes some serious off-road driving.

Coming in 2024: the fully electric Wagoneer S–although it will likely have a different name by then. (Image: Jeep)

Spend some time driving a Grand Wagoneer and you’re going to hope that you get to your destination eventually (no hurry)—the comfort and amenities make the term “first class” seem numerically weak.

To help get a better understanding of what is this on-going phenomenon, on this edition of “Autoline After Hours” we talk with Jim Morrison, senior vice president and head of Jeep brand North America.

Morrison was appointed senior manager of Product Marketing for Jeep in 2010 and he has been involved with Jeep in several positions since, getting his current one in 2019.

Like other vehicle brands, Jeep is making the transition to electrification, with current plug-in hybrid versions of the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler (both with the nomenclature 4xe) proving themselves to be well accepted in the market.

Jeep has announced that there will be a full battery electric vehicles coming by 2024, the Jeep Recon and the Wagoneer S (with the latter name being a place holder as the Jeep community is getting an opportunity to provide potential names for the vehicle).

Morrison talks about where Jeep has been—and where it is going—with “Autoline’s” John McElroy, Roman Mica of TFLcar, and me on this edition of the show.

You can see it here.

*While “knitting” is generally the word used, “knotting” seems more Jeep-like robust.

The 2023 NACTOY Finalists

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By Gary S. Vasilash*

The finalists for the 2023 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards were announced today in Los Angeles at the LA Auto Show.

A full third of the finalists are no surprise:

  • Chevrolet Silverado ZR2
  • Ford F-150 Lightning
  • Lordstown Endurance

That’s because those trucks were in the semifinalist category, too, and as there are groups of three. . .

As for the cars, there is something of an interesting divergence.

There are the Acura Integra, the Genesis G80 EV and the Nissan Z.

The Integra and the Z are both sporty cars from brands that are, comparatively speaking, well established.

Genesis is a comparatively new marque. And not only is the G80 EV an (obviously) electric vehicle while both the others have internal combustion under their hoods, it is more of a stately, stylish sedan, not something that would likely end up as a screensaver on the gear of pre-licensed teens.

And then there are the utilities.

All electric vehicles:

  • Cadillac LYRIQ
  • Genesis GV60
  • Kia EV6

The Cadillac and the Genesis are both in the luxury category, while the Kia is a mass-market vehicle.

The LYRIQ is Cadillac’s first major step toward becoming an all-electric company. The GV60 is the first purpose-built EV for the Genesis brand (e.g., there is a non-EV G80). And in the case of Kia, it is no stranger to EVs, as it has had both the Niro and Soul with that powertrain option for a few years.

Every year the NACTOY judges have some challenging choices. This year I’d say they are particularly demanding.

One thing is certain, however: an electric powertrain will certainly be under the hood of one of the winners, and it is completely possible it could run the table.

*I am a NACTOY juror, so I don’t want to make any specific predictions beyond that EV one.

Audi’s Identity Issue

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By Gary S. Vasilash

2018 saw the launch of the Audi e-tron, the German’s first production EV. Even then knowing where the interest was developing (things like the Tesla Model S notwithstanding), the folks in Ingolstadt determined that an SUV was the body style to launch.

Since then, Audi has sold about 150,000 of the vehicles.

Audi Q8 e-tron. (Image: Audi)

Maybe they figured that what the heck an “e-tron” was was something that kept it from gaining significantly more traction in the market.

So for the new model the name has been changed to “Q8 e-tron.”

The company had some equity in the Q8 name for its SUV. So it has appended it to the electric variants (there is also the Q8 Sportback e-tron).

Audi puts it: “By renaming this model the Q8, Audi is making a clear statement that the Audi Q8 e-tron is the flagship model among its electric SUVs and Coupe SUVs.”

Perhaps that will resolve what is arguably an identity crisis in the market.

However, the company goes on to maintain, “The Audi Q8 e-tron and Q8 Sportback e-tron are immediately identifiable as fully electric models, marked out by the new front and rear designs that carry Audi’s electric design language forward.”

There it may be a bit misled. The whole “immediately identifiable as fully electric models” is more than a slight exaggeration.

It was probably that sort of thinking that led Audi marketers to think back in 2018 that prospective customers would immediately know that the e-tron was an electric Q8 by another name.

Seems that that didn’t work out particularly well sales-wise.

Bob Purcell: from the EV1 to the VIA Skateboard Chassis

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By Gary S. Vasilash

Bob Purcell has been in the EV space for a number of years. In the early 1990s when General Motors was developing the EV1 Purcell was involved. He was to become the head of the then-newly formed Advanced Technology Vehicles Division at the company. After nearly 17 years at GM Purcell left the corporation and worked at companies involved in batteries and electric propulsion systems.

Purcell is now the CEO of VIA Motors, which is a producer of an electric skateboard chassis for application in Class 2 through Class 5 cargo vans, trucks and buses.

The skateboard chassis allows an array of upfitting opportunities. (Image: VIA Motors)

Although he had his start with a passenger car (the EV1), Purcell is convinced that commercial vehicles are the ideal place for electric propulsion.

As he explains on this edition of “Autoline After Hours” this is because the total cost of ownership of an electric truck is less than that of one with a thermal engine, thanks to things like reduced maintenance requirements. In addition to which, he says there is a 4:1 per mile cost benefit (electricity vs. liquid fuel). All things that add up to improvements to the bottom line of commercial carriers.

(While personal vehicle owners can also experience the same advantages, it isn’t often—if ever—that you hear the buyer of a new EV say, “I got this because the life-cycle costs are a distinct advantage.”)

Purcell talks with “Autoline’s” John McElroy, Sam Abuelsamid of Guidehouse Insights, and me on the show.

Beyond his discussion of what they’re doing at VIA, Purcell shares plenty of insights on both his career as well as the overall EV landscape. The man is clearly an EV proponent, but unlike many boosters of the tech, Purcell has a deep base of knowledge in the space, which makes him far more credible than the average EV enthusiast.

And you can see the show here.

What Is the Ram 1500 Revolution EV Concept?

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By Gary S. Vasilash

The Ram Truck brand has announced it will unveil its Ram 1500 Revolution battery electric pickup concept at CES 2023 in Las Vegas on January 5.

“CES” used to stand for “Consumer Electronics Show.”

Now it is bigger than that.

One of the reasons it is expanded in scope in due to the auto industry which, for the past few years, has realized that attending an industry trade show full of people who are tech heat seekers is good for word of mouth, which is good for business.

Consider this: the Chevy Bolt EV was introduced on January 6, 2017 at CES. GM CEO Mary Barra made a keynote address at the event that day.

The following week in Detroit the North American International Auto Show, the venue where vehicles are ordinary unveiled, got to see the Bolt EV, too. Not a debut, of course.

What’s more, coincident with the unveiling of the Bolt EV Mary Barra and the car appeared on the cover of Wired magazine.

Vehicle OEM PR people know that writers for Car and Driver and MotorTrend have to cover vehicles like the Bolt and the Ram 1500 Revolution.

If they can get publications like Wired to cover them—that’s saying something.

A question about the Ram 1500 Revolution and CES:

Is Ram Truck positioning the vehicle as tech or a truck?

This is not to say that modern trucks don’t have a lot of tech. But it does seem that by launching it there the company is saying to the world that the truck is a marvel of advanced engineering more than this is something that someone is going to use to haul aggregate or boards or whatever.

It will most certainly have the capability to hauling that whatever and then some.

But if it can convince people who are never going to haul that this is a technically trick truck, then they may get even more market traction than they would if they introduced it at the Chicago Auto Show, an event in February where OEMs have tended to launch their trucks.