G. David Felt

Beaver What were you expecting?

Yes I agree that I do not get the appeal, but then change is hard for some and it seems Toyota customers really hate change. The Land Cruiser I would agree will show up as a less than competitive Lexus version I think unless Toyota is truly looking to bring in a BEV to cash in the crazy cost they can charge.

GM announced today that April 2022 will be the last month of Chevrolet Equinox production at CAMI Assembly plant. Production at other plants will be increased to cover Chevrolet Equinox production as BrightDrop equipment will be installed over a 4 month period allowing for large scale production to begin of the BrightDrop EV600 van beginning in November 2022. This comes as gm works with Merchant Fleet that is ordering 12,600 BrightDrop EV600s for last mile delivery service. Merchant Fleet expects the EV600 to enter fleet use starting in Early 2023 making them the second large scale last mile Major Customer. Merchant Fleet plans for the EV600 to by 50% of their mobility fleet by 2025 in North America allowing them to be one of the largest last mile delivery companies with a focus on being 100% electric fleet by 2030. Merchant Fleet HQ is in New Hampshire with their innovation center located in Chicago Illinois. gm Canada is leading gm push into the full commercial EV market with the new BrightDrop division of commercial electric e-pallet's and EV vans allowing commercial fleet operators to reduce costs as they move to zero-emission fleets. The CAMI Assembly plant is scheduled to start with a single shift of EV600 assembly and move to two shifts at the start of 2023 and market permitting three production shifts as soon as the start of 2024. BrightDrop is allowing gm to reimage commercial delivery and logistics with an all-electric future. CAMI Assembly plant will be instrumental in allowing gm to offer commercial customers an ecosystem of connected / electrified products and services that allow delivery/logistic companies to move goods and services more efficiently, driving down costs while reducing harmful emissions in cities and on congested streets. CAMI Assembly will play a critical role in gm's vision for a zero emission future. GM’s CAMI Assembly Accelerates BrightDrop EV600 Production Merchants Fleet is Slated to be BrightDrop’s Second Major Customer (gm.com) Merchants Fleet to be BrightDrop’s First Fleet Management Customer View full article

One would have to assume that if a person leaves their long-term spouse for a life with another, it is due to change that could not work for that individual. Change is change and for some it is good, for others it is to cling to a resistance of change. I have personally found those that change are usually resistant to change compared to those that talk out their issues and work through the changes to embrace a better life with their long term spouse together. Course some change as they want better and need to change due to the resistance to change of the spouse. I am going to go out and say that those that want to stay with their long term spouse will work through the issues which usually does include change to embrace a better life. I also acknowledge that not all do. Let me ask this question; How is life better if we stop learning, stop improving ourselves, our society, our life? Stagnation is what kills society, life and people as proved by science. Those societies that thought they have achieved the best and needed no further change have died and are now history notes in human history. IMHO The auto industry is the same, without change, companies die! Change and improvements to the products and services provided is what allows companies to survive decades if not millenniums.

Slacking my way through the day! Slack rocks!

Very true, there is that contingency of folks that hate change and will fight to the end and so your right an inverse bell curve of ICE sales at the end.

For those that love to get dirty and play in the mud: Seems the Raptor and Ram TRX are about to get some V8 loving Competition!!! No Diesel, but the 6.2L V8 with 10spd transmission according to this story. 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Pickup Truck: Our Exclusive Details (musclecarsandtrucks.com)

I was wondering that and followed the links in the press release. They say if the difference is more than 4% they will allow a 5yr push out of the end sales date. I would have to assume which I hate assumptions that they are using that to cover their ass for not hitting their sales goal. Course with companies like Ford going all BEV in the country for production that the focus will be on moving to BEV ASAP for people. Guess @oldshurst442 will have more of an incentive as they roll out this summer expanded gov rebates to incent people to buy bev. Big question is will the gov incentives still apply to an auto I want that I have to wait till 2022 or later to get? Rivian is currently saying people who order their SUV or Truck are looking at late 2022 or early 2023 for delivery.

Glad you got safely to work and get her into the shop for a look see under the skirt. Scary when that happens. Hopefully just a simple fix to the brake system. Wishing you and her all the best for a speedy recovery.

I see you and raise you American Style!

In the summer of 2019 the British Columbia province of Canada shocked the rest of Canada and many countries by stating that all new car and light truck ICE auto sales would be banned beginning January 1st 2040. They then stated that 10% of all new auto sales had to be electric by 2025 and had at the time a $57 million Canadian incentive program to encourage people to buy BEVs. The Canadian province of Quebec then in November 2020 joined the British Columbia province in banning all new ICE car and light truck sales starting January 1st 2035. Premier Francois Legault told reporters this was necessary to ensure they hit their target of a 37.5% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and over all clean air plan for reducing health issues for the citizens. Quebec being the second most populous province behind British Columbia has joined the California initiative to move everyone to BEVs. This has not come without push back from the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association which has criticized these provinces with the following statement: “Consumers need more support to buy new (zero-emission vehicles) ZEVs, not bans on internal combustion vehicles.” At the time Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised sweeping measures to fight climate change, boost economic growth which included making zero-emission auto's more affordable to the Canadian citizen and investment in a country wide charging infrastructure. Yet due to the Pandemic, the current focus was on emergency aid to help businesses and people get through the pandemic. Now that Canada is daily increasing their vaccinated rate for Covid19, the Canadian government had moved onto long range business and with that we get the June 29th 2021 announcement that Canada will ban the sale of fuel-burning new cars and light-duty trucks beginning January 1st 2035. This will help Canada reach their commitment to the Paris accord of reaching net-zero emissions across the country by 2050. Canada is committed to aligning with zero-emission vehicles sales targets with the most ambitious North American Jurisdictions as stated by the Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. This supports following the lead by California that has moved to ban new car and light-duty truck sales beginning January 1st 2035 even while the United States has not yet set a fixed date for this. Canada did state that they will work with the United States to harmonize fuel efficiency regulations by investing in consumer rebates, charging stations, business tax breaks and industry transition costs per Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. Canada also stated that they cannot reach their targets in emission reductions without the ban on ICE cars, SUVs, and Trucks especially as the SUV/Truck segment is the fastest growing segment of new auto sales as BEVs only make up 3.5% of new auto sales at this time. Ford has committed to helping Canada change by stating that all Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus ICE production for North America will end by December 31st 2023 with BEVs production worth at least $2 billion will start beginning of 2024. The Oakville, Ontario plant will produce five new electric vehicles under Unifor Union workers. This joins Fords union work force commitment to manufacture BEVs across North America that covered at the time the US and Mexico and now Canada becomes part of that equation. With the end of ICE production, Unifor union workers at the Windsor, Ontario plant that builds ICE engines was worried, but have since have commitment to change over the electric motor production ensuring the 3,000 Ford workers will continue to work and retire with a pension per Fords commitment. This shows the growing Ford commitment to a BEV future globally as in February 2021 Ford had gone ALL-IN on EVs for Europe with their $1 billion transformation of the Cologne Germany auto production site to change over to production of BEVs and plug-in hybrids only by mid-2026 with all-electric only by 2030. Ford is backing up the transition to a zero-emission future both in Canada, Europe and the greater North America by ensuring jobs as they transition plants. Currently the Van Dyke Transmission plant is now in conversion and renamed to the Van Dyke Electric Powertrain Center in support of the F-150 Lightning retaining the 225 jobs there much in concert with the preservation of jobs in Canada. Ford has stated that the Van Dyke will produce a new eMotor every 75 seconds as full production begins this summer 2021 and will lay the ground work for the same performance of work at the Windsor, Ontario plant and other plants globally. Canada sees a bright future for electric auto production and cleaner air with reduced CO2 emissions in the near future. Canada to ban sale of new fuel-powered cars and light trucks from 2035 | Reuters Quebec to ban sale of new gasoline-powered cars from 2035 | Reuters British Columbia Bans Sale of Gas-powered Cars by 2040 | (ens-newswire.com) Ford Canada to Build Electric Cars, The Canadian Business Journal (cbj.ca) Ford Europe Goes All-In On EVs On Road To Sustainable Profitability; Cologne Site Begins $1 Billion Transformation | Ford Media Center Van Dyke Plant’s Name Change Aligns with Expanded Production Line, Ford’s Commitment to Electrification | Ford Media Center View full article

@William Maley While I get that these are truly off road machines, based on your reviews above and the pictures, one could think this is a send off of these models and your note about the Land Cruiser would seem to imply that with a new one coming. Question: Do you feel these are meant as a send off of that generation of ICE SUV as Toyota moves to Hybrid and BEV?

Powers

Seattle heat wave and my crazy day due to some things that failed due to the heat had me laughing when I saw this. Remembering the 90's Guess all those kids grew up with a warped sense of humor. Too Funny!

At you CAR People! Subaru has released the following teaser: You can sign up for updates here: The All-New 2022 Subaru WRX

I like how they are starting off their change over to pure BEV with their first SUV being the Porlogue! prologue [ˈprōˌlôɡ] NOUN a separate introductory section of a literary or musical work. "this idea is outlined in the prologue" an event or action that leads to another event or situation. "civil unrest in a few isolated villages became the prologue to widespread rebellion" (in professional cycling) a short preliminary time trial held before a race to establish a leader. the actor who delivers the prologue in a play. Prologue is better than any of the synonyms introduction · foreword · preface · preamble · prelude · preliminary · intro · exordium · proem · prolegomenon · prooemium · prooemion

As a cancer survivor and my wife also a cancer survivor, you and your wife are in our thoughts, wishing you both all the best. I believe she can and will survive this with your strength there to keep her moving forward. Some people say pre-tax, the amount is so small that I just do it based on the sales tax here which is 10%, so I double it if the service deserves it, pay equal to the sales tax if service is ok, but needs work and pay 5% if service needs serious help and I usually say something. My wife and I worked our way through college in the restaurant industry and I know how little they pay, so I feel tipping is important, but only based on the quality of the service.

Right, it is amazing the eco box's that can still get you into trouble with speeding tickets compared to performance auto's. I actually got more tickets in my 69 Ford F250 Camper special than any other auto I owned.

Who cares that Mercedes outsold Tesla, they should as they have a bigger portfolio of products compared to Tesla and using the same platform for so many various models should have it paid for so higher profits. COMMON SENSE! Cybertruck will sell in LIMITED numbers as people will find much better options from other OEMs. Tesla had their days and a complete recall of EVERYTHING they made in China that affects all china sold auto's and those shipped to Europe will hurt Tesla more than help them. On top of this, my 34 year old son, works for Amazon on their cloud based products and wants an EV, thinks Tesla suck as being over priced for what you get and the interiors stink. They appeal to minimalists mostly and even those such as my neighbor who was looking at getting a tesla, now after seeing the Mach-e stopped those plans and is re-thinking what he wants with so many options coming to market later this year and next. 34 is young, a man who is not afraid to pay 50 to 75K for an auto and wants an SUV BEV find Tesla to be over rated. He is interested in Rivian and is excited to see what Jeep brings out as he loves his Rhino colored Jeep GC. As such, I think Tesla is in for some big challenges and issues. The other thing is Alex does like what Lincoln is putting out and as such says he can drive his jeep a few more years as it is low mileage 2017 that he bought and wait to see what Lincoln brings to market along with others. I honestly think many people are going to hold off on buying new CPO or true new auto's as they wait for BEVs to come to market. Those that have to buy an auto will, but I think the next few years are going to be interesting.

So then Mercedes is no longer the Best or nothing, people are leaving them with Nothing for something better from Tesla. Yet their day is over as Ford has stepped up with a superior truck that people will want. This also implies that Lincoln will have a hell of a BEV luxury line as that comes out.

Just hit 108 at my house in the shade.

Thank you Drew, I did not know that, it always seems that VW took over Porsche. Crazy and I agree that should raise lots of eyebrows from the regulators and stock holders.

The Bipartisan DC infrastructure deal includes $15 billion to EV Charging across the country (500,000 Charging Stations), $45 billion for School and transit BEV buses and $100 billion in consumer rebates to trade in ICE and buy BEV. Additional details seems to be $66 billion for rail to move to electric, Another $49 billion for public electric transit, this includes electric rail and $73 billion for Electrical grid upgrades. Charged EVs | Bipartisan infrastructure proposal includes a new federal tax on EVs (updated) - Charged EVs Biden’s goal of 500,000 EV chargers intact after infrastructure deal with 10 senators (autonews.com) Biden Live Updates: Infrastructure Deal News - The New York Times (nytimes.com)