This is underligned Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
I bet most people have modified their car in some way to suit their own needs, even if it's a cell phone holder. Obviously, some people
take car customization to higher levels than others. But there's one aftermarket part that
NITSA is warning against. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says not to put
after market decals on steering wheels because they can fly off in a crash and potentially cause a serious injury. The decals are metal or plastic, usually covered
with rhinestones or other decorations, and attached to the steering wheel with an adhesive back. NITSA says these decals can easily be dislodged when an airbag deploys and
turn into a projectile. It cites at least one driver who lost site in
one eye. So NITZA is urging drivers to buy these decals for any maker
model, and if an owner already has one, it says they should take it off. And In other safety news, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
or IIHS says full size pickups offer strong protection and side crashes, but they fall short and back seat safety. This is one of the newest areas for
safety testers to scrutinize. The safety group crash tested twenty twenty three model year
crew cab versions of the Ford F one fifty, Toyota Tundra RAM fifteen hundred, and Chevy Silverado in its updated moderate overlap front crash test that now emphasizes back seat safety, and it found they weren't as good at protecting rear seat passengers. The Tundra earned a marginal rating, while the other trucks were all
rated poor. The IIHS launched the updated test last year because the risk of
fail injury in newer vehicles is now greater in the rear than front seats, and the IIHS says that's because front seats now have improved air bags and advanced seat belts that are rarely offered in the rear. Last year, prices for
metals used in evy batteries soared, with automakers scrambling to lock up supplies because they were concerned about long term shortages, but that's completely changed this year.
Bloomberg reports that lithium prices have plummeted seventy percent so far this year, nickel has dropped forty percent and cobalt prices are down as well. That's because supplies
have improved, with production increases coming from China, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The cool off on electric vehicle sales is also pushing
down the price of battery metals, and according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, supplies of lithium, nickel, and cobalt will be higher than demand in the short term, meaning prices will remain low for the next several years. General Motors
is pausing production of its Cruise Origin autonomous shuttle. According to Forbes, Cruise
CEO Kyle Volt told employees that it already produced hundreds of Origins and that it's quote more than enough for the near term when we are ready to ramp things back up. The move comes after Cruise recently paused all of its driverless operations
in the US because of safety concerns. Last month, the California DMV suspended
Cruise's driverless permits after one of its vehicles was involved in an accident with a pedestrian. That incident is also being investigated by NITSA. We want to know
what drives your testing Ota connected car diagnostics, remote testing. Intrepid control systems
is here to help you work from anywhere in bid control systems driven by your data. RAM is dropping V eight engines from its standard fifteen hundred truck lineup
in favor of an inline six cylinder. It's the same three liter twin turbo
hurricane engine that first debuted in the Jeep wagoneer. RAM also provided some key
details about the range extended version of the fifteen hundred, what it calls the RAM Charger, But let's quickly run through the highlights of the new gas only versions of the twenty twenty five model year truck. Two power outputs are available.
The standard output is four hundred and twenty horse power, while the high output version makes five hundred and forty horse power and can toe over eleven thousand, five hundred pounds. Exterior styling has some influence from the all electric RAM
concept, while the interior gets new digital displays, including a screen for the passenger. One last bit of tech is a new hands free Level two system
that it says works at all speeds un quote approved roadways. Now, let's
jump over to the RAM Charger, which is built on the new Stella frame platform, the same that the new all electric ram AREV is built on.
The RAM chargers system combines Stilantis's three point six liters Pennastar V six engine, a one hundred and thirty kilowat onboard generator, a ninety two kilowatt hour battery pack, and two electric drive modules. Even though the front drive module is
bolted directly to the engine, there's no direct mechanical path from the engine to the wheels. Instead, the engine is paired with the generator and it provides
electricity to the battery, which then feeds the motor and wheels, or, in a high demand situation, the drive modules can take power from both the generator and bat. In that scenario, the RAM charger can make up to
six hundred and sixty three horse power and do zero to sixty and four point four seconds. It's also capable of traveling up to six hundred and ninety miles
and towing up to fourteen thousand pounds. For a quick comparison, the fully
electric RAM truck will have two battery sizes, either one hundred and sixty eight kilowat hours, which provides up to three hundred and fifty miles of range, or a two hundred and twenty nine kilowat hour battery pack that provides up to five hundred miles of range. The new RAM fifteen hundred with the Hurricane engines
will start arriving at dealers early next year. The all electric version comes in
Q four of twenty twenty four, and production of the RAM charger will follow soon after that. Speaking of trucks, Honda is coming out with a more
rugged version of the ridge Line. It's giving the model its Trail Sport treatment,
which is a new trim line that's offered on other vehicles as well and is more off road focused. The Ridgeline Trail Sport features an off road tune
suspension, all terrain tires, steal underplates, and unique styling. Like the
other versions of the Ridge Line, the Trail Sport will be built in the US and Alabama and start arriving at dealers this winter. Chinese automaker Liato's first
BEEV, a new minivan called the Mega, will have some pretty impressive specs.
It features a nearly one hundred and three kilowatt hour battery pack that provides up to seven hundred kilometers or four hundred and thirty four miles of range, two electric motors that combine for four hundred kilowatts or over five hundred and forty horse power, and it will do zero to one hundred kilometers an hour in five point five seconds. For reference, it's about the same size as a
Chrysler PACIFICA and despite those weird looks, the Mega is more aerodynamic than a Porsche Tychon. Sales are expected to kick off early next year with a starting
price around sixty nine thousand dollars. That's a rap for today, Thanks for
joining us. Auto Line Daily is brought to you by Bridgestone Solutions for your
journey, Intrepid control systems over the air engineering boost your game, borg Warner Propulsion solutions that support a clean, energy efficient world, Scheffler we Pioneer Motion and by Tajin Automotive Technologies. The Formula for Better Mobility God Scheffler We Pioneer
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About this episode
Ram is replacing its V8 engines in the 1500 lineup with a turbocharged inline six, offering two power levels and new tech like hands-free driving. The Ram Charger plug-in hybrid combines a V6 engine with electric motors for impressive power and range. Safety concerns arise as IIHS finds pickups lacking rear seat protection, while NHTSA warns against aftermarket steering wheel decals. Battery metal prices are dropping due to increased supply and slower EV sales. Cruise pauses autonomous shuttle production amid safety investigations. Honda unveils a rugged Ridgeline Trail Sport, and Chinese automaker Li Auto introduces a powerful new electric minivan with long range and quick acceleration.
