Ford addresses supply chain concerns after a fire at its aluminum supplier's plant while continuing heavy truck production in Turkey with new electric semi tractors. Chinese automakers GAC and SAIC advance solid-state battery development, though mass production remains years away. BYD introduces a unique plug-in hybrid boxer engine, challenging Subaru's long-held claim. Hyundai's China plant sale to Changan highlights shifting market dynamics, while Volkswagen prepares a new extended-range EV for China. GM China teases futuristic Buick and Chevrolet electric designs, signaling bold styling directions. The episode also previews a live Q&A with the hosts for deeper engagement.
Topics:ford aluminum supply chainelectric heavy truckssolid state batteriesboxer engines in hybridschina automotive markethyundai plant salevolkswagen extended range evgm china design conceptsplug in hybrid technologyautomotive industry trends
- Ford Assures Shareholders Over Novelis Fire - Ford Launches HD Electrics in Europe - GAC Starts Solid-State Pilot Line - BYD Turns to PHEV Boxer Engine - Changan Buys Hyundai Assembly Plant in China - VW To Launch EREV In China - GM China Previews Future Designs
"...ings out of its studio in China. One is for a new Buick model that kind of looks like a high riding wagon or fa..."
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Speaker 1: This is out Aligned daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry. After another fire broke out
at Novellas's plant in New York last week, Ford stock plunged because it's one of the aluminum supplier's largest customers.
We think that stock drop is part of the reason that Ford and Novellas released a joint statement saying the fire has been contained and there were no injuries, Some of the operations are back up and running, and Ford is receiving finished material from the plant. Ford also reaffirmed
its full year adjusted EBIT guidance and full year adjusted cash flow. In an effort to boost its aluminum supply chain,
Novellas is tapping into its global network and is also planning to open a new plant in Alabama next year.
Anybody remember back when Ford made Class seven and eight semi tractors. It used to make them in Ohio, but
sold that business to Freightliner in nineteen ninety seven. It
also made heavy trucks in Brazil until it got out of that business around twenty twenty. So it may surprise
you to learn that Ford is still making heavy trucks in Turkey.
Speaker 2: Via its joint venture.
Speaker 1: Called Autosan, and Autosan just came out with a line of heavy electric semi tractors.
Speaker 2: There are two versions.
Speaker 1: A four x two tractor gets a big two hundred and ninety four kilowat hour NMC battery pack with a two hundred and thirty five kilowatt motor, which translates to three hundred and fifteen horse power. Ford says it has
a two hundred and fifty kilometer range or one hundred and fifty five miles.
Speaker 2: A six x two.
Speaker 1: Version has an even bigger three hundred and ninety two kilowat hour pack and a three hundred and ten kilowat motor or four hundred and fifteen horse power. It offers
a three hundred kilometer range or one hundred and eighty six miles. According to market Intel Advisors, the market for
heavy duty electric trucks in Europe will hit nearly two billion dollars this year year, then rock it up to about thirty five billion dollars by twenty thirty two thanks to strict emission regulations and government subsidies. Chinese automaker GAC
has started pilot production of all solid state batteries at a new facility in China. The solid state batteries are
expected to double the capacity of current batteries and offer better safety. GAC is aiming for mass production to start
sometime between twenty twenty seven and twenty thirty. Chinese automaker
SAIC also says its partner will begin producing prototype sales for solid state batteries by the end of the year and is aiming for mass production in twenty twenty seven.
While automakers and battery companies say production of solid state batteries will start in the next couple of years, a group of battery experts in China recently said it will likely be low volume and mass production won't happen until after twenty thirty and it could be closer to twenty thirty five because more arer and D work needs to be done.
Speaker 3: The automotive and industrial sectors are undergoing a historic transformation electrification, digitalization, supply chain reinvention, regulatory shifts. The pace is accelerating and
the pressure to adapt is real. This is not a
time for hesitation. It's a time for bold decisions backed
by fast, effective execution. You need a partner who understands
complexity from factory floors to boardrooms and delivers measurable results.
That partner is Alex Partners when it really matters.
Speaker 1: As of March of this year, Subaru is no longer able to claim that it's the only mass market brand making horizontally opposed or boxer engines. BYD launched a new
tier leader, tobocharged four cylinder unit in the U seven sedan for its luxury brand Yangwang. Uniquely, it's used in
a plug in hybrid setup, paired with a generator and two electric motors.
Speaker 2: While the engine can send power.
Speaker 1: Directly to the wheels, it's mainly used to generate electricity for the batteries or motors. Boxer engines themselves are also
a bit unique because the pistons move horizontally rather than on an angle or straight up and down. That makes
them better balanced than other types of engines, and they can also provide a lower center of gravity. BYD now
claims that it's the first to use a Boxer engine in an electrified architecture, but it might not be for long.
In May, Super revealed its new E Boxer engine that's being combined into a new series parallel hybrid system, and production should have already kicked off.
Speaker 2: As you probably know, Portia has also.
Speaker 1: Used this engine set up for a long time, but it's not conne a mass market brand. Hyundai used to
be a major player in the Chinese market, especially with taxis in some of the big cities, But as Chinese automakers emerged as formidable competitors and as relations between South Korea and China turned sour, Hyundai lost so much ground that it ended up closing several of its Chinese assembly plants.
Now comes word that Changan, one of the state owned car companies, is buying a Hondai plant for only two hundred and twenty eight million bucks located in chan King.
It cost over a billion dollars to build that plant and it was tooled to make three hundred thousand cars a year. No word yet on what Changan will build there,
but we can expect more news like this. Foreign automakers
in China are burdened by excess capacity, so they don't need as many plants. That doesn't mean that foreign automakers
are giving up on China, or at least not all of them. Volkswagen is going to launch an extent and
range EV next year, the E REV was developed in China for China and is expected to look like the id Era concept car. It's also expected to use an
EREV powertrain from seic, which is one of VW's joint venture partners. It's reported to have an eight hundred volt
system with a sixty six kilowatt hour battery pack that will deliver four hundred and fifty kilometers of EV only CLTC range. We estimate that would be about one hundred
and ninety five EPA miles. Overall, it's expected to have
over one thousand kilometers or six hundred and twenty miles of range, and it will be interesting to see how the vehicle sells. E revs have been one of the
hottest segments in the Chinese market, but we're hearing that they're losing some of their luster as fast charging beevs take the sting out.
Speaker 2: Of range anxiety.
Speaker 1: GM Design has been showing off a number of unique sketches and renderings out of its studio in China. One
is for a new Buick model that kind of looks like a high riding wagon or fastback sedan, and we think the styling even has a little bit of a Porsche vibe. This is another Buick a crossover that's aimed
at families. The interior is a pretty big departure from
what it offers now with a multi layer display screen and yoke like steering wheel, but we think it could easily replace any of Buick's current crossovers. And lastly, here's
one designer's idea for an electric Chevrolet crossover. It's a
pretty simple design that uses Wedgie shapes in a two tone paint to help project a sporty style. And before
I go, I want to give a heads up to our Patreon and YouTube members that we'll be holding a live Q and A with John and I tomorrow at two thirty pm Eastern time. We'll answer any questions you
have or get into any topics you might want to discuss.
Look for more info in the post tab on YouTube or on our patrink On page.
Speaker 2: Now, that brings us to the end of today's shelf.
Thanks for tuning in.
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Speaker 4: At CSP, we work with OEM engineers across the country on their journeys to lighter, safer, and more eco friendly vehicles.
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