AD #4249 - Geely To Power Next-Gen Mercedes Compacts; Switching to EV Fleets Cuts Costs 50%; Chery Debuts First Mass Produced Brake-By-Wire
Autoline Daily
AD #4249 - Geely To Power Next-Gen Mercedes Compacts; Switching to EV Fleets Cuts Costs 50%; Chery Debuts First Mass Produced Brake-By-WireAutoline Daily · Mar 9, 2026
Federal EV credits are discounts from the government that help make electric cars cheaper to buy. They encourage people to choose electric cars instead of gas cars.
Full sized trucks and SUVs are big cars that can carry lots of people or stuff, but they use more gas. When gas prices go up, fewer people want to buy these big vehicles.
The UAW is a group that helps car factory workers get better pay and working conditions by working together. Sometimes, the company and the workers disagree about this.
Mercedes-Benz is a famous car company from Germany that makes many types of cars, from small ones to big SUVs. They are known for making high-quality and fancy cars.
The Mercedes-Benz GLB is a small fancy SUV that can fit more people than the GLA because it has an extra row of seats. It's good for families who want a nice car.
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a small, fancy car that is good for people who want a nice car but not a big one. It has lots of cool features and is easier to drive in the city.
The Mercedes-Benz B-Class is a small fancy car that has more room inside than the A-Class. It's good for people who want a nice car that can carry more stuff or passengers.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA is a small fancy car that looks sporty and has four doors. It's good for people who want a stylish and nice car that's not too big.
The Mercedes-Benz GLA is a small SUV that is fancy and easy to drive in the city. It sits higher than regular cars and can carry more things or people.
This means how all the electronic parts and wires in a car are designed and connected to make everything work properly, like lights, brakes, and screens.
Making small cars that are easy to drive and save gas is called compact vehicle development. Car companies work on these cars to make them good for many people.
This is a new kind of brake system that uses wires and electronic signals to make the brakes work instead of the usual brake fluid and pipes. It can make the brakes work faster and simpler, especially in electric cars.
Chip costs mean how much it costs to get the tiny computer parts inside cars that help them work. When these parts get more expensive, car prices go up too.
The Ford Explorer is a medium-sized SUV that many families use. It has lots of space inside and can be used for many things like driving around town or going on trips.
LIVE
Speaker 1: This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry. Just a few weeks ago, the
price of a barrel of oil was about sixty five dollars, but due to the ongoing war and Iran, that shot up to nearly one hundred and twenty dollars a barrel this morning. It has since come back down, but still
sits well above one hundred dollars. As a result, the
national average for gas in the US has gone up about fifty cents at the pump, and when gas prices go up, quick car buyers turn to more fuel efficient vehicles. However,
President Trump says the spike and oil prices will be short term. But let's hope he's right, because if that
doesn't happen, it could have a big impact on the auto industry. With federal evy credits gone and a mission
targets eased, automakers already planned to make more full sized trucks and SUVs, but if gas prices stay high, consumers will be buying fewer of those mind models. That could
force companies to adjust their production plans, which would have a ripple effect across the entire industry. And we could
see some automakers, especially the ones that were relying more heavily on those big trucks and SUVs like four GM and stulants to change their guidance for the year. And
as we've reported, the war is also causing the price of aluminum to rise. Since the Middle East is an
important source of the metal. Bahrain and Qatar, two top
producers in the region, have stopped shipments to customers, and the US relies heavily on the Middle East for aluminum, which supplied nearly a fifth of imports last year. As
a result, Bloomberg reports that aluminum buyers in the US are now scrambling to find new sources. Other potential sources
include South Korea, Brazil, Indonesia, Iceland, and Norway. Canada is
also another important source. It accounts for nearly half of
aluminum imports to the US, but shipments for Canada have declined under Trump's tariffs. Businesses have the potential for big
savings by switching to an all electric fleet. That's according
to a new study from ey in EU Electric, a trade association for Europe's electricity industry. They looked at the
European market, where corporate fleets account for sixty percent of all new car sales, and the study found that switching from gas to electric could cut total vehicle operating costs by up to fifty percent, and it says that switching from diesel to electric vans can lead to cost savings between fifteen and forty percent. The study also found that
electrifying fleets in Europe could save a combined two hundred and eighty six billion dollars through twenty thirty, and the savings could be higher if higher prices and lower residual values are reduced further due to weaker than expected ev sales.
Automakers are looking to repurpose under utilize battery plants. Last December,
Ford anounced plans to start a new business to make batteries for energy storage at its EVY battery plants, which public utilities and data centers need. And now Volkswagen just
kicked off operations at its first energy storage facility in Germany.
The site connects directly to the grid and will also be used for energy trading on the European Power Exchange.
It can supply power to as many as twenty thousand homes for about two hours.
Speaker 2: We help businesses respond decisively to their most critical challenges, from urgent performance improvement to enterprise wide transformation. We work
across the full value chain in automotive and in industrials, helping clients navigate disruption, drive innovation, and unlock sustainable growth.
Alex Partners When it Really Matters.
Speaker 1: Mercedes Benz reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board to not make anti union threats, which comes as part of a deal to resolve the case over the company's response to the uaw's organization efforts. Two years ago,
workers at Mercedes plant in Alabama voted against joining the union, but the UAW alleged the.
Speaker 3: Company illegally interfered with.
Speaker 1: The vote, including retaliating against employees, which prevented a fair election. Now,
Mercedes has settled the case and agreed to distribute and adhere to a notice about employees' rights to organize a union.
It also agreed to revoke discipline it had issued to one employee and not to threaten employees with loss of benefits if they unionize. Mercedes said it didn't admit any
wrongdoing as part of the settlement. The UAW also has
a separate petition with the NLRB to overturn the twenty twenty four election results, but that case is still pending.
Speaking of Mercedes Benz, according to a report in Car News China, for the first time in its history, Germany will no longer serve as the headquarters for the automaker's compact vehicle development. Mercedes is said to be negotiating a
deal to use g Lei's vehicle electronics and electrical architecture for its next gen compacts like the A class B, Class GLA, GLB and CLA. The new platform could support
multiple powertrain types and is expected to enter production for global markets around twenty thirty and While compact vehicle development will now be done in China, development of Mercedes mid size and large vehicles will continue to be done in Germany, Sticking in China for a moment.
Speaker 3: X Seed, which is a brand under.
Speaker 1: Cherry, has kicked off production of the first mass produced model with an electro mechanical braking system. The Ex seven
crossover doesn't feature any hydraulic brake lines, just wires that send signs to the mechanical brakes at each wheel. Cherry
said it took three years to fully develop the system and get the interaction between the brake pedal and brakes just right. X Seed also raised the price of its
ET five Crossover one trim line is going up by seven hundred and twenty five dollars, which gives it a starting price of roughly twenty two five hundred dollars. Exceed
says the price hike was related to rising chip costs.
Speaker 3: But also part of its long term strategy.
Speaker 1: Could efforts by the Chinese government to curb its price war be starting to pay off. We'll have to see
if more automakers keep raising prices. American Pope American Pope mobile,
while sort of, Ford gifted a one of a kind explorer to Pope Leo, which is expected to be used around the roads of the Vatican. Also fittingly, Pope Leo
was born in Chicago, and so is the explorer at Ford's assembly plant in the city. And that brings us
to the end of today's show. Thanks for making autoline
a part of your day.
Speaker 4: Auto Line Daily is brought to you by alex Partners.
When it really matters CSP, the Composites Solution Partner, Intrepid Control Systems, over the Air Engineering boost your game and thanks to the following YouTube and Patreon members.
Speaker 5: Ad Intrepid we produce network hardware and software solutions enabling vehicle manufacturers to innovate and design the next generation of modern mobility. Delivering scalable next generation solutions requires thorough testing
and validation of vehicle platforms. Intrepid's Neovi cloud platform helps
manufacturers quickly identify diagnostic trouble codes and defects by pinpointing which vehicles have specific software versions. This allows them to
isolate non compliant vehicles in real time using analytics, part numbers, DTCs, and organized secure cloud based data. All of these steps
ensure vehicles are cleared for production and ready for the road, taking your fleet testing into the future of mobility in trapid control systems driven by your data.
Speaker 4: At CSP, we work with OEM engineers across the country on their journeys to lighter, safer, and more eco friendly vehicles.
Speaker 3: Learn more at VCSP dot com.
About this episode
Rising oil and aluminum prices due to geopolitical tensions are impacting the automotive industry, pushing consumers toward more fuel-efficient vehicles and forcing automakers to reconsider production plans. A new study highlights significant cost savings for companies switching to electric fleets in Europe. Mercedes Benz is shifting compact vehicle development to China, partnering with Geely for next-gen platforms. Meanwhile, Chery debuts the first mass-produced brake-by-wire system in its Exceed crossover. Additionally, Ford gifted a custom Explorer to Pope Leo, linking automotive innovation with unique cultural moments.
- Gas Price Spikes Could Force Auto Industry Shifts - U.S. Aluminum Buyers Scramble Amid Iran War - Switching to EV Fleets Cuts Costs 50% - Automakers Repurpose Battery Plants for Energy Grid - Mercedes-Benz Reaches Deal Over UAW Union Dispute - Geely To Power Next-Gen Mercedes Compacts - Chery Debuts First Mass Produced Brake-By-Wire - Exeed Raises Prices Amid Rising Chip Costs - Ford Gifts Custom Explorer to Pope Leo XIV