A robotaxi is a self-driving car that can take passengers around like a taxi but without a driver. Uber wants to use these to give rides without needing a person to drive.
The Rivian R2 SUV is a new electric SUV that will be used as a self-driving taxi by Uber. It's part of Rivian's plan to make driverless cars for ride services.
The Ineos Grenadier is a tough SUV made for driving off-road. It's built by a British company and is meant to be strong and reliable in rough conditions.
Mercedes-AMG is the part of Mercedes that makes their cars faster and sportier. They add more power and special features to make the cars more exciting to drive.
Performance EV architecture means the special design and parts used in electric cars that make them fast and fun to drive. It includes strong electric motors and good batteries.
Axial flux motors are a kind of electric motor that is smaller and lighter but still very powerful. This helps electric cars go faster and use less energy.
The Ford Flex is a large SUV made by Ford that can carry many passengers and has a unique boxy shape. It was first made with regular gas engines, but now Ford is working on electric versions using new motor technology. This means they are trying to make the car run on electricity instead of gas.
The Mercedes G-Class Convertible is a new version of the famous boxy SUV that has a roof you can open or close. It has a powerful V8 engine and is a rare model in the US.
The Lexus ES Electric is a new version of the Lexus ES car that runs only on electricity. It has a big battery and can drive a long way before needing to recharge.
EPA estimated range is how far an electric car can go on a full battery, based on tests by the government to make sure the numbers are fair and accurate.
Hybrid cars use both gas and electricity to help save fuel and pollute less. They look like regular cars but have special parts inside to use both power sources.
Cherry Automotive is a car company from China that sells many cars and makes good profits, even when other Chinese car companies find it hard to make money.
A solid state battery is a new kind of battery that uses solid materials to store energy instead of liquids. This makes it safer and can hold more power, helping electric cars go farther.
Term
road maintenance fees for EVs and hybrids
Road maintenance fees for electric and hybrid cars are extra charges some places want to add because these cars don’t pay as much in gas taxes, but they still use the roads.
Regulatory shifts mean new rules from governments about how cars should be made and what they should do, like being cleaner or safer.
LIVE
Speaker 1: This is Autolye Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry. The war in Iran is having
an increased impact on the global auto industry. The Middle
East is a significant market for high end luxury cars, but with the Iran war turning that part of the world upside down, Ferrari announced it will stop shipping cars there, and if Ferrari is stopping shipments, then we think others will follow too. Meanwhile, Japanese automakers are already cutting production
in their home market because of the war. Japan gets
seventy percent of its aluminum and naptha from the Middle East.
Bloomberg reports that some Japanese and Korean automakers are even talking to a Russian supplier to get the aluminum that they need, and naphtha is a basic feedstock needed to make plastics. Japan also ships about eight hundred thousand vehicles
a year to the Middle East, and yet General Motors says it has not seen any shift in sales so far due to higher prices at the pump. GMCFO Paul
Jacobson says it usually takes four to six months of sustained higher prices before consumer preference changes. He might be right,
But when prices go up suddenly like they're doing right now, we're going to see some car buyers panic a lot sooner than others. Automakers could be facing a new round
of terrace within months. The Trump administration has launched trade
investigations into sixteen trading partners, including Canada, Japan, South Korea, China, and the EU, all over policies it claims lead to excess capacity and production and cause trade deficits with those countries.
The investigations are taking place under section three oh one of the Trade Act of nineteen seventy four, and experts say it's an unprecedented use of the law, which is normally reserved for one country or a single issue. A
small number of countries and the results of these investigations could lead to more tariffs, But unlike the reciprocal tariffs that the administration implemented last year, which the Supreme Court recently ruled were unconstitutional, Section three oh one requires feedback from the public before they're put in place. If the
results are negative, any new terraffs would likely be implemented.
Speaker 2: In July.
Speaker 1: Rivian is getting another big cash infusion. It's going to
supply Uber and its partners with robotaxi versions of its new R two suv, and as a result, the ride hailing company is investing three hundred million dollars into Rivian.
The plan is to deploy ten thousand autonomous R twos, starting in San Francisco and Miami in twenty twenty eight and then expanding to twenty five cities by twenty thirty one, which will also include areas of Canada in Europe. If
Rivian is able to hit certain milestones set by Uber to reach those twenty thirty one goals, then Uber's investment rises to one point two five billion dollars, and there's the option for Uber to buy another forty thousand R two robotaxis starting in twenty thirty It's been wild to see all the autonomous deals the ride hailing company has made in the last year. It clearly views driverless rides
as a core part of its future business.
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Speaker 1: Car rental company Hurts is adding Ineos Grenadier SUVs to its US fleet starting this spring. Customers can rent the
off road vehicle at twenty one airport locations across the country.
The British based brand launched the Grenadier in the US in twenty twenty three, and it's now the company's largest market.
But Ineos wants to gain a bigger foothold in the US and is making brand awareness its top priority this year.
Adding its vehicles to hertz It's rental fleet can be a great way to expose the company to more potential customers.
Last year in the US, Mercedes sold about three hundred and three thousand vehicles, which was a one percent increase, but it's launching a number of new models in the market and hopes for a steady increase in sales by the end of the decade, eventually hitting four hundred thousand units.
EVS will play a role in that growth, specifically Performance evs.
According to company dealers, Mercedes AMG plans to launch three all electric models that are based on its new Performance EV architecture, which uses the axio flex motors that it's developing with a company called Yasa. The first to come
out will be a sleek coop early next year. It
will be followed by a crossover later in the year, and a fastback version of that crossover will launch in late twenty twenty eight. On top of these models, dealers
say there will also be a convertible version of the G Class, a first in a decade and a first ever for the US, however, to feature a twin turbov eight under the hood. The option for a powered fabric
roof should come late next year or in early twenty twenty eight, and should generate some extra revenue from a vehicle that already has a starting price tag of nearly one hundred and fifty four thousand dollars. The Lexus ES
is now available as a fully electric vehicle for the first time. The EV features a nearly seventy five kilowatt
hour lithium ion battery pack. Front drive models with a
two hundred and twenty one horse power electric motor have up to an epa estimated three hundred and seven miles of range in all wheel drive versions with three hundred and thirty eight horses get up to two hundred and seventy six miles of range. The electric ES, which features
new styling inside and out, arrives at dealerships in the US next month with a starting price tag just under forty nine thousand dollars. Hybrid versions that are built on
the same platform and share the same overall design we'll launch later this year. A lot of Chinese automakers don't
make a profit, but Cherry Automotive isn't one of them.
It sold two point six million vehicles last year, up more than fourteen percent. Its revenue jump more than eleven percent,
hitting more than forty three billion dollars, and it posted a net profit of two point eight billion, up of whopping thirty six percent. About forty six percent of Cherry's
total sales came from exports, and that helps explain why its profits shot up so much. With the price war
still raging in China, Cherry can sell its cars for a lot more money overseas and be sure to join us for Auto Line after hours this afternoon. Some of
the topics on the list for today include who could byd end up buying? The FTC says dealers should only
advertise prices including all fees, but will that really happen?
China says automakers shouldn't sell solid state bat for two years, so what's that about? And the US House is considering
hefty road maintenance fees for evs and hybrids? Will they
do it? That gives you a flavor for some of
the things we'll get into, So join John and Gary when the show goes live at three pm Eastern Time.
But that's a wrap for this show. Thanks for tuning
in and I hope to see you later today.
Speaker 3: 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 4: At CSP, we work with OEM engineers across the country on their journeys to lighter, safer, and more eco friendly via learn more at VCSP dot com.
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.
Speaker 4: 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.
Speaker 3: That partner is Alex Partners when it really matters,
About this episode
The episode covers significant industry impacts from the Iran war, including disrupted luxury car markets and Japanese automakers seeking alternative suppliers. It highlights Uber's $1.2 billion potential investment in Rivian for 50,000 autonomous robotaxis by 2031, signaling a strong push into driverless ride-hailing. Other news includes Hertz adding Ineos Grenadier SUVs to its US rental fleet, Mercedes' plans for new electric AMG models and a US-first G-Wagon convertible, and Lexus debuting the ES as a fully electric vehicle. The episode also touches on Chinese automaker Cherry's strong profits and upcoming discussions on EV regulations and pricing transparency.
- Ferrari Halts Shipments to the Middle East - War Forces Japanese Automakers to Cut Production - GM CFO: Gas Price Spike Won't Hit Sales for 4-6 Months - Automakers Could Face More U.S. Tariffs - Uber and Rivian Form Potential $1.2 Billion Robotaxi Partnership - Hertz Adds INEOS Grenadier to U.S. Rental Fleet - U.S. Getting its 1st G-Wagon Convertible - New Lexus ES Debuts As An EV - Exports Drive Record Profits for Chery
