AD #4301 - Stellantis and JLR Look to Join Forces; Mercedes' Insane AMG EV; All Chinese Brands Have U.S. Ambitions
About this episode
Stellantis is looking to team up with Jaguar Land Rover, while Chinese automakers push deeper into the U.S. market—alongside Tesla’s push to monetize FSD subscriptions in China. The show also digs into real-world plug-in hybrid behavior, where a European study found higher emissions outside the lab. Volkswagen’s updated MEB plus underpins a new wave of more affordable EVs. Finally, Mercedes-AMG’s electric AMG GT targets serious performance with axial flux motors, fast charging, and active aero and suspension tech.
Stellantis
"Antonio Fillosa is leaving no stone unturned and figuring out how to turn around Stilantis. This morning, he announced that Stella and Jaguar land Rover have signed a memorandum of understanding..."
Stellantis is a big car company. Here, they’re trying to improve their business and they’re working with other brands to build cars and share costs.
Stellantis is a major automaker formed from the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group. In this segment, it’s described as trying to turn around its business in Europe and partnering with other brands to develop products and share engineering and manufacturing.
memorandum of understanding
"he announced that Stella and Jaguar land Rover have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop new products and technology in the United States."
A memorandum of understanding is basically a “we plan to work together” document. It usually doesn’t lock everything in legally, but it shows the companies are serious about cooperating.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) is a non-binding agreement that signals intent to cooperate. In automotive deals, it often precedes more detailed contracts covering timelines, investments, and what exactly gets shared between companies.
Jaguar Land Rover
"he announced that Stella and Jaguar land Rover have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop new products and technology in the United States."
Jaguar Land Rover is a car brand group known for luxury and SUVs. In this story, it’s teaming up with Stellantis to work on new cars and technology for the U.S.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is the luxury and off-road brand group within the broader automotive world. The segment says Jaguar Land Rover and Stellantis signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop new products and technology in the United States.
Leap Motor
"Two weeks ago, Stilantis announced it will build electric cars for Leap Motor in Spain..."
Leap Motor is a Chinese car company. The segment says Stellantis will help build Leap Motor electric cars in Europe, and they’ll be sold under the Leap Motor name.
Leap Motor is a Chinese automaker mentioned here as a partner for Stellantis manufacturing in Spain. The segment says Stellantis will build electric cars for Leap Motor, and later that the resulting cars will be branded as Leap Motor rather than Stellantis’s own brands.
joint venture
"yesterday it announced its forming a joint venture with dong Fung in Europe to share sales, purchasing, engineering and manufacturing..."
A joint venture is when two companies team up to run a project together. In this case, they share work like engineering and manufacturing and split ownership.
A joint venture is a business arrangement where two companies create a new partnership to share risk and resources. Here, the segment describes a joint venture in Europe where the partners share sales, purchasing, engineering, and manufacturing, with Stellantis holding 51% ownership.
dong Fung
"yesterday it announced its forming a joint venture with dong Fung in Europe to share sales, purchasing, engineering and manufacturing..."
Dong Fung is the other company in a joint venture with Stellantis. They’re splitting ownership and working together on things like engineering and manufacturing.
“dong Fung” is referenced as the Chinese partner in a Stellantis joint venture in Europe. The segment states Stellantis will own 51% and dong Fung 49%, and that they’ll share sales, purchasing, engineering, and manufacturing.
Voya
"Stillantis is going to be making cars that are branded as Leap Motor and dong Fung's Voya brand, and not any under its own brands."
Voya is a car brand name. The segment says the joint venture will produce cars that are sold under the Voya label, not under Stellantis’s usual brands.
Voya is the brand name tied to the joint venture described in the segment. The host says Stellantis will make cars branded as Leap Motor and Voya, meaning the cars won’t be marketed under Stellantis’s own brand portfolio.
FSD
"Tesla is counting on selling FSD subscriptions in China... aiming to recruit ninety technicians to drive its autonomous technology at validation tracks and on the open road."
FSD is Tesla’s self-driving software package. They test it both on special test tracks and on real roads, and they keep improving it based on what goes wrong or right.
FSD stands for “Full Self-Driving,” Tesla’s software suite aimed at enabling advanced driver-assistance and autonomous driving behaviors. The segment says Tesla is using validation tracks and real-world driving to evaluate how FSD performs and to watch for issues after software updates.
Tesla
"Tesla is counting on selling FSD subscriptions in China to greatly boost the revenue it generates in a market where it's losing market share..."
Tesla is an EV company. In this segment, they’re working on self-driving software (FSD) and testing it in China while waiting for approval.
Tesla is an electric-vehicle and software company, and in this segment it’s discussed specifically for its FSD subscription strategy in China. The host says Tesla is hiring technicians to test autonomous technology and is waiting on regulatory approval timelines.
validation tracks
"recruit ninety technicians to drive its autonomous technology at validation tracks and on the open road."
Validation tracks are controlled test environments used to evaluate automated-driving software under repeatable conditions. The segment ties them to Tesla’s process for checking FSD performance and identifying problems that may show up after software updates.
Geely
"Yesterday, we were talking about Geely's plans to build cars in the US at Volvos plant in South Carolina..."
Geely is a Chinese car company. The segment says it wants to make cars in the U.S., using a Volvo plant in South Carolina.
Geely is a Chinese automaker referenced for its plans to build cars in the United States. The segment specifically says Geely plans to build cars at Volvo’s plant in South Carolina.
Great Wall
"...and that Great Wall says the US is the number one market that it wants to break into."
Great Wall is a Chinese car maker. Here they’re saying the U.S. is their top target market.
Great Wall is a Chinese automaker mentioned as targeting the U.S. market. The segment says Great Wall views the U.S. as its number one market to break into.
Cherry
"Well, today Cherry said it also wants to get into the US at what it calls a quote suitable time."
Cherry is a Chinese car company mentioned as trying to enter the U.S. market. The host says its leadership believes Chinese brands all want to sell in the U.S.
Cherry is a Chinese automaker referenced as also planning to enter the U.S. market. The segment says Cherry’s president told reporters that all Chinese automakers want to get into the U.S.
plug-in hybrids
"A recent study of plug in hybrids in Europe found they pollute more in the real world than in the lab. It's the result of owners not charging on a regular basis, which means they're running on their gas engines more often"
A plug-in hybrid can run on electricity like an EV, but it also has a gas engine as backup. If you don’t plug it in often, it ends up using the gas engine more than you might expect.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have both an electric motor and a gasoline engine, and they can be charged from an outlet. The key point in this segment is that real-world driving and charging behavior can change how much they rely on the gas engine versus electricity.
generative AI
"The next big thing in cars is generative AI that people can talk to. It's already a hit in China and it's spreading fast everywhere else."
Generative AI is the kind of AI that can create answers or outputs, like a conversation. In cars, it’s meant to help the car understand what you ask and respond in a more natural way.
Generative AI is software that can produce responses (like text, voice, or actions) based on what it “understands” from inputs. In cars, the idea is to let drivers talk to the system and have it interpret context—like what the car sees—rather than just running fixed commands.
cameras
"The feature allows Gemini to see and understand its environment from the perspective of the car by using its cameras. It can help the driver remember what a road sign said"
Here, cameras are the car’s eyes. They help the AI figure out what’s happening around the car, like signs and lane lines.
In this context, the car’s cameras are part of an AI system that “sees” the environment. The segment describes using the cameras to help the AI understand road signs and lane markings from the driver’s perspective.
MEB plus front wheel drive platform
"These are meant to be more affordable evs that are all based on its updated MEB plus front wheel drive platform. Volkswagen recently launched the ID Polo"
MEB plus is Volkswagen’s shared “EV building system” that multiple models can use. Using front-wheel drive helps keep the design simpler and can make the cars cheaper to build.
Volkswagen’s MEB (Modular Electric Toolkit) is its EV architecture, and “MEB plus” is an updated version. Pairing it with front-wheel drive affects packaging and drivetrain layout, which is why the segment frames these cars as more affordable EVs built on the same base.
Volkswagen ID Polo
"Volkswagen recently launched the ID Polo with a starting price under twenty five thousand euros. It will be followed by the ID Cross."
Volkswagen ID Polo is a new electric model aimed at being more affordable. In this segment, they mention it starts under 25,000 euros and is part of Volkswagen’s new EV lineup.
Volkswagen ID Polo is positioned as one of the brand’s new EVs built on the updated MEB plus front-wheel-drive platform. The segment highlights its pricing strategy, with a starting price under 25,000 euros.
Volkswagen ID Cross
"Volkswagen recently launched the ID Polo with a starting price under twenty five thousand euros. It will be followed by the ID Cross."
Volkswagen ID Cross is the next electric model they say will come after the ID Polo. It’s part of Volkswagen’s push into more affordable EVs.
Volkswagen ID Cross is mentioned as the next model after the ID Polo in Volkswagen’s new electric urban-car family. It’s part of the same broader plan built around the updated MEB plus platform approach.
WLTP test cycle
"The Epic comes with two battery sizes thirty seven point five and fifty one point five kilowatt hours, which provide an estimated three hundred and ten and four hundred and forty kilometers or one hundred and ninety two and two hundred and seventy three miles of range on the WLTP test cycle"
WLTP is a standardized testing method that carmakers use to estimate how far a car can go. It’s done in a lab, so real-world range can be different.
WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure) is a standardized lab testing method used to estimate EV range and fuel/energy use. The segment uses WLTP to quote how many kilometers or miles the new EVs are expected to go under controlled conditions.
Skoda Epic
"Scota just revealed the Epic, and even Audi will have its own version called the A two E Tron. The Epic comes with two battery sizes thirty seven point five and fifty one point five kilowatt hours"
Skoda Epic is an EV they just revealed, and they talk about different battery sizes. They also give estimated range and motor output numbers (based on a standard test).
Skoda Epic is described with specific EV battery options and estimated range figures, making it one of the more detailed car mentions in the segment. The segment also notes multiple motor outputs, including the top output figure, and ties the range numbers to the WLTP test cycle.
kilowatt hours
"The Epic comes with two battery sizes thirty seven point five and fifty one point five kilowatt hours"
Kilowatt-hours (kWh) tell you how much energy is stored in an EV battery. Bigger kWh usually means more potential range.
Kilowatt-hours (kWh) measure the energy capacity of an EV battery. In the segment, two battery sizes are given for the Skoda Epic, which then translate into different estimated ranges.
Hyundai Palisade
"...tgoing model, and it's kind of styled like a baby palisade. There's three gas engine options, including a hy..."
The Hyundai Palisade is a larger SUV with three rows of seats, meant for families or groups. It’s made to be comfortable for everyday driving and longer trips. The podcast mentions it because Hyundai has offered different gas engine options on this kind of family SUV.
The Hyundai Palisade is a midsize three-row SUV designed to carry more passengers and family cargo comfortably. It’s often discussed because Hyundai offers multiple gas engine choices and a distinctive, upscale design that helps it stand out in the three-row segment. In a podcast, it may come up when talking about new or related models because the Palisade’s styling and powertrain lineup set a reference point for the brand’s larger family SUVs.
axial flex motors
"Mercedes revealed the AMG GT four or Coop, which is its new all electric performance car that uses those axial flex motors we've talked so much about."
These are a type of electric motor. The key idea is that they’re designed to be compact and deliver a lot of power, which helps the car feel fast.
Axial flux motors are electric motors where the magnetic flux runs parallel to the motor’s axis, which can allow a more compact, high-power design. In this AMG GT EV context, the car uses multiple axial motors to drive the wheels with very high output.
kilowatts
"one that will make six hundred kilowatts or about eight hundred and fifteen horse power, and another that will make eight hundred and sixty kilowatts..."
Kilowatts are a measure of power. In EV talk, it can describe both how strong the motor is and how quickly the battery can charge.
Kilowatts (kW) are a unit of power used for both electric motor output and charging capability. In EV discussions, kW helps compare how much energy the system can deliver or accept at a given moment.
active air suspension system
"A few of the other highlights include an active air suspension system, four wheel steering, and two underbody active arrow elements, a front one that deploys at one hundred and twenty kilometers an hour..."
This is a suspension system that can automatically change how high the car sits and how it absorbs bumps. It helps the car stay stable and comfortable depending on what you’re driving over.
An active air suspension uses electronically controlled air springs to adjust ride height and damping. That lets the car keep a lower, more aerodynamic stance at speed while improving compliance over bumps.
underbody active arrow elements
"..., and two underbody active arrow elements, a front one that deploys at one hundred and twenty kilometers an hour or about seventy five miles an hour, and a rear one that deploys at one hundred and forty kilometers an hour..."
These are aerodynamic flaps under the car that can move. They deploy at certain speeds to help the car grip the road and cut through the air better.
Underbody active aero elements are movable aerodynamic parts mounted beneath the car. By deploying at specific speeds, they can reduce drag or increase downforce to improve stability and efficiency.
four wheel steering
"A few of the other highlights include an active air suspension system, four wheel steering, and two underbody active arrow elements..."
Instead of only the front wheels steering, the rear wheels can steer too. That can make the car easier to maneuver and more stable at speed.
Four-wheel steering (4WS) turns both the front and rear wheels, coordinated by the vehicle’s control system. At low speeds it can tighten turning radius, and at higher speeds it can improve stability and lane changes.
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