Ford F-150 hybrid owners in Texas are using their pickups’ 7.2-kilowatt onboard generators as backups during the power outages. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s Headlines:
+ Freezing weather that interrupted natural gas supplies on both sides of the U.S./Mexican border has forced production halts at Ford, Nissan, and Toyota plants. More at Autoblog.
+ For the first time in the brand’s history, Mazda topped the Consumer Reports rankings of most reliable vehicles, besting BMW, Subaru, Porsche, and Honda. More at CNBC.
+ Volkswagen is considering a stock listing of its Porsche luxury car division to raise funding needed for the group’s shift towards software and electric vehicle development. More at Reuters.
+ The Fox television broadcast of the Daytona 500 generated a 2.80 Nielsen rating and 4.8 million viewers, a record low that was attributed in part to a five-hour rain delay. More at Racer.
+ The Biden administration announced it will conduct a review of key U.S. supply chains, including semiconductors and high-capacity batteries for electric vehicles. More at The Detroit News.
+ Ford F-150 hybrid owners in Texas are using their pickups’ 7.2-kilowatt onboard generators to power to their homes during the weather-related power outages. More at The Drive.
+ Tesla dropped the price of its Standard Range Model 3 and Model Y by $1000 and $2000, respectively, while bumping the price of the Performance versions by $1000. More at Car and Driver.
+ RM Sotheby’s Paris auction, streamed live online on February 13, generated $11.3 million in total sales, led by a 1971 Lamborghini Miura that brought $1.92 million. More at Classic Cars.com Journal.
+ Toyota will invest $210 million and add 100 workers at its Buffalo, West Virginia engine plant to increase production of V6 powerplants for the popular RAV4 crossover. More at CNET Roadshow.
+ Bob Jenkins, the veteran ESPN racing broadcaster who became chief announcer at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2011, has been diagnosed with brain cancer. More at Motorsport.com.
Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company.
Review the previous Executive Briefing from February 15 here.
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That is a mighty handy feature to have on a pickup. Sign me up.
Hummmn, using a fossil fuel to make electricity…….wonder why nobody thought about doing that before?
Just goes to prove our dependence on fossil fuels right now. Nothing wrong with seeking alternatives, but at the present time, the alternatives aren’t as reliable as they were thought to be. In time, that may be different, but the market will dictate when, not Government.