The Ford EV SuperTruck has smashed the Corvette ZR1’s lap record at the Nürburgring. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD’s quarterly profit fell for the first time in more than three years, hit by expansion costs and a fierce price war in its domestic market. More at Yahoo! Finance.
+ Brazil’s labor court ordered Volkswagen to pay $30 million in collective moral reparations due to to slave-like conditions at a company-owned farm decades ago. More at ABC News.
+ Ford has launched a new public fast-charging network open to all makes called Ford Charge with access to nearly 1,200 DC fast chargers across the U.S. and Canada. More at CBT News.
+ IndyCar veteran Colton Herta could be on the move to Formula 2 in 2026 in order to acquire more FIA Super License points that would make him eligible for a seat in Formula 1. More at Racer.
+ Mercedes-Benz is urging swift resolution of EU-US automobile tariff deadlock, warning of severe impacts on European automakers caused by the current 27.5 percent levy. More at Autoblog.
+ A California dealer group has gone to court to block Honda from enacting a direct-to-consumer sales system the carmaker is adopting for its Afeela electric vehicle brand. More at The Drive.
+ BMW Canada plans to resume imports of its U.S.-built X3, X5, and other X-Series models after a months-long pause prompted by retaliatory tariffs between Canada and the USA. More at Motor Illustrated.
+ Ford’s F-150 Lightning electric SuperTruck has smashed the lap record of the Corvette ZR1 at the Nürburgring, while the Ford EV SuperVan set a new low time for vans. More at Car and Driver.
+ Tesla has unexpectedly terminated a vendor contract with MPW Industrial Services, resulting in the layoff of 82 workers supporting the automaker at Gigafactory Texas. More at Electrek.
+ Reversing course, NASCAR has promised a federal court it will not sell or redistribute any charters pending the conclusion of the antitrust suit filed by two current Cup teams. More at ESPN.
Photo courtesy of Ford.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from August 29 here.
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> Ford has launched a new public fast-charging network
I thought they had already agreed to Tesla’s system. Are they compatible? I’m not lobbying for nationalization and don’t object to people making money from chargers. But if EVs are going to get anywhere, we need a worldwide standard. I say this as someone firmly in the ICE camp.
> would make him eligible for a seat in Formula 1
Indycar has better racing.
> block Honda from enacting a direct-to-consumer sales system
As dealers go, Honda’s are among the most usurious. Huge dealer markups and expensive dealer-installed packages are the norm among them. The ADA has themselves to blame for their poor reputation among consumers.
System, not standard. In IC terms, think of it as a new gas station chain, not a new pump nozzle.
I don’t understand the willie-waving contest among the automakers at the Nurburgring. It is rapidly losing any relevance to production vehicles.
It’s for bragging rights … I’d guess that 95% of car buyers don’t even know what the Nürburgring is.