GM’s New Modular EV Platform Spells Profit
CEO Mary Barra told an investor conference, that GM's new modular EV platform will be able to produce at least 20 new battery-powered vehicles by 2023, with the flexibility to accommodate nine different body styles in multiple sizes, segments and brands.
“We are committed to a future electric vehicle portfolio that will be profitable,” Barra said at the Barclays Global Automotive Conference in New York.
The new EV platform will make vehicles 30 percent cheaper to build than the current Chevrolet Bolt EV, due to cost cuts of lithium-ion batteries to less than $100 per kilowatt-hour from $145 per kilowatt-hour by 2021.
Read more of the original article at Forbes.
Donlen Welcomes Bob Barna as Vice President, Strategic Sales and Ian Crapper as Managing Director, Global Business Development
Donlen has just announced that Bob Barna has joined Donlen as vice president, strategic sales and Ian Crapper has joined Donlen in the role of managing director, global business.
Barna will be building relationships with companies across the U.S. and he will work closely with Donlen’s sales territory managers to provide proactive and ongoing strategic solutions to fleets resulting in streamlined processes and year-over-year cost reductions. Crapper will be responsible for Donlen’s global fleet program and he will manage the global product to enhance services for existing global customers.
Keep an Eye on the Road, Without Hands on the Wheel.
The 2018 Cadillac CT6 luxury sedan's Super Cruise driver-assistance system uses a radar sensor, cameras, GPS positioning and a highly precise digital map, and handles all of the braking, accelerating and steering - allowing the driver to 'text while driving', if necessary.
G.M. is careful to specify that it is not promoting Super Cruise as a way to let drivers text, Google or open a newspaper on the highway. “We don’t recommend it,” said Lisa Sieradski, global product manager for the CT6. “It will allow you to glance down at a phone or the radio, but you have to return your eyes to the road.”
Read more of the original article at The New York Times.
Volvo to Receive 24,000 Autonomous Vehicle Orders from Uber
Uber will own a fleet of autonomous vehicles with its order of 24,000 Volvo flagship VC90 SUVs, while building its self-driving system through Uber's Advanced Technologies Group.
Jeff Miller, Uber’s head of automotive alliances, said: “Our goal was from day one to make investments into a vehicle that could be manufactured at scale."
Volvo’s deal with Uber and Ford’s with Lyft show the pressure on automakers to avoid becoming outdated in a world of increased automation, and on ride-hailing companies to start automating to cut driver costs and turn profits.
Read more of the original article at The Guardian.
The CEI Group Announces Four New Vice Presidents
The CEI Group has announced the appointment of four new Vice Presidents. These leaders have been major contributors to the success that both CEI and Element have realized over the past few years, and they bring rich experience that will help CEI going forward as the global leader in accident management and driver safety programs.
The newly appointed CEI Vice Presidents are:
- Eliot Bensel has been named Vice President of Account Development
- Randy Denmyer has been promoted to Vice President of Accident Management Services
- Ken Latzko has been promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing
- Chris Villella has been promoted to Vice President of Strategic Relationship Management
READ MORE about these promotions.
