According to Fairfield city officials, CarMax has purchased two Auto Mall parcels and may open a dealership in the California community. Plans call for demolishing one showroom and renovating the other.
With insurers offering incentives to car owners to use anti-theft devices and automakers equipping more vehicles security devices, auto theft has dropped to its lowest level since 1967. Police department programs have also been part of the improvements, said National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Increasing unstable gasoline prices and the drive for fuel efficiency has prompted General Motors to invest $65 million into plants in New York and Tennessee. This will expand production of Ecotec four-cylinder engines used in Chevrolet?s most fuel-efficient cars and crossovers.
Many in the automobile industry are hoping that sales of all-electric cars, or EVs, will rejuvenate auto sales. But consumers have high expectations for EVs. They demand a range of 100 miles or more, convenient recharging, and inexpensive installation of home charging stations, according to a recent IBM survey. The study, by the IBM Institute for Business Value, surveyed 1,716 U.S. drivers on the likelihood that they would purchase an electric vehicle and the factors that might motivate them to do so.
NHTSA is conducting an $8.75 million study on fire hazards of lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles. Regulators want to know if the batteries can start fires while being charged or in an accident.