While not in the billions, car-sharing company Zipcar raised $173.4 million in its initial public offering, much higher than its original expectation of $75 million. Investors are sold on the importance of car sharing as the world's population and transportation grows substantially. Dealing with traffic and parking are becoming important, along with becoming free from fossil fuel dependence.
LG Corp. wants to take its market leadership roles in LED monitors, LCD, mobile phones, and washing machines into electric vehicle batteries. Its LG Chem division just opened what it calls the largest EV-battery plant in the world in Ochang, South Korea. The company thinks it will own 25% of that worldwide market by 2013.
ALG, industry benchmark for residual values and depreciation data, predicts as much as a 10% increase in transaction prices on vehicles which experience a 100-day supply disruption. This can also translate to a .2 to .7 increase in residual value on a 36- month lease.
There has been a significant shift toward migrating the wholesale vehicle remarketing process online over the past decade. One of the biggest opportunities in the repossession industry right now is the adoption of online auction companies as a valued partner for achieving this goal.
A study conducted by State Farm Insurance and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia identified the three primary causes of teen accidents. 21% of accidents studied were caused by failure to scan and assess hazards, 21% were driving too fast for road conditions, and 21% were from a distraction either inside or outside the vehicle. Not considered primary factors in teen accidents were environmental conditions such as weather or aggressive driving.