#484 - 🐍 Stakes and Snakes

TOGETHER WITH

Pssst…



Rumor has it, ASOTU CON is bringing Taco Tuesday to Baltimore on September 26th. 



Save the date. Tell your friends. 🌮

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

TODAY’S LOT WALK

• Ken Garff Automotive Group supports wildfire victims. 🤲

• What a UAW strike means.❓

• A snake by any other name would be just as...snakey. 🐍

Reading time: 4 mins 25 secs

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

Helping Hands in Hawaii

With 100 years of business under their belt, the Ken Garff Automotive Group was excited to finally expand into seven dealerships across the Hawaiian Islands. 🏝️

That was until the fast-spreading wildfires ravaged the island of Maui and destroyed most of the historic town of Lahaina. 💔💔💔

The auto group quickly jumped to action, providing relief support to employees and their families and providing vehicles to assist with transportation and logistical needs within the affected areas.

In addition, Ken Garff Automotive Group partnered with Kia America to donate a whopping $200K to the wildfire relief efforts through the American Red Cross and Hawaiian Community Foundation. ⛑️

The goodwill doesn’t end there. Kia and the dealerships are taking care of their customers, too. By extending a lifeline to those caught in the inferno’s fiery grip with rebates and disaster relief programs, they are dedicated to helping ease the burden of their new community in need. 🕊️

DATA & INSIGHT

Possible UAW Strike And Fallout

The United Auto Workers (UAW) union, with its 150,000-strong membership, is poised for a potentially industry-shaking strike. Here’s a quick rundown:

• What’s Unfolding? Contract talks with Detroit’s Big Three – General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis – are stalling, prompting UAW to schedule strike authorization votes.

• The Deadline? Sept. 14, when the current contract ends.

• Key Players?

  • UAW: Led by President Shawn Fain, the union seeks better compensation and benefits.

  • The Big Three: Balancing between union demands and market competitiveness.

  • President Biden: Advocating for a resolution, stressing job retention and the electric vehicle transition.

• Stakes? A strike could halt production and lead to billion-dollar losses. One article says $5.6B in losses after just ten days.

• Root Cause? UAW demands a 40% wage hike over a four-year contract, indicative of shifting industry dynamics.

• What's Next? As Sept. 14 approaches, intensified negotiations are expected.

The auto industry waits with bated breath, from suppliers to dealerships, understanding the outcome's far-reaching implications.

TOGETHER WITH CONGRUENT

Creative That Connects

Round and round they go…plug-and-play marketing strategies that live and die on a 30-day cycle. Leaving consumers with an exhausted fish-in-a-barrel feeling and lacking the sustainable value people want – connection.

Congruent Automotive is a full-service creative agency rooted in Retail Auto. Founded by Paul J. Daly and packed with people who love working together, Congruent builds brands with smart data and powerful content so your marketing can genuinely connect.

From Agency of Record to individual campaigns, check out what Congruent is spinning here.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Is Anything Nicer Than Baltimore In September?

BUSINESS

Charging: Ups, Downs, and All Arounds

JD Power Survey: EV Charging Woes 😿
JD Power reveals a decline in public EV charging satisfaction. While Tesla Superchargers shine, others lag. Concerns include lengthy charge times and failed charging sessions. As many adopt Tesla's tech, will satisfaction improve? 👎⛽️😬

Ford CEO's EV Charging Experience 🙄
Jim Farley shares his challenges with EV charging during his F-150 Lightning journey on X (ex-Twitter). It spotlights the hurdles non-Tesla EV users face. With Ford eyeing Tesla's Supercharger network in 2024, hope for a smoother EV journey is on the horizon. 🛻⛈️🤷

CATL's Revolutionary Battery 🏃‍♀️
CATL revealed its "Shenxing Superfast Charging Battery." It offers a stunning 248-mile charge in just 10 minutes. Utilizing advanced tech, it ensures rapid charging, even in colder weather. Anticipate a significant boost in 2024's EV lineup! 🐇🔋⏲️

Comcast Enters EV Arena 🤼‍♀️
Comcast's Smart Solutions is partnering with NovaCharge, venturing into EV charging. Property owners with Comcast ties can now merge EV chargers into their setups. A fusion of modern solutions and advanced technology. Is this the evolution of connected infrastructure? 📺⚡️🚗

Texas Backs Tesla's Charging Tech 🤠
Despite resistance, Texas mandates Tesla's EV charging tech for businesses eyeing federal funding. Texas, the top beneficiary of a $5B electrification initiative, is under scrutiny by other states. Elon Musk envisions a universal U.S. charging protocol, but will Tesla's method become the norm? Only time will provide the answer. 👩‍⚖️🔌🤑

CULTURE

Snakes. Why’d It Have To Be Snakes?

Thanks to the iconic line from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford has been linked to danger noodles since the 80s, but the association has finally been formalized in real life. 🐍

Researchers discovered the new species of nope rope in the Andes mountains of Peru, and named the variety Tachymenoides harrisonfordi to honor the actor’s decades-long environmental advocacy.



“These scientists keep naming critters after me, but it’s always the ones that terrify children. I don’t understand. I spend my free time cross-stitching. I sing lullabies to my basil plants so they won’t fear the night,” joked Ford who has also inspired the name of an ant, Pheidole harrisonfordi, and spider, Calponia harrisonfordi.

He continued, “In all seriousness, this discovery is humbling. It’s a reminder that there’s still so much to learn about our wild world — and that humans are one small part of an impossibly vast biosphere.” 🌎

Quick Hits

• An Iowa school district is using ChatGPT to decide which book to ban. Wait till they find out all the things ChatGPT can teach its students. 😳

• Chinese imported EV batteries fall under scrutiny as the US tightens its rules against products of forced labor. 🇨🇳

• Fans of Apple’s Monsterverse get a look at Godzilla ahead of the release of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.” 🦎

History

• 1920: The 19th Amendment to the US Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing women the right to vote. 🗳

• 1937: Following the success of Toyota Industries, the founder's son forms the Toyota Motor Company. 🇯🇵

• 1957: Stirling Moss wins an F1 race in a British car for the first time. 🏎