#597 - 💝🚐💝 Caravan of Kindness

TOGETHER WITH

Sparks fly as politicians continue to debate EV charger regulations, GM and Honda are finally cutting the ribbon on their hydrogen plant, and Hyundai introduces “new” car skirts.

Tbh, it’s hard to focus on the news when we know the countdown is on for NADA. We cannot wait to see everyone at the show!

If you happen to be looking for killer media coverage of your booth, people, or products, let’s talk. We know some people. 😉

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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NADA 2024

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BUSINESS

Delivering You the Latest News

Biden Blocks a Block

President Biden's recent veto of legislation aimed at overturning his administration's waiver for "Buy America" requirements in EV charging stations has sparked major debates about domestic manufacturing and infrastructure.

⏮️ Veto on Reversal — Biden shut down a bill that sought to reverse the Federal Highway Administration's waiver of U.S. content requirements for materials in government-funded EV chargers (yikes, that’s a mouthful).

⚠️ Break it Down — Basically, some lawmakers are concerned about the waiver requirements for iron and steel in EV chargers, arguing that it harms the U.S. steel and iron industry by allowing these materials to be sourced from foreign countries, thereby undermining domestic investments. Plus, the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law mandates that federal EV chargers use at least 55% of U.S.-made materials, including iron and steel. However, U.S. states and companies have raised concerns about supply chain strains and question the feasibility of meeting these standards.

🇺🇸 Counter Arguments — On the other hand, the Biden administration contends that without the waiver, the chargers would fall under a broader Reagan-era exemption, leading to even less domestic manufacturing and potentially fewer American-made charging stations.

GM and Honda’s Fuel-Cell Progress

General Motors and Honda are charging ahead in the green energy race by launching a mass production of hydrogen fuel-cell modules in their joint-venture plant in Michigan.

🌱 Fuel-Cell Future Beginnings — The two automotive giants have been working together since 2017 to revolutionize hydrogen fuel-cell technology. Now, their vision (and $85M investment) is finally coming to life with the start of mass production at their facility south of Detroit this week, targeting an annual output of 2,000 modules by 2025.

👷‍♂️ Zero-Defects — Each module contains over 300 cells, and perfection is absolutely paramount due to the high sensitivity and safety requirements of those systems.

🔋 Hydrogen Power Unleashed — This power isn't limited to light vehicles but extends to heavy-duty construction gear and stationary applications too like data centers and backup utility power.

Lamborghini Seals the Deal

Lamborghini just set the bar in workforce agreements after striking a near-unanimous deal with its employees and quickly paving the way for expansion.

🏭 Innovative Work Hours and Job Growth — A radical revision of working hours and the promise of 500 permanent new jobs by 2026 are at the forefront of this groundbreaking agreement.

🤝 Unanimous Support — This contract is a true testament to Lamborghini's harmonious relationship with its workforce. Achieving near-unanimous support in an internal referendum, this agreement showcases a synergy between the automaker and its employees, steering clear of the union struggles that have been challenging some U.S. automakers.

⏱️ Pilot Project and Future Assessment — The changes are set to kick off between late 2024 and early 2025 in a pilot scheme to test their effectiveness and compatibility with company operations. After a year, a team of experts will dive into assessing the sustainability of the new workflow and adjust as necessary.

Hyundai Flaunts a New Skirt

Kia and Hyundai are updating an old feature for the EV times with their Active Air Skirt Technology which aims to boost both range and performance.

💨 Aerodynamics Enhanced — The Active Air Skirt system, a brainchild of Hyundai Motor Group, is all about cutting down air resistance. Deployed in front of the leading tires, these skirts activate at high speeds to reduce turbulence and enhance the EV's aerodynamics. Testing with the Genesis GV60 showed a significant 2.8% reduction in drag.

🏎️ High-Speed Benefits — It’s not just about reducing drag, AAS also amps up downforce. Hyundai revealed that the technology keeps delivering even at blistering speeds above 124 mph (though we don’t recommend you test that out).

TOGETHER WITH AUTOFI

Bottleneck Free!

Over the past 5 years, digital retailing has been the buzz in the industry. But that hasn’t been enough, as most customers still transact in the showroom, and the process remains complex and time-consuming. In fact, it takes 3 hours to sell a car — that’s only a 10-minute improvement in 5 years!

AutoFi solves the problems dealers have grappled with for years, like bottlenecks at the desk, customer distrust, and decision overload. This translates to faster sales, greater satisfaction, and higher profits.

Watch this video to see AutoFi’s new showroom solution, pre-schedule a demo at NADA, or just come visit us in person at Booth #5012W!

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

Cavender’s Nationwide Car Giveaway

Cavender Auto Group recently expanded its philanthropic efforts far beyond their local San Antonio community by offering a free 2015 Dodge Caravan for participants nationwide.

This past Friday, the Cavender crew randomly selected a winner of the giveaway and captured the moment that Eric Barbosa, Cavender's VP of Variable Operations, called to share the exciting news.

Clearly in shock, the winner, Delta, can hardly believe her luck and even has Eric reassure her that it’s not a prank call. This generous gift is sure to change her life in a huge way, and we couldn’t be prouder of Cavender for making it happen. ❤️‍🔥

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Coming Soon

Join us at the NADA Live Stage for the ASOTU Docu-series "More Than Cars" Preview and Community Meet-up!

📸 Wear your “Love People More Than Cars” T-shirt and join the ASOTU Crew for a group photo.

🥰 Get your free “More Than Cars” metal badge pin to show that you are part of the community that's pushing back on the negative dealer narrative.

👏 Support Paul and Kyle as they go on stage with Andrew Guelcher from Mohawk Chevrolet (Episode 4, sponsored by UVeye) to showcase how their dealership puts people first.

🤗 Meet other community members face-to-face.

See you there!

CULTURE

Tokyo Auto Salon

This year’s Tokyo Auto Salon was a wild affair, surpassing all expectations with a record-breaking attendance of over 230K industry professionals and car enthusiasts from all over the globe.

Nearly 900 amazing vehicles were on display and over 4,000 exhibitors were there to showcase their products and offerings, highlighting the very latest in design and tech from across the world.

It was a veritable playground for Japan's giants like Toyota, Nissan, and Honda who dazzled crowds with some extreme concepts and creations. The event even featured several dope builds from fresh faces studying at the Shizuoka Professional College Of Automobile Technology and the International Information Technology and Automobile College in Fukushima (like this and this).

What was your favorite car from the show?

Quick Hits

• The FTC has launched an investigation into AI industry competition, ordering five major companies to submit details of their investment deals. 🤖

• M&M’s has created “almost champions” rings for players who don’t win the Super Bowl, crafted with actual diamonds made from peanut butter candy. 💍

• In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Rubik’s Cube announced an array of special collaborations with brands like Mercedes-Benz, Barbie, Hello Kitty, and the Grateful Dead. 🤝

History

• 1802: Congress passes an act calling for a US Capitol library. 📚

• 1887: Construction begins on the Eiffel Tower in Paris. 🇫🇷

• 1905: The world's largest diamond, the 3,106-carat Cullinan, is found in South Africa. 💎