#703 - 🚗 Wow, Wednesday

TOGETHER WITH

Welcome back, Friends!

Today’s email has a little of everything. Some tire news, some tech feuds, and, of course, some couch-carrying dudes.

You never know what we will include in this email, but you can always trust that our hope is to inform, encourage, and connect our community.

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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BUSINESS

Wow, News

With location-based bonuses for sourcing, manufacturing, assembling, and selling it was only a matter of time before the digital-yet-set-in-stone blockchain got involved in tracking things.

Maybe someday, you’ll have to show up-to-date papers before your car can play with the other cars in the car park(ing garage).

What a weird world.

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Automakers

• Volvo introduces the first-ever EV battery passport for its EX90 SUV, tracking raw materials, components, recycled content, and carbon footprint. Developed over five years with blockchain startup Circulor, this passport aims to meet the EU's 2027 regulations ahead of time and will be accessible via a QR code inside the driver's door.
  

• Owners of Rivian R1T are reporting premature tire wear due to frequent use of Conserve mode, which lowers the suspension and alters camber angles. This mode, designed for longer trips, increases range but strains tires when used daily. Rivian should consider providing precise guidelines in the manual, enhancing the overall ownership experience.
  

• Ford's first all-electric Explorer rolls off the production line in Cologne. This five-seat family SUV is built on VW's MEB platform and features a 374-mile range, rapid charging, and advanced tech. Priced from $58,000, it aims to redefine the mid-size SUV market in Europe.

Tesla: Chips and Feuds

Pass the chips. Emails reveal Musk redirected over $500 million in Nvidia AI chips from Tesla to X and xAI, delaying Tesla's AI projects. Some Tesla shareholders are understandably upset by Musk's decision to favor some ventures over others.

Nvidia must have been happy, though, right?
Well, actually, Nvidia's emails revealed internal frustration, highlighting that Musk's public claims about Tesla's AI progress conflicted with actual chip allocations. It kinda shines a light on Nvidia's difficulty meeting demand and may entice folks to buy from competitors.

Is that why META is made at Musk? He bought all the chips??
No. META's LeCun criticized Musk for spreading false conspiracies and making unrealistic AI promises. Musk's comments on AI and his criticism of scientists and political figures have sparked debates on his leadership and influence in the tech world. So tech bros are bringing the pitchforks, and Tesla investors are lighting torches. Oof.

EV Repair Costs 29% Higher Than ICE Vehicles

More More More. There are more EVs, and as they spend more time on the road, more data about their operating/repair costs becomes available. Data shows that repairing an EV costs $6,066 on average, 29% more than ICE vehicles. But why?

Labor Pains. Increased repair frequency (up 40% from Q1 2023) and longer mechanical labor (3.04 hours for EVs vs. 1.66 for ICE) drive costs.

Biggest costs. High-voltage battery management and reliance on OEM parts (89.29% for EVs vs. 65.14% for ICE) also contribute.

The culprit? Tesla models (Model 3, Model Y) are the most frequently repaired EVs.

🤷‍♀️ What do? Dealership staff should inform customers about repair costs and the need for comprehensive insurance.

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In many regards, there are two kinds of people. Brownie corner vs. middle, rock vs. country, cats vs. dogs.

Another way it is true is "people who repair cosmetic issues” vs. “still drives = perfect.”

For some reason, the two groups always intermarry. Which group are you in?

TOGETHER WITH EFFECTV

[Watch Now] The Future of Addressable Advertising: Precision Targeting in Automotive Marketing

Missed this panel session at ASOTU Con 2024?

Watch the full recording to discover the latest trends and tools in digital advertising, including programmatic buying, data segmentation, and AI-driven analytics.  

Industry experts, including Anthony Jingoli, Sr. Director of Automotive Strategy and Partnerships at Effectv, dive into the next generation of advertising tech that enables dealerships to more accurately reach potential customers.  

Effectv is creating powerful full-funnel solutions for automotive advertisers by combining premium TV inventory with precision targeting. By bringing together the best of TV and digital, highly targeted ads can be delivered across all screens.  

Contact the Effectv team to learn more. 

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

Couch Crusaders

Baxter Subaru La Vista is all about making a difference through Subaru's Love Promise. Teaming up with The Furniture Project Omaha, they’ve donated over $100,000 through the Subaru Share the Love Program. Beyond just the money, they also roll up their sleeves and for hands-on help. Between cleaning, delivering furniture, sponsoring vehicle maintenance, and organizing furniture drives, Baxter really knows how to walk the walk when it comes making the world a better place.

The Furniture Project started in 2013 when Omaha firefighters helped a family sleeping on the floor. They rallied the community through social media and furnished the family’s apartment, sparking over a decade-long movement of kindness and generosity in Nebraska.

Baxter Subaru’s partnership with The Furniture Project shows how we can all come together to make a real impact, helping those in need and strengthening our families and communities together. 🛋️

CULTURE

New Hues from Porsche

Porsche just dropped 11 new colors for its Paint to Sample program that are just as fun to say as they are to see.

And, If the colors and names weren’t awesome enough, the story behind some of them is even more endearing.

The new palette added colors like “Sean Peach” and “Nashy Blue” to the line-up in honor of American designer Sean Wotherspoon. In an interview, he revealed: "I started working with Porsche about three years ago. When we introduced my SW Taycan Art Car, Porsche gave me the chance to develop my own colors, so I named them after myself, my wife, and our kids. It’ll be so cool to have Nash going to a car show and seeing a ‘Nashy Blue’ 911. Gotta be the coolest feeling — hopefully, he’ll think it’s as cool as I do!”

Other killer additions include “Audrain Green Metallic,” inspired by a classic color commissioned by Audrain Auto Museum and “Verde Zeltweg Metallic,” a dark green originally from Ferrari.

So, whether you’re a Dolomite, an Eberle, or more of a Frozen Berry, Porsche has you covered. 🎨

Quick Hits

• 30-year mortgage rates fall, 15-year rates stay still. 🏡

• Popular game Elden Ring has its first DLC reviews coming out, and fans are happy. 🎮

• Those miracle weight loss drugs are changing how people taste things. 👅

History

• 1909: The first race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is up in the air. That is to say, the race involved gas-powered balloon vehicles. 🏁 

• 1956: Elvis Presley introduces his new single "Hound Dog" on The Milton Berle Show, scandalizing the audience with his suggestive hip movements. 🎹 

• 1989: The Tank Man halts the progress of a column of advancing tanks for over half an hour after the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. ✊ 

Thanks for reading, friend! You know, sharing is caring, and we don’t want to be doing all the sharing. So, hit reply and share with us something you’ve learned this week (whether at work or at home). We really wanna know!