US automaker General Motors (GM) and its Japanese counterpart Honda announced last Tuesday that they will jointly develop a new line of electric vehicles at “affordable” prices, the production of which is supposed to begin in 2027. The millions of models planned, which will notably include compact SUVs, will be equipped with Ultium electric batteries developed by GM.
“GM and Honda will share their best technologies, designs and production strategies to deliver electric vehicles at affordable and desirable prices globally, including in our key markets of North America, South America and China,” GM CEO Mary Barra said in a statement. Honda boss Toshihiro Mibe, for his part, said he hoped that this project would lead to “a considerable increase in sales of electric vehicles”.
Although they represent a sector very popular with major manufacturers, electric vehicles currently only represent a small percentage of total car sales worldwide. The two companies didn’t say how much the new models would cost, but GM executive vice president Doug Parks said the price range would be lower than the Chevrolet Equinox EV, slated for fall 2023 in an entry price of $30,000.
Honda and GM have also indicated that they are discussing future partnerships around electric battery technologies “to further reduce the cost of electrification”. The two manufacturers have been collaborating on various projects for several years, notably around the autonomous vehicle company Cruise, in which GM owns the majority of the shares and in which Honda has invested. They had announced in September 2020 a preliminary agreement for a strategic alliance in North America to share vehicle platforms and development costs.
Nearly 128,000 vehicles
In addition, the American electric car giant Tesla “will recall” nearly 128,000 vehicles in China due to a failure that can lead to collisions, announced the Chinese market regulator (SAMR), following several controversies aimed at the brand.
Last year, at the Shanghai Auto Show, a customer angry regarding allegedly faulty brakes on her Tesla made headlines in China, while in France a Tesla electric taxi was blamed following a fatal accident. The recalled cars in China have a “small manufacturing defect” in a component in the inverter, which adjusts the current to the battery and electric motor, the SAMR said. “In extreme cases, this increases the risk of an accident and can constitute a danger,” he said in a statement released last Thursday. The recall concerns Model 3s produced between 2019 and 2022.
Tesla has faced numerous complaints on social media in China in recent months for alleged quality and service issues. In December 2021, Tesla had already recalled nearly 200,000 vehicles in China for a defect in the trunks.
Source: AFP
US automaker General Motors (GM) and its Japanese counterpart Honda announced last Tuesday that they will jointly develop a new line of electric vehicles at “affordable” prices, the production of which is supposed to begin in 2027. The millions of models planned, which will notably include compact SUVs, will be equipped with…