Auto Industry News: NASCAR Winds Up, Geneva Cancels, Jeep Gets Spicy, and Lordstown Gets a New Landlord

There’s some beacon of hope that normalcy is creeping back this week, with fresh news about NASCAR’s Next Gen test schedule. Europeans don’t seem to be enjoying the same fate, though, with information out of Geneva that one of its biggest annual shows is canceled for the third year in a row. Meanwhile, over in Ohio, the Lordstown Motors factory – once thought to be a ripe domestic manufacturing opportunity – just inked a deal with Foxconn. That deal suggests there’s more in store than just an electric pickup truck. (If it ever comes off the line.)

There’s also some classic war-of-words action brewing between Jeep and Ford over who makes “real” SUVs. It’s a somewhat subjective argument, but fun to follow the drama either way. And for you tech fans, we’ve also been following some curious developments in the world of LIDAR and EV charging stations.

NASCAR Winds Up for 2022…

NASCAR announced last week that teams received the 2022 rules package for the Next Gen car at the beginning of the month.

Part of that news came from NASCAR senior vice president of racing John Probst, who shared updates on Oct. 12. The update included briefings on what race officials are focusing on with a car’s crashworthiness, its ability to disperse heat in the cockpit, and reports of steering vibrations during testing. Overall, Probst said he was “pleased” with the findings.

Probst pointed out that this year was the first time NASCAR had this many cars run by the teams at the track. “We had eight at Daytona, but here we have 21, so we’re going to find these little things here and there, and that’s why we test,” he added.

Some of the big topics during the Oct. 12 update included:

• For road-course events, short tracks, and ovals up to the size of Nashville and Darlington, teams will use a target engine output of 670 horsepower and a rear spoiler height of 4 inches.
• On intermediate-sized tracks, NASCAR said the horsepower target will be 550 with an 8-inch spoiler.
• Chase Briscoe turned the fastest lap on Monday’s speed chart at 104.115 mph at a time of 1 minute, 20.219 seconds. NASCAR said those numbers are unofficial without technical inspection for the two-day test. Briscoe’s numbers compare to the pole speed of 103.198 (1:20.901) set by William Byron in 2019 and the fastest lap from the Bank of America Roval 400. That time goes to Kyle Larson, who clocked a 100.145 mph.

Check out the full Next Gen test schedule here.

…But Geneva Shuts Down

Across the pond, things aren’t looking as bright for the annual Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS). Though scheduled to resume in March 2022, an announcement on Oct. 8 by the show’s organizers noted its cancelation.

Organizers cited specific pandemic-related issues like travel restrictions for international exhibitors and visitors. They also pointed to broader challenges such as the semiconductor shortage, which has plagued basically every auto manufacturer on the planet at this point and delayed the production of scores of 2022 models.

“(The) pandemic situation is not under control and presents itself as a big threat for a large indoor event like GIMS,” stated Maurice Turrettini, president of the organizational committee. “But we see this decision as a postponement rather than a cancelation. I am confident that the Geneva International Motor Show will come back stronger than ever in 2023.”

Becoming a Trend

This is the third year in a row of cancelations for the event, where a bevy of European manufacturers like Volvo, Porsche, and Mercedes showcase their new models. Like so many events in early 2020, the show canceled just a few days before launch over pandemic regulations. The 2021 event also canceled, partially due to pandemic challenges but also based on weak demand from brands and exhibitors. The show was apparently due to be sold following 2021’s cancelation too.

With 2022 on the near horizon for all types of industry events, it looks like there’s still a bit of a test pattern taking place, depending on the region and the attitude of organizers and exhibitors. Stateside, the New York International Auto Show scrapped its 2021 dates just days before launch over Delta variant concerns and said it would resume its spring schedule in April 2022.

Meanwhile, organizations like National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), SEMA, and RV Dealers Network (RVDA) are moving ahead with in-person events for the upcoming months. Much to the chagrin of some attendees, a few events will require proof of vaccines. In contrast, others defer to local regulations and stay out of the debate.

Jeep Lights Ford’s Fire

What do the former frontman of the Doors and the Head of Jeep Brand, FCA – North America, have in common? Aside from sharing the same name, both Jim Morrisons have a knack for stirring up controversy with their words.

Jeep’s Morrison raised a few eyebrows recently when he appeared on Fox Business, referring to some competitors as “fake” SUVs. He also said he “felt sorry” for consumers driving those SUVs “because they saw it doing a cool thing in an ad, and then they get their family stuck in the driveway when they think they should be doing what was shown in the marketing.”

Morrison doubled down on that sentiment in a separate interview with Muscle Cars and Trucks. He took direct aim at the Ford Explorer Timberline, saying he doesn’t think the Timberline could hit the off-road trail like Jeep’s Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. Morrison pointed to the Timberline’s trail trimmings and said, “You can paint a tow hook red. It doesn’t mean that behind the tow hook it would even hold up in the right moment that it needs to.”

Yikes.

Ford spokesman Jiyan Cadiz took a subtler approach with the Detroit Free Press, commenting, “Stay classy, Auburn Hills.”

Curiously, Cadiz previously worked for Fiat Chrysler and helped launch the Compass, Patriot, and Wrangler. Cadiz also contended that “it’s been a long year for Jeep, watching Bronco and Sport rack up hundreds of thousands of sales and reservations,” plus head-to-head comparison test wins against Jeep. We’re a little long in the tooth here, but we think that’s what the kids refer to as “shots fired.”

Comparisons and reservations aside, 2022 will probably be the year that tests the mettle of both automakers. Despite sky-high reservations for its forthcoming trucks and SUVs, Ford hit a few bumps in the road sourcing parts and navigating chip shortages. There also remains some public outcry about massive markups on new Broncos at dealerships.

FoxConn Acquires Lordstown EV Factory

In the ever-growing crossover of tech and automotive worlds, contract manufacturer FoxConn recently acquired Lordstown Motors’ electric vehicle plant for $230 million. The Lordstown, Ohio plant is building electric light-duty trucks under the Lordstown Motors badge. The Ohio manufacturer had some serious ups and downs in the last year, including investigations by the SEC and surprising resignations by executives.

A few years ago, the company earned the praise of former President Trump when it bought a shuttered GM plant as its base of operations to build its electric pickup, the Endurance. Lordstown execs were even invited to the White House lawn to showcase a prototype. The move was seen as a revival of domestic manufacturing.

However, the automaker attracted eyeballs recently for raising millions of dollars without ever actually bringing a vehicle to market. The company’s coffers were close to dry until an investment firm threw them a $400 million lifeline over the summer. Right now, it looks like the manufacturer’s pushing the Endurance release to 2022, but no projected date exists on the product page.

If the name FoxConn sounds familiar, that’s because the Taiwanese manufacturer is well-known for building most of Apple’s iPhones. Last summer, the company said it was diversifying its supply chain as a way to sidestep the ongoing U.S.-China trade disputes.

What the manufacturer’s end-goal is with buying the Ohio plant isn’t entirely clear just yet, but there are a few bits of chatter circulating the interwebs…

Rumor Mill

Henrik Fisker, CEO of Fisker Inc., told the Ohio Morning Journal that “if FoxConn ends up acquiring Lordstown and if the deal closes, it’s our intent to make the PEAR with FoxConn in Lordstown,”

The PEAR is an EV in development by Fisker, and it stands for Personal Electric Automotive Revolution. The automaker plans to go to market with a sub-$30,000 price tag, and the car will be built on a lightweight platform. Both Fisker and FoxConn previously inked a deal to build the car together in May. There was discussion at that time of potential manufacturing sites in the U.S. (Fisker also made headlines earlier this year with plans to build an all-electric Popemobile.)

Currently, Fisker is building its first vehicle, the Ocean EV SUV, set to hit the European market in Q4 2022. The PEAR’s scheduled production is Q4 of the following year, and no final mockup is available. Fisker’s most recent concept photo looks more like someone about to step into a wormhole instead of a compact EV…

On a more “what-if” note, some market watchers like Bloomberg speculate the Lordstown deal signals FoxConn is moving closer to building an Apple Car. There’s no definitive plan on deck for the electronics giant yet. Still, Apple has been reportedly working on self-driving cars with iOS integration, and has been involved with electric car R&D as early as 2014 under the label “Project Titan.”

Techy Updates

Lucid Group Unveils a First in LIDAR Tech

Lordstown and FoxConn aren’t the only ones touting futuristic cars. Lucid Group announced its forthcoming luxury EV will feature a proprietary ADAS called DreamDrive. The system reportedly boasts over 30 driver-assistance features, like collision avoidance, Traffic Jam Assist, and Highway Assist. Lucid is touting a vibrant graphic display for ease of use, as well.

The company also unveiled DreamDrive Pro, an ADAS that comes standard in Lucid Air Dream Edition and Lucid Air Grand Touring trim levels and is optional on other models. The pro version, the company said, is an expansion of computing and sensor hardware with the “first automotive LIDAR in North America.” Lucid said additional functions for DreamDrive Pro will be integrated with over-the-air software updates.

Both systems use a relatively complex setup that includes 14 visible-light cameras, five radar units, four surround-view cameras, and ultrasonic sensors throughout the vehicle exterior. DreamDrive Pro’s solid-state LIDAR sensor delivers what the automaker described as “high-resolution data with an ultra-wide field of view.”

“Together, these sensors enable DreamDrive to detect what a human driver cannot and act as an invisible co-pilot to help drivers get to their destination safely,” Lidar said in its release.

ABB Says it Can Charge an EV in 15 Minutes

EVs might be exciting to some people, but what good are they if you don’t have a place to charge them and get back on the road?  Swiss global technology company ABB proposed a new solution with “the world’s fastest electric charger.”

Late last month, the company launched the Terra 360, a modular charger that can simultaneously charge up to four vehicles with dynamic power distribution (drivers can plug in even if someone else is charging ahead of them). The charger has a maximum output of 360 kW, and ABB said it’s capable of a full charge within 15 minutes or less. There’s also a built-in lighting system on the charger that guides drivers through the charging process, shows the state of charge, and estimated time before the end of an optimal charging session. The manufacturer said it’ll roll out the charger in the U.S. in 2022 and after its initial EU launch near the end of 2021.

The Engine Block is your one-stop source for any and all auto industry news. Keep an eye on our weekly round-up of enthusiast coverage, product reviews, vehicle spotlights, auto show/expo features, and more. Be sure to tune in Friday for an updated list of the Top 10 Automotive Podcasts you should be listening to!