The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada News
When driving an electric car, it’s important to consider the only part of the vehicle that actually touches the road. Tires can have a major impact on electric car range. Automakers often fit electric cars with low-rolling resistance tires to maximize range, albeit often at the expense of handling, as these tires offer less grip than conventional…
Read the source article at Hybrid and Electric Car News and Reviews
U.S. vehicle sales in the second quarter for General Motors, Toyota Motor and Fiat Chrysler plunged by more than 30% as the coronavirus caused consumers to stay at home, and dealerships and factories to shutter. The hefty declines are in-line with what Wall Street expected. Hyundai Motor and Porsche also reported significant drops in sales between April and June compared to a year earlier. The automakers were among the first to report second-quarter sales on Wednesday.
Bridgestone is temporarily shutting plants in Japan due to a decline in demand.
The plants that are being shut down cover tire production for cars, aircraft, motorcycles, trucks and buses.
In Fukuoka, the Kurume plant will shut its aircraft tire plant from May 27-June 1, June 3-4 and June 6-7, and the section producing tires for passenger cars will be shut from May 28 -June 1.
Drivers gave Michelin higher satisfaction ratings in two of the three segments in J.D. Power’s annual Original Equipment Tire Satisfaction Study.
Michelin claimed top honors in the luxury and truck/utility segments. It was the company’s 17th consecutive highest ranking in the luxury category and fifth consecutive highest ranking in the truck/utility category. Michelin placed second in the passenger car segment.
New research from Hankook Tire reveals that as COVID-19 has kept many Americans home, three-in-four (76%) say they miss being behind the wheel.
The survey also found that there is a desire to spend more time on the road, as 60% of Americans say they want to take more trips by car as a result of the pandemic.
AKRON—Officials in Alaska, Oregon, Quebec and Washington state have extended their respective deadlines for removing studded tires because of COVID-19 pandemic-related business hour limitations.
The extensions for getting studded tires removed are:
• In Alaska, May 11 instead of April 1 or May 1, depending on latitude;
• In Oregon, May 15 instead of April 30;
• In Quebec, June 5 instead of May 1; and
• In Washington, May 15 instead of March 31.
Consumer confidence in future mobility technologies lags behind auto industry plans to bring self-driving vehicles and more battery-electric vehicles to market.
That’s according to the J.D. Power 2020 Q1 Mobility Confidence Index Study.
The self-driving-vehicle index decreases for the first time (to 35 from 36 on a 100-point scale) for American consumers. It goes to 36 from 39 for Canadians.
DETROIT — General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. have widely touted their commitment to emission-free electric vehicles, but their production plans show a growing reliance on ever-larger gas-powered vehicles. The two biggest U.S. automakers will make more than 5 million SUVs and pickup trucks in 2026, but only about 320,000 electric vehicles, according to detailed production plans for North America seen by Reuters.
WASHINGTON/DETROIT — The $2 trillion economic rescue package before the U.S. Senate would send the federal government to the auto industry’s rescue for the second time in a dozen years. Automakers are fearful of being tagged as seeking a new government bailout so soon after the 2009 government-funded auto restructurings. Detroit has not sought industry-specific assistance and instead made the case the entire economy needs urgent access to liquidity.
With Quebec taking an ever more aggressive approach to the coronavirus crisis, the province announced March 23 all non-essential businesses are to be closed until at least April 13.