Ford is surprised, Mazda’s MX-30 EV is priced and Elon. All this and more The morning shift for August 24, 2021.
1st March: Elon is being honest
A lot of people say Twitter is bad and right, but it’s easy to forget that in the old world before Twitter, honesty was something that only came to the bar. It was all just between friends and people weren’t here showing their asses to the world in public. As much as people say Twitter is bad, the reason it’s still vital is that it’s a window to people who would have been unrecognizable in the old world. It’s TMI, but TMI gets a bad rap; everyone loves TMI.
All this means that Elon Musk is a Twitter user and in that sense he is very serious. When he doesn’t share silly memes, he frequently interacts with Tesla fans, detractors, or just regular Twitter users. He did it again last night, saying the Tesla text “Complete autonomous driving ” beta, who is not fully self-employed, “it’s not really great.” That it’s not the first time Elon hasn’t sounded so sure about it.
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In the world of Elon, which, spiritually, is always Silicon Valley, even if it is currently lives in Texas – This kind of honesty from a CEO is a testament to why you can trust a company. For the rest of us, buying advice is helpful. Everything would be more fun if lives weren’t at stake.
2nd gear: Ford plans to make more F-150 lightning bolts than expected
This is according to anonymous Reuters sources, who are definitely not Ford public relations employees, why do you ask?
Ford Motor Co. (FN) has doubled the production target of the F-150 Lightning due to strong initial demand for the full-size electric pickup truck before its launch in 2022, and the company plans to spend an additional $ 850 million to achieve this goal. , said several people and vendors familiar with the plans.
According to sources, the No. 2 U.S. automaker is aiming for annual production of more than 80,000 by 2024, up from its previous target of more than 40,000, according to sources, who asked that they not be identified. Shares of Ford rose 1.3% on Monday.
“They were pleasantly surprised by the lightning demand,” one source said about Ford officials.
Ford sold about 800,000 F-series trucks. last year in America, so 80,000 F-150 lights are still a relative drop in the bucket, but I guess you have to start somewhere.
3rd gear: The Mazda MX-30 EV 2022 will start at $ 33,470
For all of the United States, the MX-30 EV is only launched in California. It’s probably because it’s the only market in the United States where an EV is business-viable and not, you know, a task or some kind of virtue sign. The Mazda MX-30 EV it looks great, if not more than that. You get only 100 miles of EPA-estimated range, which is low, but enough for most people.
A more elegant setting will start at $ 36,480 and include all the usual bells and whistles. Mazda said Tuesday:
The Mazda MX-30 EV 2022 can be equipped with the Premium Plus package that introduces the new i-Activsense safety features and elevates the sophisticated feel of the electric vehicle. Blind spot assistance improves blind spot monitoring, providing steering assistance to help keep the vehicle in its own lane if the driver attempts to change lanes while another vehicle is detected at the blind spot. When traveling at speeds below 6 mph, Front Cross Traffic Alert produces a visual and audible alert on the instrument panel to help warn the driver when the front sensors detect vehicles approaching from the left or right side of the vehicle. speeds above 3 mph. This package enhances the vehicle with 12-speaker Bose premium audio, heated steering wheel, 360 ° view monitor with front parking sensors, advanced keyless entry Mazda and a free three-month trial of the SiriusXM satellite radio ™. The rearview camera screen includes dynamic lines, while the frameless automatic rearview mirror adds HomeLink and the charging area adds a convenient light. The 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels are finished in a bright silver color. Leather seats are available in pure white with gray fabric or vintage brown with black fabric, both options still contain fabric with 20% recycled threads. Through this package, the MX-30 is available as a single-tone exterior paint in Premium Jet Black or Metallic Machine Gray paint or in the three new multi-tone color options mentioned above.
4th Gear: Munich Muted
The Munich Motor Show (Wiki tells me it’s actually a “mobility” program these days) is being held next month in some way. But carmakers are already covering their bets, according to Automotive News, in this case sending far fewer people than normal.
The Volkswagen group will be in the show with about 150 workers. There are expected to be about 70 employees at the actual fair, with about 80 people working in the background. In other shows of this size, VW Group has often had teams of more than 500 people.
“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are sending as few employees as possible to the IAA,” a VW spokesman told Automobilwoche, a sister publication of Automotive News Europe.
Audi and BMW have not yet given specific numbers of employees, but also said they will have a small presence.
An Audi spokeswoman said the brand would be in place with a “small number of employees”.
Daimler, owner of Mercedes-Benz, will hold a pre-concert evening with CEO Ola Kaellenius, solely as an online event.
BMW is poised for the “worst case scenario,” according to a spokesman, and could also show its presentations completely online. “Because new restrictions are possible at any time due to the pandemic, we can also broadcast all of our events digitally, if necessary,” the spokesman said.
Automotive News also reports, amusingly, that some are also concerned about the cancellation of “important business meetings.” Pour one over the entire canceled dealz.
5th gear: Maersk calls for ships that can run on neutral carbon
The ships will not be delivered until 2024 and will only result in a single-digit percentage reduction in CO2 emissions, but these days I’m bringing good news anywhere I can get it.
From Reuters:
AP Moller-Maersk said Tuesday it had ordered eight ships capable of running on carbon-neutral methanol to accelerate the decarbonisation of its fleet and meet increased demand from greener transport customers.
The Danish company has promised to only order new ships that can use carbon-neutral fuel, as it aims to generate net emissions by 2050. Because ships typically have a lifespan of 20 to 35 years, this means they must have a carbon neutral. floats in 2030.
The eight ships, which can carry 16,000 containers each, will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea and are expected to be delivered in early 2024.
The ships will be 10-15 percent more expensive than normal and will each cost $ 175 million, said Maersk chief technology officer Ole Graa Jakobsen.
Reverse: Vesuvius
At noon on August 24, 79 AD, this pleasure and prosperity ended when Vesuvius Peak exploded, propelling a 10-mile cloud of ash and pumice into the stratosphere. For the next 12 hours, volcanic ash and a hailstone of up to 3 centimeters in diameter showered Pompeii, forcing the city’s occupiers to flee in terror. About 2,000 people stayed in Pompeii, buried in cellars or stone structures, hoping to wait for the eruption.
A westerly wind protected Herculaneum from the initial stage of the eruption, but then a giant cloud of ash and hot gas emerged from the western flank of Vesuvius, engulfing the city and burning or suffocating all who remained. This lethal cloud was followed by a flood of mud and volcanic rock, which buried the city.
People who remained in Pompeii died on the morning of August 25 when a cloud of toxic gas poured into the city, suffocating all that was left. A stream of rock and ash followed, collapsing ceilings and walls and burying the dead.
Much of what we know about the eruption comes from a story by Pliny the Younger, who was staying west along the Bay of Naples when Vesuvius erupted. In two letters to the historian Tacitus, he explained how “people covered their heads with pillows, the only defense against a rain of stones,” and how “a dark, horrible cloud laden with combustible matter suddenly broke.” and he went out. Some mourned their own fate. Others prayed to die. ” Pliny, only 17 at the time, escaped the catastrophe and later became a prominent Roman writer and administrator. His uncle, Pliny the Elder, was less fortunate. Pliny the Elder, a famous naturalist, at the time of the eruption was the commander of the Roman fleet in the Bay of Naples. After Vesuvius exploded, he carried his ships across the bay to Stabiae, to investigate the eruption and reassure the terrified citizens. After going to the ground, the toxic gas overcame him and he died.
Neutral: How are you?
Hurricane Henri, or was it a tropical storm when it hit land? I can never keep track of these things: I was coming and going in New York on Sunday and Monday, and no trees fell on my car parked on the street. We need to appreciate the little things.