Honda confirms it has a new CEO

Honda has a new CEO, Kia begins its Carnival and Renault action. All this and more The morning shift for February 19, 2021.

1st gear: Honda confirms it has a new CEO

That it was only Wednesday this week when sources told Reuters that Honda’s head of research and development would become its CEO, news that Honda denied. Except that now Honda’s head of R&D has become its new CEO, he confirmed the company with a press conference and all.

Apparently, this is an attempt to keep up with Teslas.

From Reuters:

Honda Motor Co., Japan’s second-largest automaker, said on Friday that its chief executive, Takahiro Hachigo, would step down and be replaced by Toshihiro Mibe, its head of research and development, on 1 ‘April.

Mibe, 59, who has worked with Hachigo to drive structural reforms, has been president of the R&D unit since 2019, following initiatives in engine development and the drive train business after incorporating joined the company in 1987.

“We would consider using external expertise or potential alliances among other actions to make decisions without hesitation,” Mibe said at a news conference calling for the “great transformation of Honda at high speed.”

His appointment, first reported by Reuters this week, comes when Honda has competencies for all-electric vehicles and faces competition from new entrants and tech giants like Tesla, Apple and Amazon.

“He’s been looking to the future, a direction Honda should take,” Hachigo told the conference, attributing Mibe’s experience in environmental technology and energy and his attention to change as reasons for the choice.

Honda is in a weird midpoint, where, in many ways, it’s fine, but in five years you could see it get stuck if the transformation into electric cars is taken advantage of and left as: Come and buy the Honda Insight ”.

2nd team: Kia Carnival is coming!

The artist formerly known as the Kia Sedona it’s not a minivan, silly. It is a “Multipurpose vehicle”, a term that has been around for a while, but that always makes me fall. Are all vehicles versatile?

Anyway, Kia has started the climb.

From Automotive news:

The Carnival will be unveiled on February 23 and will be the first vehicle in the United States to feature the new Kia logo and badge.

Kia said the MPV Carnival will push “the boundaries of design and innovation to become a multifaceted and unexpected companion.”

Based on a preview image released by Kia, it will offer three rows of seats, space for seven or eight passengers and a “bold and drawer” style that resembles the brand’s latest commercial vehicles, such as Telluride, Sorento and Seltos.

The changes are designed to stay viable in a market that moves away from traditional minivans and adopts crossovers and SUVs. While the minivan segment continues to shrink, it remains a key entry point for some brands for buyers, especially families, who want more functionality (think of multiple cup holders and storage containers), more flexible seats and easier entry and exit in a vehicle.

An “unexpected companion” is my favorite description of a new minivan probably forever.

3rd gear: Renault has record losses

For most car manufacturers, this would be bad news. Jondeed, is also for Renault. It’s just that Renault is the type of company – partly owned by France itself – which I like persist through thick and thin and always be with us.

All that means is we probably shouldn’t worry too much because Renault predicts very bad things for 2021.

From the Financial Times:

Renault suffered a record loss of 8 billion euros in 2020 and has warned of a difficult year ahead of slowing demand and the global shortage of microchips that has shaken the industry.

The carmaker and its alliance partner Nissan, which contributes to the French group’s revenue, were hit hard during the first half of last year as the pandemic affected demand across Europe.

The net loss was worse than the € 7.8 billion forecast by analysts, but performance improved from July and Renault described 2020 as a “year of contrasts”.

Operating margin was 3.5 percent during the second half of the year and Renault generated a positive operating cash flow for the automobile, although the company still suffered a net loss of 660 million. of euros.

It has been a year of contrasts. I still can’t believe it the Twingo is dead.

4th gear: Daimler is not based on its brand of electric cars in China

China has made fairly rapid progress toward electric vehicles, but somehow Daimler’s EV brand, Denza, isn’t doing as much heat. Bloomberg he says that Daimler now puts the mark “on notice.”

Daimler AG CEO Ola Kallenius said the success of Denza’s latest crossover will determine the future prospects of the Chinese electric car brand with partner BYD Co. Ltd., after years of meager sales.

“Cash investment is behind us” for the model, Kallenius told reporters on Thursday. “Now we look at how Denza develops and then we make decisions.”

Denza’s lukewarm demand for electric vehicles has raised concerns, as carmaker Mercedes-Benz is working to increase performance. BYD declined to comment.

Daimler and BYD established the brand a decade ago to take advantage of the growth of the Chinese new energy vehicle market. Although sales have taken off, fierce competition in price-sensitive volume segments poses a challenge in terms of profitability.

5th gear: Uber is still bad

The headline appears this Reuters story it’s so simple it’s almost shocking. “Uber drivers who are entitled to workers’ rights and the UK’s main courts rule on the business model.” As in the case, Uber’s entire business model is exploiting its employees.

A group of Uber drivers are entitled to workers’ rights, such as the minimum wage, the British Supreme Court said on Friday in a coup against the assistance service that has ramifications for millions of others in the concerted economy .

In a case led by two former Uber drivers, a London labor court ruled in 2016 that they had rights that also included paid leave and breaks.

Currently, Uber drivers are treated as self-employed, meaning that by law they are only offered minimal protection, a status that the Silicon Valley-based company has long sought to maintain in a legal dispute.

“The Supreme Court unanimously dismisses Uber’s appeal,” Judge George Leggatt said Friday.

[…]

According to lawyers, it could take several months to work out the details of Friday’s decision at a new labor court hearing to resolve the practical issues about the amounts owed to drivers.

The Leigh Day law firm says eligible drivers may be entitled to an average compensation of £ 12,000 ($ 16,780). It represents more than 2,000 potential plaintiffs.

Uber just can’t defend itself.

Reverse: John Paul Jr.

It’s the birthday of the last car driver. He had a strange life.