DEARBORN, MI — Technicians soon will be trained how to service and maintain the all-electric Mustang Mach-E without need to access a physical model with a new virtual reality training tool from Ford and Bosch.
RIDGEVILLE, SC — Volvo will build its own U.S. battery assembly plant as it readies a line of electric vehicles for the market. The expansion is part of a previously announced $600 million project by the Swedish automaker, which includes a second production line and Volvo Car University.
One of the main issues in the recent strike against General Motors revolved around the increasing electrification of automobiles. The shift to electric- and hybrid-powered vehicles is expected to radically alter the shape of the auto industry in the decade ahead. It will also change the look of assembly lines.
For decades, batteries have powered everything from toys and toothbrushes to personal electronics and power tools. But, that's just scratching the surface. During the next decade, advanced batteries will be mass-produced for a wide variety of new applications on land, sea and air.
During the next decade, more automakers will be adopting 48-volt electrical systems to keep up with evolving driver-assist options, onboard entertainment features and other power-sapping applications. Growing demand for mild-hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs) is also behind the trend.
TOULOUSE, France—Inspired by auto racing's popular Formula E series, Air Race E plans to hold its first series of competitions in 2020 in partnership with Airbus.
In the early days of commercial aviation, thousands of inventors and tinkerers developed multiple schemes for flying machines. A few ideas worked, but many others never got off the ground.
When most people think of leak testing, one childhood event probably comes to mind: Submerging a filled bicycle inner tube in a sink full of water, hoping to find the exact leak location by following a trail of air bubbles.
ORION TOWNSHIP, MI—A General Motors Co. manufacturing plant in Metro Detroit that was idled during the Detroit automaker’s federally induced bankruptcy is now one of the keys to GM’s future, reports The Detroit News. Orion Assembly is one of two plants where GM is investing $100 million in total to retool for Cruise AV production. The other is the Brownstown battery assembly plant, where roof modules for the Cruise AV are built.
At the recent Geneva Motor Show, vehicle electrification was a leading topic of conversation. While automakers aren’t giving up on the good-old internal combustion engine just yet, they’re investing billions of dollars to develop fully electric systems that are reliable, safe and cost-effective to assemble.