Rockets and TNT replace shells and bananas, but the fun factor remains.
The Georgia plant, a joint venture with LG Energy Solutions, was supposed to start producing EV batteries later this year, but now is likely to be delayed by up to three months. Around 475 workers, mostly South Korean nationals who work for LG, were arrested in last week’s ICE raid. President Trump reportedly is trying to mollify the situation.
The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit alleging that the ridehail company “routinely refuse to serve individuals with disabilities,” including people with service animals and stowable wheelchairs. Uber settled a previous lawsuit with the Biden administration over a similar issue, but clearly this is an ongoing problem with ridesharing.
There is a growing number of incidents of Tesla owners becoming trapped in their burning vehicles after crashes, thanks to flush door handles, electrical power, and mechanical releases. US regulators have taken little action despite complaints about Tesla’s door handles “piling up” in the federal government’s database, Bloomberg reports.
[Bloomberg]
The company is launching a new global ad campaign called “Ready Set Ford” that aims to put the spotlight on some its more under appreciated initiatives, like its Ford Pro commercial fleet business and its motorsports division. Ford is also pivoting from advertising that highlights its specific nameplates to a campaign that’s all about lifestyle, similar to how brands like Rivian are geared toward outdoorsy, adventure types. Lisa Materazzo, Ford Chief Marketing Officer, says:
We’ve identified distinct lifestyles that Ford can credibly and uniquely support, and going forward, they will inform decisions throughout the company from product design to retail experience.
Reddit users noticed that the Blue Oval appears to have deleted all the posts from its official Instagram account, as well as those dedicated to Bronco, trucks, EVs, and Mustang. Is the automaker just handing over control of its social media accounts to an outside PR company? Or is it planning to announce something big and wants to start from a blank slate? I’ve reached out to a few of the company’s media reps, and will report back if I hear anything.
Update 8:04PM ET: “We’ll have more to share soon,” says Ford spokesperson Dan Barbossa.
Politico reports that the company is seeking ridehailing permits from San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose airports. But this is a bit like putting the robo-cart before the horse. Tesla still hasn’t acquired permits from California’s DMV to operate a fully driverless robotaxi service in the state. Instead, it has safety monitors in the driver seat in all its ridehailing vehicles in the state.
