Europe's new carbon dioxide emissions rules have all but two automakers in a bit of a pickle, with some reportedly on track to not meet the 2025 emissions standards. A carrot-and-stick approach might be a short-term solution, but it won't work forever. To fill that missing middle ground, automakers will likely have to mass-produce hybrids, putting Toyota in a strong position.
Additionally, the impact of yesterday's rail blockade was likely averted due to government action, and car deliveries from Canada should continue, but that probably won't be good for the affected workers. Oh, and Hyundai has found a way to make the defroster invisible, which is pretty awesome.
Glad it's Friday, don't you think? We've got one more installment of The Morning Dump to get done before Matt returns on Tuesday, but until then, we'll bring you a neatly wrapped roundup of interesting automotive news tidbits.
Are hybrids the solution to European CO2 regulations?
If you already thought internal combustion engine cars were becoming more expensive in Europe, you might not be there yet. Amid a reported slowdown in EV demand, automakers are struggling to meet their 2025 carbon dioxide emissions targets and could face hefty fines, according to a report from Automotive News Europe. When faced with such problems, the solution is often carrot and stick, but hybrids may prove to be worth it. From Automotive News Europe:
Geely and Tesla are the only big European auto groups that are already behind their 2025 targets. Tesla will have no trouble hitting the target because it only sells zero-emission, all-electric cars, while Geely relies on the Volvo brand, which sells a large number of all-electric cars.
If only two brands stick to their targets, how can other brands strategically reduce sales of ICE vehicles to minimize fines? Unless they launch new products, reduced supply and higher prices of ICE vehicles may only be a short-term stop-gap measure. Dataforce analyst Benjamin Kibies said: “Car buyers should prepare for higher prices for petrol and diesel cars, but BEVs will become more affordable with the introduction of new models.”
This is a solution, but it could come at a cost without further product development to fill the missing middle. More EVs are good for the climate, but a short-term reduction in the number of affordable internal combustion engine vehicles could have social costs as higher new car prices drive up used car prices and potentially crowd out buyers from the market for newer models.
Plus, while Europeans may drive shorter distances than Americans, battery electric vehicles aren't always practical for those who can't charge at home or work. The ideal solution would be to mix in hybrids, reducing the number of fully electric cars needed to meet the target while still giving consumers choice. Toyota is probably onto something, because outside of Tesla and Geely, it's the closest it has come to meeting the 2025 EU target, thanks to its lineup packed with hybrids.
Hyundai unveils cool new glass
Reinventing the wheel can be a silly thing to do, but Hyundai has found a way to reinvent the defroster, and it's pretty awesome. By adding a metallic coating to the glass, Hyundai has made the defroster elements invisible, but the technology is way cooler than that. Not only does it block some of the sun's rays to keep your car cool, it also runs on 48 volts of power and defrosts surprisingly quickly.
The 48V system can fully defrost the glass surface in less than five minutes at -18°C – up to four times faster than traditional air conditioning systems, reducing energy consumption by approximately 10 percent. What's more, on hot days, the metallic coating can passively block at least 60 percent of the sun's energy, reducing the need for interior cooling and significantly improving energy efficiency.
I don't know what you think, but to me this seems like a big win. Of course, we don't know yet how much such a system will cost, but as battery electric vehicles continue to gain traction in the market, it will become increasingly important to solve the problem of power consumption of climate control in high-voltage systems. So don't be surprised if this technology is commercialized. Hyundai is also working on underfloor heating and nano-coated films that act like transparent window tints to reduce the temperature inside the car on hot days. So don't think that this new type of defroster is the only weapon in the automaker's arsenal.
(Editor's note: I recently drove an old (~2006) Range Rover and it had a little ripple on the windshield. Turns out it was a heated windshield! -DT).
Alpine secures second driver
Alpine are searching for a second F1 driver following Esteban Ocon's move to Haas in 2025, and have appointed reserve driver Jack Doohan to drive alongside Pierre Gasly for the upcoming F1 season. The 21-year-old Australian driver may not be a household name yet, but not only does he have motorsport in his blood, he also has some impressive track records that make him a promising candidate to compete at the FIA's top level of racing.
Doohan began his racing career in 2012 when Michael Schumacher gifted him a kart. Over the next few years he became the Australian Karting Champion for two consecutive years before moving to Europe and taking third place in the 2017 CIK-FIA European Karting Championship. From there, he took fifth place in the 2018 F4 British Championship, second place in the 2019 and 2020 F3 Asian Championships, and despite a tough 2020 FIA Formula 3 season, he took second place in the 2021 Formula 3 Championship. This is incredible considering Doohan was also competing in Formula 2 that year.
Having been named Alpine's reserve driver in 2022 and finishing third in the 2023 Formula 2 season, he seems capable of bringing in points for Alpine, as long as they're not in a terrible car. It's also pretty awesome that Jack Doohan is the son of five-time 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix World Champion Mick Doohan. Sometimes racing is in your blood.
Crisis averted
Remember yesterday when it was reported that Canadian railroad workers were locked out, which could have caused a shortage of new cars if it continued for too long? Naturally, in a dispute of this magnitude, you can expect government intervention. Automotive News reports that the Canadian federal government is forcing railroad workers and the railroad company to resolve at least some of the issues before they are forced to return to work.
For Canadians, this news will probably provoke a bit of a shocked reaction before we move on. For Americans, Section 107 of the Canadian Labour Code is likely to be unfamiliar, so let me explain. This section allows the Minister of Labour, the Canadian equivalent of the Minister of Labour, to “take any act which may be deemed to be necessary to maintain or secure the industrial peace and to promote conditions favourable to the settlement of industrial disputes or differences.” In this case, well, it can't be helped, as the loss of a major commercial corridor could affect the peace of a population exhausted by stagnant wages and an extreme housing bubble. A car shortage may be averted, but it could be a disservice to railroad workers who are actually affected by the initial measures.
What I'm listening to while writing TMD
There are a ton of great rap songs about cars, and Curren$y knows it all. With project titles like “The Owners Manual” and “Gran Turismo,” some great car bars, his own R/C hobby shop, and an impressive car collection that includes a Sacco-era Benz with AMG parts, a pace car C5 Corvette, an Impala SS, a lowrider build, and a near-perfect 4th gen Camaro, he's probably the biggest car guy in the business. Looking for the best place to listen to his discography? Check out “Showroom” from his 2012 album, The Stoned Immaculate. With bars like “latest invoices, mileage records/Handbook on the console, I know it all,” it's hard not to say a big “yes” to this track.
The big question
Everyone needs a song to go off to, so what will you be singing as you leave work at the end of this week’s work week?
(Photos provided by Toyota, Hyundai, Alpine, and Honda)
