Stellantis plans more North American battery plants, Mitsubishi has another Outlander Sport replacement up its sleeve, China’s car market is slowing down. All this and more in today’s issue of The Morning Dump.
Welcome to The Morning Dump, bite-sized stories corralled into a single article for your morning perusal. If your morning coffee’s working a little too well, pull up a throne and have a gander at the best of the rest of yesterday.
Stellantis Will Build Two More North American Battery Plants
Building a ton of EVs first requires building a ton of batteries, so Stellantis is already looking to expand its North American network of battery plants. Reuters reports that the auto group is looking at building two more North American battery plants by the end of the decade.
The automaker has already announced two joint-venture battery plants – one in Indiana and the other in Canada – and will need two more plants in the United States, Canada or Mexico, [North American chief operating officer] Mark Stewart said at a Reuters Events auto conference in Detroit. The first two plants are scheduled to launch in 2025.
“By quarter two, quarter three of ’26, if the market continues on the path that it’s on, we’ll need the third plant online by late ’26, early ’27. We are already in discussions for plant No. 3 and possibly plant No. 4. We will need four plants by 2030.”
What’s really interesting is that Stellantis is open to battery partners for new plants that don’t necessarily have to be the same partners as the ones for its first two North American battery plants. The auto group’s partnered with LG Energy for its Windsor, Ontario battery plant, and Samsung SDI for its Indiana battery plant. A diverse mix of battery plant partners should help mitigate any future supply issues, but it could also mean more work if cell chemistry varies from partner to partner.
Mitsubishi Previews Another Outlander Sport Replacement
While Mitsubishi’s hasty rebadging of the Renault Captur to make the new European-market ASX seems a bit sloppy, it’s not the only replacement for the Outlander Sport. ASEAN markets are getting something entirely different and according to Mitsubishi, it could come to North America.
“In the future, we plan to add an electrified variant to the lineup and to also roll it out in regions outside ASEAN. We hope to grow the model from a vehicle for the ASEAN market to a global strategic vehicle, making it a core model like the sales-leading Xpander crossover MPV.”
This future Outlander Sport replacement is previewed by the XFC Concept, an all-new, all-Mitsubishi approach to the subcompact crossover segment. You know, it actually looks quite nice. The trapezoidal grille isn’t nearly as fussy as the current family face, while the minimal black cladding is equally tasteful. Expect a production version to launch in 2023, while the XFC Concept will make its first public appearance at the Vietnam Motor Show from Oct. 26 to 30.
China’s Car Market Is Slowing Down
Trends in China’s car market could foreshadow an eventual new car inventory rebuild in North America. Reuters reports that weakening consumer demand in China is leading to stocked dealer lots.
Automakers had delivered 1 million vehicles to dealers in China over the first nine months of this year, a record volume for the world’s largest auto market, analysts at China Merchants Bank International (CMBI) said.
In September, deliveries to dealers rose by 33%, while retail sales climbed only 9%, meaning that inventories on dealer lots jumped, a trend that could create an overhang that will weigh on sales next year, they said.
“We expect China’s wholesale volume to fall in 2023, with more significant decline for internal-combustion engine (ICE) vehicles than this year.”
Signs of softening demand in China’s market emerge as the economy weakens. China’s auto sales growth slowed in September while EV sales rose at their slowest pace in five months.
Mounting supply and falling demand is typically a good thing, as it puts consumers at an advantage in negotiating sale price. Should a similar situation happen in America, expect cash to come back on the hoods of cars to spur demand. While the used car market is still destined to be messed up for a long time, more normalcy in the new car market isn’t out of the question.
UAW To Hold Direct Election
The Detroit Free Press reports that United Auto Workers union members are about to participate in a direct election of union leaders, a massive change from the way things used to be.
The direct election, a result of the fallout from the corruption scandal that sent ex-union officials and auto executives to prison, involves candidates for president, secretary-treasurer, vice president and regional directors and was made possible following a successful referendum vote on changing the way leaders are picked.
Previously, the union’s top leaders were selected by delegates at union conventions, but at the UAW convention in Detroit this summer, delegates nominated candidates for office instead, setting up the current election through a process known as “one member, one vote.”
The first batch of mailings started on Monday, so more than 900,000 union members should receive their ballots soon. The UAW monitor plans to mail out another 100,000 ballots in the next few days, meaning more than a million unionized auto workers will be able to vote for their next leaders. If you’re a UAW member, don’t forget to fill out your ballot.
The Flush
Whelp, time to drop the lid on today’s edition of The Morning Dump. Happy Wednesday, we’re halfway through the week. Today I’d love to ask you what your favorite underrated driving song is. While classic icons like Golden Earring’s “Radar Love” often come up in driving song conversations, I’d love to shed some light on the hidden gems out there. Whether cruising through the city at night listening to Nas’ “The World Is Yours” or dropping a gear when “Woman” by Wolfmother comes on the stereo, there really are driving songs to suit every mood and situation imaginable.
Lead photo credit: Jeep
Carpenter Brut’s “Turbo Killer” for me.
Wanna drive fast? Blackout by Scorpions will facilitate that.
Driving tunes:
The Rockefeller Skank by Fatboy Slim – (all time favorite)
Paradise City by G ‘n R – (all time second favorite)
Yellow Line (Redline Soundtrack) – Played every time I have to drive through Atlanta.
Knife Fight by Lemon Demon – The only song that’s actually caused me to get pulled over for speeding.
Flush:
Speed Queen by Thunderpussy
Nationwide by ZZ Top
Must not be many Autopians who drive in city traffic…
“Move B*tch” – Ludacris
if you drive the speed limit get the **** outta my way…
I can’t get Motorway to Roswell by the Pixies out of my head today, so that’s my vote.
Lawyers, Guns, and Money – Warren Zevon.
Willin’ by Little Feat (obvious answer is obvious)
With the BEVs Stellantis has announced recently I don’t think they’ll need the capacity.
That being said apparently the electric Ram Promaster should be coming to the very US soon and I believe that’ll sell great! I just want them to sell me a 118″ WB low roof BEV Promaster. I’d gladly get one provided it can L2 charge.
Stellantis on EVs reminds me of that kid in college who goes out and buys every album he can after the first time he hears Coltrane.
I NEVER CARED ABOUT THIS AND NOW IT IS ALL I CARE ABOUT.
Is Fuel by Metallica too obvious?
Yes, but who cares, it rocks.
Flush: I guess these are obvious but they are my go-tos:
Running Down a Dream – Tom Petty
One Headlight – The Wallflowers
I can’t Drive 55 – Sammy Hager
Red Barchetta – Rush
Highway to Hell – AC/DC
Shut Up and Drive – Rihanna
Sausalito Summer Night – Diesel
Qué Onda Guero by Beck is perfect while crusin in my 68 Charger
Good news about the Union vote. We could all use a little more Democracy right now.
I know it’s hackneyed, but Air of the Night by Phil Collins is one of my faves. Also, Hot Rod Lincoln by Commander Cody.
Now listen to me son you’re gonna drive me to drinkin if you don’t stop drivin that
Hot
Rod
Lincoln!
The guy next to me was white as a ghost.
Deep Purple – knocking at your back door
Metallica – ride the lightning
KISS – Detroit rock city
Flush:
Jessica – The Allman Brothers – was a favorite driving song of mine before I was aware that Top Gear used it as their theme song. Great tune for noodling around in a drop-top on a sunny fall day.
Steve Vai – The Audience is Listening – Can’t help but put the hammer down when I hear this one.
Red Barchetta – Rush – How did you guess this was a favorite of mine?
The Flush: Ghost Town Blues and Machine Gun Blues by Social Distortion. 302 Cubic Inch V8 Powered Blues by Zeke (actually, Zeke’s entire catalog really)
I dont know what the kids listen to these days (and I try hard to keep it that way). ut my favorite driving songs from my youth, in no particular order:
Smashing Pumpkins – Cherub Rock
Yes – Roundabout
Soundgarden – the whole Superunknown album from start to finish
These are great choices.
forgot to add one:
The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary (thanks to Gran Turismo 3)
Antarcticans Thawed, by Sleep. Massive riffs, chanted lyrics, massive riffs. Spent a lot of the last two years commuting with Sleep.
Flush:
Queens Of The Stone Age – Go With The Flow
Outkast – Bombs Over Baghdad
Make It Wit Chu is also a great cruising song
Glad to see some QOTSA love here. I think they’re the best pure rock band of the last 25 years. Saw them on the …Like Clockwork tour in 2013 (or was it 14?) and again as a Riot Fest headliner in 2017. Absolutely amazing sets both times. It seems like everything Josh Homme touches turns to gold…the dude is the living embodiment of rock and roll
I saw them back on the Era Vulgaris tour and it was awesome. I’m also a huge fan of the Them Crooked Vultures record, and the first Eagle of Death Metal record
“One of these Days” off the album “Meddle” by Pink Floyd. Great opening riff leading into a driving slide guitar. Good luck keeping your foot out of the throttle!
Rush – Red Barchetta
Springsteen – Born to Run
AC/DC – shoot to thrill
Shoot To Thrill is the best song AC/DC ever made and no one is changing my mind.
Thunderstruck is way up there too but I agree with you
Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue or Dragula by Rob Zombie come on the radio, and suddenly, I’m in danger of getting a ticket.
Kickstart My Heart will always be a driving song for me because of the association with Gran Turismo 3!
I really prefer the live version off Decade of Decadence to the studio version. The live version has some more balls behind it.
1). If Stellantis moves quickly on EVs does that mean there may be some hope that some of those glorious V8s will live? Companies that have done a lot of electrification (Ford and BMW come to mind) have made it clear that they’ll keep building V8s for a few years because their CAFE numbers remain reasonable. Correct me if I’m wrong-but if Stellantis gets theirs down in quick order there shouldn’t be anything stopping them from keeping production going on the 5.7 and 6.4, right? Or even the Hellcat?
2). It looks *fine* I guess? One of our neighbors went out and bought a brand new Mitsubishi this year and I’d love to have a conversation with them about it. What exactly inspired a consumer to do that in 2022? My main issues with their lineup are the total of 0 performance options and CVTs for days…and if I was in the market for an appliance I don’t see what would inspire me to look at a Mitsubishi when Honda and Toyota exist.
3). Fingers crossed that we get some of that over here! Buying my GTI for 3 grand off MSRP at 0% APR in 2020 feels like it might as well have been a decade ago at this point. Totally different worlds.
4). I like this idea a lot. Unions are a good thing, but like pretty much everything else in this world they can be ruined by a handful of authoritarian whackos who are in it only for themselves.
The Flush: easy one here for me-Jesus Built My Hotrod by Ministry. It’s a nonsensical, pulse increasing, riff fest, barn burner of a song that’s vaguely car related. It’s a fun and not too serious song that’s perfect for driving in a fun and not too serious manner.
The Mitsubishi is cheaper than Honda and Toyota.
Cheaper today? Yes. Cheaper in the long run? Probably not, unless the brand has a renaissance.
Oooo, Jesus Built My Hotrod – that’s a good one! Probably my favorite video of the Headbanger’s Ball era.
Slayer’s Reign In Blood fits my driving mood anytime.