Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - (Page 16) 16 • AUGUST 18, 2008 ADVERTISING STAFF Mitsubishi plans plant to meet battery demand Hans Greimel hgreimel@crain.com TOKYO — The race for lithium ion batteries is heating up, with Mitsubishi Motors Corp. saying it will build a plant to meet an expected fivefold increase in demand. The factory will open after April 2009 and have initial output of 200,000 battery cells a year, or enough for 2,000 cars. Mitsubishi will ramp up capacity to equip 10,000 vehicles “shortly afterward,” amid higher hopes for its i MiEV electric vehicle, the company said in a statement. Need Salespeople, Tech’s, Managers & Other Employees? The Auto Industry’s #1 Recruiting, Training & Marketing Company Salespeople~BDC~Detailer~Porter~Technician Body Tech~Service Advisor~Service Manager Parts Counter~Parts Manager~Sales Manager Finance Manager~Office Staff~GSM~GM 800-421-4550 www.clickhereforadvice.com Brian C. Hall, President & CEO Mitsubishi’s new factory will be operated by Lithium Energy Japan, a joint venture with GS Yuasa Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp. It will be in the western prefecture of Shiga. Plans had called for GS Yuasa to make the batteries at an existing plant in Kyoto, with annual output for 1,000 vehicles. But the partners decided that a bigger plant was needed to meet growing demand. The four-passenger i MiEV, which runs on lithium ion batteries, goes on sale in Japan next summer. The car also will be tested in California this year to evaluate a U.S. launch. The zero-emissions i MiEV is the centerpiece of Mitsubishi’s effort to leapfrog Japanese rivals in the green car race. Lithium ion batteries are seen as the key because they are lighter and more powerful than the current nickel-metal hydride batteries used in hybrid vehicles. Rivals also are developing lithium ion batteries. Nissan has a venture with NEC Corp. and plans to start production next year. Toyota is teaming with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. on its own battery technology.c “ Short term, I think General Motors, Ford and Chrysler will be fine. But when I look out over the next four or five years, it’s absolutely impossible to be anything but pessimistic about where they are heading. Circulation 313-446-0450 Advertising 313-446-6050 Classified Advertising 313-446-6065, 800-388-1800 Web site www.autonews.com ADVERTISING AND SALES DETROIT 1155 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, MI 48207-2997 313-446-6790 Fax: 313-446-8030 BUZZ HARGROVE Canadian Auto Workers ” Hargrove forecast: Good for now, bad for long term Retiring CAW boss: Asians will win, if markets don’t open David Barkholz dbarkholz@crain.com Hargrove’s history Name: Basil “Buzz” Hargrove, 64 Title: President Canadian Auto Workers Tenure: 26 years as president when he retires Sept. 6 Accomplishment: Has grown the CAW from 170,000 members in 1992 to 255,000 nationally, despite losses in the auto industry Failure: Canadian government has ignored the CAW’s arguments for limiting vehicle imports from outside North America Canadian Auto Workers President Buzz Hargrove won’t enter retirement quietly. In an interview before his Sept. 6 retirement, the fiery union leader said the Detroit 3 should survive their immediate cash crises without Chapter 11 reorganization. But no amount of cost cutting can prevent them from slowly succumbing to Asian imports unless they can get Japan and South Korea to open their markets fully to North American imports. That’s best accomplished, Hargrove said, by allowing foreign-based carmakers to build all the cars they want in North America but requiring their home countries to import the same dollar volume of cars and parts from North American carmakers as the foreign carmakers sell here. “Short term, I think General Motors, Ford and Chrysler will be fine,” he said. “But when I look out over the next four or five years, it’s absolutely impossible to be anything but pessimistic about where they are heading.” In July, Toyota Motor Corp.’s sales in Canada topped those of Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC, trailing only GM’s. Rick Greer Director of Sales and Marketing rgreer@crain.com 313-446-6050 Kathleen C. 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Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60601-3806 Fax: 312-649-5265 CONFERENCES and a lower new-hire wage structure by getting its agreements before the June and July vehicle sales collapse spread fear among workers. Canada’s largest union kept wages and benefits for its 40,000 auto workers intact at north of $80 an hour vs. about $75 an hour for UAW members. On the negative side, it took GM all of two weeks to violate its contract by announcing the closure of its Oshawa, Ontario, truck plant, which the company had committed to keep open, Hargrove said. 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Reprints Mike Shober, The YGS Group, 800-494-9051, Ext. 100 automotivenews@theygsgroup.com Microfilm ProQuest Information and Learning Co. 800-521-0600 Worst moment That stunning announcement rivaled the 1996 strike against GM as his worst moment as a union leader, he said. Hargrove was accused by rank-and-file members of secretly knowing about the plan but keeping it quiet to gain ratification of the GM contract. “I had the rug pulled out from under me. How could you not be disappointed in that?” Hargrove said. In the face of a grievance to Canada’s labor relations board, GM subsequently agreed to put future product in the automaker’s Oshawa car plant. That will partially offset the projected loss of 2,600 jobs at the pickup plant when it closes in 2009. GM’s Oshawa car plant makes the Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Impala sedans. In the fourth quarter, it is scheduled to begin building the Chevrolet Camaro. c Hargrove’s handoff Hargrove, 64, is retiring after 26 years at the helm of the CAW. His successor is likely to be Ken Lewenza, another firebrand from Windsor, Ontario. Lewenza is president of CAW Local 444 in Windsor. Hargrove is leaving on a decidedly mixed note. Sensing the onset of an automotive recession, he locked up new three-year labor contracts this spring with the Detroit 3 months ahead of the old contract expirations. He said the CAW may have avoided UAW-like retiree health care reforms PRODUCTION Terry Driscoll, Production Manager tdriscoll@crain.com, 313-446-6062 Larry Williams, Production Supervisor AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE www.autonewseurope.com Jason Stein, Publisher jstein@craincom.de/+49-8153-907522 Nina Sauer, Sales and Marketing Director nsauer@craincom.de/+49-6992-884646 AUTOMOBILWOCHE www.automobilwoche.de Helmut Kluger, Publisher hkluger@craincom.de/+49-8153-907402 Thomas Heringer Sales and Marketing Director theringer@craincom.de/+49-8153-907404 http://www.autonews.com http://www.autonews.com http://www.clickhereforadvice.com http://www.autonews.com/green http://www.autonews.com/green http://www.autonews.com http://www.autonews.com/subscribe.htm http://www.autonewseurope.com http://www.insigniagroup.com/guarantee http://www.automobilwoche.de http://www.insigniagroup.com/guarantee
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - August 18, 2008 Automotive News - August 18, 2008 Smart answer: A tiny Hyundai from India Toyota idles factories — but can't lay anybody off Sharing the pain N. America: Brembo's big break? Ford adds 7 preferred suppliers; total rises to 65 Suit: Report of store's death is premature Lincoln crossover will get MKT nameplate Ligocki will head Mexican/Chinese car deal Industry tries lean lobbying at conventions Ford reins in F-150 order combinations Nissan will buy more in Mexico Leland, master of precision and luxury cars Honda will launch Prius fighter in April Porsche bolsters warranty on pre-owned vehicles CTS wagon arrives in spring GM: Aerodynamic design boosts Volt's range Denso is Chrysler 'Supplier of Choice' Kudos to Ford for improving supplier relations How do we define 'automaker'? Concept of leasing had been polluted Totaled cars: We don't need a new law Hybrids too quiet? Sounds like trouble Marketing tips for the 21st century Scion tries to get leg up when flexing its hip Scion ads show community of cool — but no owners July trucks sales fall; rate of decline slows Hargrove forecast: Good for now, bad for long term Mitsubishi plans plant to meet battery demand Mini Cooper D(iesel) delivers, but not here yet Logistics company's goal: Cut fuel use even more Transporter joins the cars it delivers in going green Saturn, Scion lost that special feeling Expert: CAFE debate irrelevant Chrysler plans unibody, fuel-efficient Grand Cherokee Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix Toyota revs up its aftermarket parts business Dealers Who's that sporting Brembos now? Moody's cuts GM rating Analyst Merkle moves Ford will sell stock BMW recalls 320,000 vehicles Intermet in Chapter 11 again GM adds 4 XFE models Delphi ends battery venture Chamco cases bounce around court system Mercedes sues Cobasys over batteries For a while, the party's over at Toyota Buy Hummer? Nyet, says Russian automaker What cars will be the cruisers of tomorrow? GM sets 'em up for Dems, GOP Chung sprung A good day at work: $22 million Automotive News - August 18, 2008 Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - (Page Intro) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Sharing the pain (Page 1) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Sharing the pain (Page 2) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Ligocki will head Mexican/Chinese car deal (Page 3) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Nissan will buy more in Mexico (Page 4) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Nissan will buy more in Mexico (Page 5) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - CTS wagon arrives in spring (Page 6) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - CTS wagon arrives in spring (Page 7) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Denso is Chrysler 'Supplier of Choice' (Page 8) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Denso is Chrysler 'Supplier of Choice' (Page 9) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Denso is Chrysler 'Supplier of Choice' (Page 10) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Denso is Chrysler 'Supplier of Choice' (Page 11) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Totaled cars: We don't need a new law (Page 12) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Totaled cars: We don't need a new law (Page 13) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Marketing tips for the 21st century (Page 14) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Marketing tips for the 21st century (Page 14a) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Marketing tips for the 21st century (Page 14b) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - July trucks sales fall; rate of decline slows (Page 15) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Mitsubishi plans plant to meet battery demand (Page 16) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Mitsubishi plans plant to meet battery demand (Page 17) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Saturn, Scion lost that special feeling (Page 18) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Saturn, Scion lost that special feeling (Page 19) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Saturn, Scion lost that special feeling (Page 20) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Saturn, Scion lost that special feeling (Page 21) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Chrysler plans unibody, fuel-efficient Grand Cherokee (Page 22) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix (Page 23) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix (Page 24) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix (Page 25) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix (Page 26) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix (Page 27) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Dealers (Page 28) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Who's that sporting Brembos now? (Page 29) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Delphi ends battery venture (Page 30) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Delphi ends battery venture (Page 31) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Mercedes sues Cobasys over batteries (Page 32) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Mercedes sues Cobasys over batteries (Page 33) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - A good day at work: $22 million (Page 34) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - A good day at work: $22 million (Page 35) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - A good day at work: $22 million (Page 36)
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