This week Sam and Robbie both have large, luxury, three-row SUVs with turbocharged inline-six cylinder engines. Robbie has the BMW X7 and Sam has the Cadillac Escalade Platinum diesel. In the news we have the winners of the 2024 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards. Ford also bumps up pricing on the F-150 Lightning again, only a few EVs retain tax credit eligibility for 2024, Porsche is making a faster Taycan, Stellantis is quiting auto shows and Tesla is cutting the estimated ranges of its EVs to something more realistic. Motor Trend drives the BYD Seal in Mexico and a University of Michigan study says you won't save money driving an EV if you fast charge. Links NACTOY 2024 winners Ford Lightning prices on the rise again Which EVs are still eligible for tax credits New track focused Porsche Taycan BYD Seal first drive at MT Stellantis done with auto shows UofM TCO study Tesla lowers range estimates  


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Wheel Bearings is a podcast about cars and transportation hosted by Sam Abuelsamid, Nicole Wakelin and Roberto Baldwin

Automotive

Games & Hobbies

Leisure

Robbie is back from Japan and driving the BMW i5 M60. Nicole jumps from last week's Suburban into the Nissan Altima and Sam had the Cadillac Lyriq with new better door handles and fully functional software. 

In the news, will Rivian partner with Apple on something? Infotainment, ADAS? Will the US impose 100% tarrifs on Chinese made EVs? Ford is scaling back orders for EV batteries, but how much are they really losing per electric vehicle? On the combustion side, nearly 1/4 of F-150s are now hybrids. The aftermath of Tesla gutting its charging team is still playing out as other companies scramble to pick up the pieces. Cadillac has a new documentary about its Le Mans racing program and Hyundai steps in to save Motional and its automated driving efforts. Finally ZF had a technology demo day and Sam got to try out some cool stuff. 

Links

Apple and Rivian to partner?
100% Tariffs on Chinese EVs?
Ford Cuts Battery Orders, How Much Are They Really Losing on EVs?
Nearly 1/4 of F-150s now hybrid
It's all about the charging
BP Pulse and Shell interested in Supercharger sites
No Perfect Formula Trailer
Trying to get a speeding ticket in a slow car
ZF Demo Day
Hyundai spending nearly $1B to keep Motional driving

Nissan Altima Review

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A Little Digital Kiss

As Robbie and his wife celebrate 18 years of marriage with a vacation in Japan, we're joined this week by our friend Jill Ciminillo. Jill shares her thoughts on one of the most affordable new cars still offered for sale in the US, the Nissan Versa SR. Nicole hwas been driving something nearly large enough to hold a Versa inside, the Chevrolet Suburban High Country and Sam has the Infiniti QX55 with its silly dual screen infotainment system. 

We also have a first drive review of the new 2024 Chevrolet Traverse and a discussion of why Mercedes-Benz won't be adopting the next-generation Apple Carplay. That rolls into a discussion of GM's decision to drop Carplay support from its EVs. NHTSA is looking into why there were two fatal crashes of vehicles running Ford's hands-free BlueCruise system. Tesla has fired its whole Charging team. By 2029 all new vehicles in the US will need automatic emergency braking systems capable of working at speeds up to 90 mph. The woes for Fisker Ocean owners continue with a lack of parts availability. 

Links

2024 Chevrolet Traverse
Mercedes-Benz Won't Let CarPlay Take Over
NHTSA Investigating BlueCruise
Tesla fires supercharger team
Tesla fires supercharger team
AEB up to 90 mph to be mandatory by 2029
Fisker Ocean totalled over a $910 door ding
Fisker cannibalizing prototypes for service parts

Chevy Blazer EV infotainment demo

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The Girl In The Trunk

Nicole is back and she shares her impressions of driving a Lynk&Co 01 that she and her husband rented in France during their vacation. Robbie will have more to share next week about the BMW i5 and Sam has driven the Land Rover Defender 110 and Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray.

In the news, the Ram TRX has been shelved for now, but Ram has a six-cylinder powered version called the RHO. Mercedes-Benz has revealed an all-electric version of the new G-Wagen with four motors. There were several interesting reveals at the 2024 Beijing Motor Show and some of them might make it to North America. The Mini Aceman is all electric, but it doesn't directly replace the discontinued Clubman. The Mazda EZ-6 is a great looking electric sedan that should come to America along with the Buick Electra L and LT. While the design of the Toyota bZ4X is polarizing, the bZ3C and bZ3X are much more appealing. Honda and its partners will invest $11 billion into an EV production ecosystem in Alliston, Ontario and NHTSA has closed one Tesla Autopilot investigation and opened up another. 

Links

Lynk & Co 01
2025 Ram 1500 RHO
Tesla Autopilot has caused hundreds of crashes, dozens of fatalities
Mini Aceman
Mazda EZ-6
Toyota BZ3C and BZ3X
Buick Electra L, LT concepts
Honda $11B investment in Canada EV production
Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen EQ

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Finding The Hidden Charge Port

Nicole is still cruising European rivers so it's just the boys this week. Robbie drove the Range Rover Sport and used a Ford Transit to get his bands to Salt Lake City for a couple of shows (hence why there was no episode last week). Sam has been driving the Subaru CrossTrek Wilderness. 

In the news, VW workers in Tennessee join the UAW, and Mercedes-Benz is voting next. Toyota launches a 6th gen 4Runner. Sam sees the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X in person and talks with Designworks CEO Julia de Bono. Kia is testing the EV3 and it may sticker for under $35,000. GM launches its vehicle to home charging products. Alfa Romeo unveils its first EV as the Milano and almost immediately changes the name. Back in the 1980s, Porsche was developing a Miata competitor before the Mazda launched. Maserati shows off the stunning Gran Cabrio Folgore and Honda is launching a new design language for its Ye EVs in China. 

Links

VW Workers in Tennessee Vote for UAW, M-B next?
2025 Toyota 4Runner
BMW Vision Neue Klasse X
Soapy Cybertruck Recall
Kia EV3 may be under $35,000
GM Launches V2H products
Alfa Romeo Launches Milano EV, Quickly Renames it Junior
What if Porsche built a Miata Competitor?
Maserati Gran Cabrio Folgore
Honda Ye EVs for China

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No Soap Please

This week Nicole and her husband compare the 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4XE to their 2022 model that they own. Robbie takes the Kia EV9 on a snowboarding trip and is unimpressed by the new Lincoln Nautilus. Sam drives the 2024 Polestar 2 dual motor performance model. Nicole shares her impressions of driving the updated Jeep Gladiator in Moab and Hyundai has unveiled a race version of the Ioniq 5 N. Friend of the show Alex Dykes shares his impressions of a Fisker Ocean he rented on Turo. Chevrolet officially prices the Silverado EV RST first edition and cuts the price by $10K from what was originally announced while JerryRigEverything goes 460 miles on a charge. Tesla kills its $25K car to focus on a robotaxi and Ford delays its next EVs by up to 2 years. Our friend Tommy Mica from TFL decides to driving his 1915 Model T in the snow and a listener asks about a Mitsubishi pickup truck in California. Links IONIQ 5 N eN1 Cup car 2024 Jeep Gladiator Alex on Fisker, 12V problems and broken vents 460 Miles in the Silverado EV RST Chevy Cuts Silverado EV RST price by $10K Tesla scraps $25K EV Ford delays next-gen EVs up to 2 years Driving a Model T in the snow Mitsubishi Triton

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