Biologist Answers More Biology Questions From Twitter
Biologist Thor Hanson is back to answer even more of the internet's burning questions about biology. What even are murder hornets? Do female mammals get monthly periods? Is it possible to bring back extinct species? Is coral really an animal? Thor answers all these questions and much more!
news.yahoo.comStellantis announces indefinite layoffs at Sterling Heights stamping plant
STERLING HEIGHTS, MI -- Stellantis has announced plans to layoff an unspecified amount of workers from its Sterling Heights stamping plant, according to WXYZ-Detroit. The automaker called the layoffs “indefinite” meaning there is no timetable for when impacted workers can expect to resume normal shifts. WXYZ reports 1,977 hourly and 207 salaried workers are employed at the Sterling Heights plant. The layoffs will begin on Monday, June 20. The state must “raise the level of our game.”Exotic, classic cars line the streets weekly in Depot Town this summerAlligator wasn’t driving during car chase, Michigan police say
mlive.comMichigan loses Stellantis project to Indiana. The state must “raise the level of our game.”
Chrysler parent company Stellantis is building its next electric vehicle project outside of Michigan. A joint venture between Stellantis and Samsung for an electric vehicle battery factory will be built in Kokomo, Indiana. Michigan offered the automaker several sites in state but ultimately lost the bid — a tough loss after the state funneled $1 billion in state funds to attract large business projects. “We understand that we have to continue to raise the level of our game and we’ll continue to do so,” he said. The Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) fund was created after Michigan lost out on an $11.4 billion electric vehicle investment from Ford Motor Company.
mlive.comMask mandates reinstated at several Ford, GM, Stellantis facilities in Michigan
DETROIT -- With the risk of COVID-19 transmission rising, Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Stellantis have announced mask mandates at facilities in counties where the transmission risk has surged. According to the Detroit News, the temporary mandates are in effect at all facilities that are in counties where the Centers for Disease Control has listed the transmission rates as “high.”That includes Ford facilities that are located in Wayne, Washtenaw, and Macomb counties, according to a Ford spokesperson. GM facilities in Oakland, Wayne, Livingston and Macomb counties will be impacted, as well as Stellantis facilities in Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties. All employees, contractors and visitors at all facilities in those areas will be required to wear a mask. Officials did not indicate how long they expect the mask mandates to be in place.
mlive.comMichigan automakers donating to help Ukrainians fleeing violence
The Big Three Detroit automakers are supporting relief efforts in Ukraine. General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Stellantis, the parent company for Chrysler, each said this week they will donate to support Ukrainians who have been displaced by the Russian invasion.
mlive.comMichigan officials address odor coming from Stellantis Mack Assembly Plant in Detroit
In a virtual meeting Thursday (Jan 27), EGLE announced Stellantis has a 3-part plan to fix four odor violations and one for improper ductwork at the Mack Assembly Plant. Part of the presentation featured a toxicologist with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services who reviewed air samples.
Michigan officials address odor coming from Stellantis Mack Assembly Plant in Detroit
In a virtual meeting Thursday (Jan 27), EGLE announced Stellantis has a 3-part plan to fix four odor violations and one for improper ductwork at the Mack Assembly Plant. Part of the presentation featured a toxicologist with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services who reviewed air samples.
Chrysler announces first battery-electric vehicle, aims for all-electric lineup by 2028
Chrysler aims to have an all-electric vehicle lineup by 2028, the century-old automaker announced Wednesday. Chrysler says its first battery-electric vehicle will be available by 2025. The crossover concept called the Chrysler Airflow includes a new AI-enabled vehicle system powered by a battery that it says can travel 350 to 400 miles per charge. “The Chrysler Airflow Concept represents the start of the brand’s journey toward a fully electrified future. “The Chrysler Airflow Concept represents the future direction of the Chrysler brand, providing a peek at the dynamic design, advanced technologies and seamless connectivity that will characterize the full-electric portfolio we plan to reach by 2028,” said Chris Feuell, Chrysler brand CEO - Stellantis.
mlive.comMichigan Matters: EV’s Supercharging Impact Across Metro Detroit
As the electric vehicle revolution unfolds, companies, suppliers and organizations are adjusting as Joseph Grace, Vice President, Head of Physical and Functional Design & Integration, Stellantis; Vuk Milojkovic, CEO, BASF Toda America...
detroit.cbslocal.comMask mandate returns for Ford, GM, Stellantis workers
Workers at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis will be required to wear masks again regardless of vaccination status starting Wednesday, Aug. 4, per the United Auto Workers. The COVID-19 Joint Task Force – which includes the Big Three automakers and the UAW – recently met and made the decision. The change comes in response to new standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is recommending masks for everybody where COVID-19 transmission is high. The CDC recommends counties with “high” or “substantial” COVID-19 transmission rates require masks indoors. Michigan ended its statewide mask mandate June 22 and the mask mandate for vaccinated people ended May 24.
mlive.comCarmaker Stellantis reports record 1H margins, $7b profits
Automaker Stellantis says it achieved faster-than-expected progress on synergies and record margins in its first six months as a combined company, despite suffering 700,000 units in lower production due to interruptions in the semiconductor supply chain.
Stellantis: 98% of models to be electric or hybrid by 2025
Stellantis is a little late to the global electric vehicle party, but on Thursday it pledged to catch up and pass its competitors. CEO Carlos Tavares says that by 2025, 98% of its models in Europe and North America will have fully electric or plug-in gas-electric hybrid versions. It also will have three electric drive modules to power all of its vehicles, and Stellantis will take advantage of its scale to reduce electric vehicle costs.
news.yahoo.comStellantis CFO: Chip shortage impact remains 'controlled'
The Stellantis automotive company created out of the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Peugeot reported Wednesday a 14% increase in first-quarter revenues, despite a drop in production due to the semiconductor shortage. Stellantis revenues for the first three months of 2021 were 36.9 billion euros, compared with 32.4 billion euros ($44.42 billion) in the first three quarters of last year. The merger became formal on Jan. 17, 2021, creating the world's fourth-largest carmaker, and the figures take into account the individual performances of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Peugeot in the preceding periods.
news.yahoo.comJeep, Dodge maker Stellantis temporarily closing five North American plants due to chip shortage
A United Auto Worker member leaves the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Warren Truck Plant after the first work shift on May 18, 2020 in Warren, Michigan. A global shortage of semiconductor chips is forcing Stellantis to temporally close five North American plants starting next week, the company confirmed Friday afternoon. The impacted plants are in Illinois, Michigan, Mexico and two in Ontario, Canada. They build an array of products for the company – from older Ram 1500 pickup trucks and Jeep models to minivans and Dodge and Chrysler cars. A spokeswoman for Stellantis declined to disclose how many units of production are expected to be lost.
cnbc.comPark outdoors: Ram recalls heavy-duty trucks for fire risk
DETROIT – The company that makes heavy-duty diesel Ram trucks is telling some owners to park them outdoors due to the risk of an engine fire. Fiat Chrysler, now part of Stellantis, is recalling just over 20,000 of the trucks mainly in the U.S. and Canada. The company says the 2021 pickup and chassis cab trucks have heater electrical relays that can short, overheat and in rare cases cause fires. None involved customer vehicles. The recalled trucks are equipped with 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engines.
Fiat Chrysler spent over $300 million on green credits in Europe last year — mostly from Tesla
Fiat Chrysler said Wednesday on an earnings call that it spent EUR 300 million (US $362 million) on regulatory credits last year in Europe alone — most of which it bought from Tesla. In 2019, FCA committed to spend about $2 billion on environmental regulatory credits through the end of 2021. Selling these regulatory credits has been an increasingly important part of Tesla's business as the automaker has pushed toward sustained profitability. In 2020, Tesla generated $1.58 billion in revenue from sales of regulatory credits, nearly tripling its 2019 figure of $594 million. 2020 regulatory credit sales ended up being higher than our expectations, and it's difficult to give guidance on that," Kirkhorn said.
cnbc.comFiat-Chrysler to pay $8K in profit-sharing bonuses to UAW employees
DETROIT – Fiat-Chrysler will pay its union-represented employees profit sharing bonuses of up to $8,010 after the company recorded a $29 million net profit in 2020, parent company Stellantis announced. The payments are expected to hit bank accounts on March 15, FOX 2 Detroit reports. The profit sharing arrangement is part of the 2019 collective bargaining agreement between FCA and the United Auto Workers, the report said. In 2020, UAW members received bonuses of $7,280. READ MORE:Michigan’s unemployment agency director got $86,000 to leave job, on condition of confidentialityWednesday, March 3, coronavirus data by Michigan county: Five counties had no cases in past weekRestaurants, casinos, gyms, nursing homes: All the changes Michigan made to COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday118-year-old Great Lakes freighter catches fire in Duluth harbor
mlive.comStellantis CEO says 4th largest carmaker to be disruptive
The Italian-American carmaker and the French mass-market automotive company completed their merger on Jan. 16, creating Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest carmaker, despite a pandemic year that saw profits plunge. “Stellantis is not born from a crisis,’’ Tavares told a conference call after fourth-quarter earnings were released. Fiat Chrysler reported adjusted net profits in the pandemic year of 1.9 billion euros ($2.3 billion), down 57% from 2019. PSA reported earnings of 2.2 billion euros, a drop of 32%. Fiat Chrysler reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings before interest and taxes of 2.3 billion euros, a record 2.2 billion euros of those generated in North America, where the profit margin was 11.6%.
Detroit expands Covid vaccine eligibility to autoworkers
Manufacturing employees who live or work in the city are eligible, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced Tuesday. The United Auto Workers union estimates at least 10,000 of its members work in Detroit. The expanded eligibility for Detroit manufacturing workers marks a major expansion for autoworker eligibility for vaccination following similar actions by municipalities such as Boone County in Illinois. DETROIT — Manufacturing employees in the city, such as autoworkers, are now eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine without any restrictions such as age or proof of preexisting conditions. Stellantis employees in Boone County, Illinois, were among the first autoworkers to receive Covid-19 vaccinations.
cnbc.comLocal 4 News at Noon -- March 1, 2021
DETROIT – Here’s what you missed on Local 4 News at Noon. FCA pleads guilty in corruption probeFiat Chrysler Automobiles, now part of Stellantis, has pleaded guilty in a long-running corruption probe. Not long ago, they formally admitted to paying more than $3.5 million in personal expenses for senior UAW officials.
Why you should ask about ‘destination fee’s before purchasing a new vehicle
DETROIT – When you buy a new car, there are usually a lot of fees you have to pay. Included in that fee is a destination fee, which is the charge for delivering the car from the factory to the dealership. He said Stellantis in particular has had destination charges go up. READ: What Stellantis means for jobs, future prospects in Metro Detroit“When assessing vehicle pricing, we do not look at any single element of the pricing equation. There is no requirement that a destination fee be included in advertising.
Some auto industry leaders concerned about over-commitment to electric vehicles
DETROIT – Much of General Motors’ success and positive press in recent months comes from the discussion around electric vehicles. GM wants to sell all electric vehicles by 2035 and be carbon neutral by 2040. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares visited Detroit, looking to introduce himself and see his Detroit plants. Chrysler’s future is likely electric and autonomous. He said the company is aggressively pursuing electric vehicles, but also said the company has to be very careful because electrification adds significant cost.
What Stellantis means for jobs, future prospects in Metro Detroit
DETROIT – What was Chrysler went to Daimler Chrysler then Fiat Chrysler and now Stellantis. The merger was announced over the weekend and the new CEO on Tuesday talked about how the enlarged company will compete. The one thing Stellantis CEO, Carlos Tavares, said Tuesday that should give FCA employees comfort is he doesn’t expect layoffs saying the company’s new global scale will put a shield around jobs. But the CEO says global scale provides strength to handle a lot meaning no layoffs. “I think Stellantis is at a point of strong fundamentals to do great things in the future,” said Tavares.