BRISTOL, England — Two police officers were seriously injured and at least two police vehicles were set on fire in the city of Bristol in southwest England during violence after a peaceful protest, police said Sunday.
Thousands of demonstrators had converged downtown, ignoring Covid-19 restrictions, to protest a proposed bill going through parliament that would give police new powers to restrict street protests.
The local force, Avon and Somerset Police, said the demonstration began peacefully but later turned violent by a small minority.
Home Secretary Priti Patel, the interior minister, tweeted that the violence was unacceptable.
“Thuggery and disorder by a minority will never be tolerated,” she said. “Our police officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect us all. My thoughts this evening are with those police officers injured.”
Two officers were taken to the hospital, one with a broken arm and another with broken ribs, while others were subjected to violence and verbal abuse. The outside of a downtown police station was vandalized.
Avon and Somerset Police said it had requested help from neighboring police departments to help control the situation.
“All those involved in this criminal behavior will be identified and brought to justice. There will be significant consequences for behavior such as this,” Avon and Somerset’s chief superintendent, Will White, said in a statement.
A Reuters photographer at the scene saw some demonstrators launch fireworks toward police officers, try to knock over a police van, scale the outside wall of a police station and spray graffiti on it.
He also saw police, some in full riot gear, using batons and shields to try to repel protesters.
Some demonstrators carried placards with slogans such as “Kill the Bill.” “The Day Democracy Became Dictatorship” and “We Can’t Be Silenced That Easy”.
The government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill would give police new powers to impose time and noise limits on street protests.
That has angered activists, particularly since a heavy-handed police response to a London vigil for murder victim Sarah Everard on March 13 caused widespread outrage and criticism of the police.
A police officer has been charged with Everard’s kidnap and murder, and the case has unleashed an outpouring of grief and rage over the issue of violence against women and girls.
The government bill pre-dated the Everard case and covers a wide range of policy areas, as well as the policing of protests. However, the two became connected in many people’s minds because, by coincidence, the bill was up for debate in parliament two days after the London vigil.
Car dealer Brad Sowers is spending money to prepare for the coming wave of new electric models from General Motors Co. He is installing charging stations, upgrading service bays and retraining staff at his St. Louis-area dealership to handle the technology-packed vehicles.
But when he considers how many plug-in Chevy Bolts he sold last year—nine, out of the nearly 4,000 Chevrolets sold at his Missouri dealerships—it gives him pause.
“The consumer in the middle of America just isn’t there yet,” when it comes to switching to electric vehicles, he said, citing the long distances many of his customers drive daily and a lack of charging infrastructure outside major cities.
As auto executives and investors buzz about the coming age of the electric car, many dealers say they are struggling to square that enthusiasm with the reality today on new-car sales lots, where last year battery-powered vehicles made up fewer than 2% of U.S. auto sales.
Most consumers who come to showrooms aren’t shopping for electric cars, and with gasoline prices relatively low, even hybrid models can be a tough sell, dealers and industry analysts say.
Auto makers are moving aggressively to expand their electric-vehicle offerings with dozens of new models set to arrive in coming years. Some like GM are setting firm targets for when they plan to phase out gas-powered cars entirely.
Sales consultant Robert Mason Jr., center, spoke with Paul Sweeney, left, and his son, Jeff, who were purchasing a Chevrolet Trail Boss at Jim Butler Chevrolet in Fenton, Mo., on Friday.
Many dealers say that puts them in a delicate spot: They are trying to adjust, but unsure whether and how fast customers will actually make the switch. About 180 GM dealers, or roughly 20%, have decided to give up their Cadillac franchises rather than invest in costly upgrades that GM has required to sell electric cars.
A GM spokesman said the company expected some Cadillac dealers to opt out and is pleased that the roughly 700 remaining share its all-electric goals.
Past attempts by car companies to expand electric-car sales have largely flopped, saddling retailers with unsold inventory. Even now, some dealers say they are reluctant to stock electric models en masse.
“The biggest challenge is that dealers have a bit of ‘boy who cried wolf’ syndrome,” said Massachusetts dealer Chris Lemley.
Car companies have promised for years to make electric cars mainstream, but produced only low-volume, niche models, he said. He recalls
Ford Motor Co.
rolling out an all-electric Focus that sold poorly and stacked up on his lot. It was discontinued in 2018.
“So when we are told, ‘This time, we really mean it,’ it’s easy to be skeptical,” Mr. Lemley added.
Some shoppers also are unsure. Joe Daniel, an energy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said he was determined to buy an electric car, but eventually abandoned his effort after realizing there weren’t enough public charging stations near his apartment in Washington, D.C. Without a place to plug in, the purchase made little sense, he added.
“For EVs to take off, they need to be as convenient as gas-powered cars—that’s the whole point of this big purchase,” Mr. Daniel said.
Gone are the long waits at charging stations: Chinese electric-vehicle startup NIO is pioneering battery-swap systems, challenging Tesla and other rival car makers. Here’s how NIO and Tesla are racing for the world’s largest EV market in China. Photo illustration: Sharon Shi
To solve problems like this, President Biden has said he wants to spend billions of dollars to upgrade the country’s charging infrastructure as part of a push to incentivize battery-powered cars.
Ford, GM and other major car companies say they are confident in their new electric-vehicle offerings and are training dealers to sell and service them.
Still, some auto retailers say they worry about the long-term implications for their business.
Tesla Inc.’s
influence on the electric-car market has created a new standard for car shoppers, offering an online transaction and a simplified lineup with no price negotiation. Other electric-vehicle startups, like Rivian Automotive and Lucid Motors, say they’ll likewise sell directly to consumers and bypass traditional dealerships.
Some car companies are now following their lead, initially stocking dealership lots with few if any electric models and allowing customers to order more directly from the manufacturer.
Volvo Cars CEO
Håkan Samuelsson
recently said that all future battery-electric vehicles would be sold exclusively online and the price would be set centrally, eliminating the ability to haggle. Dealerships will help deliver vehicles to customers and perform other services, like maintenance, he said.
“The marketplace is moving from the physical dealership to online. That’s what will happen in the next 10 years,” Mr. Samuelsson said.
Howard Drake,
a GM dealer in Los Angeles, said he is considering converting two of his showrooms. Rather than separate models by brand, he is considering two stores—one for electrics, the other for gas-powered vehicles.
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“These are really different customers,” Mr. Drake said. “A Hummer EV buyer probably doesn’t want to be sitting next to some guy buying a gas-guzzling pickup truck.”
Mr. Sowers said he sees encouraging signs. GM recently dropped the sticker price of the all-electric Bolt and helped boost sales for the model in February. But he said his electric-vehicle inventory will remain light because he is uncertain about longer-term demand.
“It’s still very early days,” Mr. Sowers said.
As soon as dealers figure out how to sell EVs, another business problem awaits in the service bay.
Troy Carrico worked on a Chevrolet Corvette.
Electric vehicles typically have fewer mechanical parts and don’t require the same type of service that gas engine cars need, such as oil changes. That work right now is a big profit center for dealerships.
“There’s going to be an impact, but it might take three or four years to see the full effect,” Mr. Lemley said. “That’s really my biggest question mark heading into all of this.”
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Ford announced that it will recall over 150,000 select vehicles for airbag and rear suspension issues.
WINTER STORM FORCES FORD TO SHUT NORTH AMERICAN PLANTS
The company is recalling 1,666 of its 2021 Bronco Sport vehicles due to rear suspension modules that may not be properly attached.
“Affected 2021 Ford Bronco Sport vehicles were produced with rear suspension modules that may not be fully secured to the subframe,” the automaker said in a news release. “Rear suspension modules with loose or missing bolts may affect the vehicle’s stability, increasing risk of an accident, and may result in reduced rear-impact crash performance, increasing the risk of injury. “
The recall impacts 1,640 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories, 24 in Canada and two in Mexico. The vehicles were built in Mexico at Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant from July 22 to Nov. 24, 2020.
Ford said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this issue. Dealers will confirm that the rear suspension bolts are secured properly and replace them, if necessary.
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In addition, Ford is issuing a recall for 154,224 vehicles that may contain previously recalled Takata airbag modules installed as part of a collision or theft repairs.
According to an investigation by Ford, 1,117 vehicles that received collision or theft repairs may have used the obsolete Takata airbag module after its recall was completed, including 1,067 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories, 49 in Canada and one in Mexico. The models affected by the recall include:
2004-11 Ford Ranger
2005-14 Ford Mustang
2006 Ford GT
2008-12 Ford Fusion
2009-11 Mercury Milan
2010-12 Lincoln MKZ
2007-10 Ford Edge
2007-10 Lincoln MKX
Meanwhile, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is requesting that Ford recall 153,107 of its 2004-06 Ranger models which may have been repaired using the obsolete Takata airbag prior to its recall, including 144,340 vehicles produced in the U.S. and federal territories, 8,762 vehicles in Canada and five vehicles in Mexico.
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Ford is not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to this issue. Customers will receive notifications beginning the week of March 8 to visit their dealer for an inspection and, if necessary, will receive an airbag inflator replacement.
Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling 1.29 million vehicles because of a failure in its eCall software which may not provide a vehicle’s correct location to emergency responders after a crash, Car and Driver reported.
The recall covers vehicles sold from model years 2016 to 2021 and includes CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The automaker said it was unaware of any instances of material damages or personal injuries that have resulted from the issue, and plans to provide a free software update to be installed over the air or at dealerships. The recall will begin April 6th.
Mercedes-Benz said “a temporary collapse of the communication module’s power supply caused by a crash might lead to the vehicle’s position during a potential emergency call being incorrect.” However, “other functions of the automatic and manual emergency call function remain fully operational,” the company added.
Reuters reported that in 2019, Mercedes-Benz in Europe investigated an incident where the automatic eCall system provided an incorrect position for its vehicle. The company found other situations where an incorrect vehicle position was relayed.
Ford Motor CEO Jim Farley on Friday touted the automaker’s electric-vehicle strategy, telling CNBC the company intends to strongly compete in the growing market segment.
Farley’s comments on “Squawk on the Street” came one day after Ford reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. As part of that announcement, Ford said it’s increasing its electric-vehicle investment to $22 billion through 2025, almost double what it had previously pledged to spend.
Shares of Ford were higher by 2.7% during Friday’s session to roughly $11.70 apiece.
“We’re not going to cede the future to anyone,” Farley told CNBC’s Phil LeBeau. “Our electric strategy is very specific. We’re going to invest in segments where we’re the dominant player and we have scale, like the F-150, the Transit van, our Mustang.”
While Ford is committing new capital for the years ahead, Farley said the company’s EV transition is yielding results now and pointed to the fact its all-electric Mustang Mach-E crossover has hit showrooms. He said he considers the Mach-E a “credible competitor” to Tesla’s compact SUV known as the Model Y.
Ford’s all-electric Transit van is expected to arrive late this year, Farley noted, and the company’s work on a Michigan plant to build the electric version of its best-selling F-150 is ongoing. “This is the year. We’re not talking about aspirations,” said Farley, who took over as chief executive Oct. 1.
The charging port for the Ford E-Transit van is located in the vehicle’s grille.
Ford
Wall Street’s focus on electric vehicles has been increasing. A number of players in the space, including battery makers and charge-station companies, have gone public in recent months. Ford’s crosstown rival General Motors also has been catching the Street’s attention for its aggressive investments in electric vehicles. GM said last week it plans to end production of all diesel- and gasoline-powered cars, trucks and SUVs by 2035.
Even before that announcement, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas told CNBC that under the leadership of CEO Mary Barra, GM may be orchestrating “one of the most profound strategic turnarounds, not just in the auto industry, but in business.” GM shares are up more than 100% in the past six months, while Ford’s stock is up more than 65% in that same stretch.
As production and adoption of electric vehicles grows, some have raised concerns that there could be a battery shortage. Farley acknowledged that as Ford ramps up EV manufacturing, the company “has to secure [battery] supply so we don’t get into a situation like we are in chips.” Ford had to temporarily reduce F-150 production in response to an ongoing semiconductor shortage that’s hitting the global automotive industry.
“That’s going to come down to every manufacturer making the commitment,” Farley said. “We have our own decisions to make on vertical integration. Our $22 billion [EV investment] does not even include that. You could expect more news from us on that vertical integration.”
The days of the internal combustion engine are numbered.
General Motors said Thursday it would phase out petroleum-powered cars and trucks and sell only vehicles that have zero tailpipe emissions by 2035, a seismic shift by one of the world’s largest automakers that makes billions of dollars today from gas-guzzling pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles.
The announcement could put pressure on automakers around the world to make similar commitments. It could also embolden President Biden and other elected officials to push for even more aggressive policies to fight climate change. Leaders could point to G.M.’s decision as evidence that even big businesses have decided that it is time for the world to begin to transition away from fossil fuels that have powered the global economy for more than a century.
Several other automakers, most of them European, have previously pledged more modest steps in the direction that G.M. says it is headed. Daimler, which makes Mercedes-Benz cars, has said that it would have an electric or hybrid version of each of its models by 2022, and Volkswagen has promised an electric version for each of its models by 2030.
Electric cars represent the fastest-growing segment of the auto industry, but they still make up a small proportion of new car sales: about 3 percent of the global total, according to the International Energy Agency. Sales of such cars jumped last year in Europe and China but they remain niche products in the United States. They are bought primarily by affluent early adopters who are drawn to the luxury models made by Tesla, which dominates the business, and by environmentally conscious consumers.
G.M. said that its decision to switch to electric cars was part of a broader plan to become carbon neutral by 2040. Its announcement came a day after Mr. Biden signed an executive order to step up the fight against climate change, including a directive for the federal government to electrify its large vehicle fleet.
“General Motors is joining governments and companies around the globe working to establish a safer, greener and better world,” Mary T. Barra, G.M.’s chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. “We encourage others to follow suit and make a significant impact on our industry and on the economy as a whole.”
The New Washington
G.M. said it would increase the use of renewable energy, and would eliminate or offset emissions from its factories, buildings, vehicles and other sources.
The company plans to spend $27 billion over the next five years to introduce 30 electric vehicles, including an electric Hummer pickup truck that it expects to start delivering to customers later this year.
G.M. stock jumped after its announcement and was up more than 4 percent around 2 p.m., reflecting a growing consensus among investors that electric cars represent the future and that Tesla and other electric carmakers will eventually dominate the auto industry, while businesses that do not make the transition to electrics will do poorly.
The company said it was working with the Environmental Defense Fund to build charging stations for electric cars and to convince drivers to switch to electric cars.
“E.D.F. and G.M. have had some important differences in the past, but this is a new day in America — one where serious collaboration to achieve transportation electrification, science-based climate progress and equitably shared economic opportunity can move our nation forward,” the president of the group, Fred Krupp, said in a statement.
The new goal comes alongside recent and upcoming EV introductions, including the Hummer EV poster child, new Chevy Bolts and the Cadillac Celestiq. GM so far intends to offer 30 new EVs by 2025, and hopes that most or all Cadillacs will be electric by 2030.
GM has backed electric transportation for a while, but critics have accused it of shifting its focus depending on who runs the US. It supported the Trump administration’s lawsuit attempting to strip California of its power to set independent fuel emissions rules, but backed out shortly after Joe Biden’s election win. President Biden signed a series of pro-environment policies just a day before GM’s announcement, including a review of fossil fuel developments — while GM might not have made a snap decision, it clearly knows that combustion engines won’t have many fans at the White House.
The question is whether or not other American automakers will follow suit. Ford and Fiat Chrysler have talked about electrifying their lineups for years, but they have yet to set a cutoff point where EVs are the only options in dealerships. While GM’s announcement may be as much about generating positive press as helping the planet, that might not be a problem if it spurs rivals to follow suit.
The move comes after theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday rejected Ford’s argument that this version of the airbags didn’t need to be replaced.
The recall centers on a defect in airbags made by Takata, a now-bankrupt Japanese manufacturer. Another version of the Takata airbag had a defect in the inflator that caused a number of the bags to explode, spraying shrapnel through the vehicle. In addition to the 18 deaths, more than 400 drivers or passengers have been injured, including being blinded or maimed.
Recalls linked to the Takata airbags began in 2014, and, in aggregate, ultimately became the largest auto recall in history. Prior to this week’s announcement, the US portion of the recall had already reached 67 million airbags in more than 40 million vehicles.
Although the Takata airbags used by Ford are a different but similar version from those involved in the previous recalls, safety regulators said they still pose a risk.
The NHTSA in November rejected a similar appeal by General Motors(GM), forcing the automaker to recall 7 million pickups and SUVs. The agency has also rejected an appeal from Mazda, but that covered only 5,800 US pickups that were built for the automaker.
Ford models included in the recall
The models covered by the recall include the 2007 to 2011 Ford Ranger, the 2006 to 2012 Ford Fusion, the 2006 to 2012 Lincoln Zephyr, the 2007 to 2010 Ford Edge and the 2007 to 2010 Lincoln MKX. The Mazda vehicles being recalled are the 2007 to 2009 B-Series pickup trucks.
Owners will be notified if their vehicle is included in the recall, or they can enter the VIN number on this site. Ford will repair the airbags, and vehicle owners will not be charged.
It will cost Ford $610 million to replace the airbags as a result of NHTSA’s decision. Because of Takata’s bankruptcy, Ford is shouldering all costs itself.
“Safety is always a top priority,” said Ford spokesperson Monique Brentley. “Unlike other Takata passenger-side airbag parts previously under recall, these driver-side airbags contain a moisture-absorbing [material] and perform differently. We believe our extensive data demonstrated that a safety recall was not warranted for the driver-side airbag. However, we respect NHTSA’s decision and will issue a recall.”
‘The severity of the consequence’
NHTSA officials, however, said the airbags become more subject to malfunction over time, and that the “severity of the consequences” to passengers and drivers when the inflators rupture was too serious. “What Ford presents here, while valuable and informative in certain respects, suffers from far too many shortcomings,” the agency wrote in its decision.
