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Recharge Wrap-up: Lexus CT 200h is NWAPA's favorite hybrid, 'No Charge to Charge' in LA

The Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) has given the Lexus CT 200h its Favorite Hybrid title. It named the compact luxury hybrid its favorite of 2014 at its Drive Revolution in Portland (where it also named the new Volkswagen Golf TDI the Northwest Green Car of the Year). According to NWAPA president Nik Miles, the CT 200h earned the honor for "impressive combination of state-of-the-art small car luxury and hybrid technology." For 2014, the Lexus CT200h got an updated front end, including the spindle grille we've been seeing on new Lexus vehicles, plus a redesigned steering wheel and sliding sun visors. Read more in the press release below. Chevrolet credits the Malibu for helping make stop-start mainstream. Chevrolet started including stop-start technology standard in Malibus equipped with the four-cylinder engine. Chevy has sold about 83,000 of that model, so 97 percent of 2014 and 2015 Malibu sales include stop-start. Now, that technology has made its way into the 2015 Impala. With drivers idling an average of 16 minutes a day, stop-start can significantly reduce harmful emissions and save fuel. According to Navigant Research, we can expect annual sales of cars equipped with stop-start technology to surpass 55 million by 2022. Read more in the press release below. Nissan Leaf customers in Los Angeles will get access to free charging beginning August 15. Nissan is extending its "No Charge to Charge" promotion to LA, which will allow customers to charge at public charging stations at no cost. Leaf customers - including those who bought or leased their car from the participating dealerships on or after July 1 - will get an EZ-Charge card, allowing them to use ChargePoint, Blink, CarCharging, AeroVironment and NRG eVgo chargers for free. Rapid chargers can charge the Leaf's battery to 80 percent in 30 minutes. Nissan plans to offer the "No Charge to Charge" in at least 14 more markets in the US, bringing the total to 25, within the next year. See the press release below for more details. California will get six all-electric school buses for three school districts as part of a demonstration program. The California Energy Commission awarded a grant of $1.4 million for the program to National Strategies LLC; this is in addition to a $2.2-million grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The EV buses use vehicle-to-grid technology, allowing them to sell energy back to the grid when it is needed.

West Coast labor dispute hampers Japanese automakers' US plants

The ongoing labor dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and port owners along the West Coast is starting to affect more Japanese automakers building vehicles in the US. The issue already forced Honda and Subaru to take the expensive option of airlifting some parts into the US weeks ago, and according to USA Today, Toyota and Nissan have begun doing so, as well. The choice hasn't been cheap, though, and Subaru's chief financial officer estimated that the decision cost around $60 million more per month than sending components by cargo ship. The effects continue to radiate, according to USA Today, and shortages of some models are possible. Honda is slowing production at its factories in Ohio, Indiana and Canada because the automaker doesn't have enough transmissions and electronics for some vehicles. Toyota already cut back on overtime at some factories. Nissan has only seen a small effect from the issue, though, because of its local suppliers. Dock workers and port owners have been negotiating on a new contract since last year, and the union has organized work slowdowns in response. According to USA Today, the automakers could move shipments to Canada or Mexico, but it would take longer for parts to arrive. News Source: USA TodayImage Credit: Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images Earnings/Financials Plants/Manufacturing UAW/Unions Honda Nissan Subaru Toyota shipping port labor dispute

Nissan expands, shrinks Leaf recall for missing weld points

Chalk this one up to the quirks of the English language. The other day, we had a post on the recall of a small number of 2014 Nissan Leaf EVs that were missing weld spots. The official bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that "any vehicle missing welds will be replaced, free of charge." We read that as saying that the welds would be replaced, but in fact it's the cars themselves that will be swapped out. NHTSA said that 211 Leafs were potentially involved in this recall, but we heard from Brian Brockman, Nissan's senior manager of corporate communications, that Nissan is actually looking at, "approximately 276" vehicles. More importantly, Brockman clarified that, "If a vehicle is found to be missing the welds, the entire vehicle will be replaced." NHTSA documents on Inside EVs show that Nissan expects just 0.65 percent of those Leafs will need to be replaced. Brockman wouldn't say exactly how many cars Nissan thinks are affected, but 0.65 percent of 276 is just 1.8 vehicles. Brockman did say that, "you'd be correct to say that we expect the number to be very low." Read Nissan's full statement below. Nissan is conducting a Voluntary Recall Campaign on approximately 276 MY2014 LEAF vehicles to inspect the front member assembly welds. Due to an isolated supplier process error that has been corrected, a small number of vehicles within a subset of MY2014 LEAF vehicles manufactured during a two-week period may have front frame member assembly components that were not welded to proper specification. This can affect crash performance. Within the next few weeks, affected LEAF owners will be asked to bring their vehicle to a certified Nissan LEAF dealer for an inspection. If the vehicle is determined to be affected, Nissan will provide owners with a brand new replacement vehicle at no additional cost. A loaner vehicle will be provided during the vehicle exchange process. It is anticipated that only a handful of retailed vehicles are affected by the weld issue and require vehicle replacement. Nissan is committed to a high level of customer service and satisfaction and is working with its dealers to provide an outstanding ownership experience to Nissan LEAF owners.