This article was written by Paul A. Eisenstein for TheDetroitBureau.com

DETROIT, MI (04.29.22) – When the first Ford F-150 Lightning rolls off the assembly line at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center near Detroit today it will join a growing list of new battery-electric vehicles. By my estimate, there’ll be as many as 60 on the road by the end of 2022, more than triple the count last year.

But Ford’s new pickup isn’t just another BEV. It’s the spark the market needs to bring battery technology into the mainstream, connecting with potential buyers that hardly glance at earlier models like the Tesla Model S, Chevrolet Bolt or Volkswagen ID.4.

“Those vehicles still appeal to the early adopter community,” suggested Sam Abuelsamid, the principal auto analyst at Guidehouse Insights. “This is the first BEV to really move into the mainstream market.”

The broader F-Series has been, of course, America’s best-selling nameplate for 40 straight years — and the number one pickup for 45. Even after the production cuts suffered last year due to the semiconductor shortage, Ford managed to sell 726,004 F-Series pickups in 2021, far surpassing next-in-line models like the Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado.

And where pickups were once the purview of farmers and contractors, they’ve today become mainstream vehicles, nearly as commonplace in the New York suburbs as on Texas ranches. If you were simply to go by average transaction price, industry data reveal the F-Series to be the best-selling luxury vehicle in America. And you certainly can outfit it like one, with upgraded trims like the Platinum, King Ranch and Limited loaded with leather, wood and the latest technologies.

In the automotive market, familiarity typically brings comfort, rather than contempt. Making the switch to an all-electric version of the truck becomes that much easier when there seems little to sacrifice and plenty to gain. At up to 7,700 pounds, Lightning has more than enough towing capacity for most pickup buyers, and its range of as much as 320 miles is significantly better than many of the new battery-electric sedans and SUVs now coming to market.

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AUBURN HILLS, MI (04.28.22) –Alps Alpine North America, Inc. (“Alpine”), is now shipping two new Dual 8” Alpine Halo Preloaded Truck Subwoofer Enclosures with ProLink. The enclosures come preloaded with Alpine’s 8” S-Series (S-DB8V-TRK) and next-generation R-Series (R2-DB8V-TRK) subwoofers and feature an adjustable linking design.

Designed for Trucks
The Truck Subwoofer Enclosures were intentionally designed for the space underneath the backseat. Two 8” subwoofers are preloaded into a compact enclosure for under-the-seat installation and linked with a ProLink bracket that can adjust from 40”-51” to fit most full-size truck applications, including the 2018-Up RAM 1500 (crew cab), 2015-Up Ford F-150 (crew cab), 2018-Up GMC Sierra/Chevrolet Silverado (crew cab), 2011 – 2018 Jeep Wrangler (in cargo area), and 2020 – Up Jeep Gladiator. Height-adjustable “feet” accommodate uneven truck floors for a secure install.

Centered on the enclosures is an integrated amplifier mount tray that’s optimized for Alpine’s mono power amplifiers. This convenient design ensures that the entire system can be installed underneath the seat.

High-Performance Subwoofers
Each enclosure comes preloaded with high-performance subwoofers that are tuned for the unique cabin environment of the truck and add deep, accurate bass to the sound system. The ported enclosures house 8” S-Series (S-DB8V-TRK) or next-generation R-Series (R2-DB8V-TRK) subwoofers that provide options in both power and price. The 600W RMS S-DB8V-TRK was designed for optimum performance at an approachable price while the 750W RMS R2-DB8V-TRK feature deeper, more authoritative bass that can be played at higher volumes.

The enclosures were designed with dual voice coil drivers, wired in parallel for a 2Ω load to take the guesswork out of choosing an amplifier that’s compatible in power rating.

Groundbreaking Alpine Halo Design
The new Truck Subwoofer Enclosures join the Alpine Halo Family with a premium, unmistakable design. The enclosure pulls design cues from the Alpine Halo Display with unique, curved edges outlined by a silver trim and a front link bracket cover with an Alpine logo badge. The enclosures are built with sturdy, 5/8” MDF construction covered in a premium black carpet that will provide a premium look in the truck.

The R2-DB8V-TRK and S-DB8V-TRK are now shipping at a MAP of $799.95 and $699.95 respectively and are available at Alpine Authorized retailers and at Preferred Online Stores. Authorized Installation Centers can be found on the Alpine-USA website through the store locator.

Visit www.alpine-usa.com for more.

SUNRISE, FL (04.27.22) – Andy Adkins is on the M.A.G. Sales Team. Andy will be working with M.A.G. Sales/Progressive 12volt brands based out of the East/Central Florida area. Those brands include Kenwood, Rockford Fosgate, Elettromedia, Harman, Race Sport Lighting, Boss Audio and ATG.

Adkins is an avid Side by Side enthusiast, ex installer and graduate of the Installer Institute. He is very hands on with 12volt products and served as a product specialists for several of the Metra brands over his 15 years with Metra Electronics. Most recently Adkins was the Metra Florida Sales Manager.

“Please welcome Andy to the M.A.G. Sales Team and look for him at The Jeep Beach activities in Daytona Beach this week” Mike Sajecki, M.A.G. Sales Rep Principal stated.

Andy can be reached at aadkins@mag-fl.com and 386-747-2788

This article was written by Michael Strong for TheDetroitBureau.com

DETROIT, MI (04.27.22) – There has been much speculation about how Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter will impact the EV company. Are the top executives ready to be more involved? What will happen to the share price? Is the proposed split still a go?

Well, the impact is already being seen on one front as one competitor deleted his Twitter account: Henrik Fisker.

Now helming his second vehicle company, Fisker and Musk have a history together — most of it unpleasant. For that reason, Fisker seemingly decided to get out (of Twitter) when the gettin’ was good.

“Please follow me on IG from now on if you want updates. Thanks.” Fisker had about 86,000 followers at the time he cut his account. In contrast, Musk has more than 84 million. If you search for Henrik Fisker on Twitter now, you’ll just get an error message.

However, it appears to be clearly a personal issue, which may not be much of a surprise given the two are definitely not friends, as the Fisker Inc. Twitter account is alive and well.

We ain’t friends

The two haven’t been kind to one another throughout the years. Fisker worked for Musk at Tesla in the early days, playing a role in the design of the Model S in 2007 before he departed to start his own eponymous company that made hybrids with an eye toward going all electric.

The first vehicle was the Fisker Karma, a hybrid sports car, which received a warm reception for its looks, despite its lofty price take of more than $100k. However, Musk was less than kind in his assessment of the vehicle — and the designer — at the time.

“The fundamental problem with Henrik Fisker — he is a designer or stylist … he thinks the reason we don’t have electric cars is for lack of styling,” Musk said at the time. “This is not the reason. It’s fundamentally a technology problem. 

“At the same time, you need to make it look good and feel good, because otherwise you’re going to have an impaired product. But just making something look like an electric car does not make it an electric car.”

As for the car itself, he told Automobile Magazine back then, “It’s a mediocre product at a high price. The car looks very big, and yet it has no trunk space and is very cramped inside, particularly in the rear seats.”

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This article was written by Paul A. Eisenstein for TheDetroitBureau.com

DETROIT, MI (04.26.22) – General Motors will begin electrifying the Chevrolet Corvette next year, GM President Mark Reuss announced Monday, confirming previous reports by TheDetroitBureau.com.

The two-seater often referred to as “America’s sports car” will go through several steps, starting with a hybridized version and then an all-electric model, the automaker indicated. While the news immediately generated buzz in automotive circles it was not unexpected, the automaker previously laying out plans to go 100% battery electric by 2035.

“We will have an electrified Corvette next year,” Reuss said during an appearance on CNBC. “It’s coming very quick.”

Separately, GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra tweeted, “Electrified Corvette. That’s it. That’s the tweet.”

The Corvette, which is approaching its 70th anniversary, has gone through a number of changes in recent years. The latest version, known to aficionados as the “C8,” or eighth-generation Corvette, made the switch from a traditional front-engine to mid-engine layout.

Prepping for this moment

At the time of the sports car’s launch in 2019, several senior members of the Corvette team told TheDetroitBureau.com they had built into the program the ability to electrify the new model. At the time, they declined to say whether that meant a conventional hybrid, a plug-in version or an all-electric model.

Sources suggest the first electrified version due out next year will be some form of hybrid, spy photographers capturing what appear to be test “mules” several times during the last several years. In terms of nomenclature, it could pick up the ZR1 badge, though a new designation referencing its hybridized drivetrain could be adopted.

A 100% electric Corvette will follow, it now has become clear — though that leaves open a number of questions. For one thing: will the BEV model use the existing ‘Vette platform or share one of the new “Ultium” architectures GM is developing for the rest of the line-up.

Also unclear is how many motors would be used in an all-electric model. All but certainly, there would be a minimum of two — which would create the first-ever all-wheel-drive version of the Corvette. But GM’s Ultium system provides the ability to use three motors — as are found in the new GMC Hummer, and potentially even four.

What’s clear is the all-electric Corvette’s battery pack would be mounted below the two-seater’s load floor, helping drop what is already an extremely low center of gravity. Add to that the all-wheel-drive system and the ability to torque vector. That’s a way of shifting extra power to the outside wheels while cornering to enhance high-speed handling.

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