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Showing posts with the label Transportation

How airlines are shaving minutes off flight times to save millions

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[ad_1] Passengers make their way through the terminal as they travel ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday at Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, on Nov. 22, 2023. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters In air travel, minutes matter. A few moments could be the difference between making and missing a connection for passengers — and could avoid delays that ripple across the schedule for airlines. Saved time could even lead to big savings for carriers as they scramble to get a handle on costs. Major airlines are rolling out strategies that executives say could translate to lower costs and more efficient operations, even if the time savings on paper look negligible. Some of these tools will be put to the test during what's expected to be a busy holiday season , a year after a meltdown that stranded thousands of passengers at the end of 2022. Many of the improvements are being made behind the scenes. American Airlines last year started using new technology to assign flight

GM to increase production of high-performance Cadillac Escalade V8 SUV

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[ad_1] 2025 Cadillac Escalade V-Series SUV Cadillac DETROIT — General Motors will increase production of its Cadillac Escalade V-Series performance model as part of updates to the flagship SUV for the 2025 model year. The new SUV features a standard 55-inch diagonal display across the dash, including a passenger-only screen; an "executive package" for the second row; power doors; large 24-inch wheels; and other enhancements. "The Escalade has always been about bold American craftsmanship, technology and performance, and has continuously raised the standard of full-size SUV luxury since it was introduced 25 years ago," said John Roth, vice president of Cadillac, in a release. The Escalade is a crucial vehicle for Cadillac — as well as brand parent GM — as the highly profitable flagship of the company's large SUV lineup. GM has led in U.S. market share of full-size SUVs for decades. 2025 Cadillac Escalade Cadillac Many of the design tweaks for the 2025 mode

GM unveils 2025 Chevy Equinox with new rugged design, standard heated seats

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[ad_1] The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox RS. Chevrolet DETROIT — General Motors is redesigning its gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox crossover to look more rugged than its predecessors in an attempt to move the vehicle upmarket and attract new buyers. The 2025 Equinox, which GM revealed Tuesday, will feature additional standard safety and convenience features. Brad Franz, director of Chevy car and crossover marketing, said the changes to the Equinox are meant to boost the appeal of the vehicle, which GM introduced about 20 years ago. The compact crossover has grown to be among GM's best-selling vehicles. "It's critically important for us to be introducing this product right now. We feel it's going to be just as important, if not more, than [before]," he said. "We still expect it to be the No. 2 Chevy volume vehicle and, frankly, it plays in the biggest segment in the industry at 22% [market share]. We don't see that declining." Sales of the Equinox have b

GM reveals new Chevy Corvette with 1,000-plus horsepower and record top speed

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[ad_1] 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Coupe with ZTK Performance Package. DETROIT — General Motors' newest Chevrolet Corvette will be the most powerful version of the American sports car ever produced — and it's not even close. The Detroit automaker said Thursday the 2025 Chevy Corvette ZR1 will be powered by a twin-turbocharged, 5.5-liter, V8 engine capable of more than 1,000 horsepower — a first for Corvette — and 828 foot-pounds of torque, placing it among the ranks of supercars that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. "This thing pulls like a freight train," Tadge Juechter, Corvette's executive chief engineer since 2006, said during a media event. "We expect this car to be essentially the fastest car we've ever built by a long measure." The prior most-powerful Corvette was GM's last ZR1 for the 2019 model year. It produced 755 horsepower and 715 foot-pounds of torque with a 6.2-liter, V8 supercharged engine. 2025 Chevrolet Corvette

Airline cargo revenue is cratering. Here's why that's actually good news

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[ad_1] An American Airlines 777 is loaded with cargo at Philadelphia International Airport. Leslie Josephs/CNBC Airlines' cargo revenue is slumping. That's a sign of good news for travel recovery. Delta , United and American this month each reported year-over-year declines of about 40% in their second-quarter cargo revenue. For the first half of 2023, Delta's cargo business generated $381 million, down from $561 million in the first half of 2022, while American's cargo unit brought in $420 million compared with $692 million in the first six months of last year. United brought in $760 million from cargo so far this year, down from $1.2 billion a year earlier. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Meanwhile, airlines are reporting record revenue , if not earnings , thanks to the rebound in travel demand. That means the business impact of cargo, which once helped prop up airlines' revenue during the Covid pandemic travel plunge, has faded. Cargo revenue at Unite

Stellantis' new Ram pickup is an EV — with a gas-powered generator in case the battery runs out

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[ad_1] 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger Tungsten Ram DETROIT — Automaker Stellantis plans to produce an industry-first electric pickup truck called the Ram 1500 Ramcharger that's equipped with an electric generator and a gas engine. If that sounds like an oxymoron, here's how it works: The truck can operate as a zero-emissions EV until its battery dies and an electric onboard generator — powered by a 27-gallon, 3.6-liter V6 engine — kicks on to power the vehicle. The outcome is a truck with the benefits of an EV, such as fast acceleration and some zero-emissions driving, without the range anxiety synonymous with most current electric vehicles, according to Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis. "This is the ultimate answer for the battery-electric truck. No one else has got anything else like it," Kuniskis told reporters during an event. "This is going to be a game changer for battery-electric trucks." The 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger is expected to go on sale in late 2024 alongsi

Jeep reveals all-electric Wagoneer S in EV offensive, starting at $72,000

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[ad_1] 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S EV Jeep NEW YORK – The first all-electric Jeep SUV for the U.S. will be the 2024 Wagoneer S, starting at about $72,000 when it's scheduled to go on sale this fall. The Stellantis -owned brand revealed the vehicle and pricing Thursday, portraying it as a "new chapter" for the quintessential American SUV brand that has struggled with domestic sales in recent years. "This represents a lot. It is the first global [all-electric vehicle] built in North America, designed in the U.S. ... for the world," Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa told CNBC during an interview after revealing the vehicle. "It is a milestone in our history." Filosa, who started leading Jeep in December, said the brand is in "fantastic shape" but it's in the midst of a "transition like all the automotive brands nowadays" involving electrification. Despite a slower than expected adoption of EVs in the U.S., Filosa said the brand is not worried

After 8 months stuck in orbit, Varda's drug spacecraft gets FAA approval to return

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[ad_1] Varda's first manufacturing satellite and reentry vehicle attached to a Rocket Lab Photon bus. Rocket Lab Space startup Varda received long-awaited approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to bring its first spacecraft back to earth after a stint manufacturing drugs in space. Varda's small W-Series 1 capsule, or W-1, has been stuck in orbit since it launched eight months ago. The company has awaited regulatory authorization to make a landing attempt in Utah, at the Air Force's Utah Test and Training Range. The FAA confirmed on Wednesday it had issued the license to Varda. The FAA's approval means Varda will try to land the W-1 mission on Feb. 21. "We are incredibly proud to have this opportunity with our government partners, and appreciate their dedication to safe innovation in the United States," Varda said in a statement. The W-1 mission is a demonstration of the company's automated in-space manufacturing process. Last year, Varda

Ford sees opportunity for Mustang as competitors abandon V8 engines

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[ad_1] 2024 Ford Mustang Source: Ford DETROIT — Ford Motor sees opportunity to grow Mustang sales as it becomes the last American muscle car with a traditional V8 engine, playing to generations of gearheads who've been drawn to the performance vehicles. The optimism comes after Mustang's closest American competitors ended production of their muscle cars in December. General Motors stopped producing the Chevrolet Camaro, and Stellantis ended production of its Dodge Challenger V8 ahead of a new all-electric muscle car later this year, followed by gas-powered models with twin-turbo, inline-six engines that are expected in 2025. Their exodus (and that of others in the muscle car market) is the result of changing consumer demand away from two-door cars, as well as tightening fuel economy standards and the emergence of all-electric vehicles capable of unrivaled acceleration. Jeff Marentic, general manager of Ford Blue products, which includes the Mustang, said the pony car

How Tesla's price cuts could spur an EV pricing war

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[ad_1] A Tesla showroom is seen in the City Center shopping center on January 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images DETROIT — Tesla vehicles in the U.S. are seeing significant price cuts, and that's proving to be a double-edged sword for the electric carmaker and the greater automotive industry. Tesla earlier this month slashed prices of its new cars by as much as 20% , making the vehicles more affordable and likely eligible for federal tax credits . But it also tanks the resale values of cars for current owners and is sending ripple effects through the auto industry. related investing news CEO Elon Musk hasn't directly addressed the price cuts, which are counterintuitive to his claims that the company's cars will be appreciating assets — a rarity for the market aside from classics and collectible vehicles. Analysts say the price cuts suggest Tesla is prioritizing sales over profits, potentially signaling a demand problem. "There's deman

United, Alaska Air find loose hardware on some Boeing 737 Max 9s after grounding

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[ad_1] A United Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft lands at San Francisco International Airport in California on March 13, 2019. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images United Airlines said Monday that it has found loose bolts on door plugs of several Boeing 737 Max 9 planes during inspections spurred when a panel of that type blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight using that type of aircraft last week. Alaska Airlines later Monday said its initial inspections of the jets had turned up "loose hardware" and that, "No aircraft will be returned to service" until formal reviews are complete. "The safety of these aircraft is our priority and we will take the time and steps necessary to ensure their airworthiness, in close partnership with the FAA," Alaska Airlines said in a statement. The Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday grounded dozens of 737 Max 9s after the panel blew out midflight on Alaska Flight 1282. Alaska has 65 of the Max 9 planes in it

Canadian auto union reaches deal with Stellantis after brief labor strike

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[ad_1] Lana Payne celebrates on stage as Unifor, Canada's largest private-sector union, announce Payne as their new president to replace outgoing leader Jerry Dias in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Aug. 10, 2022. Cole Burston | Reuters DETROIT — Canadian union Unifor and Stellantis have reached a tentative agreement early Monday morning, ending a brief strike that began after a deal wasn't reached by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. The Canadian work stoppage involved more than 8,200 autoworkers at several facilities in the Canadian province of Ontario, including two large assembly plants that produce the Chrysler 300 sedan and Pacifica minivan and the Dodge Challenger and Charger muscle cars. The strike and tentative deal, which must still be ratified by union members, occurred two days after Stellantis reached a tentative deal for about 43,000 U.S. autoworkers with the United Auto Workers union after roughly six weeks of targeted strikes that began Sept. 15. Details of the tentative ag

Toyota defies skeptics as stock seals best week since 2009

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[ad_1] Akio Toyoda, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corp. Kiyoshi Ota | Bloomberg | Getty Images DETROIT – Toyota Motor stock sealed its best week since 2009 on Friday, as the automaker laid out a robust plan for future all-electric vehicles and company scion Akio Toyoda became leader of the Japanese company's board. Shares of Toyota on the New York Stock Exchange closed Friday at $164.35 per share, down 2.3% for the day but still up 10.6% on the week. That 5-day gain is the stock's best week since April 2009 when shares increased 14.5%. Such a rally is not typical for the stock. It's only the third double-digit weekly gain in more than two decades for the relatively well-performing but mundane stock. Shares of the company are up 20% so far in 2023. The positive uptick this year comes as recent supply chain problems ease for the automotive industry, including Toyota, and after Toyoda, grandson of the company's founder, announced plans to transition from CEO to