Honda Canada’s $15 billion investment in electric vehicle and battery production in Alliston, Ont., is being welcomed as huge news by Canadian automotive industry officials and Honda dealers. The news, which had already leaked earlier in the week, was formally announced at a press event that was live-streamed on Thursday from the Honda Canada manufacturing plant in Alliston. After Honda Canada’s announcement, a parade of politicians made their way to the microphone to celebrate the announcement and shed a spotlight on their roles in helping the investment happen with a variety of lobbying, ta ..read more

Canadian auto dealer senior editor Todd Phillips interviews Steve Clelland, VP of OEM Relationships at iA Dealer Services about the struggles dealers are having fighting the auto theft crisis and recovering stolen vehicles. The industry lacks a standard for recognizing which vehicle recovery technology solutions work best for Canadian dealers, and will be acceptable for insurance providers. Clelland said progress is being made on the issue, but it’s a complex and multi-faceted challenge, as organized crime groups try to stay ahead of the technology providers. The post Video interview: Tackli ..read more

Consumer interest in electric vehicles has hit a roadblock in Canada, according to a recent survey from AutoTrader. The company said interest has declined for the second consecutive year, while Québec’s decision to end EV rebates for consumers could greatly impact consumer interest in the province — and sales. However, concerns among Canadians who are not open to buying an EV hover around limited range (considered a drawback for 79%), lack of charging station availability (an issue for 72%), and a higher purchase cost (problematic for 68%). That concern ties in with Québec’s EV rebate decisio ..read more

The latest update from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants concerning provincial new light vehicle sales reveals that the Atlantic provinces enjoyed significant spotlight success in March 2024. Compared to a national average, sales were up 9.2% for the month — with Prince Edward Island having increased 27.0%, Newfoundland rising 22.4%, Nova Scotia growing its sales by 20.4%, and New Brunswick noting an increase of 17.6%. Moving west, Ontario and British Columbia slipped behind the national average: sales were up 4.7% and 5.0%, respectively, for March.  “March sales clearly showed the impac ..read more

A somewhat interest thing occurred in the Canadian used wholesale market: while prices did decline, at -0.36% for the week ending on April 20, the overall market, car segment, and truck/SUV segment declines were all similar and hovered close to the prior week — though far from the 2017-2019 average of the same period. The market saw prices decline -0.36% compared to the previous week’s -0.34%, while the car segment declined -0.35% compared to the prior reporting period’s -0.38%. Trucks/SUVs saw prices drop -0.36%, compared to the previous week’s -0.30%. Two out of 22 segments’ values increase ..read more

Cars.com’s second annual Affordability Report paints a picture of a retail environment in the United States that is now more accessible to consumers than it has been in months or even years. The report found that new vehicle supply in the U.S. is rebounding, with the under $30,000 category having grown the fastest. Inventory was up 77% year-over-year, though figures are still lower than 2019 levels. The company considered 85 new vehicles for its 2024 report, with half of the models falling below the $30,000 mark. “While prices are down, they’re still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels,” sa ..read more

Uber has partnered with Toyota’s KINTO Share program to offer drivers the ability to rent zero-emission vehicles. The program officially launched on April 18 in Metro Vancouver, B.C. Uber and Toyota Canada, with Toyota Financial Services, announced the partnership on the same day; they explained in a news release that eligible drivers on the Uber platform in the Metro Vancouver area will be able to rent ZEVs through the program. This includes Toyota’s bZ4X, and eventually the Mirai — a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle. “Switching to a zero-emissions vehicle is a big decision,” said Michael ..read more

AUTOVATE podcast host Cliff Banks recently discussed the booming rise of dealership mergers and acquisitions with James “JT” Taylor, Managing Director of Automotive for Truist Securities, during the launch of the podcast’s second season. Taylor, as AUTOVATE’s newsletter described, helped structure some of the industry’s largest transactions. During the podcast, he explored the current dealership mergers and acquisitions market, and discussed creative ways to finance transactions for dealers looking to add to their company portfolios. At one point, Taylor said “the values have never been highe ..read more

Geotab recently launched a new report on fleet electrification, which uses data sourced from over 2 million vehicles globally to look at the potential for electrification to make fleet operations more efficient, boost cost management, and meet sustainability targets. In its “Taking Charge: On the road to the EV Future” report, Geotab noted that electric vehicles in the light-duty fleet category could prevent the use of 2.2 billion gallons of fuel. It could also help avoid around 19 million metric tons of CO2 emissions over the next seven years. “By leveraging real-world data insights, we ..read more

Cars.com’s second annual Affordability Report paints a picture of a retail environment in the United States that is now more accessible to consumers than it has been for months or even years. The report found that new vehicle supply in the U.S. is rebounding, with the under $30,000 category having grown the fastest. Inventory was up 77% year-over-year, though figures are still lower than 2019 levels. The company considered 85 new vehicles for its 2024 report, with half of the models falling below the $30,000 mark. “While prices are down, they’re still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels,” s ..read more