Strike Vote, Common Sense Hybrids, Supercharger Screens, Streetwear

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We’re doing a burnout into the last last of August as we approach the end of Summer 2023. Today we’ll give you a lightning strike update on the UAW. We also talk about the rise of hybrids, the first sighting of a Supercharger with a screen, as well as an unusual brand collab. 

• ICYMI: UAW members at Detroit 3 have authorized a strike if contract talks break down by September 14. About 97% of votes were in favor, but UAW President Shawn Fain clarified the goal is to achieve good contracts, not necessarily to strike.
  
  
• In what seems to be actual common sense, Ford, Toyota, and Stellantis plan to build and sell hundreds of thousands of hybrid vehicles in the U.S. over the next five years, as an alternative for customers seeking more sustainable transportation but not ready for full electric vehicles. 
  • This comes as Dealers are facing a lack of demand from less affluent customers, they are increasingly turning away EV inventory to avoid unsellable stock.
  • Scott Kunes, the chief operating officer of Kunes Auto and RV Group, which sells Detroit brands as well as Nissan and Mitsubishi in the Midwest recently told Insider, "We have turned away EV inventory,". "We need to ensure that we have a good turn on it."
  • S&P Global Mobility estimates that hybrids will account for 24% of U.S. new vehicle sales in 2028, pure electrics 37%, and combustion vehicles, including mild hybrids, nearly 40%.
• A new  video reveals Tesla's Supercharger V4 with tap and go payment in action for the first time, although Tesla has not officially unveiled the charger and its specs
  • The video was posted by James Court, CEO of EVA England, an online community who supports EV drivers in the UK as he was invited to try the new publicly available charger in Tottenham on Ravenside Retail Park near London
  • The Supercharger V4 has a 350 kW charging capacity and includes a screen and a payment system for the first time, a notable change as Tesla previously managed payments via its app.
• Here's a story summar directly from Retail Wire: “Lockheed Martin, the American aerospace and arms company, has surprised many as it appears to have its logo featured on a streetwear collection being sold online in South Korea. The collection, including shirts, hoodies, and jackets, is sold by South Korean company Doojin Yanghang Co. The move has sparked a mix of shock, disbelief, and humor on social media platforms like X and TikTok, with users mocking the unusual crossover between a defense company and fashion, given Lockheed Martin’s association with military products.”
  • The company claimed to have acquired the official Lockheed Martin license brand through an agency.

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