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FCA compromises with France, moving Renault merger bid forward

FRANKFURT/PARIS – Renault directors were preparing to review Fiat Chrysler's $35 billion merger offer on Tuesday, after the Italian-American carmaker resolved differences with the French government overnight, three sources said. The compromise on French government influence over a combined FCA-Renault may clear the way for Renault's board to approve a framework agreement beginning the long process of a full merger, unless new issues surface at the meeting. France, Renault's biggest shareholder with a 15% stake, had been pressing for its own guaranteed seat on the new board and an effective veto on CEO appointments. But after late-night talks with FCA Chairman John Elkann, the French government has accepted a compromise that would see it occupy one of four board seats allocated to Renault, balanced by four FCA appointees, the sources said. Renault would also cede one of its two seats on a four-member CEO nominations committee to the French state, they said. Renault, FCA and the French government all declined to comment on the discussions. The same evening that the compromise was was negotiated, activist hedge fund CIAM wrote to the board of Renault to say it "strongly opposed" a planned $35 billion merger with Fiat Chrysler. Calling the deal "opportunistic," the fund said the current deal terms strongly favored Fiat Chrysler and offered no control premium. (Reporting by Arno Schuetze and Laurence Frost; additional reporting by Giulio Piovaccari in Milan and Simon Jessop; editing by Jason Neely and Rachel Armstrong) Government/Legal Chrysler Fiat Mitsubishi Nissan Renault merger

Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, Toyota Tundra flunk IIHS headlight test

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety put pickup truck headlights to the test and found that the majority of them were equipped with subpar units. The 2017 Honda Ridgeline was the only truck to earn a rating of "good." The large pickup truck test was comprised of the: 2016 to 2017 GMC Sierra, 2017 Nissan Titan, 2016 Ram 1500, 2016 to 2017 Chevrolet Silverado, 2016 to 2017 Ford F-150, and 2016 to 2017 Toyota Tundra. The Sierra's headlights earned a rating of "acceptable," the headlights found on the Titan and Ram 1500 were found to be "marginal," and the ones on the Silverado, F-150, and Tundra were rated as "poor." IIHS claims the F-150 was the most disappointing out of the large pickup trucks as both its halogen and optional LED headlights failed to provide adequate visibility during testing. The Ridgeline (which earned a "good rating"), is usually considered a midsize or small truck, though IIHS included it in the field of large pickups. The headlights on the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado, 2016 GMC Canyon, 2016 Nissan Frontier, and 2016 to 2017 Toyota Tacoma, which made up the small pickup truck group, all earned a rating of "poor." The IIHS claimed the Colorado had the worst headlights of any truck that was tested, as the base vehicle's units were only able to illuminate up to 123 feet in front of the car. The Ridgeline's headlights, for reference, were able to illuminate up to 358 feet in front of the vehicle. To conduct its test, the IIHS utilizes a special tool to measure how far light is projected out of the headlights in different driving situations. The trucks' headlights were tested in a straight line and in corners, while vehicles with high-beam assist were given extra praise. The headlights on the pickup trucks also mimic the testing that was done on small SUVs and cars earlier this year. Next year, automakers will need to fit their vehicles with headlights that earn a rating of either good or acceptable to earn the IIHS Top Safety Pick+. Related Video:

Recharge Wrap-up: Comparing Nissan Leaf performance by climate, natural gas iffy for trucks

A new Carnegie Mellon University study looks at the effects of regional climate variations on the Nissan Leaf. The study shows (unsurprisingly) that the ambient temperatures of different regions have effects on battery performance and the use of climate control, both of which affect range. Efficiency and grid mix determine regional differences in emissions per mile. CMU enumerated many of the differences in performance across the US. For instance, on the coldest day of the year, maximum range can be 70 miles on the Pacific Coast, while it is less than 45 miles in the Upper Midwest. These differences in efficiency can also affect adoption patterns. Read more at Green Car Congress. Battery charger manufacturer CTEK has licensed WiTricity wireless charging technology. CTEK looks to commercialize the wireless power transfer tech for use with electric vehicle batteries, making the "plug-in" aspect of EV charging unnecessary. WiTricity's charging technology stands out for its ability for distance charging via magnetic near field. "We are excited to be on the forefront of the next generation of battery charging products for consumers and industry, and look forward to leveraging WiTricity's ground-breaking technology to bring a new level of convenience and ease of use to market," says CTEK CEO Jon Lind. Wireless charging is convenient for the public, but also especially useful for emergency vehicles, which need to be ready at a moment's notice but also keep electrical systems online while the car is parked. Read more at Green Car Congress or at the WiTricity website. Switching heavy trucking fleets from diesel to natural gas could make economic sense, but the environmental benefits aren't as certain, according to a new study from UC Davis and Rice University. Certain regions - particularly California, the Great Lakes and mid-Atlantic regions - could benefit from the switch with minimal investment. "But to have an environmental advantage for reducing greenhouse gas emissions would take significant policy intervention," says Amy Myers Jaffe, executive director for Energy and Sustainability at UC Davis. This would mean stricter efficiency standards for natural gas trucks, as well as stronger regulations for methane leakage. Read more in the press release from UC Davis below.