Auto Industry News: Cool Products from SEMA 2023, Ramcharger’s Insane Range, UAW Contract Updates & More

Rev up your engine and dive into this week’s automotive news for a comprehensive look at the industry’s latest developments. We’re spotlighting 10 very cool and innovative products unveiled at SEMA 2023, and then heading right into quick-hit coverage of all the stuff you need to know this week. Discover how RAM is turning to gasoline to extend the range of an electric truck; stay informed about Cruise’s robotaxi recall; and gain insights into the latest updates on the UAW’s contract ratification. Plus, find out which vehicle claimed victory in the 2023 Hot Wheels Legends tour.

All that and more in this week’s auto industry news.

Standout Products & Accessories from SEMA 2023

It’s easy to get distracted by all the head-turning builds on the SEMA floor, but ultimately the trade show is about building business connections – largely through the debut of new and innovative products. There were plenty of exciting items on display, from cosmetic upgrades to go-fast parts to handy tools. Check out some of our favorites below.

Aeromotive C-10 Gen-II Stealth Fuel Tank

The latest addition to Aeromotive’s Gen II Stealth Fuel Tank lineup serves the immensely popular 1967-72 Chevrolet C10 truck, introducing a clever rear mount configuration that allows builders to easily replace the in-cab fuel tank with a 17-gallon tank behind the rear axle and between the frame rails. Perfect for LS-type swaps and carbureted setups, the tank comes fully assembled in painted steel, complete with Aeromotive’s patented foam and basket assembly to control fuel slosh. Also included are a 0-90 ohm fuel level sender and an outlet cap with a -06 ORB outlet and return port. Installation requires only four holes drilled in the frame rails plus a hole pattern in the bed floor for the filler cap.

ARB NACHO Quatro Lights

New to the performance lighting industry, NACHO by ARB is already making a splash — and the Quatro lights it toted along to SEMA certainly caught our eye. Available in multiple configurations, including spot, flood, combo, SAE-legal and off-road only, these versatile lights deliver serious power in a sleek design. What sets them apart in a very crowded market, however, largely has to do with the housing.

Engineered to maximize airflow, the Quatro’s outer body channels air through the front of the light and efficiently exhausts it out the back, ensuring optimal cooling for enhanced performance. Plus, while the heat sink is traditional die-cast, the actual light housing is made of ABS polycarbonate plastic. That means, you can take it apart and paint it to match your vehicle or replace it down the line to freshen things up. Made right here in the USA, NACHO lights also feature smart voltage monitoring so you don’t drain your battery.

Cool Boss Coolee

Whether you’re heading out into the Great Unknown and don’t want to tax your battery setup, cruising around town in an A/C-free vintage ride, or hell, just sitting in the backyard on a hot day, the Cool Boss Coolee might be for you. For about $300, this 3-in-1 device combines a portable air cooler, ice-chest, and Bluetooth player in one convenient, soft-sided package. Simply fill it with ice and some water, turn it on, and enjoy chilled drinks along with ice-cooled air and curated tunes.

CoverKing Licensed Customizations

Want to show love for your team without sacrificing quality on knock-off merch? CoverKing introduced a new lineup of officially licensed products at SEMA 2023, specifically a new line of Major League Baseball (MLB) licensed products. Fans can find customized tailored seat covers, steering wheel covers, floor mats, and seat belt covers all emblazoned with their favorite team’s logo and all constructed from quality materials with the best engineered patterns. Already available on the website, these make a great holiday gift option if you haven’t started shopping yet…

Meguiar’s Professional Brand

For those who live to pamper their ride’s exterior, car care juggernaut Meguiars introduced its new Professional brand at SEMA. Three products – available in January 2024 – took center stage:

• Beyond Ceramic Paint Coating. This easy-to-apply coating focuses on exceptional water beading, slickness, and chemical resistance. However, it also fills in minor paint defects and enhances gloss for an enhanced and improved result upon completion.
• Pro Speed Polish. This cleaner polish quickly removes paint defects while creating a deep, glossy finish, even on dark and sensitive paints.
• So1o™ All-in-One. This combo solution provides considerable defect removal and durable water beading protection all in one formula. It also leaves the most durable protection to date from an all-in-one Meguiar’s product.

Meyer Products Jeep HomePlow

Perfect for homeowners that need to remove snow from a long driveway and don’t want to spend a lot of time doing it, the Meyer Jeep Homeplow uses a hydraulic lift and in-cab wired controller to operate like a conventional commercial plow. We love the easy-to-use Quick-Link™ mounting system that slides into a Class 3, 2-inch front receiver hitch, as well as the officially licensed status that allows you to show off your Jeep pride this winter.

Mickey Thompson Baja Boss XS

Born from off-road racing, the all-new Mickey Thompson Baja Boss XS blends features from its rugged forbearers – the Baja Boss M/T and Baja Boss X – but meets the requirements for DOT approval. The road-worthy new tires will be a great option for Ultra4 and SCORE endurance racers, as well as weekend warriors looking for some surrious traction on their next adventure. The Baja Boss XS arrives in January 2024 and will come in sizes of 35 x 12.50R17, 37 x 12.50R17, and 40 x 13.50R17.

RinseKit Tailgate Pad

The overlanding category never fails to deliver “Now, why didn’t I think of that?” types of products and this year’s SEMA show was no exception. There were several cool innovations that caught our eye, including RinseKit’s insanely clever Tailgate Pad. Designed to hold 10 gallons of water in a bladder on the inside of the tailgate, the system also features a 12V 50 PSI water pump, 7-foot hose and shower head, and slots to hold up to five bikes. Due to hit the market early next year, the RinseKit Tailgate Pad should cost somewhere around $400.

Thule Outset

Another product for outdoor adventurers, Thule’s new hitch-mounted Outset blends the convenience of a quick-deploy ground tent with the elevated comfort of a rooftop setup. The portable basecamp folds down compactly, is easy to hook up and disconnect from the tow vehicle, and features four independently adjustable legs so users can easily level the elevated platform based on the terrain. Not too many details are available yet, but Thule says the Outset will weigh in less than 160 pounds and sport integrated brake and license plate lights. It hits the U.S. market in late 2024 with pricing around $4k.

Westin Automotive Modular Topper

Drawing lots of attention both on the show floor and online was a new modular topper from Westin Automotive. Featuring a low-profile design to keep cargo gear below the cab roof line, this modular piece sports a static load limit of 700 lbs and dynamic load limit of 300 lbs. Westin says it will be available for all popular makes and models with short and full length beds, and should hit shelves sometime in early Q2.

What Else You Need To Know This Week

We got a little caught up in all those exciting products, but the overall industry certainly hasn’t sat quiet this past week. Here are a few headlines we’re keeping an eye on and think you should too.

Range Anxiety, Shmange Anxiety

We’ve come full circle, folks. RAM seems to think it’s cracked the code on EV range anxiety… with an onboard gas-powered generator. Here’s how it works: a 3.6-liter V-6 Pentastar engine draws from a 27-gallon gas tank to produce mechanical power, which then flows to a 130-kilowatt generator where it is converted into electrical power that can either recharge the 92-kilowatt-hour battery or sit in storage for later use.

While the workaround has us scratching our head a bit, we have to admit that being able to log 690 miles on a full tank-and-charge is pretty impressive. The 2025 Ramcharger also boasts some cool performance specs, including a 0-to-60 time of 4.4 seconds, 663 hp, more than 615 pound-feet of torque and a best-in-class 14,000 pounds of towing.

Did You Know…?

Starting next year, RAM will begin phasing out the Hemi V-8 in its light-duty truck lineup. The decision is the result of pressure from U.S. environmental regulators to cut emissions. RAM will turn to six-cylinder engine power, batteries or plug-in hybrid systems to power its next-gen rigs.

UAW Contract Ratification Inches Closer

While the newly-inked contract terms between Detroit automakers and the UAW move closer to getting rank-and-file approval, it seems not everyone is stoked with the final terms. Production workers at Ford’s Louisville assembly and Kentucky truck plants voted against their proposed contract this past weekend, as did hourly GM employees at Flint Assembly in Michigan.

Overall, majority approval seems to be in the cards, but those hesitating to say ‘yes’ point to unresolved negotiations on pensions, retiree health care costs, and future electric battery plants. Union president Shawn Fain said in a Facebook live broadcast that the UAW wrested all the concessions it could in this year’s negotiations and in order to earn more, it must “build its strike muscle” by organizing workers at nonunion plants like Toyota and Tesla.

GM’s Cruise Parks 950 Autonomous Cars

According to a notice filed with NHTSA on Wednesday, self-driving startup Cruise is voluntarily recalling 950 vehicles because certain collision detection software may respond improperly after a crash. The recall stems from an incident last month, in which a Cruise vehicle struck a pedestrian who had already been injured in a hit-and-run. While the robotaxi braked hard to minimize impact, it subsequently tried to pull over as part of an automated safety maneuver – dragging the victim nearly 20 feet at a speed of up to 7 mph. It is this “post-collision response” that Cruise aims to address with the recall, though the company made a point to say the chances of a repeat similar collision were exceedingly rare.

California Paves Way For Standardized EV Diagnostics

As EVs reach nearly 20% of all new-car sales in California, the state is requiring automakers establish an industry standard onboard diagnostic system for all zero-emission vehicles by the 2026 model year. In addition, the state wants all that data to be accessed via a standardized diagnostic connector and existing tools. It’s a tall order for automakers, but with 7 states already adopting the same regulations under which this new rule falls, the OEMs will have little choice but to figure it out.

Right-to-Repair Passes In Maine

Speaking of diagnostic info, car owners in Maine just made it a little easier to access vehicle repair data. On Tuesday, nearly 84% of voters backed a right-to-repair proposal on the ballot, similar to the one approved in Massachusetts in 2020. The initiative requires OEMs make their repair diagnostic data available to third-party mechanics and DIYers so that they can diagnose and fix vehicle problems. Auto industry group Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which opposes the legislation, called the approval “disappointing” and insists there is no “telematics loophole” preventing repair shops from accessing necessary vehicle information. As the group is still fighting the initiative in Massachusetts, it stands to reason Maine will see the same kind of resistance.

Meet the 2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour Winner

Let’s end with something fun, eh? On Saturday, Hot Wheels crowned the winner of its 2023 Legends Tour – a cyberpunk-inspired 1990 Mazda MX-5 roadster built by Chris Watson of New Zealand. The Miata, dubbed “Chimera,” will be immortalized as a Hot Wheels Legend at 1:64 scale and sold around the world.

The Engine Block is your one-stop source for any and all auto industry news. Keep an eye on our weekly round-up of enthusiast coverage, product reviews, vehicle spotlights, auto show/expo features, and more. Check back Wednesday for tips on breaking in new gears, and then come around on Friday for our 2023 Christmas guide – filled with gifts your gearhead will actually use.