Niron Magnetics, an emerging company with strong backing from the US government, has garnered a lot of attention over the last few years, thanks to the in-house developed iron nitride-based magnets, which can potentially replace the rare earth-based magnets. Several leading automakers and drivetrain suppliers are working together with Niron, strategically integrating its innovative technology into their core products to achieve sustainable, rare-earth-free solutions. In this interview, Rownt...

As the global automotive industry accelerates its transition to electrification, concerns around the sustainability and security of electric motor supply chains are becoming increasingly urgent. One major point of focus is the use of rare earth elements — materials that are essential to traditional electric motors but are associated with environmental degradation, limited recyclability and geopolitical supply chain risks. In response, companies like Advanced Electric Machines (AEM) are develop...

The automotive industry is at a crossroads, facing intense pressure to meet strict emissions regulations while catering to a growing demand for efficient and sustainable vehicles. The integration of battery systems with internal combustion engines (ICEs) in hybrids is not just an option; it is a necessity. This integration poses challenges that require a sharp focus on performance, efficiency and compliance. At the heart of this effort is the need for detailed drive-cycle models that inform the ...

S&P Global Mobility’s Matthew Beecham has engaged senior executives from 42 suppliers in the automotive supply chain for an end-of-year interview initiative. This initiative seeks to gather valuable insights into the challenges faced in 2024 and the strategies being formulated for 2025, prioritizing genuine experiences over elaborate strategies. This report is the final volume in a four-part series. The key discussion points include the challenges faced by automotive suppliers in 2024, ...

S&P Global Mobility’s Matthew Beecham has engaged senior executives from 42 suppliers in the automotive supply chain for an end-of-year interview initiative. This initiative seeks to gather valuable insights into the challenges faced in 2024 and the strategies being formulated for 2025, prioritizing genuine experiences over elaborate strategies. This report is the third of four volumes. The key discussion points include the challenges faced by automotive suppliers, including increased r...

S&P Global Mobility’s Matthew Beecham has engaged senior executives from 42 suppliers in the automotive supply chain for an end-of-year interview initiative. This initiative seeks to gather valuable insights into the challenges faced in 2024 and the strategies being formulated for 2025, prioritizing genuine experiences over elaborate strategies. This report is the second of four volumes. The key discussion points include ongoing supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and regulatory ...

S&P Global Mobility's Matthew Beecham has engaged senior executives from 42 suppliers in the automotive supply chain for an end-of-year interview initiative. This initiative seeks to gather valuable insights on the challenges faced in 2024 and the strategies being formulated for 2025, prioritizing genuine experiences over elaborate strategies. This report is the first of four volumes published in late 2024. Key discussion points encompass significant trends impacting suppliers, such as sh...

Wayve's recent funding represents the largest AI fundraising in the UK to date. One notable aspect of Wayve's approach to automated/autonomous driving technology is its focus on empowering a variety of manufacturers through its 'Embodied AI' technology. Unlike many competitors that rely heavily on high-definition maps and pre-programmed routes, Wayve utilizes a machine learning model that learns from vast amounts of data, simulating human learning. This adaptability enables Wayve's system to han...

As with everything that Tesla says and does, its investment in Mexico for a new vehicle plant has attracted much attention. The latest hubbub around the Santa Catarina, Nuevo Leon, plant surrounds reports that Tesla is looking to invite its mainland Chinese suppliers at its operations in Shanghai to join it in investing in Mexico. That it is looking to bring some of its mainland Chinese suppliers to Mexico is not surprising. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) do this all the time. They have...

Rapid expansion in the electric motor market is on the horizon, driven by the eAxle market and evolving technologies. As original equipment manufacturers increasingly keep design in-house but outsource production, who stands to gain? S&P Global Mobility forecasts a fourfold increase in the electric motor market in the next 12 years, with an expected production of over 120 million motors by 2034. The eAxle market is set to drive this growth, with its motor production share projected to inc...

As 2023 draws to a close, we look at the main developments and market/technology trends during the year that shaped the e-drive components (such as e-motors, inverters) and the e-drive system integration market. 1. The increased focus on silicon carbide (SiC) devices as a way to increase EV range and enable ultra-fast charging. An efficient inverter can increase the range and performance of an electric vehicle without significantly adding to the cost or weight of the vehicle. Owing to this...

The automotive industry grappled with a range of challenges this year, including ongoing supply chain disruptions, chip shortages, rising energy costs, inflation, recession fears, waning consumer demand, a shift towards software and electronics, labor shortages, strike action, and volatile order forecasts. It also faced several geopolitical concerns and challenges, including the ongoing trade tensions between the US and China, which resulted in tariffs and trade barriers that disrupted global su...

In our recent insight titled “The battle for e-drive supremacy: Make vs. Buy,” we discussed how the majority of OEMs are opting to in-source e-drive components, mostly e-motors and overall eAxle system integration, owing to a variety of reasons: Obtain competitive advantage: For electric vehicle makers, range and efficiency are the key differentiators as potential customers seek EVs that provide a higher range and faster charging. Electric drive components such as e-motors and inverter...

The time for denial is over. There are still suppliers of parts related to internal combustion engines that are steadfast in their belief that the looming (and eventual) shift away from ICE toward any number of battery-electric propulsion formats is just a passing fad. In their view, scores of OEMs, suppliers, dealers and infrastructure partners have it completely wrong. They believe that the billions in investment earmarked in virtually every major global market to build a new ecosystem are cap...

One of the most recognized patterns in current well-to-wheel analysis is the differentiation of localized power generation sources and supply chain contributions to the overall carbon footprint of vehicles. Experts like Kelly Senecal rightly point out that in many cases, the power grid is dirtier than a hybrid, even when vehicles manufacturing energy sources are responsibly developed.  Click the link above to download the full article.

In October 2022, EU lawmakers agreed on a new carbon dioxide (CO2) fleet regulation for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, adopting the target of zero CO2 emissions by 2035. As CO2 emissions are measured exclusively at the tailpipe, this decision is effectively a ban on vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEs). Although a final rubber-stamp vote by EU member states was scheduled for earlier this March, a coalition of EU countries (led by Germany) is now looking to oppose th...

On March 1, Tesla hosted its Investor Day, where it presented ‘Master Plan 3’, the sequel to Master Plan outings in 2006 and 2016. While earlier plans were greeted enthusiastically by investors, the third met with a muted response from the markets with the stock falling by 6%.  Click the link above to download the full article.

In 2023, some 300 exhibitors showcased their vehicle technology. Its increasing importance – usurping the traditional auto shows like NAIAS, Paris, IAA and Geneva along the way – is demonstrated if we wind back the clock to 2014. Then, there were just nine OEMs present and some 125 automotive technology exhibitors. With this growth has also come maturity. The 2023 CES was less about fanciful concepts and more about tangible. Click the link above to download the full article.

Automotive display HMI is growing in demand owning to convenience features and enhancing customer experience. Moreover, in the coming years development of multi-display will not only provide greater freedom of information usage and control between driver and passenger, but it will also reduce product development complexities and costs for automakers. Although, in real-terms automakers will invest more during the initial years to gain longer-term benefits. Automakers are also engaged in the devel...

The current year has again been dominated by the chip crisis. Overlaid on this has been the worsening macroeconomic position due to the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has had knock-on effects for the industry in terms of demand surety. In turn this has brought an end to the era of cheap capital, which has served to slow the burgeoning mobility startup ecosystem. In the broader sense the sector looks set to be heading to a phase where demand-side considerations replace the curren...

On 9 November 2022, the European Commission presented a proposal to implement Euro 7 emission norms in Europe for new light duty vehicles (cars and vans) from 1 July 2025 and for heavy-duty vehicles (lorries and buses) from 1 July 2027. Succeeding Euro 6 norms, which was implemented in 2014, the Euro 7 mandate is going to be the final set of regulations for the internal combustion engines (ICEs), before new gas-powered cars and vans are phased out from production and sales by 2035 in Europe. ...

With energy prices in Europe skyrocketing, placing business bottom lines in triage mode, a harsh winter could place certain automotive sectors at risk of being unable to keep their production lines running. Click the link above to download the article.

It has been almost a month since the Democrats in the US Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA 2022), which became legislation on 16 August 2022 after the US President Joe Biden signed the act. While carmakers and their suppliers across the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain have been scrambling to decode the new mandates, auto industry lobbies from Europe, South Korea, and Japan have already expressed deep concerns about the ability of global carmakers to meet the requi...