The automotive industry is grappling with a myriad of supply chain disruptions that have become increasingly common since the pandemic struck. In addition to Brexit complexities, rising material costs, natural disasters, geopolitical tensions and economic instability are forcing companies to rethink their logistics and sourcing strategies on the fly. While improvements are anticipated in the global car chip shortage, challenges persist. As Nimish Ashar, associate director of E/E & Semicon...

As the automotive industry evolves, suppliers must prioritize regulatory compliance due to stricter environmental laws linked to climate change. Investing in new technologies is essential to avoid penalties and enhance competitiveness. We examine the regulatory challenges facing suppliers and share insights from industry executives in S&P Global Mobility’s 2025 Automotive Supplier Outlook. Regulatory pressures: A catalyst for change Automotive suppliers are facing numerous challenges...

The European automotive supply industry is currently grappling with a severe labor shortage, exacerbated by record attrition levels that have plagued it over the past few years. This alarming situation has led to job losses that surpass even the darkest days of the pandemic. Despite optimistic forecasts for new job creation, the reality reveals a staggering net loss of nearly 56,000 positions since 2020, with the worst yet to come, according to The European Association of Automotive Suppliers (C...

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM), a prominent entity in the automotive industry, announced its participation for the third consecutive year at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas from Jan. 7 to 10. AAM will showcase a broad array of driveline and powertrain technologies catering to electric, hybrid and internal combustion vehicles, highlighting its leading role in the industry's shift toward electric mobility. The company's exhibition will include interactive exhibi...

Lucid Motors has inaugurated a new office in Southfield, Mich. This strategic move is aimed at leveraging Detroit's vast pool of engineering talent, particularly for roles in hardware engineering, research and development, and operations, as part of Lucid's expansion plans. The choice of Detroit underscores the company's desire to quickly onboard skilled professionals in a bid to stay competitive against other electric vehicle manufacturers such as Ford, General Motors, Tesla and Rivian, who ...

Refex Green Mobility Ltd. (RGML), a subsidiary of the Refex Group that operates within diverse sectors including the energy and environment sector, has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Citroën for the procurement of 500 Citroën ë-C3 electric vehicles. This collaboration is a significant step toward promoting green mobility solutions. Shishir Mishra, the brand director at Citroën India, highlighted the partnership's importance by pointing out Citroën's commitment...

Talbros Automotive Components Ltd (TACL) has secured a new business order worth approximately 10 billion Indian rupees from a major European original equipment manufacturer. The order is for the supply of suspension arms tailored for both conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and new-age electric vehicle platforms for the EMEA and NAFTA regions. The supply order will be executed over an eight-year period starting from the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025 and will be produce...

In April 2023, ZF began volume production of its CeTrax Lite electric drive for light commercial vehicles (LCVs), with demand exceeding expectations owing to increased orders from Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer Isuzu. The CeTrax Lite is an all-electric drive with a peak output of 150 kW that sits centrally in the vehicle frame, replacing the conventional transmission in combustion vehicles. Isuzu has been using the CeTrax Lite to power its latest generation of light d...

After a decade of unannounced efforts, Apple has reportedly abandoned Project Titan, its ambitious plan to develop electric vehicles. Initially, the project aimed to create an EV to rival Tesla, later shifting focus toward a self-driving car to compete with Google's Waymo. However, it eventually returned to its original focus: An EV with driving-assistance features. As a result, some of its 2,000 employees will transition to Apple's AI division, though layoffs are expected.  In the lates...

Ennovi, a mobility electrification solutions partner, has introduced Ennovi-Net, a customizable Automotive Ethernet connector solution supporting a 10-Gbps operation. The new solution features a standardized United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) interface but differentiates itself through its press-fit pins, which eliminate the need for soldering and offer several benefits, including a simpler and faster assembly process, reduced risk of errors, lower capacitance, and reduced res...

Kongsberg Automotive (KA) has secured a contract worth over €22 million in estimated lifetime revenue for an electric rotary actuator used in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The seven-year contract, awarded by one of China's leading manufacturers of hybrid and electric vehicles, begins in 2024, and will be manufactured and distributed by KA's Wuxi, China, plant. According to David Redfearn, KA's chief sales officer, the contract is an incremental business for a product used by ...

As we approach the end of 2023, our “Talking Heads” series delves into conversations with the practice leads at AutoTechInsight. The aim is to explore the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in their respective domains. The automotive industry faces challenges and opportunities shaped by the pandemic and technological advancements. Electrification is a key factor impacting new car prices, especially in Europe. A potential price war among EVs in mainland China is a concern. Afforda...

Geely-backed premium electric car manufacturer Polestar plans to set up a development center in the former Saab plant in Trollhättan, Sweden, according to a news report published by Automobilwoche on April 21. The report cited a company official, who confirmed the development to the news publication. It said Polestar would rent a part of the former Saab facility as part of its larger plan of expanding its vehicle development capacity in Europe. The report pointed out that the previous o...

Disclosing its ambitious global growth plan, Geely Holding Group’s premium electric vehicle (EV) brand Zeekr has unveiled its strategy for the European market, according to a news report published by CNEVPOST on April 18. The announcement was made by Zeekr on the sidelines of the ongoing Auto Shanghai 2023. The premium EV-maker plans to offer its customers in Europe a direct-to-customer business model, the report said, adding that the company plans to launch its flagship Zeekr 001 and ...

In a press release dated 13 March, Arrival announced that it has raised USD300 million from Westwood Capital. The company has established an equity financing line with Westwood Capital, providing the company with access to additional liquidity. “I have come into the business as CEO at a critical time. Arrival has developed innovative technologies and know-how which position us strongly to address the considerable EV market opportunity. We have now taken important steps to help us take advan...

Stellantis will use its Cassino assembly plant in central Italy for making cars based on its STLA Large platform, as part of the company's electrification strategy, a Reuters report dated 9 March said. Formed in 2021 through the merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot maker PSA, Stellantis said it will produce its future vehicles based on four electric platforms, including STLA Large. Significance: The Franco-Italian carmaker's first vehicles based on the new platforms are expec...

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., plans to overhaul its approach to powertrains for all-electric and hybrid petrol-electric vehicles as it aims to bring hybrid prices in line with those of petrol-powered cars by 2026, according to a Reuters report dated 9 March. The Japanese automaker said it will use the same components across models to make electric powertrains—the assembly that propels a vehicle—smaller and lighter, and reduce development and production costs by 30% within three years ...

According to a report by Reuters dated 6 March, Indonesia has announced new incentives to attract new investment and accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). The incentive program will cover sales of 200,000 electric motorcycles and 35,900 electric cars. It will also cover the conversion of 50,000 combustion-engine motorcycles. Significance: The country is in talks with two large global OEMs, and the announcement of new incentives is key to attracting investment in the co...

Volvo Cars reported sales of 51,286 cars in February 2023, up 22% compared to the same month in 2022, setting a record for the month. The sales growth was led by the company’s fully electric and plug-in hybrid car models, a press release dated 3 March said. In February, Volvo’s XC60 was the top selling model with sales reaching 16,088 cars (2022: 13,503 cars), followed by the XC40, with total sales at 15,398 cars (2022: 12,611 cars), and XC90 at 7,114 cars (2022: 5,582 cars). Significa...

According to a report by Just Auto dated 1 March, Chinese electric vehicle maker (EV) BYD Auto has started work on a new EV battery plant in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. The company is eyeing higher growth globally in the zero-emission vehicle markets. The country’s largest EV manufacturer said it would invest CNY6.5 billion (USD941 million) in the first phase of the plant for an initial production capacity of 20-GWh of batteries, enough to power 200,000 EVs. BYD expects th...

Faraday Future will commence production of its FF91 Futurist electric sports car at its manufacturing facility in Hanford, California, US facility from 30 March 2023, the company said in a press release on 20 February. The company expects the first FF91 Futurist to come off from its Hanford plant in early April and delivery to the first customers to begin before the end of the month. The confirmation of the start of production (SOP) from the US-based electric vehicle (EV) maker comes after ...

Revealing its global electric vehicle (EV) strategy for fiscal year (FY) 2030 on 26 January 2023, Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation said it plans to achieve carbon neutrality in Japan and Europe by 2050 and in India by 2070, based on the target set by the respective governments. To achieve the same, the company said that it plans to focus on creating solutions that are unique to Suzuki, which are to develop products and services focused on the customer and grow along with the operat...

Electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging equipment manufacturer Tritium DCFC Limited announced on 17 January 2023 that the company has secured a new order to supply electric vehicle (EV) chargers from British energy major BP. It claims that the new order from BP is the largest ever order from a single customer in Tritium’s history. The order is part of BP’s global expansion plans, which entail installation of EV fast chargers for fleets and the public in the US, the UK, Europe, and Australia. ...

South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor plans to start assembling its Ioniq 5 electric vehicle (EV) at its plant in Singapore in the first half of CY 2023, according to a news report published by The Straits Times on 11 January 2023. To mark the milestone, Hyundai plans to auction for the number plates of its first 100 cars assembled in Singapore. These EVs will have special number plates with the EVS prefix, which stands for EV made in Singapore. The report stated that the carmaker plans to init...

India’s leading electric vehicle (EV) charging network provider Tata Power has kicked off an ambitious plan of setting up about 25,000 EV charging points across the country over the coming five years, the company announced on 13 January 2023 on the sidelines of the Auto Expo 2023 in Greater Noida, Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). The EV charging network expansion is aimed at accelerating faster adoption of EVs in the subcontinent. Showcasing a wide range of its hi-tech EV charging solut...

Norway-based electric vehicle (EV) charging network provider Wattif EV AS has raised an investment of EUR50 million (over USD54 million) from Marguerite, one of Europe’s leading investment fund managers in sustainable infrastructure projects, the startup said on 5 January 2023. The startup said that the investment provides an immediate catalyst for further growth in CY 2023 as it is aiming to set up over 120,000 new EV destination charge points stimulated by an expanded sales force in key E...

Electric vehicle (EV) charging solution provider Statiq plans to install about 20,000 EV chargers across India in FY 2023 to accelerate the adoption of EVs in the subcontinent, according to a news report published by The Economic Times on 14 January 2023. Gurgaon-based Statiq EV charging showcased a wide range of high-tech EV charging solutions at the Auto Expo 2023 in Greater Noida, Delhi NCR. The company claims to have already installed over 7,000 public, semi-public and captive EV chargers...

Indian conglomerate Tata Group is looking to set up battery cell plants in India and Europe for electric vehicles (EVs), according to a news report published by Reuters on 12 January 2023. The report cited Tata Motors CFO PB Balaji, who spoke to Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing Auto Expo 2023 in New Delhi. Tata Motors CFO further told Reuters that localizing battery cell manufacturing is key to increasing local components in electric cars while making the EVs more affor...

India’s leading automaker Tata Motors plans to expand its electric vehicle (EV) portfolio with new models and higher price points, according to a news report published by Reuters on 11 January 2023. The report cited the company managing director Shailesh Chandra, who said that Tata Motors aims to cement its position as the top selling electric car company in India. Chandra also told the publication that the carmaker plans to develop and offer EVs to address the needs of a range of buye...

South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI is considering setting up a battery manufacturing facility jointly with its largest customer BMW in Hungary, according to a news report published by Business Korea on 12 January 2023. The report said that the development follows a high-profile meeting between Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong and BMW chairman Oliver Zipse in December 2022. It said that Samsung SDI is considering building a third plant in Göd, Hungary, in proxim...

US automaker Ford Motor Company plans to partner with South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution on its Turkey-based electric vehicle (EV) battery plant project after its strategic ally SK On withdrew from the deal, according to a news report published by Automotive News Europe on 9 January 2023. The new development comes as the carmaker plans to accelerate the shift to manufacture electric vehicles (EVs) while diversifying its battery suppliers, the report said, citing sources a...

Israel-based battery technology startup StoreDot has officially opened its first research and development (R&D) facility in Irvine, California, US, the company announced on 10 January 2023. It said that the new lab facility will be used to speed up StoreDot's development of semi-solid battery technology and battery material research. Notably, StoreDot chose California as the ideal location for its R&D facility as the region has wealth of talent in the West Coast of the US. StoreDot’...

South Korean EV battery maker SK On has scrapped its plan to build the KRW4 trillion (USD3.2 billion) battery manufacturing facility in Turkey on account of high cost of capital and the looming risks from the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, according to a news report published by the Korea Economic Daily on 9 January 2023. SK On had earlier planned to set up a battery plant in Turkey in collaboration with the US automaker Ford Motor Company and the local group Koc Holding to serve the emerging ...

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz plans to launch its own global high-power EV charging network across North America, Europe, China and other key markets, the company announced on the sidelines of the CES 2023 on 6 January 2023. Mercedes-Benz said that it will begin building its fast-charging EV network in the US and Canada in 2023, followed by other regions around the globe. The carmaker said that it is collaborating with partners such as MN8 Energy, one of the largest solar energy and ba...

Sony Honda Mobility Inc. (SHM) has announced a new brand named ‘Afeela’ on 4 January 2023 at the ongoing CES 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. SHM said that Afeela represents ‘feel,’ which is central to offering an immersive experience to the occupants. The company also unveiled a prototype of an all-electric sedan, which is equipped with a total of 45 cameras and sensors inside and outside the vehicle, together with 800 TOPS of maximum computing power for the ECU. The...

Hangzhou, China-based electric vehicle (EV) maker Leapmotor has to sell in the range of 400,000 units to 500,000 units per year to achieve break-even point, the company’s founder, chairman, and CEO Zhu Jiangming told the local media, according to a news report published by CnEVPost on 4 January 2023. Jiangming’s comments have come after the EV maker reported total CY 2022 sales of 111,168 units, which means that the company has to significantly pull up its annual sales to become profitabl...

Chinese electric car company NIO plans to set up about 120 battery swap stations across Europe by the end of 2023, according to a news report published by online news portal Electrive on 3 January 2023. The report said that the electric vehicle (EV) maker has so far installed 10 battery swap stations in Europe, with another seven to join the active network soon. The current network of battery swap stations in Europe is spread across Norway, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands. The report sai...

Japanese carmaker Subaru plans to halt the development of plug-in-hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) to focus on electric and hybrid vehicles in the future, according to a news report published by the news agency Nikkei Asia on 19 December 2022. The move is aimed at reducing the development cost of clean-energy vehicles, the report said, adding that several automakers are taking the route of rationally investing funds in futuristic technologies instead of developing vehicles that may witness shrinking d...

South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Company announced on 27 December 2022 that it plans to sell only fully electric cars in Norway starting from 1 January 2023. “Hyundai Motor Norway has today announced that the brand will sell only fully electric zero-emission cars in the Norwegian market from 2023 onwards,” Hyundai said in an official statement. The carmaker said that it had first introduced its battery electric vehicle (BEV) line up—Ioniq series—in Norway in 2016 and since then ...

Asia’s EV market is all set to take off in 2023 as several carmakers, including BYD, Tata Motors and Tesla have lined up a number of affordable models to cater to the demand for EVs in emerging countries, according to a news report published by Nikkei Asia on 23 December 2022. Citing an example of India’s leading electric carmaker Tata Motors, the report stated that the company plans to begin delivering its Tiago electric hatchback, which is dubbed as the most affordable electric car in t...

CATL announced on 19 December 2022 that the production operations at the first phase of the CATL – Geely EV battery manufacturing plant in Yibin, which is situated in southwest China's Sichuan Province, has started with a planned capacity of 15 GWh. The battery manufacturing facility is set up with a total investment of up to CNY8 billion (USD1.15 billion) and is spread across a planned area of more than 30 ha. According to the company, CATL-Geely’s Yibin project’s construction work beg...

Volkswagen’s premium car brand Audi is retooling its global facilities to prepare them for the production of all electric cars, the company said in an official statement on 20 December 2022. The move is part of Audi’s Vorsprung 2030 corporate strategy, which also entails the company’s ambition to roll out only EVs from 2026 and phase out all of its combustion models by 2033. Commenting on Audi’s global EV roll out, Audi Board Member for Production and Logistics Gerd Walker, said, “S...

Germany-based auto component supplier Webasto Group said on 15 December 2022 that the company has received new orders worth EUR2.8 billion (about USD3 billion) for its battery, charging, and electric heating systems in the last 12 months. “The incoming orders for CY2022 in this field of business have therefore more than doubled compared with the previous year,” Webasto said, adding that the order book indicates how the company is pivoting to implement its strategy of making electric vehic...

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) will showcase its advanced electrification technologies at the upcoming CES 2023, the company announced in a press release on 15 December. Some of the displays at the show will include 3-in-1 electric drive units and fully integrated e-Beam axles high-speed motors, inverters, gearboxes, and axles for use across the widest band of electric vehicle segments—from compact and performance vehicles, to crossovers, trucks, and sport utility vehicles (SUVs)...

US based battery technology startup Group14 Technologies has raised USD214 million in additional financing from a consortium including Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, Lightrock Climate Impact Fund, Moore Strategic Ventures, Oman Investment Authority, and Molicel, the company announced on 14 December 2022. The latest financing brings Group14’s Series C funding round to a total of USD614 million, it said. The company, which also recently received a USD100 million grant from the US Depa...

Siemens eMobility, a global electric vehicle (EV) technology and infrastructure provider, plans to set up its second US manufacturing plant for EV chargers in Carrollton, Texas, the company announced on 13 December 2022. The company said it will retrofit the 80,000-square-foot brownfield plant in Carrollton as part of its continued investment plan in the US. The planned production unit will allow the company to significantly ramp up its annual manufacturing capacity in the US to cater to the ...

Michigan-based global supplier of powertrain technologies and EV components, BorgWarner plans to participate at the upcoming 2023 Auto Expo Components show in New Delhi, India next month. The company plans to showcase a broad range of technologies that support vehicle electrification including battery systems, charging stations, electric motors, integrated drive modules, power electronics and high-performance thermal management products like the high voltage coolant heater, among others, BorgWar...

The US-based electric vehicle (EV) maker Rivian is pausing plans to produce electric commercial vans in Europe and will no longer pursue the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mercedes-Benz Vans, the company announced on 12 December 2022. It can be recalled that Rivian and Mercedes-Benz Vans had signed an MoU in September 2022 to set up a joint venture (JV) manufacturing company that would build a plant to produce large electric vans for both the automakers in Europe. Commenting on the...

Leading electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator and smart charging solutions provider FLO announced on 7 December 2022 that the company has been selected by General Motors (GM) to supply Level 2 EV chargers for GM’s Dealer Community Charging Program. Under this program, FLO will install up to 40,000 public Level 2 EV chargers in local communities across North America, the company said, adding that the project is the single largest deployment of EV chargers across North Ame...

US-based electric vehicle (EV) maker Rivian has partnered with Apex Clean Energy to purchase wind energy for its manufacturing operations at its Illinois plant in the United States, the company announced in a press release on 5 December. Rivian will purchase 50 MW of electricity from Apex Clean Energy’s proposed Goose Creek Wind farm in Piatt County, Illinois. The project is slated to begin operations in 2024. “About a third of global greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation, wit...

Mainland Chinese automaker BYD is planning to start sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in Japan from early 2023, Reuters reported on 5 December, citing BYD’s Japanese division. According to the report, BYD will commence its sales operations in Japan with the launch of all-electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) ATTO 3 on 31 January 2023. BYD reportedly will start sales in 22 Japanese cities initially, but is aiming to cover all other regions in the future. The company is planning to open mo...

Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor (GWM) plans to accelerate the deployment of its new energy strategy that entails global expansion into the new emerging markets, the company said in a media note on 2 December 2022. With a focus on EVs, the company said that it has launched diversified products ranging from hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in Thailand. While the company continues to expand its products and services,...

Ford Motor Company announced on 30 November 2022 that the company has cumulatively produced 150,000 units of its popular electric car Mustang Mach-E, a significant milestone achieved within two years of commencing the series production of the electric vehicle (EV) model. The announcement comes at a time when the US automaker is on its way to rapidly scale up its EV production capacity to achieve a rate of 600,000 units per year by late 2023 and more than 2 million units per year by 2026....

South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with battery maker SK On Company Ltd. in order to secure supply of EV batteries in North America, the carmaker announced on 29 November 2022. The MoU was signed at the SK Group headquarters in South Korea by Heung-soo Kim, EVP and head of Corporate Future Growth Planning Division & EV Division of Hyundai Motor Group and Young-chan Choi, Chief Administrative Officer of SK On, the company said. Under...

US carmaker General Motors Company estimates that its growing electric vehicle (EV) portfolio will become profitable in 2025 in North America as it will scale up its EV capacity in the region to more than 1 million units per annum, the company announced on 17 November 2022, on the sidelines of an investor meet in New York. GM said it plans to expand EV production capacity along with ramping up its software revenue opportunities while generating significant greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits and re...

Oil and gas multinational bp has launched its global electrification brand—bp pulse—in Australia and has officially opened the new bp pulse fast-charging points at the bp Bayside at Brighton East in Melbourne, Australia, the company announced on 16 November 2022. The charging points were officially launched by the global chief executive officer Bernard Looney on Wednesday. The retailer of premium fuels said that the launch of electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging services in Melbourne marks...

Seoul-based electric vehicle (EV) charging technology provider SK Signet plans to set up a new EV charger manufacturing plant in Plano, Texas, US, the company announced on 14 November 2022. The company, which is backed by South Korean conglomerate SK Group, plans to locally produce a range of fast charging solutions at its upcoming facility, which will be spread across an area of 136,200 square feet. The planned EV charger production plant is expected to operate at full capacity by July 2023,...

Ford Motor Company has signed a strategic partnership with Manufacture 2030 in an attempt to help its suppliers meet their carbon reduction targets toward its overarching goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 globally, and by 2035 in Europe, the carmaker said on 15 November 2022. Manufacture 2030 or M2030 is designed to help suppliers measure, manage, and reduce carbon emissions. Ford claims that while it is among the first US automakers to sign a partnership agreement with M2030, i...

US-based manufacturer of electric vehicles (EVs) Canoo has signed an agreement to acquire a vehicle manufacturing facility in Oklahoma City, the company announced on 9 November 2022. Canoo said that the newly acquired production unit, which is strategically located with easy access to road and rail, is slated to produce LDV and LV vehicles for delivery to customers in 2023. The facility will also accommodate a dedicated training center, and the site is expected to employ more than 500 people....

Taiwan’s Hon Hai Technology Group, popularly known as Foxconn, has reached an agreement with Lordstown Motors Corporation (LMC) wherein it will make additional equity investments in the latter to the tune of USD170 million, according to a press note issued by Lordstown Motors on 7 November 2022. Foxconn will invest in the form of USD70 million of LMC’s Class A common stock and up to USD100 million of a newly created Series A convertible preferred stock, it said, adding that upon Comple...

Accelerating its transition to electric vehicles (EVs), Volvo Australia plans to sell only EVs in Australia from 2026, well ahead of the car company’s global commitment to do so by 2030, according to a news report published by ‘The Driven’ on 3 November 2022. The report stated that the plan was announced on Thursday by Volvo Australia managing director Stephen Connor, on the sidelines of the official launch of the new C40 Recharge in Australia. It said that while the C40 Recharge is Vol...

The CASE megatrends – connected, autonomous, shared and electric – in case you’ve not been paying attention, have been the hot topics of the automotive industry in the past decade. They’ve even given rise to talk of the industry in the whole as the mobility industry rather than the more prosaic automotive industry. But is the CASE narrative running into trouble? Hot on the heels of the news that Ford and VW were exiting their Argo AI autonomous driving technology venture came news out...

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group's luxury car arm Zeekr plans to sell its first electric vehicles in Europe next year, a Reuters news report published on 2 November 2022 said, citing Zeekr's CEO. According to Reuters, An Conghui, Zeekr CEO and president at Geely was interviewed by the reporters at a roundtable on Tuesday in Wuzhen in Zhejiang province. According to the news report, the carmaker plans to launch its 001 electric crossover in Europe next year. The company, however, has not shared an...

US-based electric vehicle (EV) maker Canoo plans to set up a battery module manufacturing facility at MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor, Oklahoma, US, the company announced on 2 November 2022. While the upcoming plant will expand Canoo’s manufacturing footprint and workforce in the region, the company said that the facility will be capable of producing approximately 3,200 MWh of battery module manufacturing capacity. The company, however, did not disclose the amount it plans to invest in ...

Turkish electric vehicle (EV) maker Togg has inaugurated its first production facility in Gemlik, Turkey, and the first electric car is slated for roll out in March 2023, according to a news report published by Electrive.com on 31 October 2022. The report mentioned that the carmaker plans to produce up to 18,000 EVs in 2023 and expand its annual production capacity to about 175,000 units within next five years. While the EVs will be designed and assembled locally in Turkey, Togg plans to impo...

Disclosing more details about its European business strategy on the sidelines of the ongoing Paris Motor Show 2022 in France on 17 October 2022, Vietnamese electric vehicle (EV) maker VinFast said that it plans to open dedicated headquarters in Germany, France, and the Netherlands. The announcement comes at a time when the company is planning to expand its global footprints, primarily across the US and Europe. “The opening of the headquarters aims to amplify VinFast’s business activi...

Chinese automaker BYD announced on 17 October 2022 that it has launched three battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) at the ongoing Paris Motor Show at the Parc des Expositions in Paris. BYD’s newly launched BEV range includes the BYD Atto 3, a C-segment sport utility vehicle (SUV), the BYD Tang, a 7-seater with variable all-wheel drive and the sleek and sporty sedan BYD Han. Commenting on the new launches, Michael Shu, general manager and managing director, BYD Europe and International Cooperati...

Spanish utility company Iberdrola Group plans to install around 150,000 high-efficiency electric vehicle (EV) charging points by 2025, including the ones available to the public on the urban roads, cities, and on major motorways as well as for private applications such as in residential homes and businesses, the company said on 20 September 2022. Iberdrola said that as part of its plans to accelerate sustainable mobility in the region, the company has increased its public charging network by ...

Swedish carmaker Volvo Cars has stopped sales of pure combustion engine powered vehicles in Denmark, including mild hybrids, according to a company media release issued on 20 September 2022. “Volvo Car Denmark stops all sales of cars that run exclusively on petrol or diesel,” the company said in a statement Tuesday, adding that Denmark becomes the second market where Volvo will focus solely on Recharge cars, which are electric and plug-in hybrid cars. The Danish announcement is an impo...

Austin, Texas-headquartered electric vehicle (EV) charging startup Invisible Urban Charging (IUC) announced on 13 September 2022 that it is partnering with EV Charging of Arizona to roll out 13,980 public EV chargers across the state of Arizona. IUC’s plan entails increasing its total number of EV chargers by seven times. The expansion of the public EV charging network in Arizona is to cater to the increasing EVs on the roads. According to the data released by the US Department of Energy in...

Hubject, the company which offers the largest roaming platform for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure globally, has joined ChargeUp Europe, the industry association that represents Europe’s EV charging infrastructure industry, Hubject said in a media release on 12 September 2022. Hubject becomes the sixth charging ecosystem partner in ChargeUp Europe, which continues to expand the overall scope and reach of the association. Notably, after Hubject coming on board, ChargeUp Europe�...

French carmaker Renault announced on 6 September 2022 that the company plans to launch its electric vehicle range across all-electric passenger cars and commercial vehicles in the Latin American markets. The company said that it will launch Megane E-TECH Electric, Master E-TECH Electric and Kangoo E-TECH Electric in Latin America in the first half of 2023. It can be recalled that in April 2022 Renault had rolled out the Kwid E-TECH Electric in Brazil and in less than two months, the first bat...

China’s largest EV maker BYD plans to build an electric passenger car plant with an annual capacity to produce 150,000 units in Thailand. According to a media announcement on 8 September 2022 by WHA Industrial Development PLC, the company has signed a significant land purchase agreement with BYD, which has acquired a plot spread across an area of 237 acres at WHA Rayong 36 Industrial Estate. The industrial estate is developed by WHA Industrial Development PLC, which is a subsidiary of WHA G...

German supplier of powertrain, thermal and electronic components, MAHLE has received a loan of EUR300 million (USD300.83 million) from the European Investment Bank (EIB) in the form of a support to accelerate research and development (R&D) in vehicle electrification and the decarbonization of road traffic, Germany's fourth-largest automotive supplier said on 30 August 2022. MAHLE said that the projects include investments in eco-friendly technologies, such as electric motor and battery co...

State-owned Chinese automaker FAW Group’s luxury car marque Hongqi plans to enter the Netherland’s electric vehicle (EV) market as part of its strategy to expand its footprint in Europe, according to a news report published by CarNewsChina.com on 24 August 2022. Hongqi has appointed a local distributor named Stern Premium Cars B.V., which is slated to import and distribute the brand’s all-electric car in the country, the report said, adding that the distributor has also signed up for pr...

In line with its expansion strategy, Norwegian battery maker FREYR Battery has opened its first US-based technology center in Boston, it announced on 22 August 2022. The NYSE-listed company said it is collaborating with its joint venture partners from Koch Strategic Platforms (KSP) to accelerate the development of Giga America, the company’s first gigafactory in the US. Besides the partnership with KSP, which intends to make the company one of the largest battery makers in the US, FREYR has...

Italy-based battery manufacturing venture Italvolt expects that the company will receive the building permit for its planned 45-GWh gigafactory in the first half of CY2023, according to an interview of Italvolt’s CEO Lars Carlstrom published by eeNews Europe on 16 August 2022. “We have submitted the first phase in late August and Phase One in October so hopefully we will have building permits in Spring 2023. We are furnishing a lot of detail for the authorities. Compared to the ...

Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd, one of the leading carmakers from China, aims to raise the proportion of electric vehicles (EVs) in its overall vehicle sales to 50% as early as 2023, according to a news report published by Reuters on 18 August 2022. The report stated that the company’s plan is aligned with its larger strategy to accelerate its transition to EVs amid weakening demand for petrol-driven cars. Citing Geely’s chief executive Jerry Gan, the report said that sales of electric and...

Expanding its footprint in Norway, Chinese EV maker NIO has opened its second battery swap station on 15 August, a news report published by CnEVPost said on 16 August 2022, citing the Norwegian version of the NIO App. NIO’s second battery swap station, which is located in Vestby, a municipality that lies between Oslo and Gothenburg, follows the company’s first swap station in Norway that was put into operation earlier in January 2022. While the company had launched its ES8 model in Norway...

South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI announced on 15 August 2022 that the company has set up its first research and development center in the US. The facility is named as SDI R&D America (SDIRA) and is located in Boston, the company said, adding that the new research and development (R&D) center in the US has come shortly after it established a similar facility in Munich, Germany, in July 2022. Samsung SDI’s research center in Munich is named as SDI R&D Europe (SDIRE). More...

Mainland Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor (GWM) has appointed Emil Frey Group to import, distribute, and sell GWM’s WEY and ORA vehicles in the European market, according to a news report published by PANDAILY on 10 August 2022. GWM held a signing ceremony with the European car dealer on 8 August 2022, it said, adding that the two sides reached a strategic cooperation on the import and distribution as well as joint marketing of two innovative GWM products, WEY PHEV Coffee 01 and ORA...

Mainland Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD has announced its official entry in Israel as the company appointed Shlomo Motors as its national distributor in Israel, BYD said on 2 August 2022. As part of the agreement with BYD, Shlomo Motors will actively market the automaker’s range of passenger vehicles in Israel providing sales, after sales, and service support to customers. The company said that its retail partner will open many showrooms showcasing BYD’s electric cars across Isra...

China-based electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD plans to enter Germany and Sweden with its electric and hybrid passenger car models, a news report published by ELECTRIVE on 2 August 2022 said. The company has chosen Hedin Mobility Group as its sales partner for the two countries, it added. According to the report, BYD plans to open its first showroom in Stockholm in October 2022. That said, it also plans to open several new showrooms in Germany, the first of which is expected to come up in...

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker NIO plans to commence operations at its upcoming battery swap station manufacturing plant in Hungary in September 2022, the company announced in a blog post on its website on 29 July 2022. The new plant announcement was made in the presence of Péter Szijjártó, minister of Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Hui Zhang, vice president of NIO Europe Office, among other delegates in Budapest, Hungary. The plant will be managed by NIO’s battery swap bu...

Global automotive supplier Bosch announced on 19 July 2022 that the company is planning to restructure its ‘Mobility Solutions’ business into a business division with profit and loss responsibility with effect from 1 January 2023. Bosch further said that the company is appointing a new management team, which will be responsible for the ‘Mobility Solutions’ business and all its sub-divisions with effect from 1 October 2022. It added that the chairman of the new sector board will be Dr....

Warren Buffet–backed mainland Chinese automaker BYD plans to enter Japan’s electric passenger car market with three electric vehicle (EV) models scheduled for commercial launch as early as January 2023, the company announced on 21 July 2022. The company said that it will debut the Japanese electric car market through its subsidiary named BYD Auto Japan Inc., which plans to launch the BYD Atto 3, BYD Dolphin. and BYD Seal next year. The announcement was made by the top company leadership t...

Michigan-based automaker Ford Motor Company has signed a nonbinding MoU with the world’s largest battery maker, China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Company Ltd. (CATL) to explore a cooperation for sourcing electric vehicle (EV) batteries across the European, North American and Chinese markets, Ford announced on 21 July 2022. Ford said that CATL will supply full lithium iron phosphate or LFP battery packs for Mustang Mach-E models for North America starting next year as well as F-150...

Canadian battery anode materials company Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) announced via press release on 19 July the results of an independently conducted cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) for the graphite it plans to manufacture for the battery industry at its commercial-scale Phase-2 all-electric facilities Quebec. According to the press release, the Phase-2 coated spherical purified graphite that NMG plans to supply to battery anode manufacturers, according to the LCA conducted b...

Bosch is set to reorganize its Mobility solutions business in order to offer customized technologies and solutions from a single source, it said in a 19 July press release. The reorganization will come into effect from 1 January 2023. Bosch is planning to reorganize its Mobility Solutions business into a ‘business sector with profit and loss responsibility’. Markus Heyn will be the chairman of the new sector board. Significance: Bosch also said that Andreas Dempf will retain his position ...

Shanghai-based Envision Group said on 18 July 2022 that it plans to set up an EV battery gigafactory in Navalmoral de la Mata in Spain. The proposed gigafactory is slated to have an annual capacity of up to 50-GWh in phase one and is expected to create 3,000 jobs. The battery plant is expected to become operational in 2025. The company disclosed that the proposed gigafactory is part of the VENERGY+ Project, which consists of 12 partners from 10 autonomous communities in which suppliers of veh...

US-based battery materials startup Wildcat Discovery Technologies has raised USD90 million in series-D funding round led by Koch Strategic Platforms (KSP), an investment subsidiary of Koch Industries, the startup announced on 13 July 2022. Other investors included Eastman Kodak (Kodak) and Fifth Wall Climate, it said. Wildcat Discovery said that the company is developing multiple innovative technologies that will all be the key to formulating a breakthrough electric vehicle (EV) "super cell"....

AUTOCRYPT has announced the integration of its Plug&Charge (PnC) authentication system into Hyundai Motor's charging platform E-pit Charging Service Platform (E-CSP) as part of its E-pit electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure expansion, it said in a press release on 19 July. Daniel ES Kim, CEO and cofounder, AUTOCRYPT, said, “Challenges in larger EV adoption can only be resolved by bringing new concepts forward. We consider the advancement of secure EV charging services as a majo...

Arrival has proposed a reorganization of its business, according to a company press release on 12 July. The company wishes to propose the reorganization in response to challenging economic conditions and focuses on beginning the production of the Arrival Van in third quarter 2022. A business strategy update will be provided on Arrival’s second quarter earnings call on 11 August 2022. Significance: Founded in 2015, Arrival aims to offer electric solutions produced by local microfac...

Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is set to recruit 900 engineers for its Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) Research and Development (R&D) center in Chennai, Economic Times reported on 16 July. The move is a big step in driving e-mobility with the company looking to build EV capabilities and design and develop new electric products. “We have our EV track in Detroit too, and they also do one of the programs for us. In the UK, we have the design centre led by Chief Designer ...

Electric vehicle (EV) propulsion technology company Elaphe has announced that it has joined the Foxconn-led MIH consortium, according to a press release on 5 July 2022. MIH Open Platform Alliance's objective is to encourage collaboration in the electric vehicle industry by developing next-generation e-Mobility technologies, establishing testing and certification standards, and bringing together alliance partners. Elaphe fits in the mix for its innovativeness, potential, and worldwide technolo...

American chemical manufacturing company Ascend Performance Materials announced via press release on 13 July that its Trinohex® Ultra high-purity 1,3,6-hexanetricarbonitrile battery electrolyte additive had been registered under China REACH and made available for use in the domestic battery market. According to the press release, application of the electrolyte additive in lithium-ion battery (LIB) chemistries provides high cathode protection, a longer-lasting performance in extreme conditions...

Mobile electric vehicle (EV) charging service provider, Lanli Energy has announced that it raised tens of millions of yuan in angel-round financing, Pandaily reported on 13 July. The investment round was led by BlueRun Ventures. Significance: Lanli Energy, founded in 2021, focuses on providing charging solutions for new energy vehicles. It aims to integrate power batteries with charging equipment. It also created a dynamic new energy power network that combines distributed optical energy...

The Korea Times reported on 8 July that South Korean chemical company SKC had commenced construction of a battery copper foil factory in the Stalowa Wola E-Mobility Complex, Poland. According to the report, the new factory, built using a USD693 million investment by SKC and subsidiary SK Nexilis Co., will annually produce 50,000 tons of copper foils from the second half of 2024. Significance: Copper foils are used as current collectors for the anodes of state-of-the-art batteries equi...