Source : PTI | Bajaj Auto plans to expand the product line up and bolster sales network under the Triumph brand to consolidate its position in the robustly growing domestic mid-size motorcycle segment, according to a senior company executive. The Pune-based firm, which has a global partnership with British motorcycle brand Triumph, on Tuesday unveiled two 400-cc bikes, Speed T4 and Speed 400, priced at INR 2.17 lakh and INR 2.4 lakh respectively (ex-showroom Delhi).

In an interaction with PTI, Bajaj Auto President Pro Biking Business Unit Sumeet Narang said that having established the Triumph brand in the last year, the focus would now be to expand operations further. Continue reading “Bajaj looks to expand Triumph range, sales network to fuel future growth”

Summary

• Union lays groundwork for potentially large strike at Stellantis
• UAW claims Stellantis has not honored product commitments
• Striking outside of wage talks would be rare step for UAW

DETROIT, (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers union plans to hold strike authorization votes at one or more of its Stellantis local chapters in the coming days, union president Shawn Fain said on Tuesday, which could lead to significant disruptions for the Jeep maker. Continue reading “UAW to hold strike votes at Stellantis local chapters, union president says”

(Reuters) – Volkswagen’s Audi is looking for an investor for its struggling Brussels plant, the premium brand’s production director Gerd Walker said on Tuesday.

The company has examined several options for the site and discussed them with employees, but has not yet made a final decision on the future of the site as none of the options were proven to be economically rational, Walker added. Continue reading “Volkswagen’s Audi looks for investor for Brussels plant”

HANOVER, Germany, (Reuters) – German autos supplier Bosch CEO Stefan Hartung expects very little growth in car and commercial vehicle markets worldwide this year and next, he said in an interview with Reuters.

“Demand on the car market (globally) is lower than the industry expected five years ago,” Hartung said on the sidelines of the IAA Transportation trade fair in Hanover, Germany. Continue reading “Bosch chief sees stagnating growth in car markets worldwide”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – China’s commerce minister said the European Union’s imposition of tariffs on electric vehicles (EV) will “seriously interfere” with trade and investment cooperation and hurt both China and Germany.

In talks on Tuesday with German Vice Chancellor and Economic Minister Robert Habeck, Wang Wentao said he hoped to reach a solution in line with World Trade Organisation rules as soon as possible, and avoid the escalation of China-EU economic and trade frictions, according to a statement released by China’s Ministry of Commerce early on Wednesday. Continue reading “EV tariffs will damage Germany, China, says Chinese commerce minister”

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Volkswagen may book up to 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) in provisions for planned capacity cuts as early as the fourth quarter, analysts at brokerage Jefferies said in a note after travelling with company executives in North America.

Volkswagen said earlier this month it was considering shutting plants in Germany for the first time in its history, part of a cost-cutting plan as it struggles to compete with Asian rivals. Continue reading “Volkswagen may book up to $4.4 billion in provisions on capacity cuts, Jefferies says”

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – The European Commission said on Monday that the deadline for Chinese electric vehicle makers to make price commitments as a way of averting tariffs had passed, with no possibility to revise their offers after they were all rejected.

The Commission, which is conducting an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese-built EVs, said several EV exporters had submitted price undertakings – a commitment by an exporter to respect minimum import prices in order to offset subsidies. Continue reading “EU says deadline for Chinese EV price offers has passed”

ROME, (Reuters) – Italy backs tariffs proposed by the European Commission on Chinese exports of electric vehicles (EVs), Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in an interview published on Monday before he met China’s commerce minister in Rome.

“We support the duties that the EU Commission proposes, to protect the competitiveness of our companies,” Tajani told daily Corriere della Sera in an interview. Continue reading “Italy backs EU’s tariffs on Chinese electric cars”

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The 1.3 million-member Teamsters union could decide who to endorse in the 2024 U.S. presidential election as early as Wednesday after members met Democratic candidate Kamala Harris on Monday, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien said.

Union representatives met her Republican rival Donald Trump in January. “We can’t kick this can down the road,” O’Brien told reporters after meeting with Harris for nearly an hour. Continue reading “Teamsters meet VP Harris, could make US presidential pick this week”

OSLO, (Reuters) – The Swedish state will not take a stake in battery maker Northvolt and the company’s future must be determined by its private owners, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told a press conference on Monday.

Northvolt last week announced it would shrink its operations and cut jobs, sparking fears that Europe’s best shot at a home-grown electric vehicle battery champion may stall. Continue reading “Sweden will not take stake in Northvolt, prime minister says”

DETROIT, (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers union said on Monday it had filed unfair labor practice charges against Chrysler-parent Stellantis for violating the labor contract the parties reached last fall.

The UAW said it filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board because Stellantis has refused to provide information about its future product plans. Continue reading “UAW union files unfair labor practice charges against automaker Stellantis”

(Reuters) – Drivers are more likely to engage in non-driving activities, such as checking their phones or eating a sandwich, when using partial automation systems, with some easily skirting rules set to limit distractions, new research showed on Tuesday.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducted month-long studies with two such systems – Tesla’s Autopilot and Volvo’s Pilot Assist – to examine driver behavior when the technology was in use and how it evolved over time. Continue reading “Drivers more likely to be distracted while using partial automation tech, study shows”

Source : PTI | New Delhi: Mahindra & Mahindra on Monday expanded its light commercial vehicle (LCV) range with a new product range based on an all new platform developed at an initial investment of INR 900 crore. The company has introduced “Veero” light commercial vehicle in the less than 3.5 tonne range with both diesel and CNG trims, with price starting at INR 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom).

An electric version of the LCV would be introduced at a later stage. Continue reading “Mahindra expands LCV range with product based on multi-energy platform”

Source : PTI | Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz India on Monday expanded its Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) range in the country with the launch of the locally produced EQS 580 4MATIC. India is the first country outside the US to start the local production of the seven-seater electric SUV.

EQS SUV 580 4MATIC is the second model, after the EQS sedan, to be locally produced at company’s Pune-based manufacturing plant. Continue reading “Mercedes expands BEV range; rolls out second locally produced model in India”

Source : PTI | Mumbai: Amazon and Global Optimism co-founded The Climate Pledge on Monday launched a network of shared charging stations for faster adoption of electric mobility, with the Pledge signatories and partners looking to collectively invest over USD 2.65 million into the project by 2030. These signatories include Amazon, Mahindra Logistics, HCLTech, Greenko and Delotte as well as industry partners Kazam and Magenta Mobility, according to a release.

The Climate Pledge is a commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement.

Continue reading “The Climate Pledge launches network of shared charging stations for EVs”

Source : PTI | The Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has upheld a district forum order, holding the manufacturer and customer relation office of Hyundai Motors India as not responsible for any wrong doing or omission by an authorised dealer. The authorised dealer did not deliver a car after receiving the booking amount.

The commission — comprising president Justice Sangita Lal Dhingra and member JP Agarwal — was hearing an appeal against an order of the Delhi district forum order, which, in January 2015, held that the head office of Hyundai Motors India and its customer relation office were not responsible for the breach of commitment by Suhrit Hyundai in Mayapuri. Continue reading “Hyundai not responsible for dealer’s omissions, says Delhi consumer commission”

Source : PTI | A proposed 14-lane road near the Atal Setu sea bridge that will connect to Pune via a ring road will bring down traffic on Mumbai-Pune Expressway by 50%, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Sunday.

The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways was talking about road plans for Mumbai-Bengaluru at an alumni event organised by COEP Technological University on the occasion of Engineer’s Day. Continue reading “New road near Atal Setu will bring down Mumbai-Pune Expressway traffic by 50%: Gadkari”

Source : PTI | Kolkata: The West Bengal transport department has decided to streamline the registration of e-rickshaws and phase out unregistered and illegally manufactured vehicles. The decision was taken in view of representations from various bodies about the plying of lakhs of unregistered e-rickshaws built in workshops without following any standard manufacturing procedures or safety guidelines.

A senior transport department official said that district magistrates have been asked to identify battery-operated unregistered e-rickshaws built clandestinely at local garages and phase them out in a time-bound manner.

Continue reading “Bengal transport dept to streamline e-rickshaw registration, phase out illegal vehicles”

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Volkswagen may book up to 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) in provisions for planned capacity cuts as early as the fourth quarter, analysts at brokerage Jefferies said in a note after travelling with company executives in North America.

Volkswagen said earlier this month it was considering shutting plants in Germany for the first time in its history, part of a cost-cutting plan as it struggles to compete with Asian rivals. Continue reading “Volkswagen may book up to $4.4 billion in provisions on capacity cuts, Jefferies says”

• Volksfest 2024, the Brand’s annual festive celebration extravaganza will commence on September 14th and culminate on 31st October, and can be availed across Volkswagen dealerships in India
• Avail exciting benefits and offers across the Volkswagen product range comprising of the Taigun, Virtus and Tiguan
• Bringing festivities closer to customers, the Brand will also be present across key markets in India at premium malls, offering customers curated experience and engagement zones
• This Volksfest customers can experience the ‘Trust Drive’, a unique concept for customers to test drive the safest Volkswagen they love and witness the impeccable confidence and capability these cars deliver
• Customers can also avail attractive benefits on Add-on warranty, Service Value Packages and Value-added services

Continue reading “Volkswagen India Drives in the Festive Season With The Launch of Volksfest 2024”

• Strengthens presence in Punjab and Chandigarh: the new touchpoint in Mohali enhances accessibility in Punjab with 11 sales and 7 service touchpoints in the state.
• German-engineered and safe product portfolio: Consumers in the state can opt for India’s safest product portfolio from Taigun and Virtus, along with the globally acclaimed Volkswagen Tiguan
• Commitment to offer exceptional customer service: Volkswagen Mohali is committed to offer world-class customer service and experience with their team of eight trained executives.

Mumbai: Volkswagen India has further bolstered its presence in Punjab with the inauguration of a new sales touchpoint in Mohali. This expansion further reinforces the Brand’s commitment to providing premium mobility solutions to its customers in the state. Continue reading “Volkswagen India Introduces a New Sales Touchpoint In Mohali, Punjab”

Summary

• Ford to restart output at India plant for export
• Type of manufacturing, export market not disclosed

BENGALURU, (Reuters) – Ford Motor said on Friday it plans to restart manufacturing at its factory in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, two years after it ended production in India, the world’s third-largest car market. Continue reading “Ford says to restart India production for exports after two-year gap”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – BYD, has significantly ramped up hiring, increasing its workforce to more than 900,000 people as of Friday, a senior manager said, making the Chinese electric vehicle giant one of the largest employers in the country.

The move comes as the Chinese government has been prioritising a push to create more jobs, for college graduates in particular as its economy falters. Continue reading “Chinese EV giant BYD ramps up hiring as Beijing prioritises employment”

Summary

• USTR maintains tariffs of 100% on Chinese EVs, 50% on chips, 25% on batteries, steel
• USTR doubles duties on Chinese face masks, surgical gloves, syringes
• China tariff exclusions added on five machinery categories
• Industry groups warn of higher tariffs disrupting supply chains

(Reuters) – The Biden administration on Friday locked in steep tariff hikes on Chinese imports, including a 100% duty on electric vehicles, to boost protections for strategic industries from China’s state-driven industrial practices. Continue reading “US locks in steep China tariff hikes, some industries warn of disruptions”

(Reuters) – Uber Technologies on Friday it would expand its partnership with Alphabet’s Waymo to bring ride hailing to Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia, early next year.

Shares of Uber rose 5%, while Alphabet was up around 2%. Continue reading “Uber, Waymo to expand autonomous ride hailing to Austin, Atlanta”

Summary

• Northvolt’s troubles trigger doubts about its ability to produce enough batteries for Europe
• Northvolt to buy cathode active materials from Asian suppliers, source says
• Delivery issues triggered BMW contract cancellation, sources says
• Northvolt’s struggles raise questions about future gigafactories and joint ventures, industry analysts say

STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) – Northvolt’s shock decision this week to shrink its operations and cut jobs has sparked fears that Europe’s best shot at a home-grown electric vehicle battery champion may stall, sector experts and people familiar with the situation told Reuters. Continue reading “Struggling Northvolt stokes fear for Europe’s battery future”

Source : PTI | Electric two-wheeler startup Warivo Motor India is looking to nearly double its topline to around INR 120 crore this fiscal on the back of its entry into high-speed electric-scooter segment, according to top company officials. The company, which has been present in low-speed (top speed of up to 25 kmph) so far, on Friday launched its high-speed scooter CRX with price starting at INR 79,999 (ex-showroom).

“Earlier, we were in the low-speed electric scooters segment. Now with the CRX, we are getting into the high-speed segment which will help us get more volumes.” Warivo Motor India CEO Shammi Sharma told PTI. Continue reading “Warivo forays into high-speed e-scooter segment, eyes INR 120 crore topline in FY25”

Source : PTI | Domestic passenger vehicle wholesales declined by about 2% year-on-year in August as companies curtailed dispatches to reduce inventory at dealers amid a drop in demand. According to data issued by the industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the total passenger vehicle dispatches in the domestic market stood at 3,52,921 units last month compared to 3,59,228 vehicles in August 2023, a dip of 1.8%.

Two-wheeler wholesales rose 9% to 17,11,662 units last month against 15,66,594 units in the year-ago period, it added. Continue reading “Passenger vehicle wholesales dip 2% in August as OEMs cut dispatches”

Monthly Performance: August 2024

Production: The total production of Passenger Vehicles, Three Wheelers, Two Wheelers, and Quadricycle in August 2024 was 24,91,263 units

Domestic Sales:

• Passenger Vehicles sales were 3,52,921 units in August 2024.
• Three-wheeler sales were 69,962 units in August 2024.
• Two-wheeler sales were 17,11,662 units in August 2024.

Continue reading “SIAM Motor Vehicle Data-Aug-2024”

National, September 12, 2024: Tata Power EV Charging Solutions Limited, one of India’s largest EV Charging solutions providers and a subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (a subsidiary of Tata Power), today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tata Motors Limited (Tata Motors), India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, to set up 200 fast-charging stations for electric commercial vehicles (CV) in all metros cities viz.  Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata. This strategic move expands their ongoing collaboration, in providing sustainable mobility solutions, with a focus on easy charging solutions for small electric commercial vehicles.

As part of this initiative, Tata Motors and Tata Power will provide exclusive charging tariffs for Tata Motors’ electric CV owners, resulting in lower operating costs and increased profitability for its customers. Electric CV users across the Country, will soon benefit from access to almost 1000 strategically located fast chargers, with the planned expansion of the charging network. Continue reading “Tata Power Renewable Energy and Tata Motors sign a MoU to set up 200 fast-charging stations for electric commercial vehicles”

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – The European Commission said on Thursday it had received offers from electric vehicle makers in China for minimum import prices into the European Union as a way of avoiding tariffs, but had rejected all of them.

The Commission, which is conducting an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese-built EVs, said several EV exporters had submitted price undertakings – a commitment by an exporter to respect minimum import prices in order to offset subsidies. Continue reading “EU rejects minimum price offers from Chinese EV exporters”

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly voted on Thursday to approve legislation to tighten rules limiting Chinese content in vehicles qualifying for U.S. electric vehicle tax credits.

The House voted 217 to 192 to approve the bill, which has not been taken up by the Senate, to tighten the definition of Chinese components that make vehicles ineligible for U.S. EV tax credits. Continue reading “US House passes bill targeting China that would limit EV tax credits”

WASHINGTON/DETROIT, (Reuters) – General Motors is in talks to buy electric vehicle batteries that would use technology from China’s CATL and be assembled at a new plant in the United States, a person briefed on the matter confirmed on Thursday.

Crosstown rival Ford Motor already plans to license CATL technology to produce low-cost lithium-iron batteries at a battery plant it is building in Michigan under a plan announced in February 2023. Continue reading “GM in talks to buy EV batteries built with Chinese tech in US, source says”

Source : PTI | New Delhi: Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Secretary Anurag Jain on Thursday pitched for scrapping of pre-BS era vehicles, especially commercial heavy vehicles, citing pollution and safety issues. Bharat Stage (BS) norms were introduced in the country in 2000.

“If look at pre-BS vehicles, these do so much of pollution. The vehicles which are from before 2000 do pollution 15 times (more). Do you think such vehicles should run when there is so much of problems happening in our country due to pollution,” Jain said. Continue reading “Pre-Bharat stage vehicles should be scrapped, says top official”

Source : PTI | Electric two-wheeler buyers can avail a maximum subsidy of up to INR 10,000 in the first year of the PM E-DRIVE Scheme to be rolled out soon, Union Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy said on Thursday. Addressing a media briefing, Kumaraswamy said the subsidy under the PM E-DRIVE Scheme for electric two-wheelers has been fixed based on battery power at INR 5,000 per kilowatt hour but the overall incentive will not exceed INR 10,000 in the first year.

In the second year, it will be halved by INR 2,500 per kilowatt hour, and the overall benefit will not exceed INR 5,000.

Continue reading “Electric two-wheeler buyers can avail subsidy of up to INR 10,000 in first year of PM E-DRIVE: Min”

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Volkswagen has entered into a cooperation with the German start-up Revoltech GmbH from Darmstadt. The aim is to research and develop sustainable materials based on industrial hemp. These could be used as a sustainable surface material in Volkswagen models from 2028. The material made from 100% bio-based hemp uses residues of the regional hemp industry. It can be produced on existing industrial plants and recycled or composted at the end of its service life in an automobile. The first presentations of the innovative material have already received a very positive response and feedback from customers.

Kai Grünitz, Volkswagen Brand Board Member for Technical Development: “In our search for new materials, we are very open to new ideas from many different industries. At Technical Development, we place a strong focus on innovative, creative and sustainable solutions for holistic, resource-saving vehicle development.” Continue reading “Imitation leather from industrial hemp: innovative and sustainable material for future car interiors”