Summary

• Analysts predict gradual U.S. price increases, focus on higher-end models
• Automakers face $2,300 added cost per vehicle due to tariffs
• Destination fees rise 8.5% for 2025 models, offsetting tariff costs

DETROIT, (Reuters) – Automakers have been absorbing billions in added expenses since U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect in April, sparing American car shoppers from sticker shock. So far.

Car prices were supposed to have bolted higher by now, auto executives and analysts predicted. But that has not happened, mirroring some other industries where companies have decided to eat added expenses rather than passing them on to consumers. Continue reading “Automakers have resisted raising car prices because of tariffs. That might not last.”

Source : PTI | Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery on Wednesday said India’s energy transition should be embedded in the overall development strategy of the country.

Addressing a session at ‘FT Live Energy Transition Summit India’, Bery said he is concerned that an excessive reliance even on domestic electricity sources, such as coal, is not necessarily the best solution for energy.

Continue reading “India’s energy transition should be embedded in overall development strategy: Bery”

(Reuters) – Toyota is recalling 591,377 vehicles in the U.S. due to an issue with the instrument panel display that does not show critical information, increasing the risk of a crash or injury, the country’s auto safety regulator said on Thursday.

The recall covers several models including Venza, Highlander, Lexus, Tacoma and GR Corolla, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. Continue reading “Toyota to recall over 591,000 US vehicles over instrument panel issue, NHTSA says”

(Reuters) – Hyundai Motor is recalling 568,580 Palisade vehicles in the U.S., over an issue with the seat belt buckles which may not properly secure passengers in a crash, the U.S. autos safety regulator said on Thursday.

The recall affects certain 2020-2025 model year Palisade vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. Continue reading “Hyundai Motor to recall over 568,500 US vehicles over seat belt issue”

Volkswagen is bringing back the music and pop culture of the 1990s with its new all-electric ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE special model: With spectacular stunts and breathtaking landscape shots, Willy Bogner’s ski film “Fire and Ice” (1986) quickly achieved cult status in the 1980s. The legendary Golf 2 Fire & Ice (1990), inspired by the film, had a lasting impact on the Zeitgeist. The film and the car have retained their cult status to this day. Volkswagen is now continuing this success story in musical form: with “Fire + Ice”, internationally acclaimed DJ Purple Disco Machine reinterprets the film’s iconic theme song and, together with Jake Shears, brings a fresh sound to the nostalgic success story. The protagonists of the action-packed music video are the Golf 2 Fire & Ice and its all-electric successor, the ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE Continue reading “Volkswagen celebrates the comeback of “Fire and Ice” with a special model and a song by Purple Disco Machine”

(Reuters) – Tesla is looking to combine the electronic and manual door-release mechanisms, which are currently in separate locations, the company’s longtime design chief, Franz von Holzhausen, said on a Bloomberg News podcast on Wednesday.

Von Holzhausen said the decision is intended to make the handles more intuitive for occupants in “a panic situation”. Continue reading “Tesla redesigning door handles that drew scrutiny over safety, Bloomberg News reports”

Battery energy storage systems maker Tesla Group a. s. and SRAM & MRAM Group, a global leader in technology and sustainable development, have inked a USD 1 billion agreement to set up electric vehicle battery facilities in India and other countries, according to a company official.

As per the agreement, a total of five EV battery factories, also called gigafactories, will be set up in India and 15 other countries such as the US, Malaysia, Oman, Brazil, the UAE, and Cambodia, Sailesh L Hiranandani, Chairman of SRAM & MRAM Group, said in a statement. Continue reading “Tesla Group, SRAM & MRAM partner to set up EV battery facilities”

Summary

• August exports -0.1% yr/yr vs forecast -1.9%
• Imports -5.2% yr/yr vs forecast -4.2%
• U.S.-bound shipments down 13.8%, biggest drop since Feb 2021
• Economists predict contraction in economy in Q3

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Japan’s exports fell for a fourth straight month in August, government data showed on Wednesday, as elevated U.S. tariffs took a deeper toll on the country’s automotive and other manufacturing sectors.

“Japanese automakers are still mostly absorbing the tariff costs by cutting export prices to maintain U.S. sales volumes,” said Saisuke Sakai, chief Japan economist at Mizuho Research. Continue reading “Japan’s exports down in August as automakers grapple with US tariffs”

YOKOHAMA, Japan, (Reuters) – Nissan Motor is studying the cost competitiveness of Chinese suppliers and exploring ways to apply their practices globally, as it aims to cut variable costs by 250 billion yen ($1.71 billion) in a broad efficiency drive, a senior executive said.

Tatsuzo Tomita, Nissan’s chief of total delivered cost transformation, said on Wednesday the Japanese automaker was drawing lessons from its Chinese suppliers’ use of standard parts and their close collaboration with designers. Continue reading “Nissan seeks to learn from Chinese supplier strategies as part of cost-cutting drive”

(Reuters) – Nissan Motor will close its design centers in California and Sao Paulo and scale back operations in London and Japan as part of a realignment of its global design organization, the company said on Tuesday.

The Japanese automaker said the restructuring, which will be completed by the end of fiscal 2025, is aimed at streamlining its design operations. Continue reading “Nissan to shut design studios in US and Brazil and downsize London, Japan operations”

(Reuters) – Stellantis is recalling nearly 164,000 Jeep vehicles in the U.S. due to issues causing a possible detachment of the trim on the driver and passenger doors, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.

The recall covers certain Chrysler Jeep Wagoneer and Jeep Grand Wagoneer vehicles made between 2022 and 2025, the auto safety regulator said, adding that dealers will inspect and replace the door trim, as necessary, free of charge. Continue reading “Stellantis to recall nearly 164,000 US vehicles over risk of detached door trim pieces”

Source : PTI | High US tariffs are expected to affect close to 8 per cent of India’s overall auto component production, ratings firm ICRA said on Wednesday.

Indian auto component exporters are at a relative disadvantage compared to most other Asian exporting nations, highlighting the importance of concluding an India-US bilateral trade agreement, it added. Continue reading “US tariffs to hit 8% of India’s auto component output: Report”

(Reuters) – Chrysler-owner Stellantis is recalling 53,849 vehicles in the U.S. over potentially faulty fuel pumps, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Tuesday.

The recall covers certain 2017-2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia and 2018-2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio vehicles, the auto safety regulator said.

The vehicles had fuel pumps that may contain components vulnerable to heat, which could lead to reduced fuel supply and sudden power loss, and increase the risk of a crash, the agency said. Continue reading “Stellantis to recall over 53,000 US vehicles over fuel pump issue, NHTSA says”

Summary

• JLR extends UK production halt to September 24
• 33,000 staff affected, many told to stay at home
• Trade union warns of job losses

LONDON, (Reuters) – Britain’s largest carmaker, Jaguar Land Rover, said a pause in production due to a cyber attack would now stretch to September 24, extending the stoppage at its British plants to more than three weeks.

The luxury carmaker, owned by India’s Tata Motors said it shut down its systems in early September to contain the hack that has severely disrupted its retail and manufacturing operations. Continue reading “JLR’s UK factory stoppage from cyber attack stretches to three weeks”

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Ford will cut up to 1,000 jobs in electric car production in the German city of Cologne due to weak demand, the U.S. carmaker said in a statement on Tuesday.

“In Europe, demand for electric cars remains well below industry forecasts,” the statement said. Continue reading “Ford to cut up 1,000 jobs at Germany’s Cologne e-car plant”

(Reuters) – Australia’s Syrah Resources said on Wednesday that it has agreed with Tesla to extend the deadline to address an alleged breach of their critical graphite supply agreement, buying the miner precious time to salvage a deal vital to its U.S. expansion.

Elon Musk-led Tesla issued a default notice in July after Syrah allegedly failed to deliver conforming active anode material samples from its Louisiana processing facility for Tesla’s EV batteries. The original September 16 deadline has now been pushed to November 15. Continue reading “Australia’s Syrah Resources gets Tesla reprieve in graphite supply deal”

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Nissan Motor has reduced its production plan for the new model of its Leaf electric vehicle by more than half for September-November owing to delays in battery procurement, the Nikkei business daily said on Tuesday.

Lower than expected battery yields at a Nissan affiliate had caused the revision, the Nikkei said, adding that the Japanese automaker planned to release the new EV model by the end of the year. Continue reading “Nissan reduces output plan for new Leaf due to battery shortage, Nikkei says”

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday it had opened an investigation into about 174,000 Tesla Model Y cars from the 2021 model year over reports that electronic door handles can become inoperative.

NHTSA said it had received reports citing an inability to open exterior doors, including after parents exited the vehicle to remove a child or to place a child in the rear seat before starting a trip. Continue reading “US opens probe into 174,000 Tesla Model Y cars over door handle failures”

Source : PTI | The government is working to make India’s automobile industry number one in the world within five years, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday.

Inaugurating the ‘International Value Summit 2025’, Gadkari said the automobile sector pays maximum GST revenue to the government and generates employment opportunities.

Continue reading “Govt working to make India’s auto sector no.1 globally in 5 years: Gadkari”

Source : PTI | Nearly 95,000 passenger vehicles in Maharashtra are now fitted with mandatory tracking devices that allow real-time monitoring and onboard SOS alert facilities to boost commuter safety, especially for women, officials said on Sunday.

These GPS-enabled Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTD) also allow authorities to pinpoint a vehicle’s location instantly from the newly set-up control room at the Andheri RTO in Mumbai, a senior Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department (MMVD) official said. Continue reading “Maharashtra implements GPS tracking in 95,000 passenger vehicles for enhanced safety”

Source : PTI | Andhra Pradesh Chief MinisterN Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday directed officials to construct an ultra-modern bus station in Tirupati, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.

Reviewing designs with National Highways Logistics Management Limited and Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) officials at his camp office, Naidu stressed that the project must meet the demands of the steadily increasing rush of pilgrims.

Continue reading “Tirupati to get 13-acre ultra-modern bus station: CM Naidu”

SHANGHAI, – China’s leaders have pledged to put an end to aggressive price cuts by some Chinese companies which regulators say are spurring excessive competition that is damaging the economy.

The so-called “anti-involution” campaign has been sparked by overcapacity among Chinese manufacturers – a legacy of past government efforts to stimulate the economy – and price cuts made to clear stock or spur consumption. Those cuts have prompted price wars across various sectors that are raising concerns deflation may become entrenched and hinder efforts to stabilise China’s $19 trillion economy. Continue reading “What is “involution”, China’s race-to-the-bottom competition trend?”

Summary

• Barter transactions help circumvent SWIFT disconnection and secondary sanctions fears
• Russia’s economy ministry issued a guide to facilitate foreign barter transactions
• Barter last popular during Russia’s chaotic 1990s post-Soviet economy

MOSCOW, (Reuters) – Old-fashioned barter is on the rise in Russia’s foreign trade for the first time since the 1990s, as companies seeking to outfox Western sanctions swap wheat for Chinese cars and flax seeds for building materials.

Even as Russia builds warm ties with China and India, the return of barter shows just how far the war in Ukraine has distorted trading relationships for the world’s biggest producer of natural resources, three decades after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union ushered in Russian economic integration with the West. Continue reading “Russia revives barter trade to dodge Western sanctions”

BERLIN, (Reuters) – U.S. electric carmaker Tesla plans to raise production at its German plant for the rest of the year due to strong sales, the head of the Gruenheide factory told Germany’s DPA news agency on Sunday.

“We currently have very good sales figures and have therefore revised our production plans for the third and fourth quarters upwards,” André Thierig, manager of the Gruenheide plant outside Berlin, told DPA. Continue reading “Tesla’s German plant plans to lift production, factory boss tells DPA news agency”

SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – China is targeting 32.3 million in vehicle sales in 2025, the country’s industry ministry said, below the 32.9 million units projected for the year by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

The target was part of a plan to support stable growth in the auto sector that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, along with seven other government agencies, issued on Friday. Continue reading “China sets 2025 auto sales target below association forecast, vows tighter regulation”

SEOUL, (Reuters) – South Korea will check with companies whether there were any human rights violations for Korean workers that were detained in the U.S., the presidential spokesperson said on Monday.

More than 300 South Korean workers made a dramatic return home on Friday after about a week of detention in a U.S. immigration detention facility. Continue reading “S.Korea will check for human rights violations for workers detained in US”

HONG KONG, (Reuters) – China’s BYD said on Monday it would actively respond to an industry initiative that fleshes out rules on automakers making timely payments to suppliers, joining others in complying with a government call against price wars.

The Chinese electric vehicle giant said it will focus on order confirmation, delivery and acceptance, payment and settlement, and contract duration among other key links in ensuring timely payments. Continue reading “China’s BYD says to ‘actively respond’ to supplier payment initiative”

(Reuters) – Tesla shares jumped 6% in early trading on Monday after CEO Elon Musk disclosed his purchase of about $1 billion worth of the electric vehicle-maker’s stock, in the latest vote of confidence from the billionaire in the company’s future.

The stock purchase – Musk’s first open-market buy since early 2020 – comes at a critical time for Tesla, as it races to hit its ambitious goals of transforming into an AI and robotics powerhouse while grappling with slowing car sales. Continue reading “Tesla gains as Musk’s $1 billion stock purchase reinforces confidence in EV maker”

Source : PTI | With the GST rate cuts expected to bring domestic sales back on a growth path, Hyundai Motor India Ltd is looking to ride on a ‘double engine’ drive of accelerated sales in the home market and continued momentum in exports, according to a top company official.

In the last six to eight months, when the domestic market was slightly sluggish, the company had pressed the accelerator on exports in contrast to the last few years when the focus was on meeting demand in India due to capacity constraints, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) Whole-time Director and Chief Operating Officer Tarun Garg said in an interaction.

Continue reading “Hyundai looks at ‘double engine’ boost on growth post GST rate cut”

BERLIN, (Reuters) – U.S. electric carmaker Tesla plans to raise production at its German plant for the rest of the year due to strong sales, the head of the Gruenheide factory told Germany’s DPA news agency on Sunday.

“We currently have very good sales figures and have therefore revised our production plans for the third and fourth quarters upwards,” André Thierig, manager of the Gruenheide plant outside Berlin, told DPA. Continue reading “Tesla’s German plant plans to lift production, factory boss tells DPA news agency”

Summary

• South Korea-U.S. trade talks face delays over investment fund terms
• Yeo Han-koo heads to U.S. for follow-up tariff negotiations
• U.S. immigration raid strains South Korea-U.S. relations

SEOUL, (Reuters) – South Korea’s top trade envoy, Yeo Han-koo, is heading to the United States on Monday for follow-up tariff negotiations, the trade ministry said, as the countries struggle to overcome obstacles to finalise a trade deal agreed in July.

Details of the broad trade agreement still need to be hammered out, especially around a $350 billion investment fund. Continue reading “South Korea’s top trade envoy heading to US amid stalled trade talks”

SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – China is targeting 32.3 million in vehicle sales in 2025, the country’s industry ministry said, below the 32.9 million units projected for the year by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

The target was part of a plan to support stable growth in the auto sector that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, along with seven other government agencies, issued on Friday. Continue reading “China sets 2025 auto sales target below association forecast, vows tighter regulation”

(Reuters) – Electric car rivals BYD and Tesla are set to be the biggest losers from Mexico’s proposed 50 percent tariff on autos imported from China, triggering a likely blow to the fast-growing electric car market in Mexico while sparing the traditional “Big Three” U.S. car manufacturers.

The proposed tariff, announced on Wednesday, targets electric and gasoline cars imported from all countries that Mexico doesn’t have a free trade agreement with, including South Korea, India, Indonesia and Russia. In practice, however, the tariff would mostly impact electric cars manufactured in China and sold in Mexico, industry analysts said. Continue reading “BYD and Tesla set to lose most from Mexico’s proposed tariffs on China”

(Reuters) – Members of the United Auto Workers union at GE Aerospace’s Evendale, Ohio, and Erlanger, Kentucky, facilities have reached a tentative agreement with the company, the union said on Friday.

Workers secured victories on all fronts – job security, health care costs, and time off, the UAW said in a statement on Saturday. It said GE will cover nearly all health care premium increases over the term of the contract and workers will receive additional vacation time. Continue reading “UAW workers reach tentative deal with GE Aerospace at Ohio, Kentucky plants”

Summary

• Jean-Philippe Parain to head MINI
• Stefan Richmann becomes new Head of Treasury
• Ritu Chandy to lead Sales Region Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa

Munich. The BMW Group today announced senior management changes in its Sales and Finance Divisions: Jean-Philippe Parain, who currently serves as Head of the Sales Region Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa for the BMW Group, will assume responsibility for the MINI brand as of 1 October 2025. Continue reading “BMW Group announces senior management changes in Sales and Finance Divisions”

Source : PTI | The government is preparing fiscal incentives to encourage domestic production of rare earth magnets in the face of recent disruptions caused in their supply, currently dominated by China, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Friday.

The minister for Heavy Industries and Steel also said a scheme is in the works to provide “targeted support” to the industry for its capital as well as operational expenditure, which would help bridge cost gaps, offer relief from high tariffs on key equipment and ensure continuity of supply in the face of rising global restrictions. Continue reading “Centre preparing incentives to encourage domestic production of rare earth magnets: Kumaraswamy”

(Reuters) – Transit technology maker Via Transportation was valued at $3.5 billion on Friday after its shares fell 4.4% in their NYSE debut.

The stock opened at $44, below the $46 offer price.

Via and selling shareholders raised $493 million by selling 10.7 million shares, priced above the marketed range of $40 to $44. Continue reading “Transit tech firm Via valued at $3.5 billion as shares fall in NYSE debut”