SHANGHAI, Sept 21 (Reuters) – China’s Nio Inc (9866.HK) on Thursday unveiled a high-end smartphone designed to be used with its electric vehicles, touting a plethora of related functions such as using the phone to instruct the car to park itself.

The launch of the Nio Phone – the first car-specific phone to be sold by a Chinese firm, highlights the advanced state of EV technologies in the world’s biggest auto market, where electric cars now account for more than a third of vehicle sales. Continue reading “China’s Nio launches smartphone developed to use with its electric cars”

WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Republican lawmakers on Wednesday urged the U.S. Treasury Department to conduct a security review over China-linked ownership of Gotion Inc, which plans to build electric vehicle battery plants in Michigan and Illinois, arguing its management is under Beijing’s sway.

The move is the latest push by Republicans to question Chinese-linked EV battery producers looking to set up shop in the U.S., possibly with access to taxpayer funding. Continue reading “US Republicans push for security review of China-linked battery company”

WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Republican presidential contender Ron DeSantis pledged on Wednesday to slow America’s transition to electric vehicles, repeal regulations related to environmental, social and governance considerations and dramatically ramp up domestic fossil fuel production if he were elected.

In a speech in Midland, Texas, a city in the heart of oil country, the Florida governor also said he would withdraw the U.S. from global agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to fight climate change, while increasing production of crude, gas, coal and uranium on federal lands. Continue reading “Republican hopeful DeSantis slams EVs, climate “fear” in energy speech”

Summary

• Sunak delays petrol car ban by 5 years
• Eases targets on heating, insulation
• Says UK is committed to overall 2050 net zero target
• Businesses complain over changing targets

LONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Prime Minister Rishi Sunak watered down Britain’s plans to tackle climate change on Wednesday, saying he would delay a ban on sales of new petrol cars to maintain the consent of the British people in the switch to net zero. Continue reading “Sunak delays UK petrol car ban, seeking voter support on climate”

Sept 20 (Reuters) – Auto workers at Ford Motor’s (F.N) Canadian facilities will start voting on a tentative three-year deal on Saturday, a spokesperson for the Unifor union said on Wednesday.

Ford reached a last-minute deal to avoid a walkout at its Canadian operations late on Tuesday, as the United Auto Workers union prepared for a potential expansion of its U.S. strikes against the Detroit Three automakers. Continue reading “Canadian auto workers to vote on Ford deal starting on Saturday”

Sept 20 (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers (UAW) union said on Wednesday that 190 workers went on strike at Mercedes-supplier ZF’s plant in Alabama, demanding higher pay and better healthcare benefits.

The workers are also seeking an end to the tier system of wages, under which older employees get higher pay than newer workers for the same job. Continue reading “UAW workers strike at Mercedes supplier ZF’s plant in Alabama”

BRUSSELS, Sept 20 (Reuters) – EU countries are debating a compromise draft for new emissions regulations on combustion engine vehicles that waters down limits, monitoring and delays the start date for the cuts, a document showed on Wednesday.

The European Union has been progressively tightening road vehicle emission limits since the first set of regulations, known as “Euro 1”, in 1992. The Commission proposed the latest set of rules, “Euro 7”, in November last year. Continue reading “EU countries debate weakened new car emissions proposal”

DETROIT, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Detroit’s Big Three automakers and the United Auto Workers remained far apart in labor negotiations on Wednesday, less than 48 hours before the union’s deadline to make significant progress or escalate a strike with new work stoppages.

Talks continued between union representatives and company management on the sixth day of a coordinated walkout, a day after Ford (F.N) averted a strike by Canadian workers. Continue reading “UAW, Detroit Three automakers in standoff as wider strike looms”

LONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Carmakers, which have invested billions on electric vehicles, slammed Britain’s move to delay a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, saying it would disrupt supply chains and slow the transition to greener cars.

Following weeks of speculation over the key net zero pledge, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday he would push back the ban by five years to 2035, with the aim of easing the financial burden on households. Continue reading “Auto industry slams Britain’s petrol car ban delay and confusion”

Source : PTI | New Delhi: US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Wednesday said electric buses can change the world and give a future where the planet will be liveable. The ambassador travelled in an Indian electric bus here to attend a session on “accelerating deployment of electric buses in India”.

“It was very exciting for me to be on an Indian electric bus. We know that electric buses can change the world. They are quieter, cleaner, they help us reduce our carbon (footprint) and give us a future where our planet will be livable. Continue reading “India, US join hands to launch 10,000 electric buses on Indian streets”

Source : PTI | New Delhi: The price of natural gas produced from difficult areas like KG-D6 of Reliance Industries is likely to be cut by about 14 per cent from next month in line with softening energy prices, sources said. For the six-month period starting October 1, the price of gas from deepsea and high-pressure, high-temperature (HPTP) areas is likely to be cut to around USD 10.4 per million British thermal unit from the current USD 12.12, they said. Continue reading “Gas price for Reliance to be reduced by 14% from next month”

Source : PTI  | The Indian economy is developing very fast and the country is poised to become a leader in sustainable technologies, a senior official of American technology firm Honeywell has said. India is an emerging economy, which provides an opportunity to directly build sustainable infrastructure, instead of building it using legacy technologies that are now being abandoned in places like the Europe in the United States, Honeywell, Corporate Chief Scientist, Sustainability Technologies, Gavin Towler told PTI. .

“There are some parts of India, some regions in India now that actually have very high levels of renewable power, and very low levels of fossil fuel intensity. I think India is poised to become much more of a leader in sustainable technologies,” Towler said on the sidelines of a company event. Continue reading “India poised to become leader in sustainable technologies: Honeywell Chief Scientist”

Source : PTI | Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved the draft of ‘Rajasthan Green Hydrogen Policy-2023’ and a notification in this regard will be issued soon. The state government has taken the decision keeping in mind clean energy production, future needs and climate change, according to a release.

‘Rajasthan Green Hydrogen Policy-2023’ is being brought to encourage investors and search for clean energy sources in the state. Chief Minister Gehlot has approved the policy draft. Notification will be issued soon by the Energy Department, the release said. Continue reading “Rajasthan govt approves hydrogen policy”

Source : PTI | Daughters of industrial workers pursuing higher education will be granted INR 50,000 to purchase electric two-wheelers, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced on Sunday. Speaking at an event at the Shri Vishwakarma Skill University in Palwal district, Khattar said the move will promote mobility and enable the daughters of industrial workers to be independent.

Khattar also made announcements regarding scholarships for the children of industrial workers. They will receive identical scholarship amounts with immediate effect, according to an official statement. Continue reading “Haryana CM Khattar announces INR 50,000 for industrial workers’ daughters to buy electric two-wheelers”

Summary

• Aim to close the EV sales gap with Tesla, other rivals
• Toyota had just 0.3% share of EVs sold in 2022-Goldman Sachs
• Automaker to use its famous lean manufacturing methods

TOYOTA CITY, Japan, Sept 19 (Reuters) – At factories in Japan’s industrial heartland, Toyota (7203.T) has turned to self-propelled assembly lines, massive die casting and even old-fashioned hand polishing as it aims to make up for lost ground in battery electric vehicles. Continue reading “In EV battle, Toyota bets on new technology and old-school thinking”

Sept 18 (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia is in early talks with U.S. electric automaker Tesla (TSLA.O) to set up a manufacturing facility in the kingdom, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The report comes just hours after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan asked Tesla CEO Elon Musk to build a vehicle factory in Turkey, according to the country’s communications directorate. Continue reading “Tesla, Saudi Arabia in early talks for EV factory – WSJ”

SEOUL, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) and a union representing its South Korean workforce on Monday sealed a wage deal that will boost annual pay by about 12%, avoiding a strike and production losses at the company’s biggest manufacturing base.

The union, one of the biggest in South Korea with more than 44,000 members, said on Monday that a total of 58.8% of its voting members had approved the tentative agreement reached last week, while 41.1% rejected it. Continue reading “Hyundai Motor’s South Korea union accepts 12% wage hike deal”

LONDON/LOS ANGELES, Sept 18 (Reuters) – A clutch of European and U.S. delivery company startups is racing to serve the growing market for offering zero-emission, electric last-mile deliveries in cities to retailers and consumers before giant shippers do the same.

The likes of Germany’s Liefergrun, the UK’s Zedify and Packfleet, and New York-based DutchX are tapping into retailers’ need to hit environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) and emission-reduction targets. Collectively, zero-emission delivery startups have raised around $1 billion so far, according to Pitchbook and data collected by Reuters. Continue reading “Startups with electric vans race to fill demand for zero-emissions delivery”

BANGKOK/JAKARTA, Sept 19 (Reuters) – China’s electric vehicle giant BYD (002594.SZ) has been on a tear in Southeast Asia, shooting past rivals including Tesla (TSLA.O) to take more than a quarter of the share of EVs sold in the region.

Along with attractive prices, BYD’s early success is based on a pattern of distribution partnerships with large, local conglomerates that have allowed the carmaker to expand reach, test consumer preferences and navigate complex government regulations in the region, officials from three partners and analysts said. Continue reading “China’s BYD rides on partnerships to expand EV sales in Southeast Asia”

Sept 18 (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers union said it would announce on Friday more plants to strike if no serious progress was made in talks with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler-parent Stellantis, adding to pressure on the Detroit Three automakers.

Ford <F.N> also faces a total strike at its smaller Canadian operations if no agreement is reached on Monday evening with the union representing about 5,600 Canadian auto workers, just days after workers at one of its U.S. plants walked out. Continue reading “UAW to strike at more US auto plants if no progress made by Friday”

Source : PTI | The Karnataka government has cleared 91 industrial investment proposals worth INR 7,659.52 crore with the potential to generate 18,146 jobs.

The State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) headed by Minister for Large and Medium Industries, and Infrastructure Development M B Patil met on Friday and approved 26 projects involving more than INR 50 crore investment, totaling INR 5,750.73 crore. These hold the potential to create 13,742 jobs. Continue reading “Karnataka govt approves 91 investment projects worth INR 7,660 cr”

Source : PTI | As Mumbaikars bid adieu to the last diesel-run double-decker bus of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking, commuters and staffers reminisced about their journey in the iconic red vehicle that became a symbol of the city itself. “Hello, Mumbai Police? I’d like to report the theft of one of my most important childhood memories,” wrote industrialist Anand Mahindra on ‘X’, echoing the loss felt by many Mumbaikars. Continue reading “Last diesel-run double-decker bus of Mumbai drives into history”

Source : PTI | Policy predictability is needed to make investment plans for accelerating electric mobility in the two-wheeler segment, according to electric two-wheeler maker Ather Energy Chief Business Officer Ravneet S Phokela. . The company, in which Hero MotoCorp is a significant investor, expects 100 % electrification of the domestic two-wheeler market by 2030 even as it prepares to start exports to an India-like market in the near future.

With the FAME-II (Faster Adoption of Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India) scheme coming to an end in March next year, Phokela said Ather is happy with the government support and the current levels of subsidy but hoped that it would be extended for another three to five years for acceleration of EV adoption. Continue reading “Policy predictability for E2W adoption needed to make investments: CBO, Ather Energy”

Source : PTI | New Delhi: Electric vehicles are a focal point for SUV maker Jeep in India and it is evaluating different options before finalising its plans for the domestic market, a top company executive has said. Jeep India, which is a part of automobile group Stellantis, also said that the company is aiming for over 90% localisation in its compact SUV Jeep Compass over the next three years.

The company has a 50:50 joint venture manufacturing facility with Tata Motors at Ranjangaon in Pune district. Continue reading “Jeep finalising EV strategy for India, looks to increase localisation”

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept 14 (Reuters) – Tesla (TSLA.O) has combined a series of innovations to make a technological breakthrough that could transform the way it makes electric vehicles and help Elon Musk achieve his aim of halving production costs, five people familiar with the move said.

The company pioneered the use of huge presses with 6,000 to 9,000 tons of clamping pressure to mold the front and rear structures of its Model Y in a “gigacasting” process that slashed production costs and left rivals scrambling to catch up. Continue reading “Tesla reinvents carmaking with quiet breakthrough”

Sept 16 (Reuters) – Negotiators for the United Auto Workers and Ford Motor had “reasonably productive discussions” toward a new contract, the union said on Saturday, while officials at Chrysler parent Stellantis said a proposal to resume work at an idled Illinois factory has fallen through.

About 12,700 UAW workers remained on strike for a second day as part of a coordinated labor action targeting three U.S. assembly plants – one at each of the Detroit Three automakers. Continue reading “UAW cites ‘productive’ talks with Ford on second day of US auto strike”

Sept 17 (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers strike against the Detroit Three automakers entered its third day on Sunday with no immediate resolution on the horizon.

Union negotiators and representatives of General Motors (GM.N), Ford (F.N) and Stellantis (STLAM.MI) were set to resume talks starting Sunday, following the start of the most ambitious U.S. industrial labor action in decades. This is the first time the UAW has gone on strike against all three automakers simultaneously. Continue reading “UAW strike against automakers enters third day, no resolution seen”

ISTANBUL, Sept 17 (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan asked Tesla (TSLA.O) CEO Elon Musk to build a Tesla factory in Turkey, the country’s communications directorate said on Monday.

It cited Musk as saying that many Turkish suppliers are already working with Tesla and that Turkey was among the most important candidates for its next factory.

Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Continue reading “Erdogan asks Musk to build Tesla factory in Turkey”

Source : PTI | GreenCell Mobility and VE Commercial Vehicles on Friday said they have entered into an agreement for supply of 1,000 electric buses in the next five years. The two parties have signed a memorandum of understanding, which envisages VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV) supplying 1,000 Eicher electric buses to GreenCell’s intercity bus business, NueGo, the two companies said in a joint statement.

NueGo is already operating in over 30 cities, including Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Agra, Jaipur, Ludhiana, Bhopal, Indore, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Bengaluru, Tirupati, Chennai and Pondicherry. Continue reading “VECV to supply 1,000 electric buses to GreenCell Mobility in next 5 years”

Sept 15 (Reuters) – General Motors (GM.N) said on Friday it expects to be forced to idle operations at its Kansas assembly plant next week after the United Auto Workers union struck a nearby Missouri plant earlier in the day – the first ripple effect from the walkout.

The Detroit automaker said the Wentzville, Missouri, plant, where workers went on strike, is providing critical stampings to its Fairfax, Kansas, assembly plant. Continue reading “GM expects to be forced to idle Kansas auto plant next week”

Sept 15 (Reuters) – He is known to quote the Bible and Nation of Islam civil rights leader Malcolm X. He is a social media fanatic who keeps the pay stubs of his union member grandfather in his wallet. And now, Shawn Fain is representing nearly 150,000 auto workers in one of the biggest labor strikes in decades.

In taking action against all three Detroit carmakers, Fain, the head of the United Auto Workers, has remade the strategy of the union he leads, choosing a bolder, much riskier path than his predecessors after he won office by a narrow margin in a first-ever direct election earlier this year. Continue reading “UAW Chief Shawn Fain disrupts Detroit’s labor tradition”

WASHINGTON, Sept 15 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday called on automakers to concede more to workers who walked off the job at Detroit’s largest car companies, accusing them of enjoying record profits without sharing them fairly with workers.

The UAW strike at three factories owned by General Motors, Ford and Chrysler-owner Stellantis kicked off the most ambitious U.S. industrial labor action in decades. Continue reading “Biden wants automakers to give UAW workers more in strike talks”

Sept 15 (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers union began unprecedented, simultaneous walkouts at General Motors (GM.N), Ford (F.N) and Chrysler parent Stellantis’ (STLAM.MI) U.S. operations early on Friday after failing to reach pay deals with the automakers.

The walkouts cap weeks of clashes between the union and Detroit Three executives over union demands for a bigger share of profits generated by combustion trucks, and stronger job security as automakers shift to electric vehicles. Continue reading “Detroit Three plants where UAW is on strike”

DETROIT, Sept 15 (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers said it plans to resume bargaining on Saturday after launching its first simultaneous strikes at General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler parent Stellantis, with effects of the limited shutdown starting to spread on Friday.

The most ambitious U.S. industrial labor action in decades has halted production at three plants producing the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler and Chevrolet Colorado, along with other popular models. Continue reading “UAW, automakers to resume talks as strike starts to create parts shortage”

Sept 15 (Reuters) – Stellantis’ (STLAM.MI) latest offer to the striking United Auto Workers includes hiking wages by 19.5% and making salaried workers hourly, The Detroit News reported on Friday, citing the union.

The offer also includes consolidating aftersales parts plants and increasing the number of supplemental workers the jeep maker can use, the report said. Continue reading “Stellantis boosts wage hike offer to 19.5%, seeks concessions, UAW says- Detroit News”

Source : PTI | New Delhi, The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations on Thursday asked for the reduction in GST rates on entry-level two-wheelers to 18%, saying the segment has not recovered from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking at the Auto Retail Conclave here, Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) President Manish Raj Singhania said in the ongoing fiscal so far, while the retail sales of total vehicles have grown by around 7%, the entry-level two-wheeler segment is yet to witness the robust growth seen.

“Although the two-wheelers segment experienced year-on-year growth, we are still 20% behind the pre-COVID levels,” Singhania said. Continue reading “FADA seeks reduction in GST rates for entry-level two-wheelers to 18%”

Source : PTI | New Delhi: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said dealers of automobiles should also open vehicle scrapping facilities. Addressing the fifth Auto Retail Conclave, Gadkari said the government is encouraging a circular economy, and accordingly the government will give permission to dealers to start vehicle scrapping facilities.

He also noted that India is encouraging use of alternate fuel and biofuel and pointed out that the government is working to make India the largest manufacturer of green hydrogen. Continue reading “Auto dealers should also open vehicle scrapping facilities: Nitin Gadkari”

Source : PTI | India and Mongolia reviewed the progress of the central Asian country’s first oil refinery which is being built with assistance from New Delhi. The review of the project was done during the three-day visit of Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, to Mongolia which concluded on Thursday.

Kumar held discussions with Mongolian state secretary in the foreign ministry N Ankhbayar and called on minister of education and science L Enkh-Amgalan and minister and chief cabinet secretary D Amarbayasgalan. Continue reading “India, Mongolia review oil refinery project”

TOKYO, Sept 15 (Reuters) – The U.S. state of Indiana could well become the most-favoured location for Subaru (7270.T) to establish an electric vehicle production site in the world’s biggest economy, the Japanese automaker’s chief executive said.

Subaru sees the years to 2028 as a key period for building up its EV sales so that it will eventually hit an annual sales target of 600,000 battery-powered vehicles by 2030 that will make up half of its global sales. Continue reading “Japan’s Subaru sees Indiana as possible U.S. EV production site”