(Reuters) – Greetings from London! Six weeks after the war in the Middle East began, unless a peace deal is in the offing then it looks like a prolonged oil shock for all of us.

High fuel prices and rising inflation could hurt car sales overall, but in the short term we have already seen a spike in interest in used EVs in Europe, Asia and the United States as consumers seek ways to ​avoid pain at the pump. Continue reading “The incredible shrinking Nissan”

(Reuters) – Honda is recalling ‌440,830 Odyssey minivans in the ​U.S. over a ​software error that ⁠may unexpectedly deploy ​airbags, the U.S. ​National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on ​Wednesday.

Here are ​some details:

• A software programming error ‌can ⁠cause the side and side-curtain airbags to deploy ​unexpectedly, ​according ⁠to the auto regulator.
• The ​agency said ​that ⁠dealers will reprogram the software, as ⁠required.

Continue reading “Honda to recall over 440,000 minivans in US over faulty deployment of airbags”

ROME, (Reuters) – Franco-Italian automaker Stellantis said on Wednesday its global ​shipments rose 12% year-on-year in the first ‌quarter to an estimated 1.4 million vehicles, consolidating a sales rebound that started in the second half ​of 2025.

CEO Antonio Filosa, appointed last year, ​is focusing on regaining market share as ⁠part of turnaround efforts for a company that ​posted a net loss of 22.3 billion euros ($26.3 billion) ​last year. Continue reading “Stellantis first-quarter shipments up 12% year-on-year”

Summary

• Energy storage demand rising, but won’t offset EV battery overcapacity
• Factory conversions to storage batteries are costly, time-consuming
• Traditional automakers lag Tesla, whose storage business is more profitable than its auto division

(Reuters) – Carmakers and battery companies facing a weak U.S. market for electric vehicles are scrambling to repurpose battery factories to make energy-storage systems to fuel AI’s thirst for power instead. But converting plants to new types of batteries won’t be easy, ​nor will the demand for energy storage materialize fast enough to absorb a glut of unused factory space for EV batteries.

The expected surge in demand for electricity and energy storage comes at ‌an opportune time for automakers like General Motors and Ford Motor and their battery suppliers — Asian manufacturers that include Japan’s Panasonic Holdings and South Korea’s Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution. These companies over the past decade spent or earmarked more than $100 billion toward battery factories to feed a U.S. electric-vehicle market that has been decimated by the Trump administration’s pro-fossil-fuel policies. Continue reading “Carmakers navigating the costly and tricky transition to battery storage systems”

(Reuters) – Senior U.S. defense officials have held talks about producing weapons and other military supplies with top executives ​of companies including General Motors and Ford Motor the ‌Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the discussions.

The preliminary and wide-ranging talks, which started before the war in Iran, come as the Trump ​administration wants automakers and other American manufacturers to play a ​larger role in weapons production, the Journal said. Continue reading “Pentagon approaches automakers, manufacturers to boost weapons production, WSJ reports”

Summary

• Doug Field exits after leading Ford’s EV and tech transformation since 2021
• Many Field-led EV programs were canceled amid shifting demand
• Ford merges tech and industrial teams under Kumar Galhotra to accelerate product launches

(Reuters) – Doug Field, a Tesla and ​Apple veteran who has led Ford Motor’s electric-vehicle and technology efforts for nearly five years, is leaving ‌the automaker.

Ford said Wednesday that Field, who most recently was the chief EV, digital, and design officer, is leaving Ford next month. Field said he looks forward to sharing what he’s learned in his career with others. Continue reading “Ford’s advanced EV-and-tech chief to leave the company”

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – The UK’s automotive industry group SMMT said on Thursday carmakers need clarity now on whether Britain will count as ‘Made in ​EU’ in the European Commission’s Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) policy as the ‌ambiguity risks delaying investments.

The trade uncertainty comes at a time when both Britain and the EU face stiff competition from cheap Chinese electric vehicles. Continue reading “British carmakers seek clarity on ‘Made in EU’ rule as trade risks grow”

Summary

• Soaring diesel prices threaten to idle independent drivers and small fleets
• Diesel price rise outpacing that of gasoline, putting more pressure on truckers
• US trucking industry dominated by small firms

NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – The more than 3 million U.S. truckers who move goods for everything from grocery stores to factories to construction sites are grappling with the highest diesel prices in years, compounding pressure on the industry as Iran war-related ​oil price spikes also threaten to weaken freight demand.

Diesel is the second-largest operating expense for truckers and the national average retail price has jumped $1.89, or 50%, since the start of the ‌Iran war effectively halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy flows. Crude oil prices, which underpin diesel and gasoline, also surged, driving up transportation costs and prices for many consumer goods. Continue reading “US truckers’ diesel spending hits record high on Middle East conflict”

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Volkswagen is expected to take a hit to first-quarter earnings from ​the decision to end production of ‌its ID.4 electric SUV at the German carmaker’s Tennessee plant, analysts said on Tuesday ​after a call with management.

Volkswagen will ​book a charge equivalent to 60% to 75% ⁠of its original $800 million investment to ​retool the Chattanooga plant to produce ​the model, Bernstein analysts said.

A Volkswagen spokesperson confirmed that Bernstein’s calculations were correct. Continue reading “Volkswagen faces Q1 charge after halting EV production in Tennessee, analysts say”

SEOUL, (Reuters) – South Korean AI chip startup DEEPX will expand its partnership with Hyundai Motor Group to develop a computing platform for generative AI robots using its ​second generation of low-power chips, its top executive said, as it gets set ‌for an IPO.

DEEPX is in talks with the government and investors to raise more than 600 billion won ($408 million) in an ongoing funding round, in the run-up to a potential IPO in South Korea, DEEPX CEO ​Lokwon Kim said. Continue reading “Korean AI chip startup DEEPX, Hyundai work on robots powered by generative AI”

(Reuters) – Uber has committed more than $10 ​billion to buying thousands of autonomous vehicles ‌and taking stakes in their developers, breaking from its asset-light “gig economy” business model to avoid disruption from robotaxis, ​the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

Reuters could ​not immediately verify the report. Uber did not immediately ⁠respond to a Reuters request for comment. Continue reading “Uber commits $10 billion to robotaxis in strategy shift, FT says”

(Reuters) – Used car retailer CarMax reported a fourth-quarter loss on Tuesday, hurt by a goodwill impairment charge and ​shrinking margins from used vehicles.

Shares of the Richmond, ‌Virginia-based company fell 6.8% in premarket trading.

The used-car sector has struggled to move inventory at profitable prices, with softening consumer demand ​and import tariffs squeezing margins across the industry. Continue reading “CarMax posts quarterly loss on goodwill charge, weak used-car demand”

(Reuters) – Lucid on Tuesday named former Schindler top boss Silvio Napoli as its next CEO and said it is raising more than $1 ​billion as the electric vehicle maker shores up liquidity during a crucial ‌and costly manufacturing ramp-up.

Shares of the company closed down about 5% as some analysts said the fundraise, made up of stock offerings and investments, would do little to ease liquidity pressures and more money would have ​to be raised at terms that dilute existing shareholders. Continue reading “Lucid taps former Schindler chief as CEO, raises $1 billion to shore up liquidity”

Saitama, Japan – Marelli, a global Tier 1 automotive supplier, today announced the appointment of Frederick “Fritz” Henderson as the company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.  Henderson succeeds David Slump, who will continue to serve on Marelli’s Board of Directors through the company’s emergence from the ongoing Chapter 11 restructuring process.

Separately, the Ad Hoc Group of lenders to Marelli today announced their plan to appoint Laurent Favre as Marelli’s future Chief Executive Officer at the conclusion of Henderson’s tenure as Interim Chief Executive Officer. Continue reading “Marelli Announces Leadership Appointments”

(Reuters) – Electric vehicle company Slate Auto on Monday said it has raised $650 million in ​a Series C funding round, as ‌the Jeff Bezos-backed firm gears up to deliver its first vehicles late this year.

The company has ​touted its pickup trucks as being affordable ​and hopes to capitalize on the ⁠lower price tag to draw in customers ​grappling with high cost of living.

Slate did not ​immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on its valuation. Continue reading “Bezos-backed EV firm Slate Auto raises $650 million”

Summary

• Case could help shape settlement talks in over 3,000 cases
• Uber recently lost the first case to go to a federal jury
• Plaintiff accused driver of groping her, suggestive comments

(Reuters) – After a key setback in the first trial of its kind before a federal jury, Uber ​is expected to return to court on Tuesday to face a second woman’s claims that she was sexually assaulted by ‌a driver she booked through the app.

The jury trial in Charlotte, North Carolina federal court, which is expected to last about three weeks, will help determine whether a recent $8.5 million verdict in Arizona was a fluke or a sign of real trouble for Uber as it faces more than 3,300 similar lawsuits that have been consolidated ​in federal court. Continue reading “Uber faces second driver sexual assault trial following $8.5 million verdict”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Electric vehicle maker ​BYD said a fire broke out at ‌a parking garage in a Shenzhen industrial park on Tuesday morning.

The garage was a parking ​area for “test and scrapped vehicles” and ​the fire had been extinguished, the carmaker ⁠said in a statement on Tuesday.

No ​casualties were reported, the company added. Continue reading “China’s BYD says fire broke out at parking garage in Shenzhen; no casualties”

(Reuters) – High petrol prices in Europe steered car buyers towards EVs in a record-beating March, and led to the first month of global ​EV sales growth this year, data by consultancy Benchmark Mineral ‌Intelligence showed on Tuesday.

Governments worldwide have capped fuel prices to shield motorists from soaring costs after the war in Iran, which erupted on Feb. 28, disrupted a key shipping route carrying ​about 20% of global oil supplies. Continue reading “Surging petrol prices drive record EV sales in Europe in March”

Summary

• To cut global lineup to 45 models from 56
• Aims to deploy AI driving tech in 90% of vehicles
• CEO unveils new hybrid Rogue, electric Juke models
• Nissan aims for 1 million annual sales each in US, China by FY2030

YOKOHAMA, Japan, (Reuters) – Nissan Motor plans to streamline its global ‌automobile lineup by exiting low-performing ones and deploy its artificial intelligence driving technology across 90% of its array over the long term as it targets a revitalisation after years of turmoil.

Japan’s fourth-biggest automaker said in a statement on Tuesday it will reduce the number of its models to ​45 from 56. It will target annual sales of 1 million vehicles each in the U.S. and China by ​the 2030 financial year and grow its annual sales volume in Japan to 550,000 cars by ⁠that time. Continue reading “Nissan to trim global car lineup, boost use of AI driving tech”

SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – Geely Auto on Monday launched its i-HEV Intelligent Hybrid system, aiming to challenge the dominance of Japanese automakers in the conventional ​hybrid vehicle segment by improving fuel efficiency and intelligence capabilities.

The ‌i-HEV system integrates an AI-driven energy management platform that analyses real-time environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and altitude to help boost energy efficiency, Geely said ​in a statement. Continue reading “China’s Geely launches new hybrid system to challenge Japanese dominance”

Summary

• Top labor inspection official defied order from labor minister, sources say
• BYD contractor was accused of labor abuses in 2024 case
• Dismissal deepens tensions between Lula government and labor inspectors

RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) – Brazil’s secretary of labor inspection was fired for adding Chinese automaker BYD to a registry ‌of employers accused of subjecting workers to conditions described by the government as similar to slavery, two people close to the matter told Reuters.

Luiz Felipe Brandao de Mello disobeyed an order from Labor Minister Luiz Marinho to leave the electric vehicle maker off Brazil’s ​labor abuse “dirty list,” said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter. Continue reading “Brazil’s top labor inspector fired for adding China’s BYD to ‘dirty list,’ sources say”