COPENHAGEN, June 28 (Reuters) – Finland’s Nokian Tyres (TYRES.HE) said on Tuesday it would initiate a “controlled exit” from the Russian market, having already scaled down the production of its Russian tyre plant after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The announcement followed a similar move earlier on Tuesday by its French peer Michelin (MICP.PA) which said it would hand over its Russian operations to local management.  Continue reading “Finland’s Nokian Tyres joins peer Michelin in exiting Russia”

June 28 (Reuters) – The quality of vehicles sold in the United States fell to a 36-year low in 2022, according to automotive consultant J.D. Power, as labor shortages and supply snags continued to impact automakers.

Major automakers have been struggling to deal with supply chain disruptions and a shortage of workers in their plants since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Continue reading “U.S. vehicle quality hits 36-year low as supply, labor woes continue – J.D. Power”

June 28 (Reuters) – German industrial giant Siemens AG (SIEGn.DE) is investing more than $100 million in Volkswagen AG’s (VOWG_p.DE) Electrify America unit, becoming the first outside investor in the North American network of electric vehicle charging stations.

Including new funds from its parent Volkswagen, the Electrify America unit would receive a total injection of $450 million, the companies said. Continue reading “Siemens to invest in Volkswagen’s N.American charging network”

BERLIN, June 28 (Reuters) – Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) sees a strong second half of 2022 and expects progress in catching up with rival Tesla (TSLA.O) as easing chip shortages start to offset supply chain bottlenecks and rising costs, the carmaker’s CEO said on Tuesday.

“We are earning more than ever,” Chief Executive Herbert Diess said at a works meeting, adding Volkswagen is ramping up electric vehicle volumes in its biggest markets in Germany and China thanks to easing semiconductor shortages. Continue reading “Easing chip shortages to help Volkswagen in H2 – CEO”

TOKYO, June 28 (Reuters) – Japan’s Nissan Motor Co Ltd (7201.T) has suspended production in Russia for the first half of the business year that began on April 1 as there is little prospect of the situation improving, Chief Executive Makoto Uchida said on Tuesday.

“We believe this situation could become more serious and prolonged,” a spokesman quoted Uchida as saying at Nissan’s annual general meeting (AGM), in reference to a worsening Russia-Ukraine conflict. Continue reading “Japan’s Nissan suspends Russia production for six months”

LUXEMBOURG, June 28 (Reuters) – Germany can support a European Union proposal to effectively ban new fossil fuel car sales from 2035, if an option is added to allow sales of cars running on “CO2 neutral” fuels, German environment minister Steffi Lemke said on Tuesday.

“This addition is important to Germany in terms of our position, we believe it can also be a bridge for the overall discussion,” Lemke, of Germany’s Greens, told a meeting of EU environment ministers, who are trying to come to agreement over the law on Tuesday. Continue reading “Germany backs EU fossil fuel car phaseout, with slight change”

BERLIN, June 28 (Reuters) – German authorities have raided Hyundai (005380.KS) and Kia (000270.KS) due to suspicions that they put over 210,000 diesel vehicles with suspected illegal defeat devices onto the road, the Frankfurt state prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday.

The engine software is thought to have come from parts companies Bosch [RIC:RIC:ROBG.UL], and Delphi, which today is owned by the Borgwarner group (BWA.N), according to a statement. Continue reading “Hyundai and Kia raided over suspected defeat devices – German prosecutor”

PARIS, June 28 (Reuters) – French carmaker Renault (RENA.PA) is teaming up with software company Atos (ATOS.PA), the companies said on Tuesday, to collect and analyse data in a “strategic collaboration” to help sector players reduce costs.

Renault and Atos said their data partnership would allow manufacturers to collect and structure data from industrial equipment at scale to improve operational excellence and product quality. Continue reading “Renault teams up with Atos on data gathering”

MOSCOW, June 28 (Reuters) – A Moscow court fined United Parcel Service (UPS.N) 1 million roubles ($18,900) on Tuesday for an alleged refusal to localise the data of Russian users on Russian territory, the TASS news agency reported.

The fine is one of several expected to be handed to foreign companies on Tuesday.  Continue reading “Russia fines United Parcel Service over data storage -TASS”

OSLO, June 27 (Reuters) – Norway and the European Union will closely cooperate on battery value chains and raw material supply as part of efforts to tackle climate change, they announced during a Norway visit by European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic.

Sustainable value chains for minerals, metals and batteries help decarbonise the economy, addressing strategic dependencies and boosting jobs and growth, Sefcovic and Norwegian Industry Minister Jan Christian Vestre said in a joint statement. Continue reading “Norway, EU agree closer cooperation on batteries, raw materials”

June 27 (Reuters) – A growing number of companies, including JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O), Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), and Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) are rolling out policies to offer benefits to U.S. employees who may need to access abortion services.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday took the dramatic step of overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that recognized a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion and legalized it nationwide. Continue reading “Factbox: Companies offering abortion travel benefits to U.S. workers”

June 27 (Reuters) – A federal judge in California on Monday ordered a new trial on the damages Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) owes to a Black former factory worker who accused the company of race discrimination, after he turned down a $15 million award.

U.S. District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco granted Tesla’s motion for a new trial a week after the former elevator operator, Owen Diaz, said he would not accept the judge’s award.  Continue reading “Judge orders new trial in Tesla worker’s race bias lawsuit”

TOKYO/BRUSSELS, June 27 (Reuters) – Japan is pushing to remove a target for zero-emission vehicles from a G7 communique expected this week, according to a proposed draft seen by Reuters, a move that would water down language on climate change from the leaders’ summit in Germany.

The pressure from Tokyo, an influential member of the Group of Seven rich nations, comes as the Japanese auto industry has faced scrutiny from green investors who say it has been slow to embrace zero-emission vehicles and lobbied against regulations that would encourage quicker transition to the technology. Continue reading “Exclusive: Japan pushes to remove zero-emission vehicle target from G7 statement, draft shows”

June 27 (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co (F.N) said Monday it will recall about 2,900 F-150 Lightning trucks because a software issue may result in a failure to provide adequate warning of low tire pressure.

The recall is the first for the Ford electric pickup truck. Ford said the trucks tire pressure monitoring system light may not illuminate when intended and may not be able to provide adequate warning of low tire inflation pressure because the recommended tire cold inflation pressure value was incorrectly set to 35 psi rather than the correct inflation pressure of 42 psi. Continue reading “Ford recalls 2,900 EV F-150 Lightning pickup trucks”

NEW DELHI, June 25 (Reuters) – India will introduce a safety rating system for passenger cars – a measure it hopes will encourage manufacturers to provide advanced safety features and will boost the “export worthiness” of vehicles produced in the country.

The road transport ministry said in a statement it will assign a rating of one to five stars for cars, based on tests assessing adult and child occupant protection as well as safety assist technologies. Continue reading “India plans safety rating system for passenger cars”

TOKYO, June 23 (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said on Thursday it would recall 2,700 of its first mass-produced electric vehicles (EVs) for the global market because of a riskthe wheels could come loose.

The world’s largest automaker by sales submitted the recall of the bZ4X SUVs to Japan’s transportation ministry. Of the 2,700 vehicles, 2,200 were earmarked for Europe, 260 for the United States, 10 for Canada and 110 for Japan, the company said. Continue reading “Toyota recalls first mass-produced EVs less than 2 months after launch”

TOKYO, June 24 (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp’s (7203.T) chief lobbied the Japanese government to make clear it supported hybrid vehicles as much as battery electrics or face losing the auto industry’s support, a senior lawmaker told a ruling party meeting.

The lobbying by Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota and chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) industry group, comes as the automaker has faced increased scrutiny from green investors who say it has been slow to embrace battery-electric vehicles and pressed governments to slow a transition to them.  Continue reading “Exclusive: After pressure from Toyota chief, Japan emphasized support for hybrids”

NEW DELHI, June 24 (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Suzuki Motor Corp (7269.T) on Friday said they would begin production of hybrid vehicles in India, a category that Toyota has said is currently best suited to such markets.

A Toyota plant in southern India would in August begin building a hybrid sport utility vehicle (SUV) developed by Suzuki, the companies said. Continue reading “Toyota, Suzuki take hybrid route in India for local, global markets”

FRANKFURT, June 23 (Reuters) – Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) denied a German media report that it was weighing a sale of its vans business as the automaker plans to put more strategic weight on high-end vehicles.

The weekly Manager Magazin on Thursday said a possible sale of the vans business – previously seen as sacrosanct – was being discussed as a measure of last resort, citing supervisory board sources.

Continue reading “Mercedes denies report that it has discussed sale of van business”

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) – Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG.N) and a Westinghouse generator maker have agreed to drop some restrictions on who repairs their products, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Thursday.

The agency voted last year to make it a priority to push manufacturers to stop requiring consumers to use licensed dealers to repair items ranging from smartphones to farm equipment. Critics say the practice raises prices for consumers and shuts out independent repair shops. Continue reading “FTC revs up ‘right to repair’ fight with Harley-Davidson agreement”

TOKYO, June 24 (Reuters) – Toyota Motor (7203.T)shares slipped after it recalled some of its first mass-made all-electric cars, launched two months ago, because of a risk of wheels coming loose, a setback to its ambitions to electrify its model range.

Toyota, the world’s largest automaker by sales, said on Thursday it would recall 2,700 bZ4X SUVs globally. Continue reading “Toyota, Subaru shares drop on “embarrassing” recalls of first EVs”

June 23 (Reuters) – When Duana Malcolm had her blue Hyundai Sonata sedan ‘wrapped’ as a mobile advertising board, the part-time delivery driver did not expect to make an extra $200 per month.

Malcolm is one of the many rideshare drivers looking for alternate sources of income to cushion the impact of soaring gas prices and higher costs for everything from tires to servicing, as U.S. inflation touches a more than 40-year high. Continue reading “Gas at $5 tips some U.S. rideshare drivers to wrap cars in ads”

June 23 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden rarely mentions electric car maker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) in public. But privately his administration has leaned on the company to help craft a new policy to allow electric vehicles (EVs) to benefit from the nation’s lucrative renewable fuel subsidies, according to emails reviewed by Reuters.

The Biden administration contacted Tesla on its first day in office, marking the start of a series of meetings on the topic between federal officials and companies linked to the EV industry over the months that followed, according to the emails. Continue reading “Biden administration leans on Tesla for guidance in renewable fuel policy reform”

TOKYO/HONG KONG, June 23 (Reuters) – Bidders for Toshiba Corp (6502.T) are considering offering up to 7,000 yen ($51.41) per share to take the troubled Japanese conglomerate private, three people familiar with the situation told Reuters, valuing the deal at about $22 billion.

Toshiba, which is exploring strategic options, said this month it had received eight initial buyout proposals and two for capital alliances that would see it remain listed. Continue reading “Exclusive: Bidders weigh offers valuing Toshiba at up to $22 billion – sources”

SHANGHAI, June 23 (Reuters) – Germany’s BMW (BMWG.DE) said on Thursday that production has formally begun at a new plant in China with an investment of 15 billion yuan ($2.24 billion) as the carmaker accelerates electric vehicle (EV) production.

The Lydia plant, BMW’s third car assembly facility in China, located in the northeastern city of Shenyang, Liaoning province, will increase BMW’s annual output in the world’s biggest auto market to 830,000 vehicles from 700,000 in 2021, the company said. Continue reading “BMW starts production at new $2.2 bln China plant to ramp up EV output”

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) – U.S. auto regulators said Wednesday they want to require automakers to collect more crash data from event data recorders (EDRs)- more commonly known as “black boxes.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Wednesday proposed requiring black boxes to collect 20 seconds of pre-crash data at a higher frequency rate to help better understand the actions that lead to a crash. Continue reading “U.S. wants automakers to collect more ‘black box’ crash data”

SHANGHAI/SEOUL, June 23 (Reuters) – Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) has supplied electric vehicle (EV) batteries to South Korea’s Kia Corp (000270.KS), the companies said on Thursday, marking Kia’s first use of non-Korean EV batteries for sales at home.

The South Korean automaker, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS), has chosen batteries from CATL for its electric Niro crossover SUV, aiming at expanding its range of battery suppliers, a South Korean newspaper reported on Wednesday. Continue reading “CATL has supplied EV batteries to S.Korea’s Kia – CATL spokesperson”

BRUSSELS, June 22 (Reuters) – Swedish truckmaker Volvo (VOLVb.ST) and Paccar’s DAF Trucks can be sued for compensation by a Spanish claimant over a truckmakers’ cartel, Europe’s top court said on Wednesday, in a ruling that could spur more claims against the cartel members.

Both companies, Daimler and Italy’s Iveco were fined a record 2.9 billion euros ($3 billion) in 2016 by the European Commission for fixing prices and coordinating on the introduction of new emission technologies. Continue reading “Volvo, DAF Trucks can be sued in Spanish cartel case, EU court says”

MOSCOW, June 23 (Reuters) – Russia is increasing gasoline and naphtha supplies to Africa and the Middle East as it struggles to sell fuel in Europe, while Asia is already taking bigger volumes of Russian crude, Refinitiv Eikon data showed and sources said.

The development is likely to increase competition for Asian customers between Russia and other big fuel exporters – Saudi Arabia and the United States – which are the top three suppliers to Asia. Continue reading “Russia seeks new fuel markets in Africa, Middle East as Europe turns away”

BARCELONA, June 22 (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co (F.N) said on Wednesday it will start producing electric vehicles in Spain later this decade but that would imply “significant” job cuts at its Spanish factory and another one in Germany amid its ambitious electrification push in Europe.

The U.S.-based carmaker said in a statement it had chosen its plant in Valencia as the preferred site to assemble vehicles based on a next-generation electric vehicle (EV) architecture. Continue reading “Ford sees ‘significant’ job cuts as it picks Spain for EV production”

DOHA, June 22 (Reuters) – Germany’s Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) is optimistic that the carmaker can meet its 2022 targets in China despite COVID-19 lockdowns, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

“We’re still optimistic that we can meet our 2022 targets in China because we have a recovery plan in place, a huge incentive programme from the government into automotive demand,” said Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen AG, told the Qatar Economic Forum. Continue reading “Volkswagen CEO says optimistic about meeting China target in 2022”

TOKYO, June 22 (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) on Wednesday cut its July global production plan by 50,000 vehicles as semiconductor shortages and COVID-19 parts supply disruptions continued to curb output.

The world’s largest car maker by volume expects to make 800,000 vehicles next month, it said in a statement. Continue reading “Toyota cuts July global production plan by 50,000 vehicles”

PARIS, June 22 (Reuters) – Peugeot, one of Stellantis’ (STLA.MI) French brands, unveiled its new 408 model on Wednesday, betting the “fastback” sedan will attract motorists suffering from sports-utility vehicle (SUV) fatigue.

SUVs have been hugely popular in recent years in Europe, reaching a record 46% share of new sales in France in May, the same level as traditional sedans. Continue reading “Stellantis looks beyond SUV era with new Peugeot 408”

June 22 (Reuters) – Piedmont Lithium Inc’s (PLL.O) first steps toward securing lithium supplies will be in Quebec or Ghana, not the United States, as an intensifying North Carolina regulatory review delays the miner’s goal of anchoring America’s electric vehicle battery renaissance.

The delay has forced Piedmont to expand its strategy beyond its proposed North Carolina mine – a project it has touted as the best way to help secure American energy independence, but one that now faces a regulatory quagmire – and fund mines abroad. Continue reading “Piedmont Lithium looks abroad amid North Carolina uncertainty”

June 21 (Reuters) – Labor union Unite on Tuesday rejected Rolls-Royce’s (RR.L) latest pay offer, which included a 2000 pound ($2,455) cash lump sum to much of the aircraft engine maker’s British workforce, saying it fell short of expectations.

The British company earlier in the day said it was offering the lump sum to about 70% of its UK workforce to help them steer through rising living costs. Continue reading “Rolls-Royce latest pay offer to workers rejected by British union”

WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) – General Motors Co (GM.N), Ford Motor Co (F.N) and Chrysler parent Stellantis NV (STLA.MI) said on Tuesday they are making masking optional for workers at all U.S. facilities.

In mid-May, the Detroit Three automakers and the United Auto Workers — which have a COVID-19 joint task force — reinstated a requirement that employees wear masks in southeastern Michigan, which was dealing with high COVID-19 rates. Continue reading “Detroit Three automakers to make masking optional at all U.S. plants”

June 21 (Reuters) – Trevor Milton, the billionaire founder and former chief executive of Nikola Corp (NKLA.O) has asked a federal judge to block evidence related to his “wealth, lifestyle or spending habits” at his trial for fraud charges.

A court filing from Monday showed that Milton’s lawyers told U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that details of Milton’s wealth were “unfairly prejudicial” and could mislead the jury. Continue reading “Nikola founder asks judge to block evidence of ‘wealth’, ‘lifestyle’ in fraud case”

WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday said a potential suspension of the federal gasoline tax would have some, but not significant, impact on highway funds.

Biden said he would decide by the end of the week on whether to ask Congress to suspend the tax to help with high gas prices. The revenue from the gas tax is used to help fund highway and other transportation projects. Continue reading “Biden says U.S. gas tax holiday would have no major impact on highway funds”

June 21 (Reuters) – Shifting political winds during the U.S. November mid-term elections could spell trouble for automakers’ hopes of getting billions of dollars in consumer tax credits that would help the United States compete with Chinese and European rivals.

General Motors Co (GM.N), Ford Motor Co (F.N), Chrysler-parent Stellantis NV (STLA.MI) and Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) have pledged to invest more than $170 billion through 2030 to bolster EV development, production and sales. Continue reading “Electric automakers make last-ditch plea for more tax credits before U.S. election”