TOKYO, (Reuters) – Japanese transport ministry officials launched an on-site investigation at Toyota Motor’s headquarters on Tuesday after irregularities were found in its applications to certify certain vehicle models.

The widening fallout over certification tests stems from a safety test scandal at Toyota’s Daihatsu compact car unit and has also ensnared other Japanese automakers after the ministry ordered industry-wide checks of certification practices. Continue reading “Japanese authorities inspect Toyota HQ over certification irregularities”

LONDON, (Reuters) – Volvo Cars is launching the world’s first EV battery passport recording the origins of raw materials, components, recycled content and carbon footprint for its flagship EX90 SUV, which is about to start production, the Swedish automaker told Reuters.

The passport was developed by Volvo, which is owned by China’s Geely (GEELY.UL), in partnership with UK startup Circulor, which uses blockchain technology to map supply chains for companies, and took over five years to develop. Continue reading “Volvo to issue world’s first EV battery passport ahead of EU rules”

OSLO, (Reuters) – Maersk faces significant terminal congestion in Mediterranean and Asian ports, causing substantial delays in its vessel schedule, the Danish shipping group said in a statement on Monday.

As a result of the congestion, the company will skip two westbound sailings from China and South Korea that had been planned to depart in early July, it added. Continue reading “Maersk faces significant port congestion in Asia, Mediterranean”

FRANKFURT, (Reuters) – The German government said on Monday said deadly flooding in the nation’s south served as a warning to keep up the fight against climate change, hours after an official advisory council said the state had fallen behind its greenhouse gas targets.

Over the weekend, a firefighter died while trying to rescue trapped residents and several thousand people were forced to leave their homes due to heavy rains. The body of a missing woman was found in a flooded basement on Monday, German media reported. Continue reading “Germany counts flooding losses as heavy rains stoke climate debate”

TOKYO, (Reuters) – A safety test scandal at Japanese automakers widened on Monday, with Toyota Motor and Mazda both halting shipments of some vehicles after Japan’s transport ministry found irregularities in applications to certify certain models.

The irregularities were also found in applications from Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha Motor, the ministry said. The automakers were found to have submitted incorrect or manipulated safety test data when they applied for certification of the vehicles. Continue reading “Japan auto safety scandal widens, Toyota halts some shipments”

• Company surpassed 2.5 Lakh export milestone

New Delhi, 1st June 2024: Kia India, one of the fastest-growing premium carmakers in the country, registered the sale of 19,500 units in May 2024. The company recorded a Y-o-Y growth of over 3.9% compared to 18,766 units in the corresponding month of the last year.

Continue reading “Kia India reports 3.9% Y-o-Y growth in May 2024, sells 19,500 units in domestic markets”

(Reuters) – French automaker Renault and Chinese partner Geely announced a highly anticipated joint venture on Friday that will develop combustion and hybrid engines, hoping to improve the competitiveness of their legacy auto business.

The venture is aimed at developing more efficient gasoline engines and hybrid systems, as rival automakers ramp up investment in low-emission powertrains in response to slowing electric vehicle sales. Continue reading “Renault, Geely create joint venture for hybrid, combustion engines”

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Friday it is seeking more information in its investigation into Amazon.com’s self-driving Zoox vehicles due to unexpected braking that led to two rear-end collisions.

The agency, which opened its probe into the crashes this month, said it is seeking video of the crashes and documents from Zoox related to the vehicles. Continue reading “US agency seeks more details on self-driving Zoox crashes”

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday sued South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Co, an auto parts plant and a labor recruiter over illegal use of child labor in Alabama.

The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Montgomery, Alabama, also sought an order requiring the companies to relinquish any profits related to the use of child labor. Continue reading “US sues Hyundai, others over child labor at Alabama parts plant”

Continue reading “Tesla to recall 125,227 vehicles over faulty seat belt warning system”

GENEVA, (Reuters) – The annual motor show in Geneva, Switzerland, is coming to a close after more than a century due to dwindling interest and a tough market environment, organisers said on Friday.

First staged in 1905, the Geneva International Motor Show has been a fixture of new vehicle launches, mainly in Europe, attracting at least 120 exhibitors at its peak. Continue reading “Geneva’s annual motor show to end after more than a century”

Source : PTI | New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India announced on Friday that it has signed an agreement with DBS Bank India for dealer inventory funding.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) broadens the range of inventory funding options available to more than 3,863 Maruti Suzuki sales outlets nationwide. Continue reading “Maruti Suzuki partners with DBS Bank India for dealer inventory funding”

PARIS, (Reuters) – Renault said it would link up with a Chinese engineering company to develop future Twingo cars priced below 20,000 euros ($21,676), as European automakers target smaller and cheaper electric vehicles to compete with Chinese peers.

“Twingo’s development is moving forward quickly, as we plan to make the development in two years,” said a spokesperson for Renault’s Ampere electric vehicles division. Continue reading “Renault to develop Twingos priced under 20,000 euros with Chinese partner”

(Reuters) – Americans still prefer to buy a standard gas vehicle over a hybrid or an electric vehicle even with the same price and features, a KPMG study, opens new tab said on Thursday.

Only one-fifth of people surveyed said they would purchase an EV over a gas-powered vehicle or hybrid vehicle.

The show of preference comes amid a global slowdown in demand for electric vehicles, resulting in global automakers such as Ford, General Motors and Mercedes rethinking their EV plans. Continue reading “Americans still prefer gas vehicles over hybrid or EVs, study shows”

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday sued South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Co, an auto parts plant and a labor recruiter over illegal use of child labor in Alabama.

The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Montgomery, Alabama, also sought an order requiring the companies to relinquish any profits related to the use of child labor. Continue reading “US sues Hyundai, others over child labor at Alabama parts plant”

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INDIA

MG Motor & HPCL Partner To Expand EV Charging Network Aiding Long-Distance Travel WAF

Volkswagen India enhances its corporate business program with the introduction of ‘Volkswagen Prime’ WAF

Nippon Paint ‘Mastering’ Markets from OE Sales to Refurbish Aftermarket MOTORINDIA Continue reading “WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (31st May 2024)”

Source : Mobility Outlook | MG Motor India and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) have joined forces aimed at enhancing India’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. Through this collaboration the companies will install 50kW and 60kW DC fast chargers at key locations on highways and throughout cities to make EV charging more accessible for long-distance and intercity travellers.

The public charging network which supports the CCS 2 charging standard compatible with vehicles like the MG ZS EV will be available to all EV users. MG customers will be able to locate these chargers through the MyMG App, while the integrated HPCL network discovery tool will also provide access. Continue reading “MG Motor & HPCL Partner To Expand EV Charging Network Aiding Long-Distance Travel”

Summary

• Volkswagen Prime offers corporate customers differentiated mobility experience with enhanced value through personalized & value-added services, and peace of mind that includes a host of benefits
• As part of the Corporate Business offering, Volkswagen provides an Omni Channel mobility solution wherein customers can opt for Subscription and Leasing programs
• Exclusive Corporate Business Manager will be appointed to each customer to manage their end-to-end business solutions at the dealership
• Comprehensive benefits include:Free pick-up and drop service, attractive benefits on loyalty products, value added services, Tyres & battery, Express delivery and free car wash
• Pre-approval of additional repairs via Service Cam: a digital tool wherein the customer gets a video of the concerned repair for their approval and information

Continue reading “Volkswagen India enhances its corporate business program with the introduction of ‘Volkswagen Prime’”

(Reuters) – Tesla is preparing to register its ‘Full Self-Driving’ software with authorities in China in the run up to its planned rollout of the technologically advanced feature this year, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

The U.S. electric vehicle maker is also considering selling the software as a monthly subscription to users of its cars in China, its second-largest market, they said. Continue reading “Exclusive: Tesla makes push to roll out advanced FSD self-driving in China”

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Toyota Motor’s April global sales and production fell from a year earlier, hurt by an intense price war in China and a decline in Japan after a production stoppage of some models and a safety test scandal at its small car unit.

Global sales fell 0.5% in April, as a 27% slump in China – the world’s biggest auto market – and a 14% drop in Japan offset double-digit growth in the United States and Europe. Toyota said its China sales fell even as it held promotional events at stores across the country. Continue reading “Toyota’s global volumes fall in April, led by drops in China and Japan”

LONDON, (Reuters) – Starting in the 1980s, European automakers steadily conquered China, racking up millions in sales with little local competition.

Now they’ll have to defend their home turf in Europe from an onslaught of formidable Chinese electric vehicles.

Chinese EV titans BYD, Chery (CHERY.UL) and Great Wall Motor are preparing a fusillade of product launches – about 20 over the next five years – and spending heavily on sales and marketing in their most important export market, according to Reuters interviews with 18 China auto executives, consultants and industry experts familiar with the Chinese automakers’ European strategy. Continue reading “How China’s EV makers aim to beat Tesla, legacy automakers in Europe”

(Reuters) – Uber Technologies unveiled a raft of measures on Wednesday, including a tie-up to offer cruises on the Seine river as it looks to meet explosive demand stemming from the upcoming Olympics in Paris.

The ride-hailing platform will offer its “Uber Cruises” free of charge from July 12 to August 3, and customers can also book a day trip that includes a champagne tasting through its “Uber Bubbles” launch. Continue reading “Uber to offer Seine cruises, day trips in Paris during Olympics rush”

MILAN, (Reuters) – The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) would impose a “significant burden” on auto suppliers, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said on Wednesday as Western automakers race to cut costs and compete with Chinese peers.

Tavares said the challenge for automakers was to sell EVs, whose production costs are 40% to 50% higher, at the same price as equivalent petrol models. This forces them to cut costs at every level of their operations, including supply chains and logistics. Continue reading “EV switch to hit auto suppliers hard, Stellantis CEO says”

SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – China’s Geely Holding Groupon Wednesday said it would launch a series of hybrid models in the first half of next year equipped with its next-generation, more fuel-efficient engine.

Geely’s engine achieves a thermal efficiency of up to 46.1%, according to a product certificate issued by the government-owned CATARC Huacheng Certification Co. Continue reading “China’s Geely to launch hybrids with more fuel-efficient engines”

Summary

• Company says it is reviewing construction for US factory
• The planned North Carolina plant was hailed by Biden
• Loss-making VinFast is struggling to boost US sales

(Reuters) – Vietnamese electric car maker VinFast is looking at further delaying a planned $4 billion factory in North Carolina, a person briefed on the matter said, as the loss-making company struggles to gain favour with U.S. consumers. Continue reading “Exclusive: Vietnamese EV maker VinFast considers delaying $4 bln US plant, source says”

BEIJING/BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – The European Commission’s expected move to hike tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles is set to kick off a round of talks that Chinese executives hope will soften the blow for the world’s biggest EV industry.

The provisional tariffs, expected to be announced by June 5, will be a sticker shock representing billions of dollars in new costs for Chinese electric car makers. Continue reading “China gears up to make a deal with Europe as EV tariffs loom”

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Owners of nearly 84,000 older Nissan vehicles in the United States equipped with recalled, unrepaired Takata air bags should immediately stop driving them due to a safety hazard, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.

The agency made its announcement after the Japanese automaker issued a warning on Wednesday telling vehicle owners not to drive certain vehicles – the 2002-2006 model year Nissan Sentra, 2002-2004 Nissan Pathfinder and 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 – that were recalled in 2020 but have not been fixed. Continue reading “US tells owners to stop driving older Nissan vehicles over air bag concerns”

LONDON, (Reuters) – More countries than initially expected are adopting international climate-related disclosure standards, a global rulemaking body said on Tuesday, but cautioned that significant departures from the norms would come at a cost.

The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), created to write “baseline” disclosure rules for companies to stop “greenwashing,” finalised its rules a year ago and on Tuesday gave an update on adoption. Continue reading “Momentum building behind global company climate disclosures, standards body says”

MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – Mexico has been consuming record amounts of electricity and occasionally more than its utility infrastructure can generate and transmit, official data showed, as scorching heat and water shortages raise the likelihood of power outages.

In the late afternoon on Monday, Mexico consumed 51,595 megawatts of electricity across the country, grid operator CENACE recorded. When demand exceeds supply, the country becomes much more prone to outages. Continue reading “Mexico’s electricity demand hits record amid extreme heat and water shortages”

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – Germany and the Czech Republic are pushing the European Union to hold talks on how to eliminate the remaining energy sources Europe imports from Russia, EU diplomats told Reuters on Tuesday.

Germany, Europe’s biggest economy and gas market, and the Czech Republic will ask Brussels to start regular high-level talks – potentially among countries’ energy ministers – on how to fully end their imports of Russian energy. Continue reading “Germany, Czech Republic seek EU talks on fully quitting Russian energy”

Summary

• Chinese overseas investment, construction bouncing back
• Africa major focus of post-pandemic engagement
• Activities weighted towards minerals extraction
• Trade up, but Africa’s deficit with China ballooning

JOHANNESBURG/NAIROBI, (Reuters) – China’s flagship economic cooperation program is bouncing back after a lull during the global pandemic, with Africa a primary focus, according to a Reuters analysis of lending, investment and trade data. Continue reading “Post-COVID, China is back in Africa and doubling down on minerals”

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – Brazil’s lower house of Congress approved on Tuesday the main text of a bill that would enact a new 20% import tax on international online purchases under $50, significantly down from a higher tax rate that was originally proposed.

The bill must still be voted on by the Senate.

The new import tax rate for purchases that cost $50 or less was set on Tuesday following negotiations between lawmakers and the administration of leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, which had previously expressed its opposition to the unpopular tax proposal. Continue reading “Brazil’s Congress advances bill to tax low-cost online orders”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Brazil has overtaken Belgium as the largest export market for Chinese new energy vehicles, industry data showed, as Chinese carmakers increase sales to non-European markets amid European Union’s anti-subsidy probe into Chinese electric vehicles.

Exports of pure electric and plug-in hybrid cars to Brazil soared 13-fold year-on-year to 40,163 units in April, making it the biggest export market for a second straight month, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). Continue reading “Brazil surpasses Belgium as top export market for Chinese EVs, hybrids, data shows”

Summary

• Announcement after CEO Tavares meets unions
• Hybrid 500e to be produced in Mirafiori from Q1 2026
• Company to allocate new hybrid Jeep Compass SUV in Melfi
• Fiat Panda to keep being made in Italy until 2029

MILAN, (Reuters) – Fiat owner Stellantis said on Monday it would build a hybrid version of its 500e small electric car at its Mirafiori plant in Turin, Italy, amid a slowdown in electric car sales. Continue reading “Stellantis to introduce Italy-made hybrid versions of Fiat 500 EV, Jeep Compass”

SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – China’s BYD launched on Tuesday the latest version of a plug-in hybrid technology that improves fuel and cost savings, intensifying competition with the likes of Toyota and Volkswagen that still sell mainly gasoline cars.

BYD’s chairman Wang Chuanfu unveiled the fifth generation of the hybrid technology that achieves a record low fuel consumption of 2.9 litres per 100 km (62.1 miles) on depleted batteries at an event in Shaanxi province’s capital Xian. Continue reading “BYD unveils new hybrid tech as battle with gasoline rivals heats up”

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis has recommended Toyota Motor shareholders vote against re-electing Chairman Akio Toyoda at the Japanese automaker’s annual general meeting in June, saying the board was not sufficiently independent.

Toyoda, the grandson of the company’s founder and previously its chief executive, last year was re-elected to the board with around 85% approval, a drop from the previous year’s almost 96%. Continue reading “Proxy firm Glass Lewis recommends vote against Toyota chairman”

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Toyota Motor showcased next-generation engines on Tuesday that can be used in cars as varied as hybrids and those running on biofuel, as it targets tougher emissions standards and doubles down on its strategy of selling more than just EVs.

At a media event with peers Subaru and Mazda Motor, the world’s biggest automaker by volume displayed in-development 1.5 litre and 2.0 litre engines with significantly reduced volume and height versus current engines. Continue reading “Toyota showcases compact engines adaptable to different fuels”

DETROIT, (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is seeking a new election at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama after losing a vote there last week, according to a petition filed on Friday with the National Labor Relations Board.

The union accused Mercedes of engaging “in a relentless anti-union campaign” including the firing of employees who were pro-union and holding frequent captive-audience meetings to spread anti-union views, according to the filing. Continue reading “UAW asks US board for new unionization vote at Mercedes’ Alabama plant”

MILAN, (Reuters) – Fiat owner Stellantis is expected to announce on Monday a hybrid version of its 500e small electric car to be produced at its Mirafiori plant in Italy, two sources familiar with the matter said, confirming a report by Automotive News Europe.

The announcement is expected at a meeting scheduled in Turin between CEO Carlos Tavares and unions, which have been asking for a new high-volume, cheaper model for Mirafiori to revive its output. Continue reading “Stellantis to announce Italy-produced hybrid version of 500 EV, sources say”

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Oil prices steadied in Asian trading on Monday as markets awaited an OPEC+ meeting on June 2 where producers are expected to discuss maintaining voluntary output cuts for the rest of the year.

The Brent crude July contract was up 18 cents to $82.30 a barrel as of 0409 GMT. The more-active August contract rose 25 cents to $82.09. Continue reading “Oil prices steady as markets turn focus to OPEC+ meeting”