Summary

• IG Metall secures 13 of 37 seats
• Union accuses Tesla of stoking anti-union sentiment
• Tesla’s Berlin plant is its only European production site
• Non-union members hold majority ​in Tesla’s works council

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Germany’s top industrial union on Wednesday suffered a setback at the works council elections at Tesla’s plant near Berlin, once again failing to win a majority after a campaign marked by ​mud-slinging and legal challenges.

IG Metall, which has been fighting for more influence ​at Tesla’s gigafactory in Gruenheide, said it secured 13 of the ⁠works council’s 37 seats, leaving the committee’s majority in non-unionised hands. Continue reading “German union suffers setback in works council election at Tesla Berlin plant”

STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) – Volvo Cars’ sales volumes fell 10% in the ​three months through February due to trade tariffs and other ‌market headwinds, but sales of fully electric cars jumped, the Sweden-based group said on Wednesday.

Volvo Cars, majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding, said in a statement it sold 156,965 ​cars in the period. Volumes for fully electric models increased 18% ​to account for 25% of all cars sold. Continue reading “Volvo Cars sales volumes drop as US tariffs hit, but fully electric cars shine”

Source : PTI | The number of road accident deaths in Kerala declined in 2025 even as the total number of accidents increased, Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) officials said on Monday.

The MVD recently released data on accident-related deaths and injuries reported in the state last year.

According to the figures, 3,733 people lost their lives and 56,922 were injured in 49,889 road accidents across Kerala in 2025. Continue reading “Road accident deaths decline in Kerala in 2025 despite rise in cases”

Source : PTI | The US-Israeli war on Iran has started leaving its negative impact on the industrial units in Maharashtra due to the disruption of global supply chain, with an industry organisation here stating that the containers supposed to take automobile components to Europe were facing delays.

The United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on February 28, with US President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to seize control of their destiny and rise against the Islamic leadership that has ruled their country since 1979. Continue reading “Iran war posing hurdles in supply chain; industries in Sambhajinagar facing delays in export”

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – Scaling up production in Europe could cut the cost gap between EU-made batteries and those coming from China to around 30% from a current 90%, transport and environment campaign group T&E said in a report on Monday, and it urged the EU to support the sector with its “Made in Europe” plans.

The EU executive is set to propose its “Industrial Accelerator Act” on Wednesday, with requirements to prioritise locally manufactured products when public money is used. It is designed to cover “key strategic sectors” including batteries, solar and wind energy, hydrogen manufacturing, nuclear power and electric vehicles. Continue reading “EU can sharply cut local battery prices with Made in Europe plan, T&E report says”

Summary

• China to detail 5-year tech strategy at NPC opening session on Thursday
• AI, humanoids, and space are expected areas of focus
• Beijing’s new tech policies would come as US, China jostle over supply chains

BEIJING, (Reuters) – China will outline this week how it plans to push the next phase of its technology race with the West, and convert a wave of high-profile breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, space and robotics into industrial scale and capital market momentum.

The country’s top leadership will publish its annual government work report and budget plans at the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s rubber-stamp parliament, on Thursday, as well as the outline of its 15th Five-Year Plan for 2026–2030, a sweeping blueprint that sets priorities for industrial policy. Continue reading “China’s annual parliament meet to unveil roadmap for tech race with the West”

Summary

• Shipping disruption in Gulf sparks oil and gas price jump
• Mideast-China oil shipping rate at over six-year high
• Oil and gas market fears prolonged disruption

LONDON/SINGAPORE, (Reuters) – Insurance companies are cancelling war risk coverage ​for vessels in the Middle East Gulf as the widening Iran conflict disrupts shipping, leaving tankers damaged or stranded and at least two people dead.

Shipping through the Strait of ‌Hormuz between Iran and Oman, which carries around one-fifth of oil consumed globally as well as large quantities of gas, has ground to a near halt after vessels in the area were hit as Iran retaliated against U.S. and Israeli strikes. Continue reading “Iran conflict disrupts global shipping as tankers are stranded, damaged”

Summary

• Challenges persist over politics, permits, sources say
• US pressured to act on M23 for deals to progress, US diplomat says
• Chinese firms face lighter compliance burden, analysts say

DAKAR/KINSHASA, (Reuters) – The U.S. has made progress in its push to prise Congo’s strategic minerals from China’s orbit, but conflict, contested licences and compliance demands are still slowing Washington’s advance into a region its rival dominates, diplomats and ​industry officials said.

Democratic Republic of Congo, which hosts the world’s largest cobalt supply and rich copper and lithium reserves, is central to the U.S. push to cut the West’s reliance ‌on China for rare minerals. Continue reading “US struggling to de-risk Congo’s ‘war zone minerals’ even after pact, sources say”

COPENHAGEN, (Reuters) – Registrations of new Tesla cars in Denmark fell 18% in February from a year earlier, to 419 vehicles, data from bilstatistik.dk showed on Monday.

(This story has been corrected to fix the sourcing to bilstatistik.dk, not Mobility Denmark, in paragraph 1) Continue reading “Tesla registrations in Denmark fall 18% year-on-year in February”

(Reuters) – Tesla gained market share in key European markets in February, official data showed, signalling some ​stabilisation on the continent after two straight years ‌of declining sales.

In France, the U.S. electric vehicle maker’s registrations, a proxy for sales, rose 55% even as most rivals sold fewer ​cars in the country than a year ago.

Registrations more ​than doubled from February 2024 in Portugal. They increased ⁠74% in Spain, 32% in Norway and 14% in Belgium, but fell ​45% in the Netherlands, 18% in Denmark and 7% in Italy. Continue reading “Tesla regains some market share around Europe in February, a sign of stabilising sales”

Summary

• Elliott agrees to tender shares, calls offer an “improved outcome”
• Toyota’s offer ends months-long battle with Elliott Investment Management
• Concerns raised over governance and minority shareholder treatment in buyout

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Toyota bumped its offer price for supplier Toyota Industries on Monday, valuing the bid at $30 billion and ending a months-long battle with activist fund Elliott Investment Management, which had pushed for a higher price.

Elliott said it had agreed to tender its shares in the forklift maker, known as TICO, and called the raised offer of 20,600 yen ($132) a share an “improved outcome” for minority shareholders. Continue reading “Toyota bumps offer for supplier to $30 billion, in a victory for activist fund Elliott”

New Delhi, 2026 — Shriram Automall India Limited (SAMIL), India’s largest phygital marketplace for pre-owned vehicles, equipment, and other assets, successfully conducted SAMIL Utsav 2026, executing 135+ live auctions simultaneously across the country and generating over ₹195 Crores in gross transaction value in a single day.

The nationwide one-day auction featured over 19,000 pre-owned vehicles and equipment assets, resulting in over 8,500 successful transactions, making it one of the largest synchronized pre-owned automobile auction events ever conducted in India. Continue reading “Business worth Rs 195 Crore generated at Shriram Automall’s e-Day Pre-Owned Auto Auction at SAMIL Utsav 2026 with more than 135 Simultaneous Auctions with Buyers Across 500 plus Indian Cities”

Source : PTI | The MTC on Saturday invited tenders for the procurement and operation of 220 electric low floor air conditioned buses to provide dedicated first and last mile connectivity for Chennai Metro Rail Limited commuters.

The proposed fleet consists of 150 buses measuring 5 metres in length and 70 buses measuring 7 metres in length.

These compact dimensions are intended to enable smooth operation through narrow roads and congested urban streets while connecting interior residential areas and commercial zones to metro stations, a release issued by MTC said. Continue reading “MTC invites tenders for procurement, operation of 220 electric low-floor A/C buses”

(Reuters) – Kia America is recalling 85,448 vehicles in the U.S. over failure of a seat back frame failing to properly restrain an occupant during a crash, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Friday. Continue reading “Kia America to recall about 85,000 US vehicles over seat back frame issue”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Chinese electric vehicle maker Xiaomi said it delivered more than 20,000 vehicles in February, down from more than 39,000 in January, according to a post on its official Weibo account on Sunday.

The smartphone and consumer electronics maker, which launched its first electric car, the Speed Ultra 7 (SU7) sedan, in 2024, said it was preparing for mass production of the next-generation SU7. Continue reading “Xiaomi says February EV deliveries topped 20,000, down from January”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD recorded the biggest fall in global sales in six years last month against a backdrop of fierce competition in the world’s largest auto market.

BYD’s February sales dropped 41.1% from a year earlier, the sixth consecutive month of decline, according to a stock market filing on Sunday. The fall last month was the biggest since February 2020 when the economy was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading “BYD February vehicle sales fall at steepest pace since pandemic”

Source : PTI | The National Critical and Strategic Minerals Committee, constituted by NITI Aayog, on Thursday called for a coordinated effort by both public and private sector mining companies to strengthen India’s self-reliance in critical minerals.

The second meeting of the committee, held at Singareni Bhavan under the chairmanship of D K Singh, stressed accelerating exploration, boosting research and development, and fostering strategic partnerships to tap the country’s untapped mineral potential, a press release said. Continue reading “NITI Aayog panel calls for public-private push to boost India’s critical minerals self-reliance”

Summary

• Nvidia reports strong results, but shares fall
• S&P 500 and Nasdaq finish lower; European shares ease
• World shares index eases after hitting record high
• Oil prices rise in volatile trading

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – An index of global equity markets eased after hitting a record high on Thursday as concerns about lofty valuations of leading technology companies weighed on markets after artificial intelligence chipmaker Nvidia reported quarterly results.

The benchmark S&P 500 on Wall Street and equities in Europe finished lower as investors digested another blowout quarter from Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, but worried about its market value even as it forecast that first-quarter revenue would be a whopping $78 billion. Continue reading “World shares retreat from record highs amid concerns about tech valuations”

SEOUL, (Reuters) – Hyundai Motor Group and South Korea on Friday signed a deal to invest about 9 trillion won ($6.26 billion) to build an AI data centre, a robot manufacturing factory and other developments in the country’s western coastal region, the land ministry said.

Here are some details * Hyundai Motor Group to invest about 5.8 trillion won to build an AI data centre, which will deploy 50,000 graphics processing units, the ministry said. Continue reading “Hyundai Motor Group to invest $6.3 bln in AI data centre, robot factory in South Korea”

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WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Ford Motor said Thursday it is recalling 4.3 million pickup trucks and SUVs in the U.S. because a software error may cause trailer brakes not to function and exterior lights to fail.

The U.S. automaker said the recall covers the 2021 through 2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, Maverick along with some Ranger and E-Transit vehicles. Continue reading “Ford recalling 4.3 million US vehicles over software issue”

Source : PTI | Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said travel time between Chennai and Bengaluru will be reduced to just two hours once the new expressway is commissioned by the end of this year.

The Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway is about 260 km long and partially operational at present.

Speaking at the 3rd Edition of Build India Infra Awards, the minister said the expressway from Delhi to Dehradun is ready, and you can go within two hours. Continue reading “Chennai-Bengaluru expressway to cut travel time to two hours : Gadkari”

Source : PTI | JSW Motors Ltd, the new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturing company of the JSW Group, on Thursday has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tata Indian Institute of Skills (Tata IIS) to establish a structured technical talent pipeline ahead of the commissioning of its greenfield manufacturing plant at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra.

The collaboration marks the first step in JSW Motors’ broader ambition to build an industry-leading skilling ecosystem that begins at the plant floor and extends across the manufacturing value chain.

Continue reading “JSW Motors partners with Tata IIS to build tech talent pipeline for NEV Manufacturing”

Source : PTI | The government has mandated the sale of petrol with up to 20 per cent ethanol and a minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95 across all states and Union Territories from April 1, 2026.

The oil ministry in a February 17 notification, said, “the central government hereby directs that oil companies shall sell ethanol-blended motor spirit (petrol) with percentage of ethanol up to 20 per cent as per the Bureau of Indian Standards specifications and having minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95, in states and the Union Territories”.

Continue reading “India mandates sale of 20% ethanol-blended petrol from April”

SEOUL, (Reuters) – Hyundai Motor Group plans to unveil a multi-billion-dollar investment in South Korea’s west coast, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday, as the auto group expands into artificial intelligence for autonomous driving and robotics.

Shares in Hyundai Motor surged 10.5% and affiliate Kia soared 15% on Wednesday, after media reports on the automakers’ potential 10 trillion won ($7 billion) investments in the Saemangeum area over the next five years. Continue reading “Hyundai Motor to unveil multi-billion-dollar investment in South Korea, source says”

Summary

• Sale could happen as soon as this year, sources say
• Toyota’s governance has been under investor scrutiny
• Toyota’s policy is to cut cross-shareholding arrangements

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Toyota plans a large-scale unwinding of strategic shareholdings that would involve banks and insurance firms selling around $19 billion in shares, two sources said, which could be a turning point in Japan’s efforts at corporate governance reform.

Although the sale will likely total around 3 trillion yen ($19 billion), it could be larger depending on the willingness of shareholders to sell, the sources said. Continue reading “Exclusive: Toyota plans around $19 billion share sale by financial institutions”

Summary

• Total charges amount to 25.4 billion euros in 2025
• Automaker scaling back its EV ambitions
• Group confirms 2026 forecasts
• Sees 1.6 billion euro cost of U.S. tariffs this year

MILAN, (Reuters) – Stellantis on Thursday reported a net loss of 20.1 billion euros ($23.8 billion) for the second half of 2025, after multi-billion euro charges the automaker booked earlier this month to reflect its scaled-back electric-vehicle ambitions.

The huge loss, in line with preliminary ranges provided three weeks ago, underscores how auto groups globally are taking a hit from a slower-than-expected and more complex shift from petrol-engine cars to electric vehicles, as both the United States and Europe water down EV targets. Continue reading “Stellantis posts 20 billion euro second-half loss after ‘over-estimating’ EV transition”

BERLIN, (Reuters) – BMW and the European Commission are in talks about a possible minimum pricing model that could replace EU tariffs on the German carmaker’s Chinese-made Mini electric vehicles, Germany’s Handelsblatt business daily reported on Tuesday.

This follows an agreement struck between Brussels and Volkswagen earlier in February, under which the group’s SEAT/Cupra brand secured a tariff exemption for its all-electric Tavascan SUV coupe following months of discussions. Continue reading “BMW in talks with EU on tariff exemption for ‘Made in China’ Minis, Handelsblatt reports”

Summary

• Company plans to save 40 million pounds by 2026 through job cuts
• Aston Martin expects financial improvement in 2026
• Trims capital spending to 1.7 billion pounds by delaying EV investment
• Share price rises after nine sessions of decline

(Reuters) – British luxury car maker Aston Martin will cut its workforce by up to 20%, it said on Wednesday, as it strives to recover from the impact of U.S. import tariffs and weak demand in China.

Aston Martin said the job cuts from a total workforce of around 3,000 should deliver annualised savings of around 40 million pounds ($54 million). It did not specify when the job cuts would be implemented, but said most of the savings would be this year. The cuts include a 5% reduction announced last year. Continue reading “Aston Martin cuts jobs by 20% as US tariffs hit”

New Delhi, February 25, 2026: In a resounding call to elevate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) organised the 7th SIAM CSR Conclave under the theme “CSR Partnerships – From Shared Vision to Shared Value.” This Conclave united industry titans, CSR practitioners, policymakers, NGOs, and development experts to reimagine collaborative partnership models that drive inclusive growth, community empowerment, and self-reliant national development.

The Opening Session on “CSR as National Development Catalyst – Building the Nation, Responsibly” set a powerful tone for discussions on the automobile industry’s commitment to a sustainable future and responsible nation-building. Continue reading “SIAM Ignites Shared Value Revolution at 7th CSR Conclave, Forging Powerful Partnerships for Nation-Building”

Summary

• Questions over safety and liability persist around Level 3 tech
• High development costs deter some automakers from eyes-off driving
• Chinese automakers’ progress pressures global carmakers

(Reuters) – Automakers are racing toward a key milestone on the long road to fully driverless cars: systems that let drivers take their eyes off the road – to shoot a text or peck away on a laptop – unless the car alerts them to retake control.

Car companies for years have been enhancing driver-assistance systems, which automatically control speed and steering. Letting drivers tend to other things while behind the wheel could be a next step that helps automakers monetize their sizable investments in autonomy. Continue reading “Carmakers push toward ‘eyes-off’ driving, raising questions of safety, liability”

(Reuters) – New car sales in Europe fell year-on-year in January for the first time since June, weighed by declines in major markets including Germany, France, Belgium and Poland, data from the European auto lobby ACEA showed on Tuesday.

The downturn was sharpest in Norway, where new car registrations, a proxy for sales, fell about 76% compared to the same month in 2025. Continue reading “European car sales fall in January, petrol cars sharply decline”

Summary

• Baden-Wuerttemberg faces economic challenges amid auto industry crisis
• Rising insolvencies and unemployment signal distress in the region
• Economists urge infrastructure investment to revive sluggish economy

MOESSINGEN, Germany, (Reuters) – Dostech, a small supplier of sealant technology in Germany’s industry-rich Baden-Wuerttemberg region, shifted focus in 2018 when a surge in automotive enquiries prompted it to embark on a major electric transport project.

The move initially paid off, fuelling rapid growth and enabling the company to buy the building that now houses its headquarters in Moessingen, south of Stuttgart. But it also exposed them to Germany’s carmakers, which are now mired in crisis. Continue reading “Germany’s once-vibrant auto heartland falls on hard times”

Summary

• Lucid expects to produce 25,000-27,000 vehicles in 2026 vs 17,840 in 2025
• Production of midsize platform to start in Saudi Arabia — CEO
• Supply-chain disruption led to bigger-than-expected Q4 loss
• 2026 capex projected between $1.2 bln and $1.4 bln

(Reuters) – Lucid forecast 2026 production to grow at a slower pace than last year, and reported a larger-than-expected loss for the fourth quarter on Tuesday, as various supply-chain setbacks and tariffs disrupted manufacturing plans and exacerbated costs.

Lucid’s shares were down 5% in after-market trading. Continue reading “Lucid sees slower 2026 production growth as fear of supply-chain snags lingers”

(Reuters) – A U.S. judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit accusing Tesla of discriminating against American citizens in hiring so it can pay less to foreign workers, but said he was skeptical that the software engineer who sued would prevail.

U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco said in a brief order late Monday that Scott Taub, who filed the proposed class action in September, had offered up “just enough facts” about Tesla’s hiring practices for the case to move forward. Continue reading “Tesla must face lawsuit alleging anti-American bias in hiring, US judge rules”

Source : PTI | Odisha’s critical minerals sector is set to hit $18-20 billion by 2032 from $8 billion currently, while the processing and manufacturing share will quadruple, a study by an industry body said.

According to new projections by the Net Zero Energy Transition Association (NETRA) released at the recently concluded Global Cleantech Expo-Odisha 2026, the state is set for a transformative leap in the critical minerals sector.

Continue reading “Odisha’s critical mineral sector to hit $20 bn mark by 2032: Study”

Source : PTI | The Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transport Association on Monday flagged issues ranging from alleged regulatory gaps to rising compliance costs, and announced a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar on February 28.

According to a statement released by the association, they are seeking government intervention to address what they call long-pending problems of the transport sector. Continue reading “Delhi taxi operators to protest at Jantar Mantar on Feb 28 over fares, e-challans”

Source : PTI | In a move aimed at strengthening surveillance and crime prevention in crowded urban pockets, the Delhi Police on Monday launched a high-tech vehicle with facial recognition system (FRS) in Delhi’s Shahdara.

The vehicle, named ‘DP-DRISTHI’ – Delhi Police Dynamic Real-time Identification and Surveillance for Human Tracking Initiative – was flagged off by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam in the Gandhi Nagar market area.

Continue reading “Delhi Police unveils surveillance vehicle with facial recognition system”

Source : PTI | Hundreds of truck operators on Monday took to the streets in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district against the hike in toll charges collected at entry points from vehicles registered outside the state and warned of blocking the national highway if the decision is not rolled back.

The Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, during a cabinet meeting held on February 13, approved the toll tax barrier policy 2026-27, according to which the light motor vehicles (LMVs), including cars, jeeps and vans would be charged ₹170 instead of ₹70 from April 1. Continue reading “Truck operators protest against steep hike in toll tax at entry in Himachal”

Source : PTI | The Jammu and Kashmir government has recorded a 13.6 per cent decline in road accidents over the past three years, with the number of incidents falling from 6,120 in 2023 to 5,287 in 2025, officials said on Monday.

The downward trend is attributed to improved enforcement, extensive road safety awareness programmes and the strengthening of road safety mechanisms across the Union Territory. Official data show that accidents dropped to 5,726 in 2024 before further decreasing in 2025.

Continue reading “Jammu & Kashmir: Road accidents decline 13 per cent over three years to 5,287 in 2025”