By WAF Think Tank

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the iconic British luxury carmaker owned by Tata Motors, has named P B Balaji its new Chief Executive Officer — a historic moment, as he becomes the first Indian to lead the company. His appointment, effective mid-November 2025, marks a significant milestone for both JLR and its parent company.

A New Era Begins

Balaji takes over from Adrian Mardell, who retires after a 35-year tenure—three of those as JLR’s CEO—and will support the transitional phase through the end of his contract. The JLR board approved Balaji’s appointment on August 4, 2025, with formal assumption of the role set for approximately November 17, 2025. Continue reading “P B Balaji, CFO of Tata Motors, Becomes the First Indian CEO of Jaguar Land Rover”

Bengaluru, : Marking a proud milestone in its journey in India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today celebrated 20 remarkable years of the Toyota Innova, a name that has grown to become a trusted companion for millions of Indian families and businesses. With over 12 lakh plus units sold across its three offerings, Innova, Innova Crysta, and Innova HyCross, the brand stands as a symbol of unwavering customer trust and lasting value. Over the past two decades, the Innova has continuously evolved to reflect the changing aspirations of the customers in India, while staying rooted in Toyota’s core philosophy of Quality, Durability, and Reliability (QDR). This is not just a milestone of numbers, but a celebration of innumerable journeys, memories, and moments made possible by Innova that has truly stood the test of time. Continue reading “Toyota Innova Completes 20 Glorious Years in India, Trusted by 12 Lakh Plus Customers”

By WAF Think Tank

THOOTHUKUDI, India | Vietnamese automaker VinFast has officially commenced production at its first manufacturing plant in India, marking the rollout of the very first car from the facility located in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. The project represents the initial phase of a larger US $2 billion investment strategy, with US $500 million committed over the first five years.

Spread across 400 acres within the SIPCOT industrial park, the plant is VinFast’s third globally and its first outside Vietnam. The facility is currently assembling two premium electric SUV models, the VF 7 and VF 6, tailored for the Indian market in right-hand drive configuration. Production began with a capacity of 50,000 units per year, expandable to 150,000 units based on demand. Continue reading “VinFast Rolls Out First Car from its Production Plant in India”

Pune, India – Tata AutoComp Systems Limited (TACO) announces with Japan’s Ichikoh Industries Limited (Ichikoh), a company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market and owned at 61.2% by Valeo, the project to acquire Valeo’s lighting business in India through the acquisition of the Valeo Lighting Systems (VLS) business of Valeo India Private Limited. The acquisition would be consummated through a 50:50 Joint Venture company (JVC) to be formed between TACO and Ichikoh Industries.

The JVC should cater to the automotive lighting market in India. The definitive agreements are in the process of being finalized between TACO and Ichikoh regarding the formation of the JVC and the acquisition of the VLS Business and shall be subject to procurement of necessary statutory and regulatory approvals. Continue reading “Tata AutoComp and Ichikoh Industries to Partner for Automotive Lighting in India”

By WAF Think Tank  | Email – hi@waf.bz

Bengaluru, August 4, 2025 – Electric two-wheeler manufacturer River Mobility has achieved its best-ever monthly sales performance in July 2025, registering sales of 7,200 units, a 68% increase compared to the same month last year. The surge reflects growing demand for electric mobility solutions and River’s expanding presence in urban and semi-urban markets.

The company’s flagship models, River Indie and River Flow, continued to drive demand, appealing both to individual commuters and fleet operators engaged in last-mile delivery. The brand’s focus on functional design, robust build quality, and improved after-sales support has been cited as key differentiators in a highly competitive EV two-wheeler segment. Continue reading “River Mobility Clocks Best-Ever Sales in July 2025, Records 68% Year-on-Year Growth”

ROME, (Reuters) – Sales of new cars in Italy fell by 5.11% year-on-year in July, transport ministry data showed on Friday, indicating a persistently weak market in the European Union’s third largest economy.

Total sales in July stood at 118,493 vehicles.

Market leader Stellantis whose brands include Fiat, Jeep and Peugeot, suffered an even bigger sales slide of around 13% year-on-year, according to Reuters calculations. Continue reading “Italy’s new car sales down 5.11% in July”

FRANKFURT, (Reuters) – Daimler Truck one of the world’s biggest truckmakers, on Thursday slashed a key profit forecast for 2025 due to “continuous market weakness in North America”, the latest warning from industry as U.S. President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on imports.

The German company now expects adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) in a range of 3.6 billion euros to 4.1 billion euros ($4.1 billion to $4.7 billion), compared with 4.7 billion euros reported for 2024. Continue reading “Daimler Truck slashes key profit forecast on North America weakness”

(Reuters) – New car registrations in France slid 7.66% in July from a year earlier to 116,377 vehicles, data from French car body PFA showed on Friday.

Tesla sales in the country fell 26.57% to 1,307 vehicles last month. Since the start of the year, Tesla’s sales have slumped by 38.52%, while the overall French market has shrunk by 7.91% over the same period. Continue reading “France new car registrations down 7.66% in July, Tesla sales drop 26.57%”

Summary

• Iveco purchase is biggest transaction for Tata Motors
• Tata in strong position to raise equity, debt to fund deal
• Indian firm says deal makes Europe a strategic home market
• Combined company will compete with Volvo and Daimler

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Tata Motors plans to raise about 1 billion euros ($1.14 billion) of equity to repay the loan funding its $4.5 billion offer, to buy Iveco’s trucks and bus business, the Indian automaker’s chief financial officer said on Thursday. Continue reading “India’s Tata Motors to raise 1 billion euros in equity for Iveco deal”

Summary

• BMW’s U.S. presence mitigates tariff impact
• Pre-tax earnings hit by China woes
• EBIT margin in auto segment on target

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Germany’s BMW maintained its full-year guidance on Thursday despite U.S. tariffs and quarterly earnings dropping by a third, arguing that its large manufacturing presence in the country gives it an edge over rivals. Continue reading “BMW sticks with guidance despite profit drop, Trump’s tariffs”

Source : PTI | An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras-incubated company, Plugzmart, has developed an indigenous EV charging platform that allows a charger to connect with multiple Charging Management Systems (CMS) networks, according to officials.

The first-of-its-kind “Relay”, a Multi-CMS Connect platform, allows a single EV charger to connect to multiple CMS simultaneously. This means a charger is no longer restricted to a single app or network, giving it the freedom to be accessed by multiple platforms, all in real time, they said. Continue reading “IIT Madras incubated firm develops EV charging platform to link chargers with multiple networks”

Source : PTI | VinFast, the Vietnamese EV maker, has done it again.

First it was in the port city of Haiphong, turning a swamp into a state-of-the-art factory. Now, the company is attempting a similar feat in southern India, where the contours of its second major plant are beginning to emerge.

Over a year ago, the land outside Thoothukudi was little more than sun-baked scrubland. Today, assembly lines stand ready, the machinery set to stamp, weld and paint the first Vietnamese-designed electric cars meant for Indian roads. Continue reading “With Tamil Nadu’s EV plant, VinFast dreams far and wide”

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Toyota on Wednesday its worldwide output and sales reached record highs for the first six months of the year, fuelled by strong demand in markets including North America, Japan and China.

The world’s biggest automaker’s global sales for January-June grew 5.5% year-on-year to more than 5.1 million vehicles, supported by demand for hybrid vehicles, which accounted for about 43% of its worldwide sales over the period. Continue reading “Toyota global output, sales hit record highs in January-June”

By Auto Think Tank 

• The World Auto Forum Powers Alternate Supply Chains for a Sustainable Future

• WAF teams can help you fine tune your supply chains

For years, the global automotive and clean energy sectors have been haunted by a common nightmare: the scarcity of rare earth materials, lithium, copper, and cathode components essential for electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, and renewable energy storage. But in a major shift this year, industry observers are declaring that the age of critical mineral bottlenecks may finally be coming to an end.

Continue reading “Scarcity of Rare Earth Materials, Lithium, Copper, Cathode — Finally Over Via WAF!”

Summary

• June exports down 0.5% yr/yr vs forecast rise of 0.5%
• Imports rise 0.2% yr/yr in June
• U.S.-bound shipments down 11.4% yr/yr

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Japan’s exports fell for a second straight month as sweeping U.S. tariffs took a toll on the country’s manufacturers, with its fragile economy exposed to greater risks from the global trade war in coming months. Continue reading “Japan’s exports drop as US tariffs hit automobiles, pressure set to intensify”

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the nation’s auto safety regulator will argue on Wednesday that the agency must actively oversee self-driving vehicle technology, a potential sign of a tougher approach than some critics expected.

Jonathan Morrison, chief counsel of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the first Trump administration, will testify to the U.S. Senate that autonomous vehicles offer potential benefits but also unique risks. Continue reading “US auto safety nominee calls for active oversight of self-driving cars”

Key Highlights from Q1 (April–June 2025)

a) Passenger vehicles

• Passenger Vehicle sales again crossed the 1 million mark in Q1 of 2025-26 (1.01 million units), it is the 2nd time in a row in Q1 in last 2 years. Due to lower sales in the later part of the quarter, sales in Q1 were lower by (-)1.4% as compared to Q1 of 2024-25.
• The share of Utility Vehicles (UVs) in the Passenger Vehicle segment has now grown to 66%. UVs have posted a growth of 3.8% in Q1 of 2025-26, over Q1 of 2024-25, while the Passenger Cars segment has degrown by (-) 11.2% over Q1 of 2024-25.
• Passenger Vehicles saw their highest ever exports in Q1 of 2025-26 of 2.04 Lakh units registering a growth of 13.2% over Q1 of 2024-25.
• Export growth in this segment was driven by stable demand across most markets, with strong performance in the Middle East and Latin America. Revival in neighbouring markets like Sri Lanka and Nepal, rising demand from Japan, and growing exports under FTAs such as Australia also contributed to the overall uptick.

Continue reading “Auto Industry Sales Performance of June 2025 and Q1 (April–June 2025)”

(Reuters) – Global sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles jumped 24% in June from a year ago, as a switch to electric vehicles maintained momentum in China and Europe, market research firm Rho Motion said on Tuesday.

Still, EV sales in the United States were down 1% in the month and will struggle to pick up this year, after President Donald Trump’s spending bill cut tax credits sooner than anticipated, Rho Motion’s data manager Charles Lester said. Continue reading “Global EV sales jump 24% in June though North American market struggles, research firm says”

Source : PTI | The Delhi government is mulling to extend the EV policy, which will expire on July 15, sources said.

The EV policy has been extended multiple times under both the previous AAP regime and the current government led by the BJP.

The EV policy will expire on July 15, and the government is considering extending it since the new policy is still in the works, sources said. The government might extend the existing policy for another three months, they added. Continue reading “Delhi govt mulling to extend EV policy as new policy still in works”

Summary

• LSEG data for Chinese automakers show deteriorating key financial metrics over the past six years
• Automakers taking longer to pay suppliers and short-term creditors
• Chinese regulators have warned the turmoil is undermining the sector’s long-term viability

(Reuters) – China’s auto sector is reeling from overcapacity and an extended price war, raising alarm among regulators and industry executives who warn the turmoil is undermining the sector’s long-term viability.

China’s top leaders have pledged to step up regulation of aggressive price-cutting and support the orderly phasing out of outdated production capacity, state media reported earlier this month. Continue reading “China automakers’ price war, overcapacity hurt finances”

📈 Key Highlights

Continue reading “ChargeZone Launches India’s Largest EV Charging Hub in Bengaluru”

Continue reading “JSW MG Motor sells 5,829 cars in June 2025, a 21 percent YoY Growth”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Only 15 out of the 129 brands that currently sell electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in China will be financially viable by 2030, as intense competition forces consolidation and some to exit the market, consultancy AlixPartners said on Thursday.

These 15 brands are projected to account for approximately 75% of China’s EV and plug-in hybrid market by the end of the decade, each averaging annual sales of 1.02 million units, AlixPartners said, without specifying brand names. Continue reading “Only 15 electric vehicle brands in China will survive by 2030, AlixPartners says”

Summary

• Renault to adjust Nissan stake value using current share price
• One-off loss of 9.5 billion euros won’t hit dividends, guidance
• Move further weakens decades-old alliance between the two firms

PARIS, (Reuters) – Renault will book a one-off loss of about 9.5 billion euros ($11 billion) on its stake in Nissan Motor, the French carmaker said on Tuesday, writing down its years-long investment in its Japanese partner that is battling slumping sales.

The move is a further loosening of ties between the companies after a two-decade-old alliance, with Renault gradually lowering its stake in Nissan and shifting largely to collaboration in specific manufacturing projects. Continue reading “Renault to report $11 billion loss on Nissan stake in first half”

(Reuters) – U.S. auto sales rose in the second quarter fueled by demand for gasoline-powered vehicles, but the industry is bracing for a bumpy latter half to the year as President Donald Trump’s tariffs will likely push prices higher.

General Motors retained its top spot with a 7% rise in quarterly auto sales driven by demand for lower-cost crossover SUVs such as the Chevrolet Trax. Continue reading “US second-quarter auto sales rise, tariffs may drive up prices”

Source : PTI | Indian Auto industry representatives are yet to leave for China to expedite the import of rare earth magnets as the delegation is still awaiting a formal go-ahead from the Chinese commerce ministry for a meeting, as per industry sources.

Around 40-50 industry executives have received visas last month, but are still awaiting a formal nod from the Chinese authorities for the meetings on the matter. Continue reading “Indian auto delegation yet to leave for China for talks to expedite supply of rare earth magnets”

Summary

• BYD, Chery, GWM among automakers expanding in Africa
• Chery, others exploring local assembly options
• Plug-in hybrids seen as key to Africa strategy

JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – Chinese automakers are pushing to unlock Africa’s underdeveloped potential, with a focus on electric and hybrid vehicles, as restrictions on exports to the United States and Europe send them on a global quest for new markets.

Though home to over a billion people, low incomes and high import duties have long hampered manufacturers’ efforts to sell more cars in Africa. Unreliable power availability and a lack of charging infrastructure have meanwhile held back EV uptake. Continue reading “Facing global headwinds, Chinese automakers make a play for Africa”

Summary

• Policy starts September 1, affects global salaried workforce
• Ford aims to boost company performance with new office policy

DETROIT, (Reuters) – Ford Motor is calling the majority of its salaried workforce back to the office four days a week, the automaker’s latest effort to boost employee and company performance.

“Many of our employees have been in the office three or more days per week for some time now. We believe working together in person on a day-to-day basis will help accelerate Ford’s transformation into a higher growth, higher margin, less cyclical and more dynamic company,” a Ford spokesperson said in a statement in response to a Reuters query. Continue reading “Exclusive: Ford calls majority of workforce into the office four days a week”

Source : PTI | State-owned NHAI on Monday said it is taking proactive measures to address flooding and waterlogging on the National Highways across the country.

Taking a multi-pronged approach to provide effective solution during monsoon, NHAI said it has launched a 15-day drive wherein NHAI officials, contractors and consultants are inspecting various stretches to identify critical areas which are prone to damage or are likely to be affected by waterlogging on National Highways.

Continue reading “NHAI takes proactive steps for effective highway management during monsoon”

Summary

• China has been shipping new cars as ‘used’ overseas since 2019
• Chinese state media condemned the domestic ‘zero-mileage’ used car market
• But local Chinese governments actively promote it to meet economic targets from Beijing

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – China’s auto industry has inflated car sales for years through a burgeoning government-backed grey market that registers new cars right off the assembly line and then ships them overseas as “used” vehicles. Continue reading “Exclusive: Local Chinese governments promote ‘zero-mileage’ used car exports, inflating sales, growth figures”

Continue reading “Volkswagen India Organises Mega Golf GTI Delivery: 25 Units in a Single Day”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – China’s overseas shipments of rare earth magnets halved in May from April, tumbling to their lowest levels in more than five years due to export curbs.

Beijing said this month that it would speed up its approval process, a concession made after the U.S. and China agreed to dial back trade tensions. In the meantime, however, industry sources say Chinese customs officials have become increasingly cautious about processing rare earth cargoes. Continue reading “China’s rare earth magnet shipments halve in May due to export curbs”

Summary

• China’s BYD Shenzhen, the world’s largest car-carrying ship, made its maiden voyage to Brazil
• Brazil has become a top target for Chinese EV exports, according to shipping data
• Industry groups want Brazil to raise tariffs to protect its auto industry
• Chinese automakers have pledged to build local factories in Brazil

(Reuters) – The world’s largest car-carrying ship – with the equivalent of 20 football fields of vehicles – completed its maiden journey late last month to dock in Brazil’s Itajai port.

But not everyone is cheering its arrival. Continue reading “China floods Brazil with cheap EVs triggering backlash”

VINFAST SIGNS GLOBAL ASSURE TO STRENGTHEN CUSTOMER SERVICE NETWORK ACROSS INDIA

Gurugram, June 17, 2025 – VinFast, a leading global electric vehicle manufacturer, today announced its collaboration signing ‘Global Assure’ to strengthen customer service network across India. Global Assure is India’s one of the most trusted customer service providers. This collaboration is designed to deliver comprehensive customer support and innovative mobility solutions across the Indian market, reinforcing VinFast’s commitment to exceptional customer experience in the rapidly growing electric vehicle segment. Continue reading “VinFast Signs Global Assure to Strengthen Customer Service Network Across India”