Exclusive: GM Korea to sharply cut number of executives – internal letter

SEOUL (Reuters) – General Motors’ South Korean unit plans to slash the number of its executives, an internal letter seen by Reuters showed – the latest step by the U.S. automaker to cut costs and restructure the loss-making business. GM said this month it would shut one of its factories in South Korea and decide… Continue reading Exclusive: GM Korea to sharply cut number of executives – internal letter

Diesel cars can be banned from German cities, court rules

LEIPZIG, Germany (Reuters) – German cities can ban the most heavily polluting diesel cars from their streets, a court ruled on Tuesday, a move likely to be mirrored in other parts of Europe and to force automakers to pay to improve exhaust systems or switch to cleaner vehicles. There has been a global backlash against… Continue reading Diesel cars can be banned from German cities, court rules

Ford launches self-driving pilot with delivery partners in Miami

(Reuters) – Ford Motor Co is taking a different approach from rival General Motors Co in deploying self-driving vehicles, focusing initially on partnering with and operating vehicles for a variety of companies, from Domino’s Pizza to Lyft, executives said. Ford said on Tuesday it has launched a pilot delivery program in Miami with Domino‘s, and… Continue reading Ford launches self-driving pilot with delivery partners in Miami

Aston Martin gears up for IPO with first pre-tax profit since 2010

LONDON (Reuters) – Aston Martin delivered its first annual pre-tax profit since 2010 on Monday after last year’s sales reached a nine-year high, while the luxury British carmaker also confirmed it is considering a stock market flotation. Pre-tax profit reached 87 million pounds ($122 million) last year at fictional spy James Bond’s car brand of… Continue reading Aston Martin gears up for IPO with first pre-tax profit since 2010

Geely seeks meetings with Daimler, Berlin next week -sources

FRANKFURT/BEIJING (Reuters) – Officials from Chinese carmaker Geely (0175.HK) plan to meet Daimler (DAIGn.DE) executives early next week after announcing the acquisition of an almost 10 percent stake in the Mercedes maker, two sources familiar with the situation said. They also hope to meet top German government officials in Berlin, the sources told Reuters on… Continue reading Geely seeks meetings with Daimler, Berlin next week -sources

UPDATE 1-Germany could impose limited diesel car bans in strategy shift

BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s government, which has steadfastly opposed barring heavily-polluting diesel cars from cities, is working on changes to allow driving bans on certain routes on an emergency basis, documents seen by Reuters showed. Junior transport minister Norbert Barthle, a conservative, disclosed the shift in a reply to a parliamentary question by the Greens… Continue reading UPDATE 1-Germany could impose limited diesel car bans in strategy shift

Geely says won’t buy more Daimler shares ‘for the time being’

FRANKFURT, Feb 24 (Reuters) – China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding does not plan to buy more Daimler shares “for the time being,” it said on Saturday, after its chairman Li Shufu disclosed he had a 9.69 percent stake in the German carmaker. ”Daimler is an outstanding company with a first-class management. It will be an honour… Continue reading Geely says won’t buy more Daimler shares ‘for the time being’

UPDATE 3-Geely chairman builds $9 bln stake in Germany’s Daimler

BEIJING/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The chairman of Chinese carmaker Geely has built up a 9.69 percent stake in Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler, filings showed on Friday, an aggressive move designed to open the door for an industrial alliance between the two carmakers. Two sources familiar with the thinking of Li Shufu said his move to accumulate the… Continue reading UPDATE 3-Geely chairman builds $9 bln stake in Germany’s Daimler

Numbers starting to add up for Tesla trucks: DHL executive

(Reuters) – The numbers behind Tesla Inc’s (TSLA.O) long-distance Semi electric trucks are close to making sense for hauliers looking at a shift away from diesel that may save them tens of thousands of dollars a year, according to an executive with DHL. Jim Monkmeyer, president, Transportation at DHL Supply Chain, was among the first… Continue reading Numbers starting to add up for Tesla trucks: DHL executive

UPDATE 1-GM Korea seeks to trim benefits, wages -internal letter

SEOUL (Reuters) – General Motors Co will propose a base wage freeze and no bonuses this year along with a suspension of some worker benefits at its money-losing South Korean unit to cut costs, according to an internal letter that Reuters reviewed on Friday. GM is bracing for a major showdown with its South Korean… Continue reading UPDATE 1-GM Korea seeks to trim benefits, wages -internal letter