Author: World_Newz Mon

The $35,000 Model 3 is no more. Tesla raises prices slightly

New York (CNN Business)The $35,000 Tesla proved to be very short-lived — less than three months, start to finish.And it was important benchmark of Tesla’s promise to bring electric cars to the masses.The cheapest version a buyer can order online comes with a slightly longer range battery and some other options not available on the $35,000 version, It was priced at $39,500.

Phil Popham: ‘We’ve got to get Lotus back on the road again’

There’s something special being built in secret at the storied sports carmaker’s base in Hethel amid the green fields outside Norwich.Popham’s plan – bankrolled by Chinese automotive giant Geely who took control in 2017 – to get Lotus back on track is to deliver a car like no other.Taking shape inside Lotus’s design studio is Project 130 – a “hypercar” which will be the most powerful ever to hit the roads.

China’s BAIC seeks to buy 5 percent Daimler stake -sources

German takeover rules allow a buyer to acquire a stake of up to 3 percent before a regulatory disclosure is required.Daimler has ruled out issuing new stock to help an outside party build a stake, forcing potential buyers to acquire shares on the market.BAIC signalled its interest in buying a Daimler stake as far back as 2015, and has redoubled its effort after Li Shufu, chairman of rival Chinese carmaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group built a 9.69 percent stake in Stuttgart-based Daimler in early 2018.

More sources

Exclusive: China's BAIC seeks to buy 5 percent Daimler stake (Reuters: May 11, 2019 at 8:43 AM)China's BAIC seeks to buy 5 percent Daimler stake (CNBC: May 11, 2019 at 8:38 AM)Exclusive: China's BAIC Seeks to Buy 5 Percent Daimler Stake (New York Times: May 11, 2019 at 8:43 AM)

Volkswagen’s systems can’t cope with 10,000 electric car orders

London (CNN Business)Volkswagen says its IT systems are melting down as people rush to order its new electric car online.Customers need a €1,000 ($1,120) deposit to reserve one of the 30,000 cars Volkswagen plans to make.The German carmaker plans to release 70 different electric models over the next decade, across brands including Audi, Porsche and Skoda.

Endangered? Ford ‘Coyote’ V8 production moves aside for ‘Godzilla’

You coulda had a V8, but most of you didn’t, so Ford is making some changes.The automaker has confirmed plans to go from three to two shifts at its Essex Engine plant in Windsor, Canada, where it currently builds the iconic 5.0-liter “Coyote” V8 for the Mustang and F-150.Along with continued production of the Coyote, the automaker will begin the manufacture of a new, lower volume 7.3-liter “Godzilla” V8 at the nearby Windsor Engine Plant annex for its Super and Medium Duty trucks later this year.

Volvo Cars reports 7.4 pct global sales growth in April

STOCKHOLM, May 3 (Xinhua) — Volvo Cars global sales grow up 7.4 percent in April, compared with the same period last year, according to the company's press release on Friday.

Total sales in April reached 56,535 cars with all the regions of China, U.S. and Europe reporting a growth in volumes compared with the same month last year. Meanwhile, sales in the January-April period stood at 217,855 cars, up 8.9 percent compared with the same period last year.

The volume growth in April was led by continued strong demand for Volvo's award-winning SUV range led by the XC60, and followed by the XC40 and XC90. Volvo's latest models, the V60 estate and the U.S.-built S60 sedan, also contributed to the increased volumes, the company said.

Regionally, China reported a strong sales growth of 16.8 percent in April compared with the same period last year. Total sales in the region reached 12,192 cars during the month. The growth was on the back of high demand for the locally assemble..

France and Germany join forces on R&D for car batteries in project called ‘Battery Airbus’

France and Germany will work together on project ‘Battery Airbus’, a car battery research and development initiative with an estimated initial investment between EUR 5 and 6 billion.Today, the battery production segment for electric cars is dominated by the Japanese company Panasonic Corp., alongside South Korean manufacturers Samsung SDI Co and LG Chem and Chinese Contemporary Amperex Technology.The European Commission launched its own European Battery Alliance (EBA) in 2017 to support the development of European battery production for electric cars.