Tag: Toyota

Toyota Invests $600m in DiDi Chuxing

[from left to right] Stephen Zhu, Senior Vice President of Didi Chuxing; Shigeki Tomoyama, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Corporation Toyota Motor Corporation and Didi Chuxing have expanded their collaboration in Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in China. As part of this deal, Toyota will invest $600m (approximately 66 billion yen) in DiDi and… Continue reading Toyota Invests $600m in DiDi Chuxing

DiDi, Toyota to set up JV for smart fleet management

BEIJING, July 25 (Xinhua) — Chinese mobile transportation platform Didi Chuxing has teamed up with Japanese carmaker Toyota to expand their partnership in smart transportation.
Toyota will invest 600 million U.S. dollars in DiDi and a joint venture which the two companies will establish with GAC Toyota Motor Co. Ltd. to provide vehicle-related services for ride-hailing drivers on DiDi's network, DiDi announced Thursday.
The two parties announced collaboration on the e-Palette, a self-driving modular store in January 2018, and have piloted vehicle-related services for DiDi ride-hailing drivers.
“We look forward to combining DiDi's expertise in AI-based large-scale mobility operations and Toyota's leading connected vehicle technology to build a next-generation intelligent transportation framework for sustainable cities,” said DiDi's Senior Vice President Stephen Zhu.
DiDi initiated a cross-sector alliance last year with top carmakers and industry players at home and ..

Thursday Morning Auto News, Jul 25, 2019

‘Not a lot to like’ – Analysts pan Tesla as the shares are slammed on poor results – CNBC: “We continue to believe Tesla is fundamentally overvalued but strategically undervalued,” Morgan Stanley said. “Overall, we doubt this quarter will …
Tesla Tech Chief’s Exit Is Latest High-Profile Departure – Wall Street Journal: In January, Tesla surprised investors when it announced during another earnings … Mr. Straubel outlasted Martin Eberhard, another founder of Tesla.
Tata Motors posts wider quarterly loss on weak JLR sales – Nikkei:
Diesel Chevy Silverado 1500 pickup blows past Ford F-150, Ram in mpg – Freep: “Any consumer looking for a fuel-efficient, powerful option can find one in the diesel option of America’s favorite vehicle, the pickup truck,” Diesel …
Eight Months After Ghosn’s Exit, Nissan Remains Stuck in a Rut – Bloomberg: A weaker Nissan means less clout for the carmaker in its alliance with … Saddled by aging car models such as the Juke and Murano, Nissan sold 6% …

Four automakers, California strike compromise on vehicle emissions – Reuters: Ford Motor Co, BMW AG, Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) and Honda Motor Co said on Thursday they have reached a …
Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: 3M, Comcast, Raytheon, Southwest, Tesla & more – CNBC: Names on the move ahead of the open.
Jaguar Land Rover posts £395 million loss due to falling sales – Autocar: Jaguar Land Rover recorded a £395 million loss in the last three months, due to declining sales and the impact of a planned Brexit shutdown – but …
VW Q2 operating profit rises 30% as utility vehicle push pays off – Automotive News: VW expects vehicle deliveries in 2019 to exceed last year’s figure and for revenues in the passenger cars and commercial vehicles divisions to grow at least 5 percent.
ABB cautions on China as robotics sales flag – Reuters: ABB Ltd (ABBN. … Demand for cars in Europe is 3.1% down in the year to date while Mercedes maker Daimler this week also …
DiDi, Toyota to set up JV for smart fleet management – Xinhuanet: The two parties announced collaboration on the e-Palette, a self-driving modular store in January 2018, and have piloted vehicle-related services for …
Tata Motors first-quarter loss nearly doubles – Reuters: Tata Motors Ltd reported a bigger quarterly loss on Thursday, as a slump in demand for cars continued at home, while plant shutdowns and delays resulting from issues arising due to Britain’s planned exit from the European Union also hurt earnings.
Earnings tumble at automakers, but VW defies the gloom – Reuters: More evidence has emerged of tough times for the auto sector following weak numbers at Ford, Nissan and Tesla. But Volkswagen is defying the …
Alphabet’s Sales Under Microscope After Last Quarter’s Debacle – Bloomberg: … year and updates on progress in hardware and Other Bets, which includes its self-driving car unit Waymo, according to UBS analyst Eric Sheridan.
The Little Hybrid That Could, and Still Can – New York Times: When Honda introduced the first hybrid vehicle in America, the 2000 Insight, there was technological wonder, but few would call …
Aston Martin Bear Says It Needs to Raise a Billion Pounds to Catch Up With Ferrari – Bloomberg: The only analyst with a sell rating on Aston Martin Lagonda shares says the luxury carmaker will need to raise at least a billion pounds ($1.25 billion) in *fresh* …
Aston Martin fails to sell Vanquish’s tooling, design drawings – Automotive News: Aston Martin has written off 19 million pounds ($24 million) after the sale of the tooling and design drawings of the automaker’s Vanquish …
China exports gasoline to Mexico, Nigeria amid overflowing output – Reuters: … confidence as the trade war continues, reflected also in slumping car sales, said … Gasoline demand growth is also sliding as Chinese automobile sales, … (GRAPHIC: China’s auto sales in 12 months decline – tmsnrt.rs/2MlLS4b).
India’s auto parts makers warn of 1 million job cuts if slowdown continues – Reuters: India’s auto parts industry could be forced to slash a fifth of its 5 million or so workforce if the slowdown in vehicle sales …
Nissan will cut 12500 jobs as Q1 profit nearly wiped out – Automotive News: Nissan said it is axing 12,500 jobs after reporting its quarterly profit was nearly wiped out, hurt by an aging product lineup and a slide in …
Volkswagen to boost SUV sales to 40% of total by 2020 – Reuters: Volkswagen expects the proportion of sports utility vehicle sales to rise to 40% by 2020, from 25% last year, Chief Financial Officer Frank Witter said on …
Nissan to cut 12,500 jobs, more than double initial plan – Nikkei:
Nissan Earnings Sees 99% Profit Plunge – Bloomberg: Nissan reports a 99% plunge in first-fiscal quarter operating profit. Bloomberg’s Dani Burger reports on “Bloomberg Markets: European Open.” (Source: …
Nissan to Cut 12500 Jobs as It Struggles After Ghosn’s Arrest – Wall Street Journal: Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa is cutting costs as he seeks to … On Thursday, Nissan said it planned to cut global production capacity by 10% …
Nissan to cut 12,500 jobs as first-quarter profit nearly wiped out – Reuters: Nissan Motor Co said on Thursday it would slash 12,500 jobs globally by 2022 and cut output to rein in costs as it suffers from sluggish sales and rising costs and tries to recover from a scandal surrounding ousted Chairman Carlos Ghosn.
Volkswagen Has ‘Strong Foundation,’ CFO Says – Bloomberg: Volkswagen AG Chief Financial Officer Frank Witter talks about the automaker’s financial results and business outlook. Volkswagen’s second-quarter operating …
Toyota Invests $600 Million in Chinese Ride-Hailing Giant Didi – Bloomberg: Their partnership builds on an alliance Didi started last year with a coterie of carmakers including China FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor Group and …
Nissan’s Ignoring the Rot at Home – Washington Post: If you’re looking for a metaphor for how politics has swamped decision-making at Nissan Motor Co., look no further than reported plans to restructure …
Volkswagen first-half operating profit up 10% on higher Volkswagen, Porsche sales – Reuters: Volkswagen Group (VOWG_p.DE) on Thursday said its first half operating profit rose 10.3% to 9 billion euros ($10.02 billion), …
Toyota says to invest $600 million in China’s Didi, new joint venture – Reuters: Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday it will invest $600 million ( £481 million ) in Didi Chuxing and a new joint venture, as part of an agreement to expand …
As Tesla losses continue, Musk points to global growth – Automotive News: Tesla CEO Elon Musk, after reporting a surprisingly large loss in the second quarter, pointed toward an eventual, if delayed, return to profitability and …
Tesla Breaks Records But Doesn’t Break Even – Bloomberg: Just before the Q&A portion of Wednesday evening’s second-quarter call, CEO Elon Musk announced that JB Straubel, the company’s veteran chief …
SpaceX stops test of Starship prototype rocket during surprise livestream – CNBC: SpaceX was attempting to fly its “Starship” prototype rocket in its first short flight of more than a few feet off the ground on Wednesday.
Space jam? Companies risk clutter, conflict in race for the skies – Reuters: Aerospace companies such as Musk’s SpaceX and Bezos’ Blue Origin are aiming to become the first private firm to launch a human into space.

Related

Toyota Expands Collaboration in Mobility as a Service (MaaS) with Didi Chuxing, a Leading Ride-hailing Platform

Jul. 25, 2019

Toyota Expands Collaboration in Mobility as a Service (MaaS) with Didi Chuxing, a Leading Ride-hailing PlatformEstablishment of a joint venture for vehicle-related services for ride-hailing drivers, and investment in DiDi and joint venture

Freedom Robotics Closes $6.6M Seed Funding Round

Freedom Robotics, a San Francisco, CA-based provider of cloud and on-device software for monitoring, control and management of robots and robotic fleets, closed a $6.6M seed funding. The round was led by Initialized Capital, with participation from Toyota AI Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, Andrew Miklas from S28 Capital, and James Lindenbaum, and existing investors Green… Continue reading Freedom Robotics Closes $6.6M Seed Funding Round

Honda plans larger, high-performance platform for US EVs

Honda is stepping up its EV game going forward—well, more than five years forward.

At a “Honda Meeting” company briefing for investors and media in Japan last week, the company revealed that it is working on a new dedicated electric vehicle platform.

The platform, which will first be used by 2025, will provide the basis for mid-size sedans to large SUVs and will add to the new electric lineup taking form with Honda's dedicated electric city car, the Honda E, which arrives in Europe in spring 2020.

At the event in Japan, Honda's managing officer in charge of power unit development, Ayumu Matsuo noted that the Honda E is designed to accommodate larger batteries that could give it a longer range, but that it's also designed for urban use, so the company has not decided to put larger batteries in it yet.
2020 Honda E prototype
2020 Honda E prototype

Although Honda says the Honda E has received 6,500 “expressions of interest” in Britain alone, it isn't big enough to attract many buyers in the U.S.

The new electric platform for mid-size and large cars, “has a different aim from the Honda E,” Honda's general manager and chief engineer for electric vehicle development, Tetsuya Hasebe, told the conference. “This one aims for intercity, long-distance travel,” he said, noting it has room for more batteries.

Honda E powertrain infographic

Like the platform under the Honda E, the larger one will be a skateboard chassis, with batteries housed flat in the floor. Unlike the Honda E platform, which will only support batteries from Panasonic, the new one will be engineered to use batteries from multiple suppliers, including Panasonic and Chinese supplier CATL, to give Honda flexibility in building the car around the world.

The basic format will be rear-wheel drive, to benefit sporty handling and give the cars a tight turning radius, but the Japan-developed architecture will be designed to allow a front motor for all-wheel-drive applications as well, Hasebe said.

In a release from the meeting Honda summed that the platform “will enable flexible product development, including body design, adoption of battery types to accommodate the desired EV range and whether to employ an all-wheel drive system.”

The EV vision also builds on a commitment Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo made in May—that it will expand its two-motor hybrid system, which underpins the company's plug-in hybrids, to its entire lineup in Europe.

The announcement echoes a similar move last month by Toyota, in announcing that it will develop a new large electric platform with Subaru, potentially for an SUV.

As emissions and fuel-economy standards around the world are set to tighten dramatically in coming years, and development of hydrogen distribution has lagged, Japan's big automakers who focused on fuel-cell development, rather than battery-electric cars, are scrambling to come around to build their own BEVs.

Electric Ford F-150 prototype shown towing a freight train

In Ford's first official tease of an all-electric F-150, released Tuesday—with a video here—a test mule is shown towing more than a million pounds.

The prototype electric F-150 pickup pulled ten double-decker rail cars, weighing that amount, a distance of 1,000 feet.

Then Ford loaded those cars up with 42 gas-powered F-150s, representing 42 years that the F-150 has been America's best-selling truck, and did it again—all overseen by F-150 chief engineer Linda Zhang. The company concludes its look at the stunt by specifically stating: “The all-electric Ford F-150 is coming.”

Ford F-Series electric truck prototype

Ford has been making references to an electric F-150 pickup, and it states that “development continues” on the truck, but it hasn't physically presented the project until now.

Chairman and family scion Bill Ford first alluded to the electric truck last September, when he told a gathering of investors and media: “When it comes to building the best trucks in the world, we never rest. Whether they're gas, diesel, hybrid—or when the time comes fully-electric—we will ensure they power the world in a sustainable way.”

Then in January, the company confirmed that it will build the electric F-150. It is expected to debut in 2022.

Ford F-Series electric truck prototype

In April, Ford announced a $500 million investment in rival electric truckmaker Rivian, but it says that investment is part of a separate program to use Rivian's technology rather than its hardware. The company has also said it is working on its own electric SUV, tentatively called the Mach E and plans to roll out a hybrid F-150 in 2021.

In the meantime, cross-town rival GM has confirmed it is working on its own electric pickup.

Relatively low-speed pulls like this should be taken as stunts, as they don't entirely prove what a vehicle is capable of at highway or in hard use cycles. They merely demonstrate the vehicle's available torque, multiplied through available gear ratios.

Tesla sets world record towing Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

For instance, Tesla in 2018 demonstrated the towing prowess of the Model X by towing a Boeing 787 and set a world record in the process. And Toyota in 2012 used a gasoline Tundra to tow the space shuttle Endeavor to its final resting place at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

Motorline completes acquisition of Inchcape Audi dealerships

Motorline has trebled its Audi representation in Kent with the acquisition of a further two dealerships sites from Inchcape Retail. In addition to the Canterbury East Kent Audi business acquired from Inchcape Retail in June last year, the acquisition of the businesses in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells increases Motorline’s Audi representation to three sites covering… Continue reading Motorline completes acquisition of Inchcape Audi dealerships