While the public is asking, “When are we going to ride in autonomous cars?” Technology companies have been moving apace to test them on designated roads. In China’s capital city Beijing, eight firms drove a total of 153,600 kilometers (95442.6 miles) through their autonomous fleets in 2018, and Baidu, the country’s largest search engine service… Continue reading Search giant Baidu has driven the most autonomous miles in Beijing
Tag: VW
The ID. family is growing: In Shanghai a new concept car shows the electric full-size SUV of the future
ID. Family with the ID. ROOMZZ The ID. ROOMZZ will be showcased at Auto Shanghai 2019 Sneak-preview of what to expect from the series version Seamless design: the puristic, flowing style of the zero-emission SUV puts power in proportion The Volkswagen Brand celebrates the world premiere of the ID. ROOMZZ at Auto Shanghai, one of… Continue reading The ID. family is growing: In Shanghai a new concept car shows the electric full-size SUV of the future
Renault reportedly wants to merge with Nissan and buy Fiat Chrysler
Bill Pugliano | Getty Images
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Chrysler Group headquarters
Renault is reportedly looking to restart merger talks with Nissan within the next 12 months before making an audacious attempt to buy Fiat Chrysler.
The Italian-American multinational is a prime target for the French firm, according to the Financial Times who cited several people familiar with Renault's plans, and former Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn held talks with Fiat in recent years before his arrest in Japan on financial misconduct charges.
The FT also reported that Fiat Chrysler Chairman John Elkann is open to a potential partnership or merger in a bid to boost his firm. A combination of Renault, Nissan and Fiat Chrysler would be viewed as a viable rival to the current global auto leaders, Volkswagen Group and Toyota.
Ensuring permanence of auto alliance a priority, Renault CEO says
7:15 AM ET Tue, 5 March 2019 | 04:24
Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi are not officially merged but all three carmakers operate a partnership under a complex arrangement of cross-party share ownership.
The arrangement was plunged into crisis in November last year when former Nissan chairman and Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn was arrested in Japan following allegations of financial misconduct, which he denies.
Shares in Renault have risen 2.5 percent during Wednesday's European trade, while Fiat Chrysler is up more than 3 percent.
Renault and Fiat Chrysler were not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.
For more on this story, please click here.
Lithium battery production set to grow 50 percent a year
Lithium-ion battery cells
One of the biggest upcoming challenges for electric cars is having an adequate supply of lithium batteries.
A new report by Benchmark Minerals, first cited by CleanTechnica, shows battery makers are working quickly to meet growing demand for new lithium-ion battery cells from automakers.
According to the company's Battery Factory Data, battery suppliers ramped up their forecast supply from 922 gigawatt-hours in 2023 to 965 in February, an increase of 4 percent in February alone. Extrapolated to an annualized forecast, that would increase battery supplies available in that year by 50 percent this year alone.
READ THIS: German automakers commit to massive battery purchases, sidestep some hard realities
It's unclear, of course, whether growth in supply forecasts will continue soaring on that trajectory for the rest of the year, but constraints in battery supplies have already emerged as a likely obstacle to planned electric-car production by the middle of the next decade.
The Volkswagen Group alone has ramped up its investment in developing future electric cars to $50 billion by 2023. Other automakers including BMW, Daimler (Mercedes-Benz), General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler.
DON'T MISS: Chevrolet Bolt EV to get electric sibling, with Michigan plant investment
So far, most electric car batteries have come from just a handful of suppliers, including Korean LG Chem, Nissan's SAIC, CATL, Panasonic (for Teslas), Samsung, and SK Innovation.
That has left some automakers planning big investments in electric cars at the mercy of battery suppliers and led to delays in some products and likely to lower production of some models than the automakers could sell.
The Benchmark Minerals report shows production capacity for lithium-ion battery growing to almost 1.6 terawatt-hours by 2028.
“Was never there, I’m not there”
An electric sports car named Piëch – this model study caused a stir recently at the Geneva Motor Show. The ex-VW super father should not have much left for the project of a son. Julian Stratenschulte / dpa Ex-VW supervisory board boss Ferdinand Piëch Sunday, 31.03.2019 00:06 clock As a patriarch moved to old school… Continue reading “Was never there, I’m not there”
Monday Morning Auto News, Apr 01, 2019
Tesla boom lifts Norway’s electric car sales to 58 percent market share – Reuters: IndiaAlmost 60 percent of all new cars sold in Norway in March were fully electric, the Norwegian Road Federation (NRF) said on Monday, a global record set by a …
New Alfa Romeo GTV: 2022 hybrid super-coupe leaks – Autocar: Styling of upcoming hybrid two-door seemingly revealed well ahead of official unveiling A leaked image may have given us our best look yet at Alfa Romeo”s forthcoming GTV coupe, which isn”t due to be unveiled until 2021. The single image, purportedly…
Maruti Suzuki sales continue to fall as India car demand slows ahead of elections – Nikkei: Maruti Suzuki India’s sales continued to decline as demand for cars slowed further in March, piling up inventory and forcing …
Buying Lyft stock requires making ‘too many big assumptions,’ analyst warns amid IPO hype – CNBC: Guggenheim restrained its enthusiasm for shares of Lyft on Monday, beginning coverage of the rideshare company’s stock with a neutral rating due to what the firm sees as a hazy outlook.
Volvo XC40 full-electric variant to debut this year – Automotive News: Volvo will reveal the full-electric version of the XC40 before the end of the year. The XC40 will be the first battery-driven model from the brand.
Here’s what Uber can learn from Lyft’s IPO – CNBC: Triton Research co-founder and CEO Rett Wallace joins “Squawk Box” along with guest host Mohamed El-Erian, chief economic advisor at Allianz, …
Uber of Iran Hits Two Million Rides-a-Day Mark Amid Growth Spurt – Bloomberg: Snapp, also known as the Uber of Iran, said its ride-hailing app is generating two million fares a day as young people in Tehran embrace technology …
Skoda, Hyundai, Dacia among winners as French sales fall 2% in March – Automotive News: French new-car sales fell by 2.3 percent in March, with Skoda, Hyundai, Dacia and Seat recording double-digit increases.
For want of a quorum, America’s jobs are being lost – CNBC: … CRRC, China Mobile, SAIC Motor, China Railway, China Aerospace Science and Technology, the list of China’s national champions spans virtually …
Analysis: how to save the city car – Autocar: Cars like the Citroen C1 and Volkswagen Up are under threat Value small cars are at risk of extinction. Profits are slimming, costs are rising. Is there a solution? The message was as bleak as it was clear. “If Europe is pursuing this legal target,…
Hyundai Venue SUV: Launch, features, expected price revealed – Yahoo: Right, Hyundai Venue, I know the name, some more info please? This is a new sub-4m compact SUV by Hyundai and the much awaited rival to the …
Peugeot, Fiat Said to Explore Venture to Build Cars in Europe – Bloomberg: PSA Group and Fiat Chrysler are reportedly exploring a partnership to build cars in Europe. Bloomberg has learned the companies are holding …
The Auto Industry Is Overdue a Bout of Mega-Mergers – Bloomberg: It’s not clear that this necessary process can easily happen. As we’ve seen with the Renault-Nissan saga, the Trump administration’s automotive tariff …
VW, BMW, FCA, others make changes to protect profits in China – Automotive News: “The total market is cooling down, but the premium market is cooling down less,” Audi CEO Bram Schot told Automotive News Europe. “What’s more …
BUZZ-India’s Tata Motors rises; JLR confirms expectations of better Q4 results – Reuters: Automaker Tata Motors Ltd’s shares rise as much as 6.3 pct to 185.2 rupees, in their biggest intraday pct gain since March 5.
Toyota robot can’t slam dunk but shoots a mean 3-pointer – Washington Post: It can’t dribble, let alone slam dunk, but Toyota’s robot hardly ever misses a free throw or a three-pointer.
General Motors seeks dismissal of union lawsuit on closures – Washington Post: Attorneys for General Motors have asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit claiming the automaker sidestepped an agreement with union workers through its …
Toyota robot can’t slam dunk but throws a mean three-pointer – Washington Post: It can’t dribble, let alone slam dunk, but Toyota’s robot hardly ever misses a free throw or a three-pointer.
In North America’s Biggest Uber Holdout, It Pays to Know Chinese – Bloomberg: Welcome to Vancouver, one of Uber’s most obstinate holdouts — the largest North American metro region without legal ride sharing, where …
Italy Seen Needing Energy Storage to Deliver on Pollution Pledge – Bloomberg: … cars might help balance the grid, since the batteries in those vehicles might … the executive said in an interview at Bloomberg’s European headquarters in London. “Today in Italy, we have a limited number of electric vehicles. … a battery is a…
French interest in Jeep: Deja vu? – Automotive News: Last week’s French drama, in which PSA Group and Renault-Nissan were said in dueling media reports to both be interested in a bid for Fiat Chrysler …
Merger buzz rings with irony – Automotive News: And how odd that with both Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and former Renault-Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn gone, their companies find …
What a truck”s off-road package really gets you – Detroitnews: Are off-road packages worth the money?
GM brushed off UAW concessions to idle Lordstown plant – Detroitnews: Union workers are angry they agreed to make $118 million in annual concessions to save the plant in mid 2017.
Convicted Fiat Chrysler exec raises questions about former UAW boss – Detroitnews: Retired UAW President Dennis Williams could be questioned about alleged illegal payments amid corruption scandal involving Fiat Chrysler.
Jettisoned Chrysler dealers challenge U.S. in court – Automotive News: Almost 300 of the Chrysler dealers whose franchises were terminated in the 2009 bailout will continue their fight in Washington on April 8, nine years after they sued the U.S. Treasury.
U.S. sales drop with no reason for buying – Automotive News: “Consumers simply haven’t had a compelling reason to buy,” Cox Automotive’s chief economist said.
Sun plays tricks on Cadillac’s Super Cruise – Automotive News: The issue involves a critical part of the system that monitors the driver’s attentiveness.
Toyota’s Lentz: U.S. has a lot to lose in trade fight – Automotive News: If the U.S. and Japan can’t find common ground, tariffs could knock down 2 million new-vehicle sales as quick as a Texas windstorm, the automaker’s North America chief warned.
JLR wins a rare challenge against Chinese copycat Landwind – Automotive News: A Chinese court ruled recently that Jiangling Motors’ LandwindX7 SUV from 2014 was too similar to Range Rover Evoque. In a rare decision, it ordered the …
Survey finds flagging loyalty in the pickup truck market – Automotive News: What does it take to get a truck owner to switch brands?
Cadillac’s next-gen Super Cruise system to address camera’s sunlight issue – Automotive News: The issue involves a critical part of the system that monitors the driver’s attentiveness.
Rakuten says to book $990 million gain on Lyft investment – Reuters: Japan’s Rakuten said on Monday it will book a 110 million yen ($989.74 million) gain in the quarter through March on its investment in Lyft following the U.S. ride-hailing firm’s listing last week.
GRAINS-Corn ticks up after deep cuts; abundant supplies cap gains – Reuters: China’s State Council said on Sunday that the country would continue to suspend additional tariffs on U.S. vehicles and auto parts after April 1, in a …
Porsche looking at subscription model for special models? – Autocar:
Nissan CEO, Ghosn Mulled Fourth Partner for Alliance, Email Says – Bloomberg: Last September, two months before his arrest in Tokyo, then Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn and the carmaker’s chief executive officer considered …
Rakuten to book $990m profit from Lyft IPO – Nikkei: … ($990 million) profit in its first-quarter earnings from a jump in the value of its stake in Lyft, after the U.S. ride-hailing company went public on Friday.
Related
Grove launches hydrogen fuel-cell car brand in China
Grove Hydrogen Automotive fuel-cell car
China is the world's largest market for cars—especially electric cars.
The country has even announced that at some point in the future it will ban internal combustion cars. But it's not all about battery electric EVs, it turns out.
A new company called Grove Hydrogen Automotive Co. announced that it will focus on fuel-cell cars, starting with a four-door SUV that it plans to launch in China later this year. The company says it will reach mass production sometime next year. Grove is home to several former automotive executives from Volkswagen, Audi, Infiniti, and other established automakers.
MUST READ: Why the future of electric cars depends on China's war on pollution
Grove says the car will have up to 625 miles of range from its hydrogen tanks, which can be refueled in a “few minutes.” The company says the car will be built with composite materials and use regenerative braking to maximize efficiency, which implies that it also includes some battery capacity that could be used to provide extra bursts of power beyond the fuel-cell's output.
The car is scheduled to debut at next month's Shanghai auto show.
Grove Hydrogen Automotive fuel-cell car
Grove has plans to sell a line of hydrogen cars, not just a single model, and will set up “experience centers” similar to Tesla stores, in China. It plans to explore export markets in 2020, but did not specify where.
The car company was founded by the Institute for Geosciences and the Environment, which develops hydrogen from industrial wastes, giving it a more sustainable, less carbon-intensive footprint that most hydrogen produced in the U.S.
READ MORE: 2019 Hyundai Nexo hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle pricing: Puzzling economics
IGE plans to roll out hydrogen fueling infrastructure in “Tier 1” cities in China starting in 2020, Tier 2 cities in 2021, and then “aggressively” throughout all “significant” cities in China thereafter. They gave no indication what's considered a significant city.
The company is working with officials in China to pave the way for the rollout.
Grove did not specify any plans to come to the U.S., where hydrogen infrastructure is still sparse. If it did, it might find a more fertile market as a supplier of renewable hydrogen production and refueling equipment than as another automaker trying to sell fuel-cell cars in the States alongside Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, and GM.
Hannover Messe: Networked machines: VW is building a new production alliance
Munich, DusseldorfWith the help of the networking of their machines and factories, carmakers could save billions according to experts. Alone at Volkswagen could the new alliance with Amazon and Siemens for the Internet of things lead to annual cost reductions in the middle three-digit million range, the Handelsblatt learned from group circles. Volkswagen intends to… Continue reading Hannover Messe: Networked machines: VW is building a new production alliance
Car manufacturer: Daimler focuses on austerity program on the administration
Daimler The car manufacturer wants to save money in his administration. (Photo: AP) StuttgartThe car maker Daimler concentrates with its initiated austerity course first on the administration. “We have to apply the existing costs in order to free up funds for the investments of the future,” Daimler’s Chief Human Resources Officer Wilfried Porth told the… Continue reading Car manufacturer: Daimler focuses on austerity program on the administration
Tesla Model 3 hack shows new cars can snitch on owners after a wreck
Two security researchers and self-described “white hat hackers” found a trove of unencrypted location, camera, and other data on a wrecked Tesla Model 3, according to a new report from CNBC. And while it’s not a problem unique to Tesla, the example serves as a stark reminder that newer cars can become a security risk… Continue reading Tesla Model 3 hack shows new cars can snitch on owners after a wreck