WeShare, Volkswagen and ŠKODA’s free-floating electric car sharing service, is to expand into seven more cities in Germany and other European countries in 2020. Prague and Hamburg in the spring are to be followed by Paris, Madrid, Budapest, Munich and Milan in the course of the year. In all these... Read more →

Audi of America, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, announced plans for initial deployments of Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) communication on northern Virginia roadways, employing advanced wireless communications to enhance vehicle safety by using the same portion of the 5.9 GHz band... Read more →

Volkswagen Group of America and Aeris, a technology leader in the Internet of Things (IoT), have formed Ventic LLC, a joint venture that is the result of a long-term commitment between Volkswagen and Aeris in the development and operations of connected vehicle platform technologies. The Aeris mobility suite can be... Read more →

BMW i Ventures has invested in Software Motor Company (SMC), a Silicon Valley-based company developing reliable, efficient and intelligent motor systems. SMC’s electric motor system is based on switched reluctance technology, managed by advanced cloud software. The Smart Motor system partners a patented high rotor pole switched reluctance motor (HRSRM)... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Hydrogen Council Co-chair Euisun Chung has identified three key steps to accelerate the transition to a hydrogen society during the Hydrogen Council’s third annual CEO Meeting in Paris, France. EVC Chung opened the meeting stressing that there is “no shortcut to creating... Read more →

Toyota Motor Europe reported 2019 sales of 1,089,422 Toyota and Lexus vehicles, an increase of +5.2% from 2018. Total market share for the group rose to 5.3%, in a European market which was stable year on year. With more than 550,000 hybrid electric vehicles sold, representing 52% of the total... Read more →

SEAT, a Volkswagen Group company, has expanded the number of supply routes for the transport of components using duo trailers and giga trailers, the two longest types of trucks with the greatest capacity travelling on European roads. The Spanish company currently has two duo trailer routes that link the Martorell... Read more →

Audi is working to electrify one in ten parking spaces at its German plants by mid-2022; most of these charging spaces will be accessible to the public. This independent concept is the largest charging infrastructure project carried out by a German employer. The ~€100-million investment provides Audi with a head... Read more →

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) confirmed that it is in discussions with Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd. (Foxconn) regarding the potential creation of an equal joint venture to develop and manufacture in China new generation battery electric vehicles and engage in the IoV (Internet of Vehicles) business. The proposed... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation today made a strategic investment of €100 million (US $110 million) in a new partnership with Arrival, a UK-based electric vehicle startup (earlier post). Of the total investment, Hyundai will contribute €80 million; Kia €20 million. Through the partnership, Hyundai and Kia plan... Read more →

Toyota is collaborating with Joby Aviation (Joby), an aerospace company that is developing and commercializing all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to enable the deployment of fast, quiet and affordable air transportation services. The collaboration reflects Toyota’s recognition of the long-term potential of the urban air mobility market to... Read more →

BMW i Ventures has invested in Alitheon, an optical AI software creator and deep-tech startup developing generative engineering software aimed at automating the product development process. All objects—even those that are indistinguishable to the human eye—have unique surface characteristics. Alitheon’s FeaturePrint technology uses off-the-shelf cameras and proprietary software to identify... Read more →

Kia Motors Corporation announced details of ‘Plan S’, its mid- to long-term strategy aimed at progressively establishing a leadership position in the future automotive industry, encompassing electrification and mobility services, as well as connectivity and autonomy. The Plan S strategy outlines Kia’s shift from a business system focused on internal... Read more →

Global Automakers and The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers—the two largest automotive industry trade associations in the US—merged to form a new association leveraging the expansive history of both organizations while creating a single, unified industry voice. The new Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing innovative manufacturers and value chain partners who... Read more →

Volkswagen has opened a North American center of excellence for autonomous vehicle research and development under a new subsidiary, Volkswagen Autonomy, Inc. The new center is part of a global subsidiary, Volkswagen Autonomy GmbH, that will work towards making self-driving vehicles a reality at global scale. The center will be... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz AG and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding) have formally established the global joint venture “smart Automobile Co., Ltd.” for the smart brand after receiving the regulatory approvals. The total registered capital of the joint venture will be 5.4 billion RMB (US$778 million) to transform smart into a leading... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company unveiled at CES 2020 its vision for urban mobility to help vitalize human-centered future cities. To realize the vision, Hyundai Motor showcased three mobility solutions, comprising Urban Air Mobility (UAM); Purpose Built Vehicle (PBV), and Hub, a place for mobility transfer and community activities. Based on these... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) will invest more than KRW100 trillion (US$87 billion) over next 5 years—KRW20 trillion (~US$17.4 billion) annually to enhance its leadership in vehicle electrification, autonomous driving and mobility services, said Euisun Chung, Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Group, at the company’s 2020 New Year ceremony at... Read more →

Under the Volkswagen’s latest plans, the company expects to reach its original strategic target of one million electric cars by the end of 2023—two years earlier than previously predicted. The Volkswagen brand now expects to produce 1.5 million electric cars by 2025. In mid-December at the Autostadt, the Volkswagen brand... Read more →

Toyota has launched a new program to license its Intellectual Property to interested parties. Toyota IP Solutions is intended to help promote and serve as an access point for the licensing of patents to US and global companies. Initially, the patent portfolios available for licensing will be in four areas:... Read more →

The Volvo Group and Isuzu Motors signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with the intent to form a strategic alliance within commercial vehicles in order to capture the opportunities in the ongoing transformation of the industry. In a first step, the intention is to establish a global technology partnership and... Read more →

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and Peugeot S.A. signed a binding Combination Agreement providing for a 50/50 merger of their businesses to create the 4th-largest global automotive OEM by volume and 3rd-largest by revenue. The companies said the their gains in efficiency derived from larger volumes, as well as the benefits... Read more →

Following the successful launch of the YOUR NOW joint ventures in February 2019, BMW Group and Daimler are gearing up for the joint ventures’ next phase of expansion, which will be focused on profitable growth. The services offered by the joint ventures will continue to be tailored to customer needs... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company announced a new roadmap—Strategy 2025—intended to secure its position as a frontrunner in the future mobility industry. Under Strategy 2025, the company will foster Smart Mobility Device and Smart Mobility Service as two core business pillars; the synergy between the two pillars is expected to facilitate the... Read more →

The Volkswagen Group says that it is making faster progress towards sustainable and efficient production while also making good progress towards reducing its production costs. We are producing more environmentally friendly than ever. From 2010 to the end of 2019, the environmental impact per produced vehicle is expected to drop... Read more →

Toyota Motor Corporation and Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co., Ltd. (Nishitetsu) have begin full-scale operation of the Toyota-developed multi-modal mobility service “my route” for smartphones. The service was launched in Fukuoka City and Kitakyushu City in collaboration with service providers in the areas of traffic, shopping, and event information. The project will... Read more →

Audi AG plans an outlay of approximately €37 billion for research and development expenditure and investment in property, plant and equipment over the next five years (2020 to 2024). The current planning reflects a significant improvement in investment and cost discipline, as well as the strong prioritization of investments in... Read more →

Starting 1 January 2020, the Volkswagen Group’s Car.Software organization will operate as an independent business unit. As a Group company, the Car.Software organization will centralize the associates and subsidiaries within the Group that develop car software and software for the digital ecosystems. Initially, around 3,000 digital experts from the software-related... Read more →

Volkswagen is focusing its motorsport strategy on electric mobility. A clear emphasis on fully electric racing cars will be backed up by the farewell to factory-backed commitments using internal combustion engines. The role as a technological pioneer will continue to be taken over by the ID.R electric race car, which... Read more →

Volkswagen Group China, together with its Chinese partners, plans to invest more than €4 billion next year, with around 40% of this investment going towards e-mobility. This will accelerate the Group’s electrification strategy, which will be strengthened next year through the start of production of models based on the modular... Read more →

The BMW Group is deepening its existing business relationships with battery cell manufacturers CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited) and Samsung SDI. The original CATL order volume of four billion euros announced in mid-2018 will now be increased to €7.3 billion (contract duration from 2020 to 2031), with €4.5 billion... Read more →

Volkswagen Group Logistics is the first to use two car freighters powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) in overseas traffic. The two charter ships of Siem Car Carriers were launched last Friday in Xiamen, China. We are entering a new field here to reduce emissions. Both ships are the first... Read more →

The BMW Group has pooled its years of experience with battery cells and extensive knowledge in the field in a new Competence Center in Munich. The purpose of the facility is to advance battery cell technology and carefully dissect the production processes. The new Battery Cell Competence Center puts us... Read more →

Planned investments and development costs for future areas such as hybridization, electric mobility and digitalization will total roughly EUR 60 billion between 2020 and 2024 Share of planned spend for future topics increased in Planning Round 68 to approximately 40 percent from approximately 30 percent in the previous Planning Round... Read more →

Hyundai said it will introduce 13 alternatively fueled vehicles by 2022, including six sedans and seven SUVs. Upcoming highlights from this eco-friendly commitment include a refreshed 2020 Ioniq Electric, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid to be revealed later this month at the Los Angeles Auto Show. In addition, the all-new Sonata... Read more →

The Supervisory Board of Peugeot S.A. and the Board of Directors of FCA N.V. have each unanimously agreed to work towards a full combination of their respective businesses by way of a 50/50 merger. Both boards have given the mandate to their respective teams to finalize the discussions to reach... Read more →

In a first for the African continent, the Volkswagen Brand has launched a pilot project in partnership with Siemens to test the feasibility of electric mobility in an African country. The pilot project, which will form part of Volkswagen’s operations in Rwanda, was officially announced today by Thomas Schäfer, CEO... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company announced key investments into three hydrogen companies—Impact Coatings, H2Pro and GRZ Technologies—to strengthen its leadership position in the global hydrogen fuel cell ecosystem. The collaborations will enable Hyundai to expand its hydrogen infrastructure and enhance the efficiency of its fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) manufacturing. Our investment... Read more →

Volkswagen AG has established Volkswagen Autonomy GmbH (VWAT GmbH) with headquarters in Munich and Wolfsburg. Another subsidiary in Silicon Valley will follow in 2020. A further subsidiary is planned in China in 2021. As a center of excellence for autonomous driving from Level 4 up, VWAT will serve to build... Read more →

Daimler Trucks & Buses, one of the world’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers, aims to offer only new vehicles that are CO2-neutral in driving operation (“tank-to-wheel”) in the triad markets of Europe, Japan and NAFTA by 2039. The Mercedes-Benz eActros heavy-duty electric truck, with a range of up to 200 km,... Read more →

Toyota Motor Europe reported strong performance continuing into the third quarter 2019 driven by new model introductions and increased demand for hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). The company announced Jan-Sep total vehicle sales of 838,691 units across the region in a declining market, reporting 3.1% growth year-on-year, showing an increase of... Read more →

Ford is offering its all-electric vehicle customers North America’s largest electric vehicle public charging network—the FordPass Charging Network—with more than 12,000 places to charge, including fast charging, and more than 35,000 charge plugs—more than any other automotive manufacturer. Ford is providing two years of complimentary access. The Ford all-electric vehicle... Read more →

Groupe Renault has created RENAULT M.A.I. (Mobility as an Industry), an operating subsidiary exclusively dedicated to new mobility services. Bringing together all the Group’s mobility activities within a single entity will create synergies, simplify the decision-making process, clarify existing offers and create new ones, the company said. Groupe Renault has... Read more →

As part of a new business an capital alliance between Toyota Motor Corporation and Subaru Corporation, Subaru will expand the use of the the Toyota Hybrid System in other Subaru models, following on the Crosstrek Hybrid (earlier post, which is available only in North America.) Subaru and Toyota first agreed... Read more →

Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation signed a Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement to deepen their partnership in the fields of electrification and intelligent networking. Chairman of Guangzhou Automobile Group Zeng Qinghong (left) and Toyota President Akio Toyoda (right) Under the agreement, based on the basic concept that... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company and Cummins Inc. have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) jointly to evaluate opportunities to develop and commercialize electric and fuel cell powertrains. These new powertrains are expected to be developed by combining Hyundai’s fuel cell systems with Cummins’ electric powertrain, battery, and control technologies. The... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv will be forming an autonomous driving joint venture to advance the design, development and commercialization of SAE Level 4 and 5 autonomous technologies. The joint venture will begin testing fully driverless systems in 2020 and have a production-ready autonomous driving platform available for robotaxi providers,... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) has completed its creation of a global innovation network with the establishment of Hyundai CRADLE Beijing. With sites in Seoul, Berlin, Tel Aviv, and Silicon Valley, the China office is the fifth center in the network, which exists to explore and utilize various innovation opportunities and... Read more →

Volkswagen is investing in climate protection projects to compensate for unavoidable CO2. The first project, Katingan Mentaya, a forest protection project on the Indonesian island of Borneo, compensates for the currently still unavoidable CO2 emissions from the supply chain, production and delivery of the new Volkswagen e-vehicle ID.3, as well... Read more →

Toyota is preparing to apply the philosophy and technology of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) to elevate the design and driving performance of its small cars with the debut of the GA-B platform. The first TNGA platform—the GA-C platform for mid-sized cars—is the foundation for advances in the driving... Read more →