Author: Central Desk

June sales for China’s EV leaders – Nio, Xpeng, and Li Auto – soared, marking a notable rebound as buyers flocked back to the market. This resurgence indicates a promising upturn for an industry pivotal to China’s economic recovery. Li Auto, based in Beijing, reached a new milestone of 32,575 deliveries in June, marking a 15.2% increase from May. This success represents the third consecutive monthly sales record for the company. Meanwhile, Shanghai’s Nio delivered 10,707 cars in June, an increase of three-quarters from the previous month. Guangzhou-based Xpeng saw its highest monthly sales for 2023, with a 14.8% increase…

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is set to unveil a state-of-the-art compact SUV at the 30th GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show scheduled for August 10. The vehicle, the first of its kind to feature four driving modes including an innovative “Wet” mode, is anticipated to offer drivers enhanced comfort and security across diverse weather and road conditions. As a prelude to the world premiere, Mitsubishi released a teaser video showcasing the SUV’s sleek design, along with a glimpse into the ‘Dynamic Sound’ – a groundbreaking sound system developed in partnership with Yamaha Corporation. Designed as the “Best-suited buddy for an exciting life,”…

BMW Motorrad has announced the launch of the much-awaited M 1000 RR in India, commanding a starting price of rupees 49 lakh (ex-showroom). The motorcycle, currently open for reservations, is set to be delivered to buyers in November 2023. Two versions of this 2023 model will grace the Indian market – the Standard variant priced at  49 lakh and the superior Competition variant at 55 lakh, the latter being the costliest model from BMW Motorrad in the Indian market. Notably, this road-legal powerhouse will be imported as a completely built-up unit (CBU).   Performance The M 1000 RR draws its…

A military grade Hummer EV. The Humvee, which inspired the civilian Hummer H1, is an iconic symbol of the US military. The Hummer brand saw renewed interest with the launch of the electric Hummer, which was originally intended solely for civilians. However, the unveiling of a military Hummer EV demonstrates a shift towards the use of electric vehicles in the military. Unlike previous Hummer vehicles, which were designed for military use before spawning civilian versions, the military Hummer EV comes as a transformation of a civilian vehicle to meet military needs. The military version retains the core specifications of the…

Global semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies AG has joined forces with Austrian product compliance company, Kontrol, to facilitate a safer and more legally compliant future in autonomous driving. Legal norms, and regulatory requirements within the field of autonomous driving currently pose significant challenges for stakeholders across the industry. This strategic partnership aims to streamline the integration of autonomous driving licensing with public transportation and promote cost-efficiency. Kontrol’s specialty lies in the translation and digitization of intricate legal regulations and road traffic standards into a machine-readable format. The firm’s pioneering technology examines the performance of integrated driver assistance functions and their adherence…

As the global automotive industry shifts towards greener technology, American automaker Ford takes a significant stride with the acquisition of a major international investor for its plant in Saarlouis, Germany. The company anticipates the creation of approximately 2,500 jobs as a result of this partnership, signaling an optimistic future for the beleaguered facility. Though the identity of the investor is yet undisclosed, they have been identified as a significant figure in the global market. Martin Sander, head of Ford Werke, Ford’s German unit, announced this development, underscoring the automaker’s strategic initiative to reshape its European operations. “We have taken a…

Pivoting in a surprising strategic move, Lotte Rental Co., the foremost car rental company in South Korea, announced on Thursday that it is backtracking on its intention to explore the country’s secondhand car sales market. The company will now channel its resources to reinforce its established used car rental and commercial vehicle leasing operations, as per statements from Chief Executive Choi Jin-hwan. The bold announcement surfaced at Lotte Rental’s CEO IR Day (Investor Relations Day) in Seoul, where Choi articulated the company’s renewed focus on fortifying areas where it already outperforms its competition. He strongly asserted, “We plan to bolster…

Advancing its digitalization efforts, Audi, the distinguished automotive powerhouse, has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) system to monitor the quality control of spot welds in car manufacturing. This innovative initiative was initially developed and trialed at Audi’s Neckarsulm site, symbolizing a crucial implementation step for the Audi-launched Automotive Initiative 2025 (AI25).    Leveraging AI, Audi can now scrutinize roughly 1.5 million spot welds on 300 vehicles during each shift at the Neckarsulm site. This significantly surpasses the previous manual monitoring system, which employed ultrasound-based random analyses to examine around 5,000 spot welds per vehicle. The new AI system enables employees to…

DMP, a company in automotive high-definition mapping and software worldwide, has announced its foray into South Korean markets as part of its strategic international expansion. Shuichi Yoshimura, the CEO and President of Dynamic Map Platform, shed light on the company’s ambitious mission. “We aim to fuel innovation across diverse sectors by offering an accurate, high-definition data platform that mirrors the real world in the digital sphere,” he shared. “Our plans revolve around enlarging the coverage of HD maps globally and shaping the digitalization infrastructure.” Chris Thibodeau, CEO of DMP NA, expressed the company’s anticipation in initiating operations in South Korea.…

Launched in 1988, the Kawasaki ZX-10 was more than just a motorcycle; it was a symbol of redemption for the company, following the highly publicized failure of the GPZ1000RX. Billed as the fastest and most powerful superbike ever built by Kawasaki, the ZX-10 expertly blended the sporty performance of a superbike with the comfort of a tourer. Two years earlier, Kawasaki’s launch of the heavier and less maneuverable GPZ1000RX at Austria’s Salzburgring had turned out to be a spectacular misstep. This time around, they were careful not to repeat the same mistake with the ZX-10 launch, shying away from making…