Author: Central Desk

Continental is increasing the production capacity of its Rayong, Thailand tire plant by 3 million units annually, with a planned investment exceeding €300 million (13 billion Thai Baht). Supported by Thailand’s Board of Investment under its Economic Recovery Scheme, this expansion will create around 600 new jobs, adding to the current workforce of over 900. Dalibor Kalina, Head of Continental’s Replacement Tires in APAC, stated that this expansion supports the company’s growth in the Asia-Pacific region and boosts its ability to meet customer demand locally and regionally. Vignesh Devasenapathy, Rayong Plant Manager, marked the expansion as a milestone alongside Continental’s…

SAIC Motor, China’s largest automotive manufacturer, is expanding its presence in the Malaysian car market. Despite dominating China’s automobile market, the company faces stiff competition in Malaysia, the third-largest market in Southeast Asia. Here, SAIC competes with established local brands such as Proton Holdings Bhd and Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), as well as well-known global manufacturers like Honda and Toyota. Speaking at a car launch event in Kuala Lumpur, an official from SAIC Motor (M) Sdn Bhd acknowledged the challenges of breaking into the mature Malaysian market, stating, “It will be tough, but we take it one step…

The automotive world is in mourning following the death of Ratan Tata, the former chairman of Tata Group and one of India’s most respected industrialists. Known for his visionary leadership, Tata set a global benchmark for corporate social responsibility by transferring 65% of his shares to charitable trusts, leaving a legacy rooted in both business excellence and philanthropy. In a statement released late on Wednesday, Tata Group confirmed the sad news of his passing. “It is with a profound sense of loss that we bid farewell to Mr. Ratan Naval Tata, a truly uncommon leader whose immeasurable contributions have shaped…

Kraken, a leading end-to-end platform for utility digitalization and transformation, has partnered with Hypervolt, the UK’s highest-rated EV charging brand on TrustPilot. This collaboration is set to deliver enhanced energy savings and sustainability for electric vehicle (EV) drivers by integrating Hypervolt’s chargers onto Kraken’s AI-powered platform. Through this integration, Hypervolt customers will benefit from fully automated charging during periods when clean energy is most abundant and affordable. Powered by Kraken’s advanced machine learning, the system monitors the grid in real-time and automatically manages charging schedules, reducing costs and emissions. This technology will optimize energy usage across the grid, benefiting all…

Slovenian car parts suppliers showcased their products at an event in Ljubljana aimed at boosting auto ties with Chinese car manufacturers as both nations seek to capitalize on opportunities in the automotive sector amid the global green transition. The meeting highlighted the potential for stronger business ties, with Slovenia’s Economy Minister, Matjaz Han, emphasizing the need for collaboration during the transition toward a carbon-neutral society. Han stressed that while the shift poses challenges, it also opens new business opportunities. He noted Slovenia’s decision to oppose the European Commission’s recent tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, stating that the move was made…

Octopus Energy, Uber, and BYD have launched a partnership to offer the UK’s cheapest electric vehicle (EV) charging bundle for Uber drivers, for promoting the switch to electric vehicles and reducing emissions. Announced at Uber’s Go Get Zero climate event, the partnership includes Octopus Energy installing up to 1,000 free home chargers for Uber drivers in the UK who purchase any BYD electric vehicle and join the Intelligent Octopus Go tariff. This tariff allows drivers to charge their EVs for as little as 2p per mile, making it six times cheaper than using a petrol car. Factoring in the free…

Stellantis is doubling production capacity at its Kenitra site in Morocco with a new energy-efficient paint shop built by Dürr. The facility will enable eco-friendly, high-quality coatings for electric and hybrid vehicles, while repurposing robots from other Stellantis plants to conserve resources. The new plant focuses on energy optimization, significantly boosting Stellantis’ output of battery-powered and hybrid vehicles, including models from Peugeot, Citroën, and Fiat. It can process 30 vehicle bodies per hour, the same rate as the first Kenitra plant built by Dürr in 2019. Energy-Saving Technology The facility uses Dürr’s RoDip rotational dip process for pretreatment and cathodic…

Hyundai AutoEver Corp, Hyundai Motor Group’s software arm, has launched a dedicated cybersecurity division to protect the automotive sector against rising threats to connected cars and future mobility. The South Korean software provider announced on Monday it expanded its information security center into a new division with about 200 professionals, led by Chief Information Security Officer Choi Won-Hyuk. Choi, a privacy and security expert with over two decades of experience, joined Hyundai AutoEver from Naver Corp in July. “Hacking attacks using artificial intelligence are on the rise,” Choi stated. “We aim to provide customers with world-class security service including the…

Mercedes-Benz dealers in South Korea have reportedly been trained by the company’s local unit to inform customers that their electric vehicles (EVs) use battery cells exclusively from CATL, a Chinese manufacturer. The focus on EV battery suppliers gained attention after a fire involving a Mercedes-Benz EV destroyed an underground parking garage in Incheon, west of Seoul, in August, damaging over 100 vehicles. The battery cells in the vehicle were found to be from Farasis Energy, another Chinese firm ranked around 10th globally. Training materials for dealers included guidance on addressing customer concerns about Chinese-made batteries. Sample responses emphasized CATL as…

The US EV sales are showing a strong recovery, boosted by government incentives and growing consumer interest. Despite challenging market conditions, the second quarter of 2024 saw 386,221 EV registrations — marking a 9% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation’s Electric Vehicle Quarterly Report. One of the major driving forces behind this surge has been the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Since its implementation, over 300,000 clean vehicles have benefited from upfront discounts through federal tax credits. The Department of the Treasury and the IRS announced on Tuesday that these incentives have…