Author: Central Desk

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has warned that the European Commission’s plan to significantly reduce steel import quotas could harm the competitiveness of Europe’s automotive industry. It said the proposal would drive up costs and create new administrative burdens. According to Reuters, the proposed policy would cut duty-free steel import quotas by nearly half and double tariffs on imports exceeding those limits to 50%. The move, aimed at protecting EU steelmakers from cheaper imports and global overcapacity, must still be approved by member state governments and the European Parliament. ACEA stated that while European carmakers source around 90% of…

Ford stock fell more than 7% to $11.82 in early trading on Tuesday following reports that a fire at a New York aluminium plant operated by Novelis may disrupt production at several automakers, including Ford, for months. According to The Wall Street Journal, the shutdown of output from the Oswego facility is going to disrupt business at Ford Motor and other automakers for months to come. The Atlanta-based Novelis plant, one of the largest aluminium suppliers in the U.S. automotive industry, produces roughly 40% of the aluminium sheet used by car manufacturers nationwide. The impact is particularly severe for Ford,…

China’s rapidly growing automotive export sector is facing renewed pressure as trade tensions with the United States intensify, even as relentless domestic competition continues to propel innovation and production across the industry. According to official customs data, China exported around 3.48 million cars in the first half of 2025, marking an 18% year-on-year increase. New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), including electric and hybrid models, accounted for 41% of these exports, reflecting China’s rising dominance in the global electric mobility market. Automakers such as BYD, Chery, and Geely are aggressively expanding into markets across the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia,…

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has reported a steep fall in sales as it prepares to restart production across its UK facilities following weeks of disruption caused by a cyberattack. The company confirmed that manufacturing operations will resume on Wednesday after being halted since early September. The British automaker said it faced a “challenging quarter,” with global sales falling 17.1% year on year to 85,495 units between July and September. Wholesales dropped 24.2% to 66,165 units, while UK sales plunged by nearly a third. The impact was compounded by higher U.S. tariffs and the planned phaseout of older Jaguar models as…

Mercedes-Benz has become the first automotive company to join the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), marking a major milestone in its mission to eliminate fossil carbon from vehicle production. Established by the Nova-Institute, the RCI unites leading players from the chemical, energy, and automotive industries to replace fossil-based carbon sources with renewable alternatives derived from biomass, carbon dioxide utilization, and recycling. The decision aligns with Mercedes-Benz’s commitment to responsible resource management under its strategic pillar ‘Resource Use & Circular Economy.’ Working alongside global partners such as BASF, Covestro, Michelin, Continental, and the WWF, the company seeks to advance a carbon-based circular…

Axalta Coating Systems, a global leader in coatings technology, has unveiled two new innovations aimed at improving electric vehicle (EV) battery safety. The company introduced the products, Alesta e-PRO FG Black and Alesta e-PRO Dielectric Gray, at The Battery Show North America. The new launch underscores Axalta’s commitment to advancing energy storage safety and performance across the automotive industry. The new coatings are engineered to deliver exceptional heat protection and electrical insulation, addressing safety challenges associated with thermal runaway events in EV batteries. Thermal runaway, while rare, occurs when an overheated cell triggers a chain reaction leading to extreme heat,…

Japan’s automobile industry, the backbone of its economy and a key pillar of national identity, is facing one of its toughest challenges in decades following a sharp increase in U.S. import tariffs. The sector, which employs about 5.5 million people and produced 8.23 million vehicles in 2024, now finds itself under heavy financial strain as export costs rise sharply. In July 2025, Washington and Tokyo agreed to raise tariffs on Japanese auto imports from 2.5% to 15%, a move the U.S. government described as a measure to protect domestic manufacturers and stabilize car prices for American consumers. The change has…

Ola Electric Mobility Limited has become India’s first automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to receive government certification for an in-house developed ferrite motor that eliminates the use of rare-earth magnets. The certification was issued by the Global Automotive Research Center in Tamil Nadu after extensive testing under the AIS 041 standards of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Announced on 6 October 2025, the development marks a major breakthrough in India’s electric vehicle manufacturing, reducing reliance on imported rare-earth materials largely sourced from China. The ferrite motor, certified for both 7kW and 11kW variants, demonstrated performance equal to conventional…

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the company will release its latest Full Self-Driving (FSD) software version 14 on Monday, marking one of the most significant updates to the automaker’s autonomous driving technology this year. Musk confirmed the release in a post on his social media platform early Saturday, noting that the rollout had been delayed due to a ‘last-minute bug’ but added that the extra time allowed Tesla engineers to ‘add a few more features.’ The announcement follows Musk’s earlier comments on September 25, when he said the new version would see an “early wide” release that week. It…

French automaker Renault is considering cutting up to 3,000 jobs worldwide as part of a major cost-reduction initiative known internally as ‘Arrow,’ according to a report by French outlet l’Informe. The plan, which aims to streamline operations and lower fixed costs, would primarily affect support divisions such as human resources, finance, and marketing, representing about 15% of those departments. The proposed reductions could impact employees at Renault’s Boulogne-Billancourt headquarters near Paris and other international locations. Sources cited by l’Informe said that while discussions are ongoing, a final decision is expected by the end of 2025, and the proposal has not…