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☆ Analysis: China’s EV market reshaped by a brutal elimination round
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Hong Kong CNN —A “life and death race” has begun to unfold in the world’s largest market for electric vehicles (EV). More than a dozen passenger carmakers disappeared from the market last year, according to statistics from the China Passenger Car Association. Too many playersOvercrowding is another major issue plaguing China’s EV industry. Last month, Xiaomi, a Chinese smartphone brand, launched its electric car, the SU7 sedan. “China’s EV industry has entered a stage of cyclical adjustment after two decades of growth,” he said at a forum in Beijing.

Persons: ”, Tesla, Mark Rainford, Richard Yu, Li Auto, “ They’re, Huawei’s Aito, Lei Jun, BYD, Rainford, Gan Jiayue, Wang Chuanfu, Yin Tongyue Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Auto China, YouTube, China, “, National Development, Reform Commission, China Passenger Car Association, WM, Mitsubishi Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Ford, Huawei, EV, China Association of Auto Manufacturers, China’s EV, Li, Tesla, Porsche, Geely Auto, Meizu, Chery Auto, International Energy Agency Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, oversupply, Meizu

☆ Renault cuts Nissan stake to 15% after transferring shares to trust
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO-The logos of car manufacturers Renault and Nissan are seen in front of dealerships of the companies in Le Coteau, France, July 13, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - France's Renault (RENA.PA) has cut its stake in Nissan (7201.T) to 15% from about 43% by placing 28.4% of the Japanese automaker in a French trust, the companies said in an alliance statement, putting them on equal footing. The new agreement for the restructured alliance between Renault, Nissan and their junior partner Mitsubishi Motors (7211.T) came into effect on Wednesday, the car makers said in the statement. The companies had already said in January that Renault would put roughly 28% of Nissan in a French trust to make them more equal partners. ($1 = 0.9359 euros)Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, France's, Ampere, Daniel Leussink, Christian Schmollinger, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Renault, Nissan, REUTERS, Rights, France's Renault, Mitsubishi Motors, Mitsubishi, Thomson Locations: Le Coteau, France, London

☆ Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi ending production in China, world's biggest car market
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Mitsubishi Motors will stop producing vehicles in China, in the latest sign of retreat by foreign automakers in the world’s biggest car market. Following weeks of speculation, the Japanese carmaker confirmed Tuesday that it would wind down local manufacturing and exit a long-running joint venture in mainland China. The move came days after Stellantis, home to brands such as Jeep and Chrysler, moved to withdraw further from China, too. Stellantis continues to sell imported vehicles in China through dealerships. The Japanese firm will pour up to €200 million ($212 million) into Ampere, helping it push further into the European market.

Persons: ” Mitsubishi, “, Stellantis, Dongfeng, Ampere Organizations: Hong Kong CNN — Mitsubishi Motors, Mitsubishi, Guangzhou Automobile Group Company, GAC, Chrysler, Dongfeng Motor, Peugeot, Renault Locations: China, Hong Kong, Wuhan, Xiangyang, French

[1/2] A Mitsubishi Motors logo is displayed at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland March 5, 2019. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO/PARIS, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors (7211.T) will invest up to 200 million euros ($214 million) in the new electric vehicle unit of French counterpart Renault (RENA.PA), Mitsubishi said on Tuesday. Mitsubishi said in a statement it seeks to improve its EV development technology and expand its lineup of battery-powered vehicles with the investment in the Renault EV unit, named Ampere. The decision to invest in Ampere comes after Mitsubishi's partners, Renault and Nissan Motor (7201.T), finalised a restructured alliance in July. Shortly before the announcement, the Nikkei newspaper reported Mitsubishi's investment into Ampere was expected to be about 20 billion yen ($133.85 million).

Persons: Pierre Albouy, Jean, Dominique Senard, Mitsubishi, Ampere, Renault's Senard, Daniel Leussink, Gilles Guillaume, Jacqueline Wong, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Mitsubishi Motors, 89th Geneva, REUTERS, Rights, French, Renault, Mitsubishi, Renault EV, Nissan, Nikkei, Thomson Locations: Geneva, Switzerland, PARIS, Paris, Ampere, Japan, China, Tokyo

Toyota Motor Corporation's cars are seen at a briefing on the company's strategies on battery EVs in Tokyo, Japan December 14, 2021. The Japan Mobility Show, which opens on Thursday, comes at a critical moment for the domestic industry. Toyota (7203.T), the world's top-selling automaker, this year announced a strategic pivot to battery EVs, including plans to commercialise advanced batteries and adopt die-casting technology pioneered by Tesla (TSLA.O). Toyota's shift has helped silence criticism that it was too slow to embrace battery EVs. In contrast to the darkening outlook in Japan, data from the ASEAN Automotive Federation shows that the auto market in Southeast Asia has been growing.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Koji Endo, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan, Jamie Freed Organizations: Toyota, REUTERS, Companies, Japan, Japan Mobility, Tesla, Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors, BYD, HK, BMW, Honda, SBI Securities, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, ASEAN Automotive Federation, EV upstarts, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO, China, Southeast Asia, Thailand

☆ China's auto workers bear the brunt of price war as fallout widens
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Millions of auto workers and suppliers in China are feeling the heat as an electric vehicle price war forces carmakers to shave costs anywhere they can. State-run China Automotive News estimates there are over 100,000 auto suppliers in the country. Suppliers typically negotiate prices once a year, but many have been pressed to lower prices on a quarterly basis in 2023, two senior executives at auto suppliers said. And in June, a group of small suppliers wrote to state-owned Changan Automobile to push back against 10% price reductions. Three months later, he told Reuters that price cuts had been more aggressive in 2023 than in previous years.

Persons: Aly, Mike Chen, Chen, carmakers, Tesla, George Magnus, Elon Musk, Mike Chen's, Li Auto, Liu, Changan Automobile's, Chen Yudong, They've, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Kripa Jayaram, Marius Zaharia, David Clarke Organizations: SAIC Volkswagen, REUTERS, Rights, Shanghai, SAIC, Volkswagen, VW, Oxford University's China, China Passenger Car Association, Tesla, GM, HK, Changan Automobile, Mitsubishi Motors, Toyota, Hyundai, China Automotive, Automobile, EV, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, China's, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hefei, Chongqing, Chery's, Qingdao

[1/2] A worker cleans an electric-powered car Neta V, that is displayed during the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show in Tangerang, near Jakarta, Indonesia, August 10, 2023. Dody Hartono, a visitor at the auto show who plans to buy his first EV by 2024, said he wants a better deal. Indonesia has ambitious EV growth plans as it races Thailand and India to build out an EV industry as an alternative to China, the world's largest producer. CONFIDENCE ISSUESToyota (7203.T), its affiliate Daihatsu, and Honda (7267.T) account for two-thirds of auto sales in Indonesia but have been slow to pivot to EVs. Toyota has said it has no plans yet to build an EV in Indonesia.

Persons: Willy Kurniawan, Dody, EVs, Hartono, China's, Hendra Pratama, Hendra Budi, –, Johan Purnomo, Stefanno Sulaiman, Kevin Krolicki, Himani Organizations: REUTERS, Hyundai, HK, Air EV Lite, Daihatsu, Huawei, Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi Motors, Thomson Locations: Indonesia, Tangerang, Jakarta, Thailand, India, China, Southeast Asia

☆ 'China has disappointed': These are the top markets and stocks to invest in, according to the pros
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

In contrast, nearly $1 billion went into emerging market ex-China mutual funds, according to Refinitiv data that Reuters cited. Here are some alternatives to China and the stocks to invest in, according to the pros. Japan Japan stocks have been an investor favorite this year, seeing the highest inflows in 20 years, according to Eastspring Investments. Demand for Japan funds has surged among European investors, according to data from research firm Cerulli. The bank screened for Japan stocks with the following attributes: resilient earnings, price-to-book (P/B) ratio below 1.5, and potential P/B upside relative to return on equity.

Persons: Morningstar, “, ”, Derrick Irwin, there's, Oliver Lee, BofA, Joanne Peng, Allspring's Irwin, Irwin, Fomento, He's, Morgan Stanley, Will, ” Irwin, Cerulli’s Peng Organizations: Morningstar, CNBC Pro, Reuters, Allspring Global Investments, CNBC, “, Eastspring Investments, Ivailo, Mitsui & Co, Honda Motor, Nomura, Kansai Electric Power, Mitsubishi Motors, Panasonic, Mexicano, HDFC Bank, HDFC Locations: European, China, India, Beijing, Japan Japan, Japan, Europe, Vietnam, Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Mexico, America, Will China

☆ Indonesia gives automakers more time to qualify for EV credits in investment bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Stefanno Sulaiman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A worker stands near a Mini Cooper Electric car, that is displayed during the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show in Tangerang, near Jakarta, Indonesia, August 10, 2023. REUTERS/Willy KurniawanTANGERANG, Indonesia, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Indonesia said on Thursday it would give automakers two more years to qualify for electric vehicle incentives in Southeast Asia's largest auto market, a move followed by investment commitments by China's Neta EV brand and Mitsubishi Motors. The moves announced at the Jakarta auto show come as Indonesia races Thailand and India to build out an EV industry as an alternative to China, the world’s largest producer. Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s largest auto market and its second-largest production hub behind Thailand. Until now, only two manufacturers have shifted enough production to Indonesia to qualify for full incentives: Wuling Motors (0305.HK) and Hyundai (005380.KS).

Persons: Willy Kurniawan TANGERANG, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, ” Agus, Wuling, Hiroyuki Ueda, Stefanno Sulaiman, Kevin Krolicki, Conor Humphries Organizations: Cooper, REUTERS, China's, Mitsubishi Motors, Toyota, Daihatsu, Honda, Mitsubishi, New Energy Automobile, Wuling Motors, HK, Hyundai, Wuling, Air EV, Reuters, Gaikindo, Auto Show, Astra Motor, PT Astra International, Thomson Locations: Indonesia, Tangerang, Jakarta, Thailand, India, China, Southeast, Neta, Gaikindo Indonesia

☆ Indonesia says Mitsubishi Motors plans to invest $375 mln in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A man walks near Mitsubishi cars as he visits Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo, Japan October 24, 2019. "We are optimistic that, if implemented, this can boost investment and increase demand to use EVs," Agus said. A Mitsubishi spokesperson said executives from its Tokyo headquarters on Wednesday met with Agus for talks, declining to comment further. Mitsubishi reported combined retail and wholesale sales in the ASEAN region of 120,000 vehicles for the three months to June 30, dropping 1.6% from a year earlier. In Thailand, its retail and wholesale sales slumped to 17,000 units during that period, down from 25,000 a year earlier.

Persons: Soe Zeya, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Agus, Bernadette Christina, Fransiska, Rocky Swift, Daniel Leussink, Louise Heavens, David Evans Organizations: Mitsubishi, Tokyo Motor, REUTERS, Mitsubishi Motors, Wednesday, Japan's Nikkei, Guangzhou Automobile Group, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, JAKARTA, Indonesia, Thailand, China, ASEAN, Jakarta

☆ Global automakers scramble to reset China strategies as sales slow
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Global automakers, who for years have dominated the market along with their Chinese state-run partners, have been slow to pivot to the fast-growing market for EVs with competitive offerings. "This major collaboration between Volkswagen and Xpeng is a milestone for our electrification strategy 'in China for China'," said Ralf Brandstatter, a VW board member on his social media account. Their deeper pockets give established foreign automakers who are determined to fight for share in China, the ability to play a long game. Kia (000270.KS) is to enter China's EV market with its first EV, the EV6 crossover, via imports in August. "The German brands benefit from significant global scale," said He Lei, CEO of Chinese EV trading platform xChuxing.

Persons: Aly, Yale Zhang, Ralf Brandstatter, We've, Mary Barra, Tu Le, Yang Honghai, Kia, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen's Audi, Lei, It's, Bill Russo, Automobility, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Kevin Krolicki Organizations: Audi, Volkswagen, Auto, REUTERS, General Motors, Toyota, China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, Global, BMW, Mitsubishi, Automotive Foresight, GM, Reuters Graphics Volkswagen, BYD, China's Xpeng, HK, SAIC, VW, Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, CHINA EV INC, Tesla, China EV Inc, Volkswagen's, EV, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Ford, Renault, Thomson Locations: Auto Shanghai, Shanghai, China, SHANGHAI, CHINA, Kia China, KS

For Nissan, that means contending with an increasingly grim outlook for foreign automakers in China, the world's biggest car market. AMPERE INVESTMENTNissan said it would invest up to 600 million euros ($663 million) in Renault's electric vehicle unit, Ampere. Renault, meanwhile, will lower its stake in Nissan to 15% from around 43%, putting their relationship on equal footing. The investment in Ampere is consistent with Nissan being a strategic investor and securing a board seat on the new company, Nissan said. Nissan had flagged in February that it would invest a maximum 15% in Ampere, but the exact size of its stake remained unclear.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Makoto Uchida, AlixPartners, Nissan, Ampere, Gilles Guillame, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan, Miral Organizations: Renault, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Investment, Nissan, Reuters, North America, Dongfeng Motor Group, Ampere, Qualcomm, Mitsubishi Motors, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, TOKYO, PARIS, Renault's, China, Japan, North, U.S

☆ Toyota's China joint venture dismisses about 1000 workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI/TOKYO, July 24 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor's (7203.T) joint venture (JV) in China said on Monday that it has terminated early the contracts of about 1,000 dispatch workers, in a sign of pressure on automakers from a price war in the world's largest auto market. Toyota's JV in China, Guangzhou Toyota Motor Co, said in a statement to Reuters that it had prematurely terminated contracts for about 1,000 workers with labour services companies in light of recent production levels. The GAC Toyota factory has an annual output capacity of 1 million vehicles and employs around 19,000 people, according to its website. The production of Mitsubishi's new Outlander model remained suspended, Kato added, describing the conditions faced by the company in China as "severe". The company joined a price war started by Tesla in January and slashed the starting price for its bZ4X EV by 15% in February.

Persons: Levin, bZ4X, Toyota's, Takao Kato, Kato, Tesla, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Daniel Leussink, Mark Potter, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Toyota, JV, Guangzhou Automobile Group, Reuters, Toyota's JV, Guangzhou Toyota Motor, GAC Toyota, Mitsubishi Motors, GAC, China Association of Automobile Association, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, TOKYO, China, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tokyo

Under the framework, the Japanese automaker would take as much as 15% of Renault's new electric vehicle unit, Ampere, while Renault would reduce its 43% stake in Nissan. The delay shows how the latest tension at the top of the Japanese automaker has complicated a drive to bring the decades-long relationship with Renault to a more equal footing. After the automaker was pitched into turmoil by the ouster of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, Nissan executives sought to rebalance the alliance he built. We will make a statement in due course when the agreements are concluded," the Japanese automaker said in a statement. Nissan and Renault's junior partner, Mitsubishi Motors, has also indicated it may invest in the company.

Persons: Ampere, Carlos Ghosn, Makoto Uchida, Ashwani Gupta, Gupta, Maki Shiraki, Daniel Leussink, Kevin Krolicki, David Dolan Organizations: Nissan, Renault, Reuters, Mitsubishi Motors, Qualcomm, Mitsubishi, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, U.S

Under the framework, the Japanese automaker would take as much as 15% of Renault's new electric vehicle unit, Ampere, while Renault would reduce its 43% stake in Nissan. That timeline was extended when senior Nissan executives and some directors challenged detailed provisions of deal, citing the need to better protect Nissan's intellectual property, Reuters has reported. Nissan executives sought to rebalance the alliance built by former Chairman Carlos Ghosn after his ouster sent the automaker into turmoil. While the size of the investment ultimately hinges on the value of Ampere, Nissan is likely to take less than 10%, one of them said. By closing out the restructured Renault deal, Nissan executives have the opportunity to pivot to other challenges, including a medium-term strategy update and a change in approach to China, where Nissan's sales, and those of other global automakers, are in decline.

Persons: Ampere, Carlos Ghosn, Makoto Uchida, Ashwani Gupta, Gupta, Maki Shiraki, Daniel Leussink, Kevin Krolicki, David Dolan, Christian Schmollinger, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Renault, Nissan finalise, Nissan, TOKYO, Reuters, Mitsubishi Motors, Qualcomm, Mitsubishi, Thomson Locations: U.S, China

☆ Mazda says needs China strategy overhaul to catch up with market
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, July 14 (Reuters) - Japan's Mazda Motor (7261.T) needs to overhaul its strategy in China, the world's biggest auto market, where it faces increasingly tough competition from domestic players, the automaker's chief executive said on Friday. CEO Masahiro Moro said business conditions for Mazda in China, where it has a joint venture with Chongqing Changan Automobile (000625.SZ) and China FAW, would become increasingly tough over the coming year to 18 months. Its sales in China peaked in 2016 at just over 316,000 vehicles, separate industry data showed. Mazda is not alone in finding the Chinese market increasingly tough. Looking beyond China, Moro said if Mazda were to begin EV production in North America, it would happen after 2027, which marks the end of the middle phase of its business plan for this decade.

Persons: Masahiro Moro, Moro, Daniel Leussink, Jason Neely, Kim Coghill, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Mazda, Chongqing Changan Automobile, China FAW, Mitsubishi Motors, Guangzhou Automobile Group, Toyota Motor, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China, Chongqing, North America, Huntsville , Alabama

☆ Nissan to invest some $725 mln in Renault's EV unit, Yomiuri says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, July 14 (Reuters) - Nissan Motor (7201.T) is likely to invest around 100 billion yen ($725 million) in Renault's (RENA.PA) new electric vehicle unit, the Yomiuri Shimbun said on Friday, potentially clearing a hurdle in drawn-out talks to reshape their automaking alliance. The Japanese automaker on Thursday settled on the terms for a contract to overhaul its partnership with Renault and agreed with its French partner on the investment amount in the EV unit, Ampere, the Yomiuri said. A Nissan spokesperson said discussions about the contract, including the investment amount, were not yet finalised. That would be short of the 15% maximum Nissan set in February for the investment. ($1 = 138.0200 yen)Reporting by Daniel Leussink and Elaine Lies; Editing by Chris Reese and David DolanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ampere, Daniel Leussink, Elaine Lies, Chris Reese, David Dolan Organizations: Nissan, Yomiuri Shimbun, Renault, EV, Yomiuri, Mitsubishi Motors, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Renault's

☆ Mitsubishi's China venture with GAC to cut staff costs after SUV sales dive
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] The logo of Mitsubishi Motors Corp is seen at a showroom of the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan November 26, 2018. REUTERS/Toru HanaiBEIJING/SHANGHAI, July 13 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors' (7211.T) joint venture with China's Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) (601238.SS) on Thursday said it would cut staff costs to try to revive its fortunes after sharp sales declines for sport utility vehicles (SUV) such as the Outlander. The joint venture, known as GAC Mitsubishi Motors, was launched by GAC, Mitsubishi Motors and trading house Mitsubishi Corp (8058.T) in 2012, focusing on SUV sales in China. The announcement follows mounting pressure on the joint venture that makes Mitsubishi's Outlander model. Mitsubishi's sales in China peaked in 2018, when it recorded sales of over 141,000 vehicles, according to industry data.

Persons: Toru Hanai, Mitsubishi, AlixPartners, Kevin Krolicki, Shri Navaratnam, Mark Potter Organizations: Mitsubishi Motors Corp, REUTERS, Mitsubishi Motors, China's Guangzhou Automobile Group, GAC, GAC Mitsubishi Motors, Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Toru Hanai BEIJING, SHANGHAI, ., China

☆ Geely, Renault strike deal to develop gasoline engines, hybrid technology
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Geely logo is seen at a car dealership in Shanghai, China August 17, 2021. REUTERS/Aly SongJuly 11 (Reuters) - China's Geely Automobile Holdings (0175.HK) and French car maker Renault SA (RENA.PA) on Tuesday said they will invest up to 7 billion euros ($7.71 billion) in a new equally held joint venture to develop gasoline engines and hybrid technology for automobiles. The JV aims to have an annual production capacity of up to five million internal combustion, hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines and transmissions, Renault added. Saudi Aramco (2222.SE), which signed a letter of intent with Renault and Geely in March, is evaluating a strategic investment in the new company, Renault said. Big oil firms have worked with automakers to develop sustainable fuels and hydrogen engines in recent years.

Persons: Aly Song, Eric Li, Harish Sridharan, Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Eileen Soreng Organizations: REUTERS, Geely Automobile Holdings, HK, Renault SA, Geely Holding, Renault, Volvo, Proton, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Torino, JV, Reuters, Saudi Aramco, Geely, Aramco, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Saudi, Bengaluru

☆ Mitsubishi Motors to extend suspension of production in China -Yomiuri
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, May 30 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp (7211.T) will extend the suspension of its production in China beyond May, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily reported on Tuesday. Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Toyota, partners to start selling electric micro-vans by March 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, May 18 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and two allied automakers unveiled a micro-sized electric van targeted at Japan's delivery industry on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima on Thursday. The small electric commercial van will run on a battery electric vehicle (BEV) system that Toyota is jointly developing with minivehicle specialists Daihatsu and Suzuki Motor Corp (7269.T), the companies said in a joint statement. The roll-out by Toyota, which owns 4.89% of Suzuki, and its partners also comes as other automakers in Japan are expanding their lineups with electric mini-commercial vans. Honda Motor Co Ltd (7267.T) said in December it would start selling a micro-sized commercial electric van with a target cruising range of 200km in spring 2024, as part of its effort to electrify its vehicle lineup. Mitsubishi Motors Corp (7211.T) in November re-launched its own small commercial van, Minicab-MiEV, which has a shorter cruising range of 133 km.

☆ Battle for China's electric SUV market heats up at home and abroad
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The trend will spread abroad with growing exports of China-made electric SUVs. The market for SUVs has boomed in China over the past decade and now represents almost 40% of all cars sold, with 400 SUV models of all fuel types. Legacy automakers Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), BMW (BMWG.DE) and Toyota (7203.T) are counting on new electric SUVs to bolster China sales. Tesla and Renault (RENA.PA) have already been exporting their China-made electric SUVs to Europe on a large scale. Chinese automakers have their own plans to grow electric SUV sales to Europe.

☆ Analysis: Battle for China's electric SUV market heats up at home and abroad
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

While other automakers like Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) have also been caught out by the sharp shift in China, Japanese automakers stand out because of their limited showing in the fast-growing category of electric and plug-in hybrid sales. Mitsubishi, like some other Japanese automakers, does not break out China sales figures. Industry data analysed by Reuters showed its first-quarter sales in China fell by 58% from a year earlier. Nissan Motor Co Ltd (7201.T) posted a 45.8% drop in China sales and Mazda Motor Corp (7261.T) sales were down 66.5% in the first quarter. "Japanese automakers could face a similar struggle in the United States as in China," he said.

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