DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Hyundai to launch $5.5 bln U.S. EV plant, as new law dims sales outlook
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAVANNAH, Georgia, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) will break ground on a $5.54 billion electric vehicle (EV) and battery plant in the United States on Tuesday, as South Korea's biggest automaker grapples with an uncertain outlook for its EV sales in its top market. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe groundbreaking comes amid anger from Korea and the European Union over U.S. electric vehicle tax policy. Hyundai and its affiliate Kia Corp (000270.KS) as well as major European automakers were excluded from the EV subsidies as they do not yet make the vehicles there. The law made about 70% of EVs immediately ineligible for the tax credits of up to $7,500 per vehicle. Biden has expressed a willingness to continue talks with South Korea over recent U.S. legislation that denies subsidies to most foreign EV makers, South Korea said earlier this month.

☆ South Korea, U.S. in 'intense conversation' over EV tax credits, trade ambassador says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

SAVANNAH, Ga. – South Korean officials are working closely with the U.S. government to adjust restrictive regulations on electric vehicles under the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, according to the county's trade ambassador Tuesday. "We are in very intense conversation at the moment," Cho said Tuesday following the groundbreaking of a $5.5 billion electric vehicle plant by Hyundai Motor Group near Savannah, Georgia. Under the IRA, plug-in electric vehicles much be produced in North America to qualify for the tax incentives. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves during the event on Tuesday called South Korea a strong trade partner, but did not comment on the Inflation Reduction Act. Last week, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai spoke with Korea's Minister for Trade Ahn Dukgeun about the IRA.

☆ Ford, Hyundai discussing EV investments with Indonesia - Indonesian minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Ford logo is pictured at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany September 10, 2019. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayDETROIT, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Indonesia is in discussions with Ford Motor Co(F.N) and Hyundai Motor Co(005380.KS) to establish operations related to electric vehicles in the Southeast Asian country, Indonesia Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, told an audience in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. Ford, nickel miner Vale Indonesia and China's Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt said in July they had signed a non-binding memorandum of cooperation to build a plant in Indonesia to extract nickel chemicals. Hartarto said Indonesia also is in discussions with Hyundai and South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution over battery and EV investments. "We have raw materials for EV battery technologies," Hartarto told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"The impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on Hyundai's EV sales in the U.S. market seems inevitable as EV incentives are the key factor to U.S. EV shoppers," Lee Jae-il, an analyst at Eugene Investment & Securities. In a mixed outlook, Hyundai raised on Monday its full-year revenue growth forecast range by six percentage points to 19-20% from its previous estimate in January. Reuters GraphicsThe provision, announced last week, amounted to more than half of estimated third-quarter net profit of 2.4 trillion won drawn from 17 analysts. Revenue for the quarter jumped 31% to 37.7 trillion won, above the 36 trillion won analysts had expected. But overall vehicle supply remains tight globally due to the chip shortage and COVID-related restrictions.

But in a mixed outlook, the company slashed its 2022 vehicle sales forecast by 7% to 4.01 million, as the auto industry struggles with supply chain disruptions involving chips and other components. Despite that upheaval, the company raised its full-year revenue growth forecast range by six percentage points to 19-20% from its previous estimate in January. The provision, announced last week, amounted to more than half of estimated third-quarter net profit of 2.4 trillion won drawn from 17 analysts. Revenue for the quarter jumped 31% to 37.7 trillion won, below the 36 trillion won analysts had expected. But overall vehicle supply remains tight globally due to the chip shortage and COVID-related restrictions.

☆ UAW wants U.S. to bar loans, subsidies for Hyundai over workplace issues
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 21 (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers (UAW) union on Friday called on the Biden administration not to award any subsidies, loans or other taxpayer support until Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) agrees to address workplace issues. A Reuters investigative report in July documented children, including a 12-year-old, working at a Hyundai-controlled metal stamping plant in rural Luverne, Alabama, called SMART Alabama, LLC. The union called on Hyundai to instead "improve working conditions for the U.S. workers who make Hyundai vehicles." Hyundai is lobbying the Biden administration to revise a law approved in August that immediately barred electric vehicles outside North America from receiving $7,500 consumer tax credits. The UAW has previously sparred with Hyundai and unsuccessfully sought to organize workers at its Alabama plant and at other foreign-owned auto plants.

☆ EXCLUSIVE China's CATL slows battery investment plan for U.S., Mexico-sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Executives from Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), BMW, and Hyundai (005380.KS) have urged U.S. legislators to give automakers operating in the United States more time to meet the required battery sourcing targets to qualify for tax incentives. CATL sees North America as a crucial market, the two people with knowledge of its planning said. But the new U.S. rules on sourcing battery materials had become a "banana peel" that have slowed the company's investment plans, one said. China, led by CATL, dominates the EV battery supply chain, producing about 70% of battery cells made globally. At the event to announce the investment, Zipse was critical of the new sourcing requirements, saying the "United States should have a regulation that is not entirely unrealistic."

☆ Korean auto giant Hyundai investigating child labor in its U.S. supply chain
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN Business —Hyundai Motor Co, Korea’s top automaker, is investigating child labor violations in its U.S. supply chain and plans to “sever ties” with Hyundai suppliers in Alabama found to have relied on underage workers, the company’s global chief operating officer Jose Munoz told Reuters on Wednesday. Following the Reuters report, Alabama’s state Department of Labor, in coordination with federal agencies, began investigating SMART Alabama. Authorities subsequently launched a child labor probe at another of Hyundai’s regional supplier plants, Korean-operated SL Alabama, finding children as young as age 13. The executive also pledged that Hyundai would push to stop relying on third party labor suppliers at its southern U.S. operations. The letter said that the use of child labor violated international standards Hyundai committed to in its Human Rights Charter and its own code of conduct for suppliers.

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 19 (Reuters) - A group that works with union pension funds is pressing Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) to respond to reports of child labor at U.S. parts suppliers, warning of potential reputational damage to the Korean automaker. In addition, the letter cited a recent federal and state investigation into children working at another Hyundai supplier in the state. Reuters first documented child labor practices at Hyundai-owned SMART Alabama LLC earlier this year. "Hyundai will continue to closely review the labor operations of its suppliers to ensure full compliance with all local, state and federal laws," Gabriel said in an email. "I think investors like us need to step out and say, 'the value of the fines is not capturing your risk even remotely.

☆ Kia shares edge up in choppy trade after booking extra $1.1 bln provision
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SEOUL, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Shares of South Korea's Kia Corp (000270.KS) reversed losses and edged up on Wednesday after the automaker said on Tuesday that its third-quarter earnings will reflect an additional provision of 1.54 trillion won ($1.08 billion) for engine recalls from years ago. Kia's shares fell shortly after the market open. Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) and affiliate Kia on Tuesday said they will book a combined 2.9 trillion won ($2 billion) provision in their third-quarter results. read moreShares of Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) were trading up 0.9%, versus benchmark KOSPI's (.KS11) 0.2% rise as of 0025 GMT. ($1 = 1,424.6400 won)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Heekyong Yang and Joyce Lee; Editing by Kim Coghill & Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Automakers need more time to meet U.S. minerals requirements for EVs -execs
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Ben Klayman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"We believe it's unfair," he added, pointing out that none of the South Korean automaker's EVs qualify for the credit. Munoz said U.S. legislators should offer companies investing in the United States some type of waiver or a longer transition period. Automakers are trying to figure out how their vehicles will meet the new law's requirements to qualify for EV tax credits. Details of the act are still being ironed out and the U.S. Treasury is currently taking comments on how to implement the rules around the EV tax credits. "We're pretty well positioned," he said at the Reuters conference, citing the Detroit automaker's four U.S. battery plants the company has announced and its raw materials supply deals.

A Reuters investigative report in July documented children, including a 12-year-old, working at a Hyundai-controlled metal stamping plant in rural Luverne, Alabama, called SMART Alabama, LLC. read moreFollowing the Reuters report, Alabama's state Department of Labor, in coordination with federal agencies, began investigating SMART Alabama. The executive also pledged that Hyundai would push to stop relying on third party labor suppliers at its southern U.S. operations. Munoz told Reuters: "Hyundai is pushing to stop using third party labor suppliers, and oversee hiring directly." SL and Smart Alabama did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The costs, of which Hyundai accounted for 1.36 trillion won and Kia for 1.54 trillion won, amount to more than half of Hyundai's estimated third-quarter net profit and 77% of Kia's profit, Refinitiv data shows. APOLOGY"We sincerely apologise for repeated quality issues and additional costs related to the Theta II GDI engine recall," Cha Seong-ju, head of the quality division at Hyundai Motor Group, told analysts. "We will put our utmost efforts to secure engine quality... and manage quality related cost in order to prevent a repetition of quality issues." In 2020, Hyundai and Kia together made 3.6 trillion won in provisions related to engine issues. Hyundai Motor is scheduled to report its July-September earnings next Monday, while Kia has not yet announced when it will report its third quarter results.

☆ Hyundai Motor, Kia say $2 bln provision to hit Q3 earnings
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) and affiliate Kia Corp's (000270.KS) third-quarter earnings will reflect provisions totalling a combined 2.9 trillion won ($2 billion), they said on Tuesday. The costs include provisions related to their Theta GDI engines, the South Korean automakers said in regulatory filings. Hyundai Motor said a provision of 1.36 trillion won would be reflected in its earnings, while Kia flagged a hit of 1.54 trillion won. In 2020, Hyundai and Kia together made 3.6 trillion won in provisions related to engine issues. Hyundai Motor is scheduled to report its July-September earnings next Monday, while Kia has not yet announced when it will report its third quarter results.

☆ Hyundai Motor is considering selling its Russia plant - media report
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Oct 18 (Reuters) - South Korea's Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) is considering options for its suspended Russia operations that could include selling its manufacturing plant there, South Korean media reported on Tuesday. Many factories in Russia have suspended production and furloughed workers due to shortages of high-tech equipment because of sanctions and an exodus of Western manufacturers since Moscow sent armed forces into Ukraine on Feb. 24. Hyundai Motor recently submitted to management a report analysing its future prospects in Russia due to the difficult operating environment, Dong-a Ilbo newspaper said, citing an unidentified auto industry source. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterHyundai Motor was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Reuters. Hyundai Motor suspended operations at its Russian factory in March and a regulatory filing from the company showed it sold no cars in the country in August and September.

☆ Hyundai Motor is considering sale of its Russia plant - media report
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Oct 18 (Reuters) - South Korea's Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) is considering a decision on its Russia operations that could include selling its manufacturing plant there, a local media reported on Tuesday. Hyundai Motor recently submitted to management a report analysing the situation and future prospects in Russia, Dong-a Ilbo newspaper said, citing an unidentified auto industry source. The newspaper said Hyundai's report includes the company's analyses of the scenarios and impact of the sale of the Russia plant, citing the difficult environment to conduct normal financial activities. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterHyundai Motor was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Reuters. Many factories in Russia have suspended production and furloughed workers due to shortages of high-tech equipment because of sanctions and an exodus of Western manufacturers since Moscow sent armed forces into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

☆ Hyundai to break ground on $5.5 billion Georgia plant this month
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) said Friday it will break ground this month on a $5.5 billion electric vehicle and battery plant in the United States. Hyundai plans to begin commercial production in the first half of 2025 with an annual capacity of 300,000 units. The groundbreaking comes amid anger from Korea and the European Union over U.S. electric vehicle tax policy. The law made about 70% of EVs immediately ineligible for the tax credits of up to $7,500 per vehicle. Biden has expressed willingness to continue talks with South Korea over recent U.S. legislation that denies subsidies to most foreign makers of electric vehicles (EVs), South Korea said earlier this month.

REUTERS/Joshua Schneyer/File PhotoOct 14 (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co's (005380.KS) air taxi unit has picked aerospace supplier Honeywell International Inc (HON.O) to develop avionics systems for its eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft, the companies said, ahead of an announcement next week. "We want to see the FAA come out with its set of certification rules, quickly. Honeywell's collaboration with Supernal is its first with an air taxi firm established by an automaker. The company, which is a big supplier to Boeing Co (BA.N) and Airbus SE (AIR.PA), also has investments in other eVTOL firms - Lilium, Vertical Aerospace and Volocopter. The company expects the overall market for air taxis to be about $120 billion per year by 2030, Fymat added.

☆ Australia's Lake Resources to supply lithium to S. Korean battery maker
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 12 (Reuters) - Australia's Lake Resources (LKE.AX) said on Wednesday it had signed a deal with South Korean battery maker SK On Co Ltd to supply lithium from its flagship Kachi project in Argentina. SK On, a unit of SK Innovation (096770.KS), will acquire a 10% stake in New South Wales-based lithium developer Lake Resources as part of the agreement. Automobile and battery makers have been signing deals with Australian miners for supply of lithium, a key ingredient in electric vehicle batteries, amid a global push towards cleaner sources of energy. read moreThe agreement allows SK On to secure a stable lithium supplier for its U.S. supply chain, said Jinsuk Ryu, SK On's vice president. Last month, Lake Resources said operations at its Kachi project were proceeding, after a dispute with Bill Gates-backed Lilac Solutions over certain performance milestones to get a 25% stake in the project.

In August, authorities accused Alexander City, Alabama-based SL Alabama in federal court of violating child labor laws. The action against SL Alabama, which supplies lights and mirrors for Hyundai and Kia assembly plants in the U.S. South, came following a July Reuters article that documented child labor practices at another auto parts supplier in the state, Hyundai-owned SMART Alabama LLC. SL Alabama agreed to implement new monitoring and training programs, the federal regulator said. "Our investigation found SL Alabama engaged in oppressive child labor," said Kenneth Stripling, DOL's Wage and Hours Division Director in Birmingham, Alabama, in the statement. Regulators said plant operators are accountable for child labor violations even when unauthorized employees are brought in by third-party recruiting firms.

☆ Honda's new $4.4 billion EV battery plant will be built in Ohio
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An employee inspects the door of a 2018 Honda Accord vehicle during production at the Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. Marysville Auto Plant in Marysville, Ohio, on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. Honda Motor and LG Energy Solution on Tuesday said a new multibillion-dollar plant to produce batteries for electric vehicles will be located in Ohio. The battery plant is expected to cost $3.5 billion, with overall investment by the unnamed joint venture eventually reaching $4.4 billion, the companies said. Honda and LGES announced plans for the joint venture and battery plant last year, but had not revealed a location. In addition to the new battery plant, Honda on Tuesday said it plans to invest $700 million to retool several of its existing auto and powertrain plants for production of EVs.

☆ Biden Faces South Korea Backlash Over New EV Tax-Credit Rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Timothy W. Martin | Jiyoung Sohn | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SEOUL—During a visit to Seoul in May, President Biden stood at a courtyard podium flanked by the head of Hyundai Motor Group. The South Korean auto maker had just pledged more than $10 billion in U.S. investments, creating thousands of new American jobs. Mr. Biden thanked Hyundai’s Euisun Chung for helping the two countries work toward an electric-vehicle future. “We will not let you down,” Mr. Biden said.

☆ BlackBerry takes a knock as cybersecurity revenue drop clouds automotive demand
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A sign is displayed on the building Blackberry's offices in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, May 29, 2018. The company said in an earnings call that cybersecurity segment revenue in the third quarter is expected to be flat year-on-year. BlackBerry's QNX software is now embedded in over 215 million vehicles worldwide, helped by surging demand for electric vehicles and connected-car technologies. read moreTotal revenue fell 4% to $168 million for the quarter ended Aug. 31, compared with a consensus estimate of $166.7 million, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Excluding items, the company posted a loss of 5 cents per share, narrower than analysts' expectations of loss of 7 cents.

☆ BlackBerry beats quarterly revenue estimates
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 27 (Reuters) - Canada's BlackBerry Ltd (BB.TO), beat analysts' estimates for second-quarter revenue on Tuesday, powered by demand for its QNX automotive software from automakers betting on more connected vehicles. BlackBerry's QNX software is now embedded in over 215 million vehicles worldwide, it said, helped by surging demand for electric vehicles and connected-car technologies. Sales in the Internet of things (IoT) unit, which includes the QNX software, rose about 28% to $51 million in the reported quarter. Revenue fell 4% to $168 million for the quarter ended Aug. 31. The company's net loss narrowed to $54 million, or 10 cents per share, in the three-month period, from a loss of $144 million, or 25 cents per share, a year earlier.

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterU.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks as she holds a bilateral meeting with Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (not pictured) in Tokyo, Japan, September 27, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis/PoolTOKYO/SEOUL, Sept 27 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris told South Korea's prime minister on Tuesday that Washington will work to address Seoul's concerns over recently enacted electric vehicle (EV) subsidies that could disadvantage Asian automakers. Among the law's provisions are requirements that EVs be assembled in North America to qualify for tax credits. read more"The Vice President and Prime Minister discussed our shared work to address the climate crisis, including the historic investments made in clean energy under the Inflation Reduction Act," the White House added. Cars are South Korea's third-largest export.

Search resuls for: "Hyundai Motor"

25 mentions found