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[1/2] The logo of Chinese carmaker Geely Auto is pictured at the second media day for the Shanghai auto show in Shanghai, China April 17, 2019. Thailand's Board of Investment held discussions with five major Chinese EV makers including Geely during a roadshow to China in April, its Secretary-General Narit Therdsteerasukdi said. "All expressed keen interest in Thailand's policy to develop a regional EV production base and an integrated EV supply chain," Narit said, without providing more details of the talks with Geely. BYD and China's Great Wall Motor Co Ltd (601633.SS) are already working on building local EV production in Thailand. China's Great Wall Motor has said it is considering a research and development centre in Thailand that could work on battery-powered pickup trucks.

Persons: Aly Song BANGKOK, Geely, Narit Therdsteerasukdi, JAC Motors, Narit, Aston Martin, China's, Devjyot Ghoshal, Zhang Yan, Jamie Freed Organizations: Shanghai, REUTERS, Reuters, of Investment, BYD Co, Chongqing Changan Automobile Co, Jiangling Motors Corp Ltd, EV, Wall Motor Co, Volvo, Aston, Malaysian carmaker Proton, Toyota Motor Corp, Isuzu Motors, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Thailand, Chongqing, Geely, Swedish, Southeast Asia

☆ EV startups conserve cash as make-or-break moment approaches. Here's where everyone stands
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( John Rosevear | In Jrosevear | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

As legacy automakers increasingly ramp production of all-electric vehicles, cushioned by the profits of gas-powered models, a handful of EV startups are scrambling to conserve cash and stay in the mix. It also means the amount of cash Fisker had left as of the end of March, $652.5 million, isn't yet cause for alarm. Still, Fisker cut its production guidance for 2023 to between 32,000 vehicles and 36,000 vehicles, from 42,400 in its original plan. Or as Evercore ISI analyst Doug Dutton wrote before Fisker's earnings report, "Fisker is beginning to turn into a story of binary and 'show me' outcomes." It had $108.1 million remaining as of the end of March, but it lost $171.1 million in the first quarter .

Persons: Tesla, Rivian, Claire McDonough, Rivian's, It's, McDonough, Deutsche Bank's Emmanuel Rosner, Rosner, Sherry House, Peter Rawlinson, Bank of America's John Murphy, Murphy, Aston Martin, Henrik Fisker, Fisker, Doug Dutton, Dutton, Nikola Nikola, Trevor Milton, Nikola, Voltera, TD Cowen, Jeffrey Osborne, Osborne, Polestar Polestar, it's, Johan Malmqvist isn't, aren't, Deutsche Bank's Rosner, Lordstown, Foxconn, Foxconn doesn't Organizations: EV, Amazon, Deutsche, Lucid's, Bank of America's, BMW, Global, Magna International, Nikola, Iveco, Volvo Cars, Geely, Lordstown, Nasdaq, General Motors Locations: Georgia, Magna, Austria, U.S, Europe, North America, Nikola's, Swedish, China, Ohio, Lordstown

☆ Volvo wins record order for electric trucks from Holcim
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

OSLO, May 22 (Reuters) - Volvo Trucks (VOLVb.ST) said on Monday it has signed a letter of intent to sell 1,000 electric trucks to Swiss building solutions provider Holcim (HOLN.S) for delivery in the next seven years. "The deal is the largest commercial order to date for Volvo electric trucks," Volvo said in a statement. The first 130 trucks will be delivered during the fourth quarter of 2023 and throughout 2024 to markets including France, Germany, Switzerland and Britain, among others. By replacing 1,000 diesel trucks with electric versions using green electricity could save up to 50,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year, Volvo said. Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Anna RingstromOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Elon Musk's quest for an irresistible price could spell trouble for Tesla and its stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Its goal has been to coax consumers to make the leap to its brand with the lower prices. Finding an 'irresistible' price Tesla's price cuts are an effort to take advantage of that growing market. "We have written extensively on the drag EVs have on margins for legacy [original equipment manufacturers] and the impact of EV price deflation. She added that the price cuts are an effort for Tesla to retain market dominance and stave off competition from big competitors like Ford. Longer term, Tesla's price fluctuations could do more harm than good if they end up turning consumers off.

☆ Aston Martin stock soars after $295 million Geely investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 18 (Reuters) - Aston Martin's (AML.L) stock popped nearly 22% on Thursday, after the luxury carmaker announced a 234 million pound investment by China's Geely (0715.HK), that will see the automotive firm become its third-largest shareholder. Geely will acquire about 42 million ordinary shares from Chairman Lawrence Stroll's Yew Tree, which is currently the Aston Martin's largest stakeholder, at 335 pence apiece and subscribe for another 28 million shares at the same price. Aston Martin shares, which closed at 231.2 pence on Wednesday, were trading up to 279.4 pence at 0727 GMT. "Our decision to increase our shareholding in Aston Martin reflects our confidence in the company's growth prospects, its technologies and its management team," said Geely Chairman Eric Li. The investment gives Geely a 17% stake in the company and entitles it to one board seat, behind number two shareholder Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).

☆ Say goodbye to the US car market as we know it: Cheap Chinese EVs are coming
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Nora Naughton | Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

After years of eyeing the American market, Chinese brands are poised to arrive. After years of preparation, Chinese car companies are poised to upend the US electric-vehicle market. Chinese EV manufacturers can gain a foothold in the US by coming in at a budget price point, analysts said. "I've driven a number of the Chinese EV brands, and boy oh boy, the Europeans are in trouble." The sheer size of the US car market means new entrants will need to build locally to compete seriously in the long term, he said.

☆ These European companies cut jobs this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

TECH* ERICSSON (ERICb.ST): the telecom equipment maker will lay off 8,500 employees globally as part of its plan to cut costs, a memo seen by Reuters said. * NOKIA (NOKIA.HE): the Finnish telecom equipment maker said on May 3 it plans to cut up to 208 jobs in Finland. * PHILIPS (PHG.AS): the Dutch medical equipment maker on Jan. 30 said it would cut 6,000 jobs to counter falling sales and after a massive recall of its respiratory machines. * SAP (SAPG.DE): the German software company said on Jan. 26 it planned to shed 3,000 jobs, 2.5% of its global workforce, to cut costs and focus on its cloud business. * EVONIK (EVKn.DE): the German specialty chemicals producer said on April 3 it would cut 200 jobs as part of restructuring of its pet food unit.

☆ Aibidia, a fintech helping multinational giants pay their taxes, just raised $14.2 million using this 10-slide pitch deck
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Helsinki-based firm helps large multinationals automate and digitize their transfer pricing. Check out the 10-slide pitch deck it used to raise the round co-led by DN Capital and FPV Ventures. Aibidia, a fintech that helps multinational giants pay taxes globally, has raised $14.2 million in funding. Multinationals use transfer pricing to manage their tax exposures by moving transactions between subsidiaries, affiliates, or holding companies to reduce their overall tax burden globally. "The reason no one has done this before is the number of data points and its taxonomy," Leppänen said.

☆ Polestar to cut 10% of workforce as delays push upcoming SUV to 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( John Rosevear | In Jrosevear | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Swedish electric vehicle maker Polestar on Thursday trimmed its full-year production guidance, saying that its upcoming Polestar 3 SUV will be delayed until 2024 because of software issues. Polestar cut its full-year production guidance to between 60,000 and 70,000 vehicles in 2023, down from 80,000 in its earlier outlook, because the launch of the upcoming Polestar 3 SUV will be delayed until 2024. It now expects to begin shipping the Polestar 3 in the first quarter of 2024. The company's other upcoming new model, a smaller crossover SUV called Polestar 4, is still on track to launch in China in the fourth quarter of 2023, and elsewhere in early 2024. "While production of Polestar 3 will now start in the first quarter of 2024, the successful launch of Polestar 4 last month means that we add two strong offers in the attractive electric SUV market in 2024.

☆ Auto Tech Company ECARX Taps Epic Games to Power Vehicle Displays
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Isabelle Bousquette | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Epic Games said it began targeting automakers with its technology about five years ago and its Unreal Engine has already been implemented into some Volvo, Rivian and GM products. Photo: Epic GamesAutomobile technology provider ECARX is partnering with videogame maker Epic Games to bring interactive, 3-D graphics to driver dashboards and other in-car screens. The deal, expected to be announced today, will give ECARX access to Epic’s Unreal Engine, a software development framework used for videogame creation and in filmmaking. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

☆ Iveco to fully own venture with Nikola on electric, hydrogen trucks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Despite Nikola's problems, battery electric trucks developed by the venture based in Ulm, Germany are already circulating in the U.S., while orders are being collected in Europe. Fuel cell hydrogen trucks are expected to hit the road next year. As part of the agreement, Iveco will focus on Europe for the further development and commercialisation of its own battery electric (BEV) and fuel cell (FCEV) electric trucks, while Nikola will concentrate its operations in North America, the two groups said in a joint statement. Iveco's overall investment, through available liquidity, will be partly in cash, for $35 million, and partly in shares, with the purchase of 20 million Nikola shares. Iveco will retain a "meaningful" amount of Nikola shares, they said.

☆ Iveco takes full ownership of JV with Nikola on electric, hybrid trucks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MILAN, May 9 (Reuters) - Italy's Iveco Group (IVG.MI) has agreed to buy the full ownership of its joint venture with U.S. start-up Nikola (NKLA.O) developing battery electric and fuel cell heavy-duty trucks for 44 million euros ($48 million), it said on Tuesday. Battery electric (BEV) trucks developed by the JV are already circulating in the U.S., while orders are being collected in Europe. Fuel cell hydrogen hybrid (FCEV) trucks are expected to hit the road next year. As part of the agreement announced on Tuesday, Iveco will focus on Europe for the further development and commercialisation of its own battery electric and fuel cell electric trucks, while Nikola will concentrate its operations in North America, the two groups said in a joint statement. Iveco's overall investment, through available liquidity, will be partly in cash, for $35 million, and partly in shares, with the purchase of 20 million Nikola shares.

☆ Einride: 2023 CNBC Disruptor 50
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Cnbc.Com Staff | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Swedish startup Einride is among those looking to swap out the diesel engines that currently dominate the industry in favor of fleets of autonomous electric vehicles . Just as electric vehicles are gaining popularity among consumers, so too are they catching on in the commercial trucking realm. Before Tesla, Renault Trucks, owned by Volvo, and Daimler, also produced and delivered electric heavy-duty trucks. Only 0.1% of heavy-duty trucks sold in Europe were zero-emission in 2021, according to BloombergNEF estimates. Electric trucks are also facing competition from hydrogen-powered vehicles, which boast quick refueling and a longer driving range, unlike electric vehicles.

☆ Volvo Cars to axe 1,300 jobs as it steps up cost cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] lectric-powered Volvo XC40 cars are seen at the Auto Zurich Car Show 2022 in Zurich, Switzerland November 10, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd WiegmannCOPENHAGEN, May 4 (Reuters) - Volvo Cars (VOLCARb.ST) will lay off around 1,300 office-based employees in Sweden as it steps up cost cutting, the Sweden-based auto maker said on Thursday. The 1,300 positions equate to 6% of Volvo Cars' workforce in Sweden. Rowan said he could not yet specify where those jobs would be cut, but that focus would primarily remain on office-based positions. Volvo Cars shares were down 3.87% at 0848 GMT.

☆ Volvo Cars axes 1,300 jobs as it steps up cost cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

COPENHAGEN, May 4 (Reuters) - Volvo Cars (VOLCARb.ST) will lay off around 1,300 office-based employees in Sweden as it steps up its cost cutting, the Swedish auto maker said on Thursday. While the group's efficiency drive had begun to show results, more was needed, Chief Executive Jim Rowan said in a statement. "Economic headwinds, increased raw material prices and increased competition are likely to remain a challenge to our industry for some time," Rowan said. About 1,100 jobs will be cut at Volvo Cars' main global operating unit, Volvo Personvagnar, while the remaining 200 positions will be identified after a review of the company's entities across Sweden, the group said. Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, editing by Terje SolsvikOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Auto giants are setting their sights on a new growth market for EVs: India
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When it comes to electric cars, however, the country is playing a game of catch up. During a recent interview with CNBC's Charlotte Reed, Thierry Koskas accepted that the market in India was "just starting." Citroën India, which launched the fully electric ë-C3 in Feb. 2023, is not alone when it comes to making a move in India's nascent electric car sector. According to the IEA, Tata was responsible for more than 85% of battery electric vehicle sales within India last year. Other Indian firms jostling for position in the sector include Mahindra and Mahindra and Ola Electric.

☆ Geely's London black cab unit unveils new large EV platform
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Nick Carey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A worker places a taxi sign onto the roof panel of a TX electric taxi inside the LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) factory in Coventry, Britain, January 18, 2023. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File PhotoANSTY, England, May 5 (Reuters) - Geely (0175.HK) unit London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) on Friday unveiled a new, large electric-vehicle (EV) platform for vehicles ranging from people-movers to commercial vans that it said could also be used by other units of the Chinese carmaker. But executives said they could not provide details of which EVs LEVC would focus on first, when the new EVs might roll off the production line or where they will be made. As such, Geely faces complexities that larger EV makers BYD (002594.SZ) and Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) have avoided. LEVC Managing Director Chris Allen told Reuters that the brand was positioning itself within the Geely group to provide larger EVs that "give more space, more opportunities, more flexibility with a larger vehicle size."

☆ Geely's EV brand Zeekr jumps on the 'gigapress' bandwagon
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Norihiko Shirouzu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoApril 27 (Reuters) - Geely's EV brand Zeekr is the latest to join a growing list of automakers that have turned to the "gigapress" die casting technique pioneered by Tesla to slash the cost of electric cars. "In the future, Zeekr will use giga-casting technology on more models," Jiang said. Metal and plastic die casting has long been used in manufacturing, but its application to large aluminium underbodies in carmaking is relatively new. The front and rear sections are then connected with large under-floor battery packs to form a three-piece EV chassis. 'MEGA-CASTING'Other automakers turning to large die casting include General Motors (GM.N), which is using the technology to help design its Cadillac Celestiq electric saloon.

Volvo Cars, majority-owned by China's Geely Holding, said operating earnings fell to 5.1 billion Swedish crowns ($494.63 million) in the quarter from a year-ago 6 billion crowns, beating a mean forecast of 3.6 billion crowns, according to Refinitiv estimates. The automaker reaffirmed its outlook for "solid double-digit growth" in retail sales this year, provided there were no major supply disruptions. While demand for the company's cars was healthy, macroeconomic conditions were challenging, CEO Jim Rowan said. Lithium prices, a large source of cost for electric cars, had started to decline, expecting the full effect to kick in a few months' time, the CEO said. ($1 = 10.3107 Swedish crowns)Reporting by Marie Mannes, editing by Essi LehtoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Shares of this Swedish EV maker could nearly double, Cantor Fitzgerald says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Investors should consider buying Polestar Automotive as electric vehicle demand ramps up, according to Cantor Fitzgerald. PSNY 1D mountain Polestar Automotive shares 1-day Polestar is based in Sweden and started as a joint venture between the country's Volvo and China's Geely in 2017. Polestar shares dropped 54% in 2022, and are down about 35% this year. Polestar shares are up more than 2% during Thursday trading. "The company reported annual revenue of ~$2.5B in 2022, after delivering 51,491 vehicles (above company guidance of 50,000)," Sheppard wrote.

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Meta, Amazon, Ford, Activision Blizzard & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Here are Thursday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Bernstein reiterates Apple as market perform Bernstein said it remains "torn" on Apple heading into earnings next week. Morgan Stanley reiterates Meta as overweight Morgan Stanley raised its price target on the AI beneficiary to $300 per share from $250 after the company's earnings report Wednesday. " Morgan Stanley reiterates Ford as overweight Morgan Stanley said it's standing by its overweight rating heading into earnings next week. Citi reiterates Amazon as buy Citi said it's bullish on the e-commerce giant heading into earnings on Thursday after the bell. Morgan Stanley reiterates Nvidia as overweight Morgan Stanley said the stock is one of the firm's top picks heading into earnings in May.

☆ Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Rules Create ‘Chaos for Consumers’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Lawrence Ulrich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Even as sales of all Hyundai and Kia cars jumped in the first three months of the year, the brands’ electric vehicle sales fell more than 25 percent, according to Kelley Blue Book. Electric car sales on the whole soared to another record in the first quarter, on a pace to top one million cars in 2023, and now account for 7.2 percent of all new cars sold. The credit rules have been changing fast. In September, after the law’s passage, just 7 percent of consumers leased an electric vehicle, according to Edmunds.com. By March, leases accounted for 34 percent of the electric car market.

☆ At Shanghai show, auto rivals lure drivers with in-car karaoke, crystal balls
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Casey Hall | Thomson Reuters | Casey Has Reported On China'S Consumer Culture Her Base In Shanghai For More Than A Decade | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] A Zeekr X is displayed at the Auto Shanghai show, in Shanghai, China April 18, 2023. REUTERS/Aly SongSHANGHAI, April 20 (Reuters) - Automakers keen to make a splash at the Shanghai auto show showed off vehicles boasting features from crystal balls to in-car karaoke systems and 3D dashboards, as competition to attract drivers heats up in the world's largest auto market. Chinese automakers have been grabbing market share from foreign rivals in recent years in part by courting drivers with tailored lifestyle services and by releasing new models more quickly. "So many new vehicles, so many new Chinese vehicles looking very good," said Patrick Koller, chief executive of French auto parts supplier Faurecia (EPED.PA). This costs a fortune and it doesn't give you the time to really mature innovations and technology," Koller said.

Volvo, a rival of manufacturers such as Daimler Trucks (DTGGe.DE) and Traton (8TRA.DE), forecast 2023 heavy truck sales in Europe and North America of 320,000 for each region. Handelsbanken analyst Hampus Engellau said the raised truck outlook sent a strong message that Volvo sees the second-half of 2023 as a good market for its trucks. Gothenburg-based Volvo, which also makes construction equipment and engines, said there was pent-up demand to replace aging fleets which had helped boost order intake. Shares in Volvo, one of Sweden's biggest employers, rose 1.2% in morning trade in a flat broader market (.OMXSPI). Volvo is not the only automaker to have had a good quarter.

[1/3] BMW's concept model i Vision Dee is unveiled during an event at the Auto Shanghai show, in Shanghai, China April 18, 2023. While the battery-electric vehicle market share of German automakers in China is rising, it is still miniscule. The EV sales of all four German brands added up to only a quarter of BYD's in 2022. "The Chinese market is no longer as stable for German carmakers as it was," Thomas Luk, partner at management consultancy Kearney, said on the sidelines of the Shanghai show. Many are also adopting direct sales, an approach German automakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz have also said in recent months they are moving towards.

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