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☆ Japan's Nikkei share average rises to highest since July 1990
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, May 29 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average rose on Monday to its highest level since July 1990, buoyed by optimism over a U.S. debt ceiling deal and a weaker yen. "The Nikkei crossed the psychological 31,500 mark today, but in the end that level proved a bit too heavy," she said. "This week, I expect the Nikkei to steadily advance, but with short-term retracements to check its speed." The broader Topix (.TOPX) rose as high as 2,175.13, but failed to get close to last week's 33-year high at 2,188.66. Reporting by Kevin Buckland; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Muralikumar Anantharaman and Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan's Hitachi Astemo flags lapses in quality tests over decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The comments come in the wake of news last month that Toyota affiliate Daihatsu rigged safety tests for 88,000 small cars. Hitachi Astemo, which makes car and railway parts ranging from brake and damping systems to powertrains, worked with customers to redo tests on nearly 24 affected products following an investigation, Chief Executive Brice Koch told reporters. "We have now taken all the relevant measures to improve, to increase the robustness of our system and our company," Koch said, saying he did not expect any impact on growth or costs. The issues included reporting periodic test results to customers without running the actual tests on some products. Employees also ran tests on suspension systems at incorrect temperatures, a spokesperson said.

☆ 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.

☆ Thailand in talks with CATL, others on potential battery plants, govt official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Devjyot Ghoshal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We are talking to many companies, not only CATL but many companies in the battery industry," said Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary General of Thailand Board of Investment (BOI). CATL, the world's dominant battery supplier with a 37% market share, currently has no production facilities in Southeast Asia, its website shows. In the past few years, Thailand has drawn investments from EV companies, mainly Chinese, including Great Wall Motors and BYD Co (002594.SZ). Narit said the government's goal was to direct support and subsidies to land larger battery production facilities. CATL currently has 13 battery production hubs, 11 in China, one in Hungary and one in Germany.

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.

TOKYO, April 28 (Reuters) - Japan will provide as much as $1.8 billion in subsidies for a slate of storage battery and chip-related projects, Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Friday, marking Tokyo's latest push towards greater supply chain security. The government plans to give up to 184.6 billion yen ($1.38 billion) in subsidies for eight storage battery-related proposals and up to 56.4 billion yen for two semiconductor-related projects, Nishimura told reporters. Among the proposals that it will subsidise is a plan by automaker Honda Motor Co Ltd (7267.T) and battery maker GS Yuasa Corp (6674.T) to invest about 430 billion yen to boost storage battery production, with the ministry providing up to 158.7 billion yen in subsidies for the project. "We have great expectations that this will lead to the stable supply of storage batteries and the promotion of GX (green transformation)," Nishimura said. In a statement, Honda, GS Yuasa and their 14-year-old battery joint venture Blue Energy Co Ltd, said they planned to start production in April 2027 and would start mass production in October 2027.

☆ Japan's Honda, GS Yuasa to invest $3 bln for battery development, build plant -Nikkei
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, April 27 (Reuters) - Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co Ltd (7267.T) and battery maker GS Yuasa Corp (6674.T) will invest over 400 billion yen ($2.99 billion) and team up to produce batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and homes, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Thursday. The companies will start by building a new plant in Japan, targeting a production capacity of at least 20 gigawatt hours (GWh), the Nikkei added, without citing sources. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry would provide a subsidy of about 150 billion yen, the newspaper added, without specifying whether that would be only for building the factory. GS Yuasa could not be immediately reached outside of regular office hours. ($1 = 133.9700 yen)Reporting by Daniel Leussink, Maki Shiraki and Elaine Lies; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan's Honda Motor in strategic collaboration deal with TSMC
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The logo of Honda is seen during the 88th International Motor Show at Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland, March 6, 2018. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy/File PhotoTOKYO, April 26 (Reuters) - Japan's Honda Motor Co (7267.T) on Wednesday unveiled it struck a strategic collaboration agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) (2330.TW) as part of steps the company was taking to secure a stable supply of semiconductors. Honda will build direct relationships with chip producers for the long-term stable supply of chips, chief executive Toshihiro Mibe said at a news conference where he laid out the automaker's business strategy. "Honda will work closely together with Tier 1 suppliers and semiconductor makers and move forward with drastic steps," Mibe said, adding it had reached a basic agreement on strategic collaboration with TSMC. Honda also said it planned to introduce four new electric vehicle (EV) models in Japan by 2026.

☆ Honda recalls SUVs in cold weather U.S. states over rust risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Honda Motor Co Ltd FollowApril 6 (Reuters) - Honda Motor (7267.T) said Thursday it is recalling 563,000 CR-V sport utility vehicles sold or registered in cold weather U.S. states because road salt may cause the frame to corrode and possibly detach the rear trailing arm. The recall covers 2007 through 2011 model year CR-V vehicles in 22 states and the District of Columbia where road salt is routinely used. Dealers will inspect and install a support brace or repair the rear frame, as necessary, free of charge. Honda issued a recall for nearly 84,000 CR-V vehicles in Canada in 2019 for the same issue. In 2020, Honda repurchased a U.S. vehicle after observing rear frame rust and began to investigate the issue.

A new EV platform, if implemented, would be the result of a far-reaching review of Toyota's electric-car strategy undertaken last year. Its current production architecture, the e-TNGA system, was launched in 2019 and produces electric vehicles on the same assembly line as gasoline cars and hybrids. The briefing was given by the former chief competitive officer tasked with the EV strategy review, Shigeki Terashi, according to the person. So far it has fallen short - its initial battery EV, the bZ4X, suffered an early recall and has had only limited sales. GM sold more than 20,000 electric vehicles during the first quarter while Toyota and its luxury brand Lexus sold about 1,880 battery electrics.

☆ Volkswagen joins China price war as new emissions rule looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Guangzhou Automobile Group, the Chinese partner of both Honda Motor Co Ltd and Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), has also offered subsidies running from March 15 to March 31. Chinese passenger vehicle sales fell 20% in January-February, industry data showed, even as some manufacturers offered reduced prices to stimulate demand. Sales of new energy vehicles, which include all-battery and plug-in battery-petrol hybrid vehicles, grew faster than the overall market, accounting for over 30% in February. In the same month, Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD Co Ltd (002594.SZ) outsold Volkswagen-branded cars for the second month in four. ($1 = 6.8923 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ SAIC-Volkswagen offers $537 mln in subsidies through April 30
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Guangzhou Automobile Group, the Chinese partner of both Honda Motor Co Ltd and Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), has also offered subsidies running from March 15 to March 31. Chinese passenger vehicle sales fell 20% in January-February, industry data showed, even as some manufacturers offered reduced prices to stimulate demand. Sales of new energy vehicles, which include all-battery and plug-in battery-petrol hybrid vehicles, grew faster than the overall market, accounting for over 30% in February. In the same month, Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD Co Ltd (002594.SZ) outsold Volkswagen-branded cars for the second month in four. ($1 = 6.8923 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Zoey Zhang and Brenda Goh; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Honda to move Accord production to Indiana as part of EV shift
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co's U.S. unit said on Tuesday it would move production of its Accord sedan to Indiana in 2025 after assembling the model in Marysville, Ohio for more than 40 years, as part of its shift to electric vehicle (EV) production. Honda said last year it was separately investing $700 million to retool three Ohio plants for electric vehicle production by 2026, including Marysville. Marysville will begin preparing for EV production as early as January by consolidating its two production lines to one to enable it to begin building the EV infrastructure, the company said. Honda began assembling the Accord at its Marysville in November 1982, making it the first Japanese automaker to produce cars in the United States. Honda said Accord production will be transferred to its Indiana auto plant, which builds the Civic Hatchback and CR-V.Honda's transmission plant in Georgia will dedicate one production line to e-axle production - a key EV component - and its Anna, Ohio engine plant will shift production of some engine components to a Honda engine plant in Alabama to prepare for production of battery cases for EV models, the company said.

☆ Pakistan's Honda Atlas shuts production to end-March on import difficulties
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Ariba Shahid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KARACHI, Pakistan, March 8 (Reuters) - Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan Ltd has announced the longest plant shutdown to date in the current economic crisis amongst the country's automakers, which are struggling to obtain raw materials due to import difficulties. The company, a unit of Japanese car giant Honda Motor Co Ltd (7267.T), said its plant would shut from March 9, 2023, to March 31, 2023. Other listed-automakers, such as Indus Motor Company Limited (INDU) and Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC), have also been forced to halt production during the past three quarters due to Pakistan's economic difficulties, which have seen central bank foreign exchange reserves drop to a level barely able to cover four weeks of imports. “Pakistan has limited dollars and until reserves improve to at least two months’ worth of import cover, import restrictions would likely continue.”Other manufacturing halts in the sector have been between two and 16 days. Reporting by Ariba Shahid in Karachi; Editing by Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File PhotoMarch 6 (Reuters) - American carmakers will lean on technology to keep the horsepower wars going among their electric muscle cars, a tectonic shift from the big, rumbling motors of the past. GM and Dodge have both issued timelines to stop selling gas-powered muscle cars and replace them with electric variants that will wear the same badges. Dodge's Charger and Challenger muscle cars will not be made next year, while Chevrolet has laid out plans for an electric Corvette. Brands such as Polestar and Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) have announced optional power upgrades to their sedans that improve acceleration and total horsepower via paid OTA (over-the-air) software updates. Dodge has said it will transition its muscle cars to an electric platform, and is working to differentiate those models.

[1/2] Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe speaks in this handout picture taken in Marysville, Ohio, U.S., March 1, 2023. HONDA/Handout via REUTERSMARYSVILLE, Ohio, March 3 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co (7267.T) is moving rapidly to catch up with electric-vehicle competitors in global markets, but the company's top executive said combustion engines could last through 2040 and beyond. Regarding the Japanese automaker's accelerating transition to EVs, Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe said, “I’ve been in the engine development business for more than 30 years, so personally it’s a little threatening. Before then, Honda in 2024 will get two new electric SUVs, the Honda Prologue and the Acura ZDX, from GM’s Spring Hills factory in Tennessee. Reporting by Paul Lienert in Marysville, Ohio Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Factbox: As Tesla prepares a Mexico plant, a look at auto plants in Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A general view shows the General Motors assembly plant in Ramos Arizpe, in Coahuila state, Mexico February 11, 2021. REUTERS/Daniel BecerrilFeb 28 (Reuters) - Mexico has long been a manufacturing hub in North America for multiple automakers, and the country is trying to position itself for the wave of electric vehicles (EVs) to come. The auto sector is a driver of Mexico's major manufacturing industry, which is heavily integrated into U.S. and Canadian supply chains. Mexican officials on Tuesday said Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) is the latest automaker with plans to build a plant in Mexico. Here are major automakers with plants in Mexico -General Motors Co (GM.N)Silao Plant in the central city in Guanajuato state, produces Chevrolet and GMC full-size pickup trucksRamos Arizpe Plant in the northern city in Coahuila state, builds the Chevrolet Equinox and Blazer SUVs now and will build the 2024 Blazer EV and Equinox EVSan Luis Potosi Plant in the state capital of the central state of San Luis Potosi, produces the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC TerrainFord Motor Co (F.N)Cuautitlan Assembly plant in the central city of Cuautitlan Izcalli, produces Ford Mustang Mach-EHermosillo Assembly Plant in the state capital of the northern state of Sonora, produces Ford Bronco Sport and Ford MaverickToyota Motor Corp (7203.T)Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California in the northern border city of Tijuana, Baja California, produces the Toyota Tacoma pickupToyota Motor Manufacturing de Guanajuato in Apaseo el Grande, Guanajuato, produces the Toyota TacomaStellantis (STLAM.MI)Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant in the state capital of Coahuila, produces Ram light and heavy-duty pickupsSaltillo Van Assembly Plant, makes the Ram ProMaster vanToluca Assembly Plant, produces the Jeep CompassNissan Motor Co (7201.T)Nissan Mexicana (Cuernavaca) in the central city of Jiutepec, produces NP300 pickup truckNissan Mexicana (Aguascalientes 1 Plant) in the central city of Aguascalientes, produces March, Versa, KicksNissan Mexicana (Aguascalientes 2 Plant), produces SentraNissan also has a joint venture plant with Mercedes (MBGn.DE) in Aguascalientes, making the Infinti QX 50 and 55 SUVs, and Mercedes GLB SUVHonda Motor Co (7267.T)Honda de Mexico (HDM) in Celaya, Guanajuato, produces HR-VVolkswagen (VOWG_p.DE)Volkswagen de México in Sanctorum, Puebla, produces Jetta, Tiguan, TaosVW's Audi unit in San José Chiapa, Puebla, produces Audi Q5 premium SUV and plans to start manufacturing EVs by 2027Mazda Motor Corp (7261.T)Mazda de Mexico Vehicle Operation (MMVO) in Salamanca, Guanajuato, produces Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda CX-30Kia AmericaHyundai Motor Co's (005380.KS) Kia has a plant in Pesqueria, Nuevo Leon, produces Kia Forte, RioBMW AGBMW Plant in San Luis Potosi, produces BMW 3 Series, 2 Series and will produce fully electric "Neue Klasse" modelsSOURCES: Carmakers and Auto Forecast SolutionsCompiled by Kannaki Deka in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

TOKYO, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), the world's biggest automaker, said on Wednesday it would accept a union demand for the biggest base salary increase in 20 years and a rise in bonus payments, as Japan steps up calls for businesses to hike pay. As one of Japan's biggest employers, Toyota has long served as a bellwether of the spring labour talks, which are in full swing at major companies. The All Toyota Workers' Union is set to hold a media briefing later on Wednesday. "We will boost consumption and expand domestic demand by promoting efforts toward structural wage increases," Kishida said at a lower house budget committee session on Wednesday. Video game maker Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.T) said earlier this month that it planned to lift workers' base pay by 10%, despite trimming its full-year profit forecast.

☆ Honda reports 22% rise in Q3 operating profit, beating estimates
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Honda Motor Co Ltd FollowTOKYO, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Japan's Honda Motor Co (7267.T) on Friday posted a better-than-expected 22% rise in third-quarter operating profit, as a weak RBRyen helped offset rising raw material costs and lower vehicle production and sales amid chip supply shortages. Operating profit for the three months to Dec. 31 stood at 280.4 billion yen ($2.13 billion). That compared to an average estimate of 239.4 billion yen in a poll by 11 analysts by Refinitiv and a 229.4 billion yen operating profit the same period a year earlier. The automaker stuck to its annual operating profit forecast of 870 billion yen for the year through March, compared with an 871.28 billion yen average forecast by 21 analysts. ($1 = 131.5500 yen)Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by David DolanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Honda issues 'Do Not Drive' warning for 8,200 U.S. vehicles over air bag risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonWASHINGTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co (7267.T) on Friday issued a "Do Not Drive" warning for 8,200 model year Acura and Honda vehicles with unrepaired Takata air bag inflators in the United States. The urgent warning covers various 2001-2003 model year Honda Accord, Civic CR-V and Odyssey, Pilot and Acura 3.2CL and 3.2 TL vehicles with so-called "Alpha" inflators. More than 30 deaths worldwide - including at least 23 U.S. fatalities - and hundreds of injuries in various automakers' vehicles since 2009 are linked to Takata air bag inflators that can explode, unleashing potentially deadly metal shrapnel inside vehicles. NHTSA said last month a February death of the driver of a 2002 Accord in Bowling Green, Kentucky, was due to a faulty air bag inflator. In November, Chrysler parent Stellantis (STLA.MI) urged owners of 276,000 older U.S. vehicles to immediately stop driving after three crash deaths tied to faulty Takata air bag inflators were reported.

☆ Earnings and Fed Chair Powell will again drive markets in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

With few economic releases and the earnings season starting to wind down, an appearance by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell Tuesday could be among the newsiest events for markets in the week ahead. The Fed chair is speaking at the Economic Club of Washington D.C. at midday Tuesday. If he wanted to walk back anything, he could have done it then," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley. Economists said Friday's surprisingly strong jobs report should encourage the Fed to push forward with planned rate hikes. Earnings, earnings, earnings But there continues to be earnings news.

☆ Honda to start producing new hydrogen fuel cell system co-developed with GM
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Japan's Honda Motor Co (7267.T) said it will start producing a new hydrogen fuel cell system jointly developed with General Motors Co (GM.N) this year and gradually step up sales this decade, in a bid to expand its hydrogen business. The Japanese carmaker is seeking to expand the use of its new system not only for its own fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), but also commercial vehicles such as heavy trucks, as stationary power stations and in construction machinery. Honda will start production of the hydrogen fuel cell system through its joint venture with GM this year, Honda senior managing executive director Shinji Aoyama told reporters during a company event in Tokyo. With the "next-generation" system, the company aims to more than double durability compared with its older fuel cell system and to bring costs down by two-thirds. That would likely lead to a divergence in trucks using batteries and those running on fuel cells, he added.

☆ Carmakers face a crossroads as they work to fit auto dealers into their EV plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"I think we're all building this airplane as we fly," Michael Alford, president of the National Auto Dealers Association, a trade association that represents more than 16,000 U.S. new franchised dealers, told CNBC. Automakers and franchised dealers have a complex relationship that is backed, in many states, by laws that make it difficult, if not illegal, to bypass franchised dealers and sell new vehicles directly to consumers. Both automakers and franchised dealers want to maximize profits, but they're separate businesses that heavily rely on one another to succeed. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesHonda Motor has said it plans to move more sales online, including 100% online sales for its luxury Acura brand for EVs. Jay Vijayan, who assisted in building out Tesla's digital and IT systems, doesn't believe selling EVs exclusively online will pan out.

The company offered a positive outlook in the North American market, where it sees a growing number of customers requesting made-in-USA batteries to be qualified for federal EV subsidies. The company had secured additional orders worth about 20 trillion won in the fourth quarter, Chief Financial Officer Lee Chang-sil added. LGES reported operating profit of 237 billion won ($193 million) for the October-December period, versus 76 billion won a year earlier. That compared with an average analyst forecast of 256 billion won compiled by Refinitiv SmartEstimate. Revenue for the quarter rose 92% to 8.5 trillion won, LG Energy said in a regulatory filing.

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