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German Market Continues To Struggle
Emiliano Marzoli Data released in early June by the VDMA (German Engineering Federation) shows that Germany’s domestic machinery orders fell 4% to 5% in real terms year-over-year. High manufacturing costs and rigid bureaucracy continue to weigh down the home market. However, the industry is forecasting a 1% production recovery to $15.72 billion USD (€13.7 billion) for the latter half of 2026. This mild turnaround is entirely driven by the rollout of the German federal government’s “Special Assets” (Sondervermögen) off-budget funds, which are finally trickling down into physical orders for climate protection, infrastructure, and defense machinery.
Source: VDMAand VDW Read The Article Read The Article Read The Article
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Strict EV Mandates Could Implode Economy
Chris Fisher Testifying before a Senate subcommittee on transportation technology recently, American Trucking Associations (ATA) President and CEO Chris Spear lobbed criticism at the California Air Resources Board (CARB), blasting its regulatory framework as economically unworkable and completely detached from operational reality.
“California Air Resources Board does not sit down with our industry,” Spear told lawmakers. “They don’t care what our industry has to say. Their attitude is: ‘You’ll figure it out.'”
The trucking industry narrowly avoided being the epicenter of what Spear characterized as an economic collapse when the Trump administration last year spiked the California Truck Emission Standards (CARB’s Omnibus rule) and California Truck NOx Emission Standards (CARB’s Advanced Clean Trucks regulations), respectively. California withdrew its waiver request in January 2025 to implement its Advanced Clean Fleets rule, which would have effectively mandated electric trucks in the state.
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Toyota Pulls Plug on Important EV
Guy Youngs Toyota is scraping its plans to launch a next-generation luxury EV, the Lexus LF-ZC electric sedan, which was expected to enter production later this year with advanced new batteries that would delivery significant range improvements, and a dedicated platform.
The model was planned to use the gigacasting production technique that would split the vehicle body into three parts, front, center, and rear, to cut costs.
On paper, this car would have been brilliant, but like many Toyota promises…
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New Battery Could Last 16 Years Without Capacity Loss
At the same time, as Iron is more than 80 times cheaper than lithium as a raw material, large scale storage costs will be cheaper. The use of water based electrolytes also means that the battery is inherently safer than most lithium alternatives
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PowerTALK™, May 2026
Sign-up for PowerTALKIn the May 2026 issue of PowerTALK News you can read articles about the Toyota-Maruti realignment in India, Vietnam’s AG machinery expansion, Q1 2026 global truck production, several developments in battery production, and more.
IN THIS ISSUE
ALTERNATIVE POWER REPORT
- Zwitterions May Be Key To New Solid State Batteries
- GMG Reports Graphene Aluminum-Ion Energy Density Gain
- A Closer Look at CATL’s New Sodium-Ion Battery
- Three Ways To Get More Critical Minerals Now
TRUCK PRODUCTION REPORT: Q1 2026 Truck Production Index Falls 4.2%
DATAPOINT REPORT: 2026 NA Crawler Production
GLOBAL REPORT: Mack Says MP13 Engine Is EP 27 Compliant
EUROPE REPORT:- Volvo Trucks Adds Alternative-Fuel Engine
- Industrial Accelerator Act Finalized
SOUTH AMERICA/BRAZIL REPORT:
- Daimler Truck Launches Zarate Plant
- EU-Mercosur Pact May Reshape SA MHV Industry
- Yanmar Announces Brazil Manufacturing Plant
JAPAN REPORT: Komatsu Reports Record 2025 Sales, But Profits Decline
SOUTH KOREA REPORT: Shipbuilders Win $1.1 Billion in Contracts
VIETNAM REPORT: AG Machinery Market Set for Growth
CHINA REPORT: CATL Launches Mass Production of Sodium-Ion Batteries
INDIA REPORT: Toyota-Maruti Realignment Reshapes Auto Industry
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