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Three China-Owned Auto Companies Plan Merger

Jack Hao The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) officially announced that it would implement a strategic reorganization of the three state-owned automotive enterprises—FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor, and Changan Automobile. The goal is to “build a world-class automotive group with global competitiveness, independent core technologies, and the ability to lead the transformation of intelligent and connected vehicles.”
The combined annual production capacity of the three central state-owned enterprises exceeds 8 million vehicles, yet the market share of their owned brands is less than 15%. The fragmented R&D investment has led to low efficiency in technological advances. After the reorganization, technological synergy will become a core focus. For example, a joint innovation consortium will be established in 28 “chokepoint” areas, such as automotive-grade chips and domain controllers, to concentrate resources on overcoming technological barriers.
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US Losing Solid-State EV Battery Race

Guy Youngs Trump gives other nations a real opportunity. Ilika is known for its micro-batteries, and the firm is now heading towards commercial production of its ”Goliath” solid-state EV battery with an assist from the UK government. In September, the company announced that a prototype version of its Goliath solid-state EV battery cell passed a critical safety test, and things have been moving along quickly since then. On Oct. 3, the company reported that the completion of additional safety tests for its D5 prototype solid-state EV battery
Today’s Li-ion EV batteries are designed with safety at the forefront. Though fires can occur, they are extremely rare, and they are proportionally rarer than fires involving internal combustion vehicles. So, if a solid-state EV battery can reduce if not eliminate the need for elaborate safety systems, the payout can be significant for automakers seeking a foothold in the affordable EV market of the future
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Ford CEO Warns Tariffs Will Hurt US Auto Industry
As automakers brace for new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, Ford’s CEO Jim Farley is warning the extra costs would be “devastating.” Farley said the threats are already creating “chaos” and “a lot of costs” for the US auto industry.
So far, however, “what we’re seeing is a lot of cost and a lot of chaos,” Farley added. Ford is looking for ways to build up inventory in the US to soften the blow of Trump’s tariffs.
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Kia To Offer Corporate Clients Custom EVs
Kia is launching a new range of EVs that can be easily modified to meet different interior and design needs and will begin selling a mid-size van in Korea in July. The company is currently in talks with about 100 companies in the transportation and logistics industry. Although global EV sales are currently sluggish, Kia hopes to develop a new revenue stream by promoting the fact that the specifications of these vehicles can be changed to suit the needs of different industries.
“We have opened up a new paradigm with our customized EVs.” The CEO spoke with great enthusiasm at Kia’s EV Day event in Spain. The company unveiled the first production model of the “PV5,” a mid-size van that is the first in a series of independently developed EVs called “Platform Beyond Vehicle” (PBV).
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Baidu, CATL Plan Ecosystem for Unmanned Driving

Jack Hao Baidu and CATL say they will collaborate on unmanned driving and digital intelligence to promote unmanned driving services and industrial AI applications.
The cooperation is expected to leverage the advantages of both companies, including CATL’s battery, swapping, and skateboard chassis technologies for unmanned vehicle development, and to explore competitive products and business models to enhance mobility services.
Baidu will support CATL’s digitalization with its full-stack AI capabilities, spanning chips, platforms, and applications, injecting new energy into the green transition and jointly building a smart energy future.
Source: CATL Read The Article
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US Tariffs Pressure India Automotive Sector

Aditya Kondejkar The US administration has been pressuring India to reduce its import tariffs on cars, but India remains cautious about making drastic changes. While there is some openness to lowering tariffs on imported cars, a complete removal of these duties is unlikely in the near future. The ongoing discussions between the two countries may lead to some tariff adjustments, but India’s primary concern is protecting its local industries.
Source: https://news24online.com/ Read The Article
PSR Analysis. Even if India were to reduce tariffs to zero, the impact on the domestic automotive market would likely be minimal. The duty differences are relatively small, and the risk of imports flooding the market is low. India’s automotive component sector, especially in areas like EV differentials, bevel gears, and crankshafts, has been growing steadily. This sector benefits from India’s low labor costs, significantly lower than countries like Mexico and the US, giving it a competitive advantage in global supply chains.
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Toyota Major Auto Funder of Climate Deniers?

Guy Youngs Toyota has been revealed to be the largest auto industry funder of climate deniers in US Congress, according to a report released today by Public Citizen.
Toyota sells more gas-powered, polluting vehicles than any other company on Earth, and thus it has a vested interest in continuing to sell those polluting vehicles. But the problem is that gas-powered, polluting vehicles are not good for the health of humans or other living beings on this planet
Toyota has repeatedly ranked as one of the…
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Tesla Sales Drop 60% in Germany
Tesla’s sales dropped nearly 60% in January in Germany compared to the same period last year, and the same thing is happening throughout Europe. The two main reasons are believed to be the introduction of the new Model Y and the disapproval of Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his meddling in politics, which is especially not appreciated in Europe
Obviously, Tesla will use the Model Y transition as an excuse, and there’s some truth to it. However, Tesla was transitioning the Model 3 around the same time last year, which also negatively affected 2024 sales
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Nissan Ditches Honda, Eyes Foxconn Alliance
After unsuccessful negotiations with Honda, Nissan has ended discussions about a merger and is now searching for a new partner, reports “Nikkei.” Among the potential candidates is the Taiwanese technology giant Foxconn.
Nissan abandoned plans for a $60 billion merger with Honda, which could have made it the third-largest car manufacturer in the world. The primary issue reportedly was disagreements over the terms of the merger.
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Recycled Battery Metals Important for Europe EVs
Recycling could enable Europe to cut its reliance on EV battery mineral imports by up to a quarter by the end of the decade, a new study finds. Materials from end-of-life batteries and gigafactory scrap have the potential to build up to 2.4 million EVs locally in 2030, according to research by Transport & Environment (T&E).
Recycling spent cells and production scrap could provide 14% of the lithium, 16% of the nickel, 17% of the manganese, and a quarter (25%) of the cobalt that Europe will need for electric cars in 2030.
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