Europe Investigates Chinese EV Subsidies

News: Regions

2024-05-27

Europe Investigates Chinese EV Subsidies

Last October, the European Commission opened an inquiry into whether Chinese automakers are the beneficiaries of such significant subsidies by the Chinese government that they have an unfair economic advantage over domestic manufacturers. The question is ridiculous, of course. Everyone on Earth knows the Chinese government has been providing massive support to its automotive sector for 20 years.

China has been open about its commitment to electric car manufacturing. It has told everyone its plans and then made those plans a reality. So, it should come as no surprise that Chinese companies can build electric cars in China, ship them overseas, and still undercut the price of electric cars from domestic manufacturers by 25% or more.

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Unsold Chinese EVs Clogging European Ports

Guy Youngs
Guy Youngs

The threat of masses of cheap EVs made in China has governments concerned in Europe and the US. The USA has introduced a bill that would raise the tariff on EVs from China to 100% to protect US auto workers “from the existential threat posed by China” but Europe has no such tariff protections. The lack of high import tariffs has encouraged Chinese manufacturers to look to Europe as a place where they can send boatloads (literally) of electric cars.

A report by the Financial Times claims that Chinese manufacturers are sending more EVs to Europe than they can sell, which has led to thousands of EVs being parked at port facilities. The port operators are displeased because the glut of cars is interfering with other port activities. Some now say they are no longer ports but rather car parks for newly arrived Chinese EVs

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2024-05-25

Volvo To Build Truck Plant in Mexico

GLOBAL REPORT
Chris Fisher
Chris Fisher

In April 2024, Volvo announced that it will build a heavy-duty truck manufacturing plant in Mexico to supplement the Group’s U.S. production. The plant will provide additional capacity to support the growth plans of Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks in the U.S. and Canadian markets, and support Mack truck sales in Mexico and Latin America.  The plant is expected to be operational in 2026. 

The new plant will be approximately 1.7 million square feet in size, and will focus on production of heavy-duty conventional vehicles for the Volvo and Mack brands. It will be a complete conventional vehicle assembly facility including cab body-in-white production and paint.  At the time of this writing, Volvo has not announced the location of the new production facility.

Source: Volvo AB

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2032 Global ATV-SxS Market To Hit $22.9 Billion

GLOBAL REPORT
Michael Aistrup

According to the latest research by Power Systems Research, the global ATV & SxS market size is valued at $13.54 billion in 2024 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.87% during the forecast period, reaching $22.85 billion by 2032.

ATV stands for “All Terrain Vehicle.” An ATV is an off-road vehicle with handlebar steering and a motorcycle-style seat that can seat a driver and one passenger in tandem. ATVs are designed for a variety of uneven terrain and roads. A side-by-side vehicle (SxS) is an off-road vehicle known for its 4- to 6-wheel design, unique side-by-side bucket seat setup, and steering wheel and pedal drive system.

Source: Power Systems Research

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Agrishow 2024 Reports US$ 2.6 Billion in Business

Fabio Ferraresi
Fabio Ferraresi

Agrishow 2024 posted R$ 13.6 billion (US$ 2.6 Billion) in business, 2.4% higher than that recorded in 2023.

With 520,000 square meters and 800 booths, the almost three-decade-old event in Ribeirão Preto (SP) received 195,000 people for five days, from small, medium and large Brazilian producers to representatives of international companies. Four representatives of our PSR senior team in South America attended the Show to gather information and data.

Considered one of the largest open-air fairs in the world focused on agribusiness, Agrishow is not only a thermometer of the country’s economic activity but also a showcase of the latest in field technology, from agriculture to livestock.

In addition to large harvesters, planters, and state-of-the-art tractors–including electrically powered models—exhibitors displayed innovations in robots and drones, with more and more applications in farming and features such as greater load capacity and remote control.

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Heavy Rains Batter Brazilian OEM Operations

BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT 

Recent heavy rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul has led to production disruptions in many automotive OEM operations located in the region, including GM, AGCO, Marcopolo, John Deere, Randon, and auto parts manufacturers like Fras-le. Despite this, automakers and auto parts companies are gaining control over production operations. However, logistical challenges persist, raising concerns.

Both Anfavea, representing automakers, and Sindipeças, representing the components sector, express worry about the production flow from these companies in Rio Grande do Sul, which serve domestic and international demands, presenting an unpredictable aspect currently.

The initial expectation for vehicle production was to remain steady despite the rains, as Gravataí and the Serra Gaúcha region, where most automakers operate, remain largely unaffected. However, parts production in Porto Alegre faced important disruptions due to many manufacturers being located in flood-affected areas in the region and the transportation from production areas to OEMs was severely affected. Some OEMs—such as GM, Stellantis and Volkswagen–already announced temporary plant shutdowns.

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Kia To Double Hybrid Sales Amid EV Headwinds

SOUTH KOREA REPORT

Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group is going on the offensive with hybrid vehicles. Its subsidiary Kia plans to introduce HV models in nine of its main models, doubling its current sales volume to 800,000 units by 2028. Kia will temporarily review its investment focus on EVs, where competition is heating up globally, to flexibly respond to market trends.

In early April, Kia’s CEO showed signs of impatience at a business strategy meeting in Seoul, admitting that the EV market is slowing down and pushing back the goal of surpassing sales of 1 million EV units by 2026 to 2027.

At the same time, he announced the expansion of HVs: by 2028, he will introduce HVs in nine major models worldwide, increasing HV sales from 372,000 units (12% of the total) in 2024 to 800,000 units (19%).

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Malaysia Overtakes Thailand in New Vehicle Sales

THAILAND REPORT

Rankings of new vehicle sales in Southeast Asia are shifting, with Malaysia overtaking Thailand to take second place in 2023. The Philippines overtook Vietnam to take fourth place. EV sales continue to grow across the region, particularly in Thailand.

New vehicle sales in six major Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia and Thailand, totaled 3.34 million units in 2023, down 2% from the previous year. This was the first decline in three years. Rising interest rates weighed on the market. In Southeast Asia, customers with low equity often buy cars with car loans, which was affected by higher lending rates and stricter underwriting.

Despite the headwinds, sales increased in Malaysia and the Philippines. Sales in Malaysia rose 11% to 790,000 units, a record high, and the country became the second largest market in the region for the first time. The introduction of sales tax exemptions for domestically produced vehicles as part of an economic stimulus package provided a boost.

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Bosch China Establishes Commercial Vehicle Group

CHINA REPORT
Jack Hao
Jack Hao

Bosch Powertrain announced the establishment of a commercial vehicle group, aiming to strengthen cross-domain cooperation at the same time it introduced a new electronic pneumatic braking system and intelligent mobility solutions for commercial vehicles at the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition.

Bosch also has developed an advanced super thermal management system to address the thermal management challenges in the commercial vehicle industry. Bosch says it is optimistic about the development prospects of hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles and is actively promoting the adaptive development and promotion of related technologies.

During the Beijing Auto Show, Wang Weiliang, the President of the Board of Bosch Intelligent Transportation Solutions China and the President of Bosch Powertrain Systems China, announced Bosch’s significant strategic initiatives for this year. Wang Weiliang said that China, as the world’s largest commercial vehicle market, is in a golden era of booming development for the commercial vehicle industry.

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Kubota Plans India as Global Production Hub

INDIA REPORT
Aditya Kondejkar

In a strategic move reminiscent of Suzuki Motor’s successful expansion strategy, Japanese agricultural equipment giant Kubota is carving out a path to global dominance by establishing India as its production nucleus. The recent acquisition of Escorts, a leading tractor manufacturer in India, marked a pivotal moment for Kubota, propelling it into a position of strength in the Indian and international markets.

Kubota’s journey in India began in 2008, albeit with sluggish growth and single-digit market share due to its specialization in lightweight tractors, which initially lacked the requisite power for Indian applications. However, with the acquisition of Escorts in 2022 and subsequent rebranding as Escorts Kubota, the company gained a significant foothold, complementing its expertise with Escorts’ established presence in the Indian market.

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