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Europe's Battery Push Faces Headwinds as Trump Revives US Fossil Fuel Agenda
Brussels unveiled a €1.8 billion battery strategy this month as European automakers grapple with declining internal combustion engine sales and intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers, even as the new Trump administration signals a dramatic reversal of America's electric vehicle transition. The European Commission's automotive omnibus package introduces a new "small affordable cars" category and proposes revised car labelling rules, part of a broader industrial pl
Jan 202 min read


German Premium Carmakers Post Weakest Profits in 16 Years as Industry Confronts Structural Crisis
Germany's automotive establishment is enduring its most challenging financial period since the global financial crisis, with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen Group recording their lowest combined profitability in sixteen years, according to analysis from consultancy EY. The data, published this week, reveals that no major automotive nation has suffered a steeper decline in revenue and profit performance than Germany. Whilst manufacturers across all markets contend with Amer
Jan 192 min read


Battery Supply Constraints Threaten European EV Ambitions
Europe's electric vehicle manufacturers face intensifying battery supply bottlenecks as domestic cell production lags far behind demand projections, threatening the continent's ability to meet 2035 combustion engine phase-out targets whilst reducing dependence on Asian suppliers. Northvolt's financial difficulties have sent shockwaves through the industry. The Swedish battery manufacturer, once heralded as Europe's answer to Chinese dominance, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Jan 122 min read


Casper Benteler Using Legal Technicalities to Evade Justice in $30 million Beep Dispute
As the legal dispute between Beep and Benteler family princeling Casper Benteler escalates, Benteler's companies are using legal technicalities in Liechtenstein in an attempt to have the lawsuit thrown out - despite Beep acting in line with the Guarantee Agreement that Benteler previously signed. The current flashpoint is part of a New York lawsuit that American autonomous vehicle software company Beep has brought against two companies controlled by Casper Benteler, Bentele
Jan 73 min read


EU Moves to Extend Carbon Border Tax to Automobiles as Chinese Competition Intensifies
The European Union has escalated its trade measures against Chinese electric vehicles as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism enters full implementation from January 1, 2026, with plans to expand coverage to automobiles and auto parts from 2028. China's Ministry of Commerce responded this week to the EU's latest legislative proposals and implementation rules for the controversial policy, which aims to align the carbon cost of imported products with the bloc's internal prici
Jan 52 min read


Porsche Embarks on Billions in Cost Cuts as China Collapse Erodes Profitability
Stuttgart's legendary sports car manufacturer unveiled plans for multi-billion euro cost reductions as incoming leadership confronts plummeting Chinese sales and margin pressure that has shattered Porsche's reputation as the Volkswagen Group's profit engine. The restructuring programme, disclosed Monday as Oliver Blume prepares to depart after a decade at Porsche's helm, marks an abrupt reversal for a marque that commanded premium pricing power throughout the combustion era y
Dec 30, 20252 min read


European Auto Suppliers Accelerate Software Push as Hardware Margins Deteriorate
Traditional automotive component manufacturers are intensifying investments in software capabilities and digital services as the industry's value migration threatens established business models built on mechanical engineering expertise. Bosch announced plans to double its automotive software workforce to 40,000 employees by 2027, acknowledging that software-defined vehicles fundamentally alter supplier economics. The German conglomerate reported that software and electronics
Dec 24, 20252 min read


Volkswagen Shuts First German Plant in 88-Year History as Crisis Deepens
Volkswagen closed a production facility on home soil for the first time in its near nine-decade existence this week, halting operations at its Dresden factory as Europe's largest carmaker grapples with mounting financial pressures and collapsing market share in China. The last vehicle—a red ID.3 GTX signed by workers—rolled off the production line at the glass-walled "Transparent Factory" on Tuesday, bringing an end to 23 years of manufacturing at the showcase site on the ban
Dec 22, 20252 min read


Holon's Autonomous Shuttle Ambitions Run Behind Schedule as Lawsuit Raises Execution Concerns
Benteler's electric shuttle subsidiary has missed key delivery milestones and failed to establish its promised U.S. manufacturing facility, raising questions about the automotive supplier's ability to execute its ambitious autonomous vehicle strategy ahead of planned 2026 deployments. Court documents filed in New York reveal that Holon Motors failed to deliver prototype vehicles by their May 2025 deadline and has yet to break ground on the Jacksonville, Florida production sit
Dec 17, 20253 min read


Europe's Carmakers Face Reckoning as Brussels Mulls Industry Rescue
European automotive manufacturers confront mounting pressure on multiple fronts, with the European Commission's anticipated support package now delayed amid fierce debate over the bloc's 2035 combustion engine phase-out. Brussels was expected to unveil comprehensive measures on December 10 to shore up the continent's struggling automotive sector, but Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas indicated the announcement could slip to mid-December or even January. The delay
Dec 15, 20252 min read


Ford and Renault Unite Against Chinese Competition as European Alliance Strategy Accelerates
European and American manufacturers are forging pragmatic partnerships to counter Chinese automotive dominance, with Ford and Renault announcing a comprehensive collaboration spanning electric vehicles and commercial vans whilst Stellantis pivots aggressively toward hybrid technology for the American market. Ford CEO Jim Farley declared the alliance represents a "fight for our lives" during Monday's Paris announcement, emphasising Europe as ground zero for competitive pressur
Dec 10, 20252 min read


EU could announce package to support auto industry on December 16, industry source says
The European Commission could announce a package to support the local automotive sector, including a possible watered down version of its 2035 combustion engine phase-out, on December 16, an industry source briefed on the matter said. Brussels is so far planning to announce the package on December 10, but EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said earlier this week that the package could be delayed until January. The source said that December 16 was a target but c
Dec 8, 20251 min read
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