EU Lawmakers Challenge Tax Privileges for Combustion-Engine Company Cars
The European Parliament is drafting legislation to eliminate tax advantages for combustion‑engine company cars starting in 2028, reserving such incentives exclusively for battery‑electric vehicles built in Europe. The move aligns with the European Commission’s Automotive Package, which ties public funding to zero‑emission, "Made in EU" vehicles and sets binding electrification targets for member states by 2030. Industry groups have voiced alarm, fearing higher fleet costs and a competitive shift. While the proposal faces uncertain odds, it frames upcoming negotiations in the EU legislative process.
SK On Takes Full Control of Its Tennessee Battery Plant
SK On has taken full ownership of its Tennessee EV‑battery plant, ending the BlueOval SK joint venture with Ford. The Kentucky facilities were transferred to Ford, while SK On rebranded the Tennessee site as SK On Tennessee. The restructuring is expected to cut...
Bliq.ai Wins Approval for Fully Driverless Road Operations in Estonia
Bliq.ai has secured the first EU approval to operate fully driverless cars on public roads in Estonia, allowing remote‑supervised trips without a driver in the vehicle. The company already runs about a dozen autonomous vehicles, which it claims form Europe’s...
Assembly Plant Trends: China Gains, NA Losses, India Rises
Automotive World’s 2026 assembly plant database shows Chinese automakers expanding 6.6% in 2024‑25, with BYD, Geely, Chery and SAIC posting double‑digit growth. The gains came at the expense of legacy foreign brands, as BMW and Mercedes‑Benz volumes in China fell...
Yijing X9 New Model Scheduled to Hit the Market in Q3
Yijing’s X9 electric SUV is slated for a Q3 2026 market debut after its global premiere at Auto China 2026. The model runs on Huawei’s Chitu platform, featuring the HUAWEI XMC digital chassis engine, HarmonySpace 6 cockpit, Qiankun ADS 5 driver‑assist system,...
New York Awards $6 Million for Vehicle-Grid Integration Projects
New York State’s energy agency NYSERDA has allocated more than $6 million to seven vehicle‑grid integration projects. The funding supports bidirectional charging, managed charging, wireless charging and thermal storage pilots ranging from electric refuse trucks to Manhattan‑based charging platforms. The largest...
Dongfeng and Stellantis Announce $1.1B Joint Investment in Wuhan Plant
Dongfeng Motor Group and Stellantis have announced a joint investment of 1 billion euros (≈$1.1 B) in their Wuhan plant to produce new Jeep and Peugeot models for local and global markets. Dongfeng will fund the bulk of the investment, with Stellantis...