UAW Monitor Finds “Dysfunction” Weeks Before Key Convention
A federally appointed monitor found multiple points of breakdown in the United Auto Workers' handling of roughly $340 million liquidated to fund the 2023 strike, noting the money sat out of policy alignment for more than a year. The report disputes the union’s claim of an $80 million loss, calling the calculation flawed. While no misconduct was found for Secretary‑Treasurer Margaret Mock, the monitor cited governance weaknesses and retaliatory actions by President Shawn Fain. The findings arrive weeks before the UAW’s June 2026 convention, where Fain’s reform agenda will be decided.
Xiaomi Hits 30k April Deliveries, 550k Target Remains Doable
Xiaomi reported delivering more than 30,000 electric vehicles in April 2026, a notable jump from 21,440 units in March and a modest beat over its April 2025 figure of 28,585. The company disclosed the number via Weibo, awaiting official China...
Nissan Scraps EV Plans at Mississippi Plant in Favour of Hybrids
Nissan announced on May 1 that it will cancel production of two electric SUV models at its Canton, Mississippi plant, shifting the facility to conventional and hybrid powertrains. The move follows the September 2025 expiration of the U.S. $7,500 EV tax credit...
Rivian Georgia Plant Loan Cut to US$4.5bn, but Capacity Lifted
Rivian renegotiated its Department of Energy loan for the Georgia plant, lowering it from $6.57 bn to $4.5 bn and consolidating funding into a single tranche to be drawn in early 2027. At the same time the plant’s initial phase capacity was...
Hyundai Registrations to Drop in 2026 Ahead of EV Roll-Out
Hyundai Motor Group forecasts a modest 0.7% decline in global registrations for 2026, dropping to 6.33 million units. Asian markets are the only region showing growth, up 3.7%, while North America and Europe are projected to fall 2.9% and nearly 6%...
Lear Margins Expand in Seating and E-Systems Q1
Lear Corporation posted first‑quarter sales of $5.8 bn, a 5% increase year‑over‑year, and core operating earnings of $297 m, up 10%. Adjusted earnings per share rose 24% to $3.87, the highest Q1 level since 2019. Both Seating and E‑Systems divisions improved margins...
Magna Posts $485m Disposal Hit on Strong Q1 Quarter
Magna International posted a diluted loss of $0.04 per share in Q1, driven by a $485 million pre‑tax write‑down on assets slated for disposal. Despite the hit, sales rose 3% to $10.4 billion and adjusted EBIT jumped 58% to $558 million, expanding the...
Honda UK Appoints Doyle to Lead Automobile Business
Michael Doyle returns to the UK to lead Honda Motor Europe’s automobile division, succeeding Rebecca Adamson. Doyle comes from a vice‑presidential role in Honda’s Southern African operations, bringing over 30 years of experience across operations, sales and customer engagement. The...
Mitsubishi Pivots to HEVS in Japan Amid Flat PHEV Demand
Mitsubishi Motors announced it will begin domestic production of full‑size hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in Japan by 2028, using the Outlander and RVR SUVs as the first models. The move follows a Japanese market where hybrids accounted for about 60%...
Stellantis “Reset” In Progress, but Is It Convincing?
Stellantis reported a modest rebound in Q1 2026, reversing the steep decline that marked its 2025 fiscal year. Revenue grew roughly 4% year‑over‑year and the net loss narrowed to about $1.2 billion, down from a $2.2 billion loss in 2025. CEO Antonio Filosa framed...
VW: “Fundamental Transformation” Needed Amid War, Tariffs
Volkswagen Group reaffirmed its cautious 2026 earnings guidance, acknowledging that recent geopolitical and trade shocks demand a fundamental transformation. CFO Arno Antlitz warned that the 2025 performance was “not sufficient in the long run” and flagged similar concerns for Q1...
Ford Scores a Better Q1, but the Momentum Is Questionable
Ford reported a non‑adjusted operating income of $2.3 bn in Q1 2026, a 630% jump from the same quarter a year earlier. The surge reflects a rebound from the previous year’s earnings, which were heavily weighed down by uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariffs...
Global LV Forecast Lowered, but some Markets Still Upbeat
Automotive World cut its 2026 global light‑vehicle sales forecast by 0.5 percentage points to 88.6 million units, a 1.1 % drop from 2025. The decline is driven by a sharp slowdown in China after subsidies end, and weak demand in North America due...
Global Light Vehicle Sales Forecast – April 2026 Edition
Automotive World’s April 2026 forecast shows global light‑vehicle sales fell 3.5 % in March across the top‑20 markets, marking the third consecutive monthly decline. The contraction was led by China’s loss of nearly 300,000 units and a 200,000‑unit drop in the United States....
Hertz, Uber Partner on Robotaxi Fleet Management
Hertz has created a new affiliate, Oro Mobility, to provide end‑to‑end fleet management for Uber’s emerging robotaxi program and its driver‑led rides. Oro will oversee charging, maintenance, cleaning and depot staffing for Lucid vehicles equipped with Nuro’s autonomous technology, with...
Geely Taps Volvo’s EU Plants to Propel Regional Expansion
Geely announced it will expand production of its brands at Volvo Cars' European factories rather than build new plants, leveraging spare capacity in Sweden, Belgium and Slovakia. The move addresses China's severe automotive overcapacity and avoids the 28.8% import tariffs...
Mercedes’ Car Division Earnings Lag Behind the Group
Mercedes‑Benz Group’s automotive division reported a near‑5% revenue decline in Q1 2026, falling to €31.6 bn (≈$34.5 bn). The dip was driven by a 27% plunge in Chinese sales, cutting volume by 29,500 units year‑over‑year. Europe and North America posted 7% and 16%...
BYD Hikes ADAS Price 21% as AI Demand Triggers DRAM Shortage
BYD announced a 21% price increase for its God’s Eye B ADAS, raising the option from roughly $1,450 to about $1,680 per vehicle starting in May. The hike targets select models across the Dynasty, Ocean, and Fang Cheng Bao lineups, while customers who...
Paccar: Demand Improving Despite Cost Volatility
Paccar reported a 10.0% operating margin in Q1 2026, the first rise after nine quarters of decline, yet it remains 1.9 points below the prior year. Revenue fell 8.9% and deliveries dropped 17.5%, highlighting mixed results. CEO Preston Feight called the performance...
Mazda Updates 2026 Mazda2 Hybrid for European Market
Mazda has refreshed its 2026 Mazda2 Hybrid for Europe, adding driver‑monitoring cameras as standard and expanding equipment on the entry‑level Prime‑Line. New exterior paint options—Charcoal Grey, Sky Grey and Fern Green—join the lineup, while higher trims receive full LED headlights...
Vector Deepens NXP Tie-Up on Software-Defined Cars
Vector is expanding its collaboration with NXP Semiconductors by providing embedded software and system integration for the CoreRide platform, a foundation for software‑defined vehicles. The partnership has produced the CoreRide Z248 zonal reference system, which NXP says is ready for series‑production...
Toyota Sales Dip for Second Month on Iran War and RAV4 Retool
Toyota reported a 7.3% decline in global vehicle sales for March 2026, dropping to 897,871 units including Lexus. The slump was driven by a near‑33% collapse in Middle East sales amid the Iran‑Israel war and a production gap from the RAV4...
Nissan Swings to Profit Forecast, Albeit on One-Time Gains
Nissan revised its FY2026 outlook to a modest ¥50 bn ($314 m) operating profit, up from a projected ¥60 bn loss, thanks largely to a one‑time softening of U.S. emissions rules, favorable FX and ongoing restructuring. Revenue guidance rose by ¥100 bn ($628 m) to...
Kia Trims EU Prices as Chinese EV Registrations Surge
Kia announced a price cut in Europe, narrowing its premium over Chinese rivals to 15‑20% after a period of 20‑25%. The move follows a surge in BYD registrations, which rose 150% in March, while Kia’s own European sales grew only...
Stellantis Finally Addresses Its Multi-Brand Problem
Stellantis announced it will trim its portfolio to four core brands, acknowledging that 14 marques dilute focus and profitability. In 2025, six brands produced over 92% of the company’s 5.5 million vehicles, many of which are essentially rebadged models sharing platforms...
Kia Sacrifices Profit to Retain Share in Europe
Kia Motors reported a 26.7% year‑on‑year decline in operating profit for Q1 2026, even as revenue and global wholesale volumes edged higher. The loss was driven primarily by U.S. tariff pressures and heightened sales incentives aimed at preserving market share in...
Denso Withdraws Rohm Bid as Three-Way Merger Takes Hold
Denso Corp is likely to withdraw its February bid to acquire Japanese chipmaker Rohm after Rohm’s board rejected the offer. Rohm instead favours a three‑way merger with Toshiba and Mitsubishi Electric to combine their power‑semiconductor businesses. The proposed tie‑up would...
Geely’s Caocao Plans 100,000 Purpose-Built Robotaxis by 2030
Geely’s ride‑hailing unit Caocao unveiled a plan to field 100,000 purpose‑built robotaxis by 2030, with the first Eva Cab units rolling out in 2027. The Eva Cab is designed from scratch for driverless service, stripping non‑essential features to lower purchase...
Chery Debuts Tiggo V Transformable Family SUV at Auto China
Chinese automaker Chery unveiled the Tiggo V at Auto China 2026, a transformable family SUV that can switch between SUV, MPV, and pickup configurations. The model is offered in both plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) and internal‑combustion (ICE) versions, with ground clearance...
Joby Completes First eVTOL Demo Flights in New York
Joby Aviation completed New York City’s first point‑to‑point eVTOL air‑taxi demonstration, flying between JFK Airport and heliports in Lower Manhattan and Midtown. The trips took under ten minutes, a stark contrast to the typical 60‑120 minute road journey. The flights were...
Hyundai Unveils China-Only Ioniq V in 20-Model Five-Year Push
Hyundai unveiled the China‑only Ioniq V sedan at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, marking the first step in a five‑year plan to roll out 20 new models through its joint venture with BAIC. The venture is backed by a CN¥8 bn...
China’s EV Price War Rages on as BYD Sets Record Discounts
BYD’s average vehicle discount jumped to a record 10% in March 2026, reflecting an intensifying price war across China’s EV sector. The war is driven by chronic overcapacity—55.5 million annual slots versus roughly 23 million domestic sales, leaving factories at about 50%...
Volvo’s N. America Order Intake Grows, but Outlook Unchanged
Volvo Group reported a 78% surge in U.S. truck orders during Q1 2026, lifting its North America order intake despite a broader revenue decline. Overall revenue fell 9.1% to SEK 110.8 billion (approximately $12.2 billion) as deliveries in the Americas and Asia stagnated. CEO...
Volvo Holds US EV Course as Market Conditions Turn Against It
Volvo Cars will keep its schedule to launch US production of the EX60 midsize electric SUV in late 2026, even as the removal of the federal EV tax credit and a weak domestic market create headwinds. The EX60, built at...
Suzuki: India Production to Offset Decline in Japan, Hungary
Automotive World projects Suzuki will build about 3.5 million vehicles in 2026, a 2‑3 % increase from 2025. Growth will be driven primarily by expanded output in India and Indonesia, while output in Japan and Hungary is expected to fall further. Over...
Tesla Continues to Promise FSD China Approval, Despite Delays
Tesla continues to promise Full Self‑Driving (FSD) approval in China, yet regulatory clearance remains elusive. Despite building a Shanghai data centre, a Baidu mapping partnership and a domestic AI training hub, the system is limited to a Level‑2 “Intelligent Assisted...
Suzuki Profile and Production Forecast to 2030
Suzuki Motor Corp. posted a modest rebound in 2023, driven by strong demand for its compact cars in emerging markets and a renewed focus on cost efficiency. The firm released a production roadmap that targets 5 million vehicles per year by...
Hyundai Auto Profits Strained by yet Another Economic Crisis
Hyundai Motor Company reported a 30.8% year‑on‑year decline in Q1 2026 operating profit, falling to KRW 2.5 trillion (≈$1.9 billion). The slump is linked to U.S. import tariffs and the ongoing war in the Middle East, which threaten export corridors to Europe, Africa and...
BMW Unveils iX3, I3 and 7 Series with Neue Klasse Tech
BMW unveiled three China‑specific models at Auto China 2026: the iX3 Long Wheelbase with over 900 km CLTC range, the i3 Long Wheelbase topping 1,000 km, and a new 7 Series equipped with Neue Klasse technologies such as AI‑driven cockpit features and hands‑free motorway driving....
Chinese EVs Flood US Social Media Despite 100% Tariff Wall
Chinese EV brands such as BYD, Xiaomi and Zeekr are generating massive buzz on U.S. social media despite a 100 % import tariff that blocks their vehicles from the market. Surveys show 58 % of potential U.S. EV buyers have seen Chinese...
GM’s Growing EV Retreat Raises Long-Term Viability Questions
General Motors has halted development of next‑generation full‑size electric pickup and SUV models, including successors to the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Hummer EV, and Cadillac Escalade IQ. The pause follows the expiration of the federal EV tax credit, pushing the anticipated 2028...
California’s BEV Market Share Hit a Four-Year Low in Q1 2026
Battery‑electric vehicle (BEV) sales in California slumped 40.2% year‑on‑year in Q1 2026, pulling the state’s zero‑emission market share down to 13.7%, the lowest level since Q4 2021. The decline follows the termination of the federal $7,500 EV tax credit on September 30 2025, which...
Clock Ticking for German OEMs to Show Staying Power in China
German automakers are grappling with a loss of prestige in China as domestic rivals move into the premium segment. The 2026 Beijing Auto Show, running April 24‑May 3, will see Nio, Geely and BYD unveil high‑spec models aimed at affluent buyers. This...
Valeo Deepens Google Cloud AI Deal at Cloud Next
Valeo, a leading automotive Tier 1 supplier, is rolling out Google Cloud’s Gemini for Workspace to all 100,000 employees worldwide, extending a partnership that began in 2008. The deployment follows a broader launch of Gemini Code Assist, which the company says...
Innoviz Launches 1 Km Long-Range LiDAR Sensor
Innoviz Technologies unveiled the InnovizTwo Ultra Long‑Range (ULR) LiDAR, capable of detecting objects up to 1 km away for automotive applications. The sensor, built on the same production line as the existing InnovizTwo, has already been shipped to select customers for...
Tırsan Taps ZF SUMS Suite for UNECE R156 Compliance
Turkish trailer maker Tırsan has signed a deal with ZF to implement its Software Update Management System (SUMS) Service Suite, specifically the Scalar software manager, to comply with the upcoming UNECE R156 regulation. The regulation, effective July 7, 2026, transfers...
Bentley Confirms First Electric Model Reveal in 2026
British luxury automaker Bentley Motors announced that its first fully electric vehicle will be revealed in 2026, coinciding with the release of its fourth annual Sustainability Report. The report shows the company achieved its lowest fleet CO2 emissions in 2025...
Blume: Volkswagen to Cut One Million More Units of Capacity
Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume announced a further cut of one million vehicles from the group’s global production capacity, lowering the target to nine million units per year from an original 12 million. The reduction follows a previous million‑unit cut in China...
Hyundai CEO: Middle East Loss Not Easily Offset Elsewhere
Hyundai CEO José Muñoz warned that the Iran‑related conflict has stripped the automaker of its highest‑margin Middle East market, and the lost volume cannot be quickly shifted to other regions. Vehicles built for Gulf customers require unique equipment and certifications,...
Unions to Take Centre Stage in Volkswagen’s Future
Volkswagen is deep in a multi‑year restructuring that has seen two CEOs come and go, a delayed scalable EV platform, and a potential 50,000‑job reduction in Germany. The company’s latest labor development is the United Auto Workers winning a mandate...