Europe

Even before the European Union targeted imports of cheap Chinese electric vehicles, China’s automakers faced another big challenge: winning over consumers who don’t know or necessarily trust their brands. At the heart of their strategy is the traditional dealership model that European carmakers have been exiting in favor of direct sales. BYD, Xpeng, Great Wall

An electric car that sells for 25,000 euros (about $26,700) or less can be built profitably in Europe by 2025, according to a study by the environmental group Transport & Environment.  The affordability of electric vehicles has been a key topic in recent years, especially as Chinese automakers start to make inroads in Europe with

Europe’s investigation of cheap electric vehicles from China is appreciated, a little late and will not be enough on its own to reverse the region’s fortunes, according to Roberto Vavassori, the president of Italy’s automotive industry association. The car sector is in trouble in part because the European Union is trying to regulate its way

MUNICH — BMW will design cars based on its Neue Klasse electric platform specifically for the Chinese market, CEO Oliver Zipse said. BMW unveiled the Vision Neue Klasse concept previewing its next generation of long range, fast-charging EVs at the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich this month. Chinese designers at BMW are already developing

SHANGHAI — The European Commission began investigating on Wednesday whether to set punitive tariffs to protect its producers from imports of cheaper Chinese electric vehicles that it says benefit from state subsidies. Here are the big questions about the move, which led to a slide in shares of Chinese EV makers on Thursday: Why export

BERLIN — Imports of Chinese vehicles and parts to Germany jumped 75 percent in the first half of the year while trade the other way slumped, showing the mounting pressure on Europe’s biggest auto production hub. Several Chinese brands entered the German market this year, the German Economic Institute (IW) said in a report seen

DETROIT — German supplier Mahle says it has developed a new technology for electric vehicle motors that can operate at high power and maximum efficiency without the need for magnets and the rare earth elements they require. Mahle’s motor technology kit, which the company calls a “perfect motor,” combines its Superior Continuous Torque electric motor

BRUSSELS – Volkswagen Group’s attempt to avoid being penalized twice for the same offence in relation to the diesel scandal will depend on whether the wrongdoing is identical or just similar, Europe’s top court said. An Italian court will have the final say based on the reference provided by the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of

BERLIN — German Economy Minister Robert Habeck welcomed the European Union’s anti-subsidy probe against Chinese-made electric cars. The European Commission has launched an investigation into whether to impose punitive tariffs to protect EU producers against cheaper Chinese electric vehicle imports that it says are benefiting from state subsidies. “This is about unfair competition, it’s not

BMW has abandoned charging customers subscription fees for heated seats in an early indication there will be limits for manufacturers to reap new revenue from software-based services. The automaker will go back to offering heated seats and wheels as optional equipment, rather than outfitting its vehicles with the hardware and charging consumers later, Pieter Nota,

MUNICH — When it comes to in-car digital displays, BMW thinks more is not necessarily better. While automakers carpet vehicle dashboards with jumbo displays, the German luxury automaker is steering toward a less-distracting digital experience in its future electric vehicles. “Your car is your last private space,” said Stephan Durach, BMW Group senior vice president

Silicon Valley battery startup Lyten said that it raised $200 million in new funding as it looks to scale up manufacturing of lithium sulfur EV batteries, lightweight composites and sensors. The latest funding, led by venture capital firm Prime Movers Lab, takes the total equity investment in Lyten to more than $410 million. The company

LONDON — BMW will invest 600 million pounds ($750 million) at its U.K. plant in Oxford to take its Mini brand all-electric by 2030, a fresh boost for Britain’s car industry after years of Brexit-related uncertainty. Starting in 2026, the automaker will make two electric models at the English plant: the three-door version of the

Tesla‘s Dojo supercomputer could power a near $600 billion jump in the automaker’s market value by boosting the adoption of robotaxis and its software services, Morgan Stanley analysts said. The electric-vehicle maker started production of the supercomputer used to train artificial intelligence (AI) models for self-driving cars in July and plans to spend more than

Volvo Cars is restructuring its U.S. and Canadian operations as part of an $88 million global effort to tighten spending, drive efficiencies and update its work force for an all-electric future. Volvo Car USA and Canada President Michael Cottone said the initiative, code-named CORE+, is “all-encompassing.” “There’s not any area of the business that is

MUNICH — The IAA Mobility show here that kicked off on Monday showcased a range of important new cars, giving fans of auto shows hope that the format might revive in Europe.  Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Renault, Seat, Volkswagen — as well as the Chinese newcomer Avatr — were among those unveiling new cars, while

Lancia plans to open 20 new dealerships in France next year, when the Stellantis brand launches the new Ypsilon small car and expands outside of its home market, Italy. For the past several years the brand has sold only one model, the current Ypsilon, in a single country. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has grouped Lancia

SHANGHAI – As Shanghai sweltered in a heatwave in June, the car factory where Mike Chen works switched production to night shifts and dialed down the air-conditioning. For Chen, toiling through the early hours in his sweat-soaked uniform, it was the latest slap in the face after cuts in bonuses and overtime slashed his monthly