Page 17 - Automobile Manufacturer

Mahindra, Tata Motors receive record number of patent approvals in FY24

Domestic automobile majors Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors have received a record number of patent approvals for a wide spectrum of product and process innovations in the last financial year. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) received 674 approvals, its best-ever annual performance, while Tata Motors also witnessed the grant of 333 patents during the 2023-24 financial year. M&M said it has received a record 674 patents in 2023-24, with the majority coming in from the Indian Patent office. "We understand the importance of being future-ready; therefore, we have made significant R&D investments to ensure that we stay ahead of the curve in terms of technology and talent," M&M ED & CEO (Auto & Farm Sectors) Rajesh Jejurikar said. The auto major has so far been conferred 1,185 patents across multiple geographies. As of March 31, 2024, the company has 193 applications awaiting patent approval. Cumulatively, it has filed 2,212 patent applications to date. M&M's

Large order book, EV growh to drive auto parts maker Sona's growth

Company gains market share in its top three markets of North America, India, EU

Domestic sales of 4 major two-wheeler manufacturers zoom in April

Hero MotoCorp, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, TVS Motor, and Bajaj Auto collectively dominate approximately 80 per cent of the total two-wheeler market in the country

Tesla retreats from next-generation gigacasting manufacturing process

Tesla and Musk have said gigacasting helps the automaker reduce costs over the long term. But the process requires large initial investments

Tesla's plan for affordable cars follows playbook of its Detroit rivals

Tesla said the change would allow the company to launch low-cost vehicles swiftly but would result in smaller cost reduction than had been expected and modest volume growth

Donald Petersen, CEO who pulled Ford out of 1980s crisis, dies at 97

Under Petersen, Ford's ad slogan became 'Quality is Job One'

Why future of cars does not look electrified

Electric cars, despite a goods and services tax (GST) rate of 5 per cent, are a shade above 2 per cent of all cars sold

Proxy firms give up a thumbs up to Tata Motors DVR conversion plan

Move, they say, will simplify capital structure and eliminate price discount

Tesla stock jumps as Musk's promise of 'affordable' cars eases growth fears

"We read 'more affordable' as potentially de-contented Model Y/Model 3 versions with improvements in software and AI/hardware capability, but at lower prices," Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said

Tesla to lay off nearly 2,700 employees in Texas factory, says report

The notice on Monday was issued under the WARN Act, a U.S. labor law that requires companies with 100 or more employees to notify 60 days ahead of planned closings or mass layoffs

Tesla shares rise 2.3% to $145 in early trading ahead of quarterly results

The stock was up 2.3% at $145.34 in volatile early trading ahead of the report, due after the closing bell

Volkswagen rolls out two new variants of sports utility vehicle Taigun

German automaker Volkswagen has rolled out two new variants of its popular sports utility vehicle Taigun, the company said on Tuesday. Widening its product portfolio, the company has launched Taigun GT Line equipped with a 1.0L TSI engine at Rs 14.08 lakh, while the Taigun GT Plus Sport 1.5L TSI will be available at Rs 18.53 lakh, both ex-showroom prices. The two new variants were formally unveiled at the Volkswagen Annual Brand Conference which showcased its all-electric vehicle ID.4 in March. "The Volkswagen GT badge is an aspirational cornerstone that evokes the unmatched feeling of sporty driving. We are delighted to introduce the all-new Taigun GT Line and Taigun GT Plus Sport for Indian buyers," the company's Brand Director Ashish Gupta said. The aesthetic treatment of these new variants would create a differentiated value proposition, with Taigun showcasing a sportier and robust appeal, he said. The Taigun GT Line is powered by a 1.0-litre TSI Engine and it is available wi

Hero MotoCorp opens assembly facility with 75,000 units capacity in Nepal

Two-wheeler major Hero Motocorp on Sunday said it has opened an assembly facility in Nepal in partnership with its distributor CG Motors. The facility will have a capacity of 75,000 units per annum and will bring new investments and create job opportunities in the region, Hero MotoCorp said in a statement. Four products - - Xpulse 200 4V, Super Splendor, Splendor+ motorcycles and Xoom 110 scooter -- which have been launched in the country - - will be assembled locally at the new assembly facility located in CG Industrial Park in Nawalparasi, it added. "This is an exciting development for us, CG Motors and for Nepal. The state-of-the-art assembly unit will ensure that our world-class products will now be made in Nepal and available to customers across the country," Hero Motocorp Chief Business Officer - Global Business Unit, Sanjay Bhan said. He further said, "The rapid expansion of the sales and service network will enable us to entrench the market with our world-class products and

Tesla cuts price of Full Self-Driving software by a third to $8,000

Earlier this month, Musk said Tesla will unveil its robotaxis on Aug. 8, after Reuters reported Tesla had scrapped its inexpensive, mass-market car in favour of robotaxis

Electric vehicle plant to spacetech: All eyes on X ahead of Elon Musk visit

Elon Musk is expected to meet PM Narendra Modi and announce that Tesla will set up a car and battery plant in India. He may push plans to launch Starlink's broadband services

Daimler India to enter battery electric segment with new gen eCanter

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles on Wednesday said it plans to foray into the domestic battery electric segment with the launch of the all-electric next-generation light duty truck eCanter in the next 6-12 months. The all-new next-generation eCanter had its world premiere in Japan and Europe in the second half of 2022. "The launch of the all-electric eCanter in India, within the next 6 to 12 months, is the first step in our long-term strategy to decarbonise our entire product portfolio," Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) MD and CEO Satyakam Arya said in a statement. However, the reality is that diesel ICE and carbon dioxide neutral propulsion technologies will continue to co-exist in the Indian market for the foreseeable future, he added. "A long-term plan like ours hinges on many complex external factors, some of which are, the availability of a charging and refuelling infrastructure, the availability of green energy, cost parity and wide-scale customer acceptance," Arya .

Tesla plans to lay off more than 10% of its staff amid softening demand

The world's largest automaker by market value had 140,473 employees globally as of December 2023, its latest annual report shows

BP's electric vehicle charging arm reduces over a tenth of workforce

The move comes as automakers across the world tighten their belts amid a slower than expected uptake of EVs

Honda Motors commences work for new warehouse facility in Karnataka

Japanese firm Honda on Monday said it has commenced work for a spare parts warehouse facility in Doddaballapura near Bengaluru, Karnataka. Managed by Honda Cars India, the new facility will support the spare parts operations for all Honda businesses, including Honda Cars India, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, and Honda India Power Products, the company said in a statement. The upcoming facility, which will be operational by the first quarter of FY26, will play an important role in the faster availability of spare parts at Honda dealerships, it added. "This is in line with our commitment towards our customers for providing timely and quicker availability of spare parts for their Honda products," Honda Cars India President and CEO Takuya Tsumura stated. The new facility will not only enhance spare parts accessibility in the southern region of the country but also pave the way for future requirements amid rapid electrification, he added. The development project of the facility will

EVs head for junkyard as mechanic shortage inflates repair costs in UK

Once there are more fully trained EV technicians, repair rather than replace becomes a more viable proposition, an expert said