- Judge orders Elon Musk to court over $1 million giveaway in US election – Reuters
- BYD’s outpacing of Tesla has only just begun – Reuters
- How Volkswagen Lost Its Way in China – New York Times
- BYD beats Tesla in quarterly sales for the first time as demand soars for hybrid EVs – SCMP
- Toyota, NTT to invest $3.3 bln on development of AI platform – Reuters
- Musk due in court as $1 million voter giveaway faces courtroom test – Reuters
- Tesla’s robotaxi will make your commute worse. Elon Musk should focus on the less-hyped … – Fortune
- Hydrogen is a player for Toyota – Automotive News
- BMW bets on hydrogen with new fuel cell drive system debuting in 2028 – Autoblog
- BYD sales beat Tesla for first time in battle of EV giants – Bloomberg
- Elon Musk ordered to attend $1 million voter lottery suit hearing in Philadelphia – CNBC
- Peloton taps Ford executive as new CEO to lead turnaround effort – Fortune
- Toyota 4Runner TRD Surf Concept Hits All the Right Retro ‘Runner Notes – Motortrend
- Mercedes to make Maybach SUV in Alabama – Automotive News
- Court documents reveal how MrBeast pitches brands on sponsoring his YouTube empire – Businessinsider
- Jaguar no longer sells any new cars as F-Pace axed in UK – Autocar
Thursday Morning Auto News, Oct 31, 2024: Judge orders Elon Musk to court. BYD’s outpacing of Tesla has only just begun. Volkswagen lost its way in China. More.
Wednesday Morning Auto News, Oct 30, 2024: VW profit craters. Toyota sales sink in Japan and China. China-EU trade war erupts. Audi to shut Brussels EV factory. More.
- Volkswagen profit drops 64% as China sales slump – FT
- Toyota sales fall in Japan and China, as hybrid demand grows in U.S. – Japantimes
- China-EU trade war erupts as Beijing files WTO complaint over EV tariff hikes – SCMP
- Audi To Shut Production At Brussels EV Factory In February – Barrons
- Beijing complains to the WTO about Europe’s new tariffs on Chinese electric cars – Fortune
- Audi’s Brussels plant may be taken over by LCV maker – Automotive News
- EU tariffs on Chinese electric cars based on WTO rules, Renault boss says – Reuters
- Geely introduces new hybrid tech to rival BYD – Automotive News
- Aston Martin Net Loss Narrowed as New Model Launches Drove Sales – Wall Street Journal
- Toyota’s electric Urban SUV to be twinned with Suzuki eVX – Autocar
- Volvo Buys Northvolt’s Share In Battery Joint Venture – Barrons
- California EV sales inch up but Tesla posts a decline – LATimes
- Former GM designer says firing was retaliatory, files federal lawsuit – Automotive News
- Unions flag strike risk unless VW rules out plant closures – Reuters
- Ford investors impatient for the automaker to rev up efficiency efforts – Reuters
- Toyota to get Suzuki’s first-ever EV as partnership expands – Japantimes
- Stellantis to recall over 33,000 Ram trucks, NHTSA says – Reuters
- Chinese automaker Geely steps up challenge to BYD with new hybrid tech – Reuters
- Hyundai Ioniq 9 to be revealed imminently – Autocar
World’s Largest Automakers, September 2024: China syndrome.
One more time, a new month brought no change in the rankings of World’s Largest Automakers, and with only 3 months to go, no change is expected.
At the top-ranked Toyota Group, sales suffered due to interruptions in the home market Japan (Prius recall, production suspensions of three models) and severe market conditions in China, along with a shift to new energy vehicles. 2024 cumulative Toyota sales were down 16.9% In Japan, and 10.4% in China.
2nd ranked Volkswagen is much more exposed to the severe China market. Roughly 1/3 of Volkswagen Group’s global sales are in China, where Volkswagen Group sales deteriorated by 10.2% from January through September 2024.
With 2024 YTD sales down only 1.6%, #3 Hyundai Group is the healthiest of the three world’s largest automakers.
Caveat: All sales data as reported by the respective automaker. Note that “sales” can be an elastic term, some report hard registrations, some “sales to wholesale,” which can mean cars placed on dealer lots, or transferred to the OEM’s sales organization.
Tuesday Morning Auto News, Oct 29, 2024: Phila. DA sues Musk over voter giveaways. Musk builds compound for his 11 kids and their mothers. Ford lowers outlook. More.
- Philadelphia District Attorney Sues Musk Over $1 Million Voter Giveaways – New York Times
- Elon Musk Bought a Texas Compound for His 11 Kids and Their Mothers – New York Times
- Ford Lowers Forecast Amid Pressure From EV Losses – Bloomberg
- IM first Chinese brand capable of producing L2 to L4 vehicles – Chinadaily
- Fisker hired North Korean spy, Danish magazine reports – Automotive News
- Fast Fords will survive into the electric era – Autocar
- China driver buys used US$14,000 Tesla, finds it will not charge, tows with ox in protest – SCMP
- Volkswagen Aims to Slash Jobs and Close Plants, Works Council Says – Wall Street Journal
- Toyota, NTT to make $3.3 bln R&D investment for AI self – Reuters
- VW may close plants in Germany for the first time in its history – Washington Post
- Ford, VF Corp, Cadence Design, F5, BP, Alphabet, and More Stock Market Movers – Barrons
- Top 10 best supercars for 2024: driven and ranked – Autocar
- Porsche workers join wave of strikes in key German industries – Automotive News
- Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Set to Take Stake in Sports Carmaker McLaren – Bloomberg
- Waymo will lead autonomous driving, not Tesla: Harvest’s Paul Meeks – CNBC
- Elon Musk is the October surprise of the 2024 election – Washington Post
Monday Morning Auto News, Oct 28, 2024: Officials concerned about Musk/Putin talk. VW eyes closing 3 German factories. JLR faces ongoing supply issues. More.
- Officials are concerned about Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin talk – Fortune
- VW Eyes Closing Three German Factories in Cost-Cutting Push – Bloomberg
- JLR faces ongoing supply issues – Autocar
- Obstacles remain for Tesla’s driverless ride-hailing timeframe – Chinadaily
- Biden calls out Musk over a published report that the Tesla CEO once worked in the US illegally – Fortune
- Volvo and Daimler Truck Move Ahead With Vehicle Software Joint Venture – Wall Street Journal
- Reactions to Volkswagen labor chief warning of mass layoffs, plant closures in Germany – Reuters
- How would Trump and Harris supporters handle defeat? Here’s what they say. – Washington Post
- Democratic Senator tries to swim upstream in increasingly Republican Ohio – Reuters
- Mercedes and Porsche’s Fight With China Is Coming Close to Home – Bloomberg
- SAIC’s IM Motors kicks off level 2 plus autonomous driving road testing in Europe – Reuters
- Mercedes, BMW, Porsche battle Chinese rivals at home – Automotive News