Archives for May 2019

• Volkswagen will introduce robotaxis in China – Automotive News: Volkswagen Group plans to roll out autonomous vehicles and offer mobility services such as ride-hailing and short-term rental in Hefei with local …
• China Trade Fight Raises Specter of Rare-Earth Shortage – WSJ: The U.S-China trade dispute has sent prices surging in rare-earth metals, an obscure but critical market for industries ranging from electric cars to fuel …
• GM, Ford Slip as U.S. Auto Sector Hit by Trump’s Mexico Threat – Bloomberg: U.S. autos makers and parts suppliers were among the sectors hit hardest in early Friday trading after President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a tariff of up to …
• Underused Factories Spur Fiat, Renault Merger Ambitions – WSJ: The proposed merger of Fiat Chrysler and Renault could unlock big savings for two of Europe’s biggest but least profitable auto makers by reducing excess …
• BMW’s $1 Billion Factory Caught in Trump’s Mexican Standoff – Bloomberg: President Donald Trump’s vow to impose a 5% tariff on Mexican goods comes just in time to hit exports from a $1 billion BMW AG factory that opens in the …
• Ford recycles 1.2 billion plastic bottles a year for auto parts – CNBC: Ford Motors is taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint by recycling plastic bottles and using them to manufacture vehicle parts.

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• Renault chairman lays out benefits of proposed merger with FCA – Nikkei:
• Tesla Dealt Another Blow When Barclays Calls It a `Niche Carmaker` – Bloomberg: The blows keep coming for Tesla Inc., even as the shares have shed about a fifth of their value in the past month. The latest knock comes from Barclays analyst …
• Companies Like Apple That Depend on Rare Earth Metals Have Nowhere to Turn – Barrons: Trade tensions took their toll on Apple stock at the end of last year and in … Tesla (TSLA), for example, up 0.61% to $189.86, has been supplied with …
• FCA-Renault merger deal had a secret code name – Freep: Every secret operation deserves a code name, including a merger proposal from one automaker to another. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ recently …
• Fiat Chrysler`s Plan to Merge With Renault Could Bring M&A – Barrons: Fiat Chrysler’s proposal to merge with Renault has put large-scale automotive M&A back in the spotlight.

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• Analysis | The Finance 202: Trump promised an auto renaissance. The industry has hit a skid. – Washington Post: THE TICKER.
• Mahindra quarterly profit slumps on weak India automobile demand – Nikkei:
• French state wants balanced shareholding in Renault/Fiat deal – Reuters: The French state will seek guarantees for a balance between France and Italy in the future shareholders’ pact sealed under a proposed merger between carmakers Renault and Fiat Chrysler, a government spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
• Europe’s Steel Sector Is Suffering. These Charts Show Why – Bloomberg: Steel, a business notoriously sensitive to changing winds of economic growth, has been battered by weaker demand, a knock-on effect of lower car …
• Peugeot Chief Sees Fiat Deal as ‘Virtual Takeover’ of Renault – Bloomberg: Now Tavares may be left with options such as a potential tie-up with Jaguar Land Rover. More than three-quarters of PSA’s revenue comes from …
• Porsche CEO Blume investigated by German prosecutors, paper says – Automotive News: German prosecutors are investigating Porsche CEO Oliver Blume over a possible breach of fiduciary trust tied to payments made to a …

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• Merger with Renault has potential to make Fiat Chrysler a heavyweight – Freep: A week ago, a hungry Chinese or Indian automaker seemed a likelier mate for FCA than Renault. The fear was a rapacious wannabe would make a …
• Tesla’s China-made Model 3 reportedly may be priced in the $43,400 to $50,700 range – CNBC: Tesla is considering pricing its China-manufactured Model 3 vehicles between $43,431 and $50,670 before subsidies.
• VW to reshuffle $56B battery push as Samsung deal at risk – Automotive News: Samsung initially agreed with VW to deliver batteries for just over 20 gigawatt hours, enough to power 200,000 cars, before different views on production volume and schedule emerged during detailed negotiations.
• France wants FCA-Renault job guarantees and Nissan on board – Reuters: * Nissan CEO says open to “constructive discussions” (Adds Renault chairman in Japan, Nissan comments)
• DealBook Briefing: The Long Road Ahead for Fiat Chrysler and Renault – New York Times: There’s plenty of complexity involved in the automakers’ proposed merger.

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• Factbox: Auto industry consolidation – mega-mergers and alliances – Reuters: mega-mergers and alliances Reuters UK Italian-American carmaker Fiat Chrysler on Monday proposed a merger of equals with France’s Renault in a deal that could create the world’s third-biggest …
• Renault Considering Fiat’s Offer to Merge Into a New Auto Giant – New York Times: The French carmaker Renault on Monday said it was considering a proposal by Fiat Chrysler to merge and form a global partnership aimed at improving their …
• Analysis | Fiat-Renault Mega-Merger Is Born of Desperation – Washington Post: Politics and the cost of developing electric vehicles have pushed two of Europe’s biggest carmakers together.
• Italy’s Salvini says government supports FCA’s growth, expects it to protect jobs – Reuters: Italy supports Fiat Chrysler’s growth plans and does not expect them to lead to job losses, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said after the carmaker made a “transformative” merger proposal to Renault.
• Renault’s board “studying with interest” Fiat Chrysler deal terms – Reuters: French carmaker Renault said it was “studying with interest” the terms of the proposed merger with Fiat Chrysler (FCA).
• Fiat Chrysler seeks Renault merger to meet auto challenges – Reuters: FCA-Renault merger bid to create global No.3 auto group … It would rank third in the global auto industry behind Japan’s Toyota and Germany’s …

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• Daimler’s new CEO touts green strategy – Automotive News: Daimler’s new boss Ola Kallenius is following an ambitious path to make the automaker more sustainable, that foresees every second Mercedes sold by 2030 …
• Ex-Lyft and Uber Driver in Virginia Was Responsible for Torture in Somalia in ’80s, Jury Finds – New York Times: He had a high rating on the ride-hailing app, and had made at least 76 trips as a Lyft driver until last September, the company said. But Mr. Ali, who …
• BMW joins electric scooter market – Automotive News: After adding the full-size X7 SUV this year, BMW is getting into a much tinier category — a 799 euro ($890) electric scooter similar to those offered by …
• Trump returns to Japan for a visit heavy on sumo and symbolism – Latimes: President Trump leaves Friday for his second trip to Japan – with a return visit planned next month – as both governments seek to repair an alliance …
• Nissan looks for ways to use long-lasting EV batteries – Automotive News: Nissan is testing ways to use EV batteries outside of the car. The automaker’s data shows that the batteries used by its Leaf will outlast the car by 10-12 years.

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• Tesla shares set to fall for a seventh straight day as more analysts warn of trouble – CNBC: Tesla was set for its seventh straight day of losses ahead of the opening … Jonas went on to say that neither Amazon nor Apple – rumored to once …
• Trump car tariffs would be a ‘first-order slap in the economic face,’ Citi’s Buiter says – CNBC: The global economy would be hit hard if President Donald Trump decides to impose steep tariffs on imported cars, Citi’s Willem Buiter told CNBC on Thursday, …
• Nissan board nominees not broaching merger issue: member – Reuters: Nissan Motor Co is not considering the possibility of a merger with top shareholder Renault at the moment, and none of the nominees to the Japanese …
• The best of Morgan Stanley’s Adam Jonas – FT: Some argue that SpaceX could offer Tesla a resilient cybersecure pipe for this precious vehicle data and a potential competitive advantage. So Elon …
• Lynk & CO CEO outlines plans for ‘wild horse’ brand – Automotive News: Lynk & CO’s Alain Visser said the new automaker sees itself as a “mobility brand with a car,” making it the “wild horse” in China’s Geely Holding Group that also includes Volvo and Lotus.
• Nissan looks for ways to use long-lasting EV batteries – Automotive News: Data from Nissan shows the batteries used by its Leaf electric car will outlast the vehicle by 10-12 years, said Francisco …
• Bosch Settles German Diesel-Engine Probe for $100 Million – Bloomberg: Robert Bosch GmbH agreed to pay 90 million euros ($100 million) to end a probe by German prosecutors into rigged diesel engines, following much more costly …

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