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Category: Automotive

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Auto and Car news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Bentley’s New Engineering Test Facility In UK Nears Completion

    Bentley’s New Engineering Test Facility In UK Nears Completion

    A new state-of-the-art engineering test facility, built at the headquarters of Bentley Motors in Crewe, UK, is nearing completion. In place of the traditional final beam marking the occasion, a native British Oak tree was planted by Members of the Bentley Board for Manufacturing and Engineering, laying down roots for the future. The engineering test facility is the latest phase in on-going development at the Pyms Lane site where all Bentleys are handcrafted. With topping out traditionally celebrated with the final construction beam being fitted, Bentley instead planted a tree to signify the company’s continued commitment to increasing sustainability and developing biodiversity around its site in Crewe.

    Dr. Matthias Rabe, Member of the Board for Engineering commented “This new facility will further enhance our already industry-leading, modern factory headquarters and will enable us to grow as we look towards the electrification of our model range. Additionally, and crucially, it will allow us the independence to test our own engines as we rapidly accelerate our journey towards electrification.”

    The facility will complete full internal construction and open in 2021, covering more than 4,600 square meters over two stories. There will also be a dedicated laboratory to run Real Driving Emissions (RDE) using the latest state-of-the-art portable emissions measurement systems. Bentley’s Technical Conformity department will be based in the test center, with over 100 people working in the building.

    The center will allow Bentley to meet increased consumer demand for its current range of ultra-luxury vehicles, including the performance-orientated Flying Spur, the Continental GT, and the New Bentayga. The British marque has already confirmed that it will offer hybrid or electric variants of all of its models by 2023. It will allow Bentley to carry out the latest WLTP fuel and efficiency test procedures more swiftly in-house.

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  • Tesla To Support The Electricity Grid Soon In The Future

    Tesla To Support The Electricity Grid Soon In The Future

    Tesla has announced that in the future its electric cars will be able to feedback the stored energy back to the electricity grid. Tesla’s Model S Long Range Plus model can drive up to 644 kilometers using its 100 kWh battery which is often not fully utilized by its owners unless they plan on going on a long trip. While Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk hasn’t specified when it is coming, he did say at its battery day event that the feature was in the works. The billionaire however clarified that this feature wouldn’t be game-changing as the very concept of electric mobility.

    “Vehicle-to-grid sounds good, but I think actually has a much lower utility than people think,” Musk said.

    Musk instead was of the belief that users should start augmenting the electricity that comes in the household with Tesla’s PowerWall which is a battery-based electricity solution that Tesla sells in the US augmented with solar panels. “I think it’s actually going to be better for people’s freedom of action to have a Powerwall and a car,” said Musk.

    Using the PowerWall, users can even go off-the-grid and be fully self-sufficient on their power needs. That being said, having a Tesla with a 100 kWh battery at home can be very handy in the case of a blackout.  “The amount of energy storage you have driving on four wheels is much more than any electric utility will ever build and put on the grid,” says Gerbrand Ceder, a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

    “So it now starts to make sense that you use this as a resource to stabilize the grid,” he added.

    This news comes as Tesla also announced its new tabless batteries which are more efficient and powerful. Tesla also announced that it was developing a new vehicle at the $25,000 price point which may even have the potential to come to India.

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  • Harley-Davidson Decides To Discontinue India Operations

    Harley-Davidson Decides To Discontinue India Operations

    Harley-Davidson has decided to discontinue its sales and manufacturing operations in India, as part of restructuring actions that the company refers to as ‘The Rewire’ strategy. On Thursday, Harley-Davidson informed its employees of additional restructuring costs amounting to $75 million in 2020, which includes discontinuing the iconic American brand’s operations in India. Total costs associated with ‘The Rewire’ strategy outlined by Jochen Zeitz, President, Chairman and CEO of Harley-Davidson amount to $169 million this year. The motorcycle brand expects to complete the restructuring actions from August to be completed within the next 12 months, which will include optimizing its global dealer network, exiting certain international markets and discontinuing its sales and manufacturing operations in India. In India, Harley-Davidson will reduce the workforce by approximately 70 employees.

    In a statement to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Harley-Davidson outlined the development, adding some details about the restructuring costs.

    “As a result of the actions approved from August 6, 2020 through September 23, 2020, the Company expects to incur restructuring expenses of approximately $75 million in 2020, of which approximately 80% are expected to be cash expenditures, including one-time termination benefits of approximately $3 million, non-current asset adjustments of approximately $5 million, and contract termination and other costs of approximately $67 million. Full implementation of these Rewire actions may require the Company to commit additional funds for additional contract termination and other costs. Including previously disclosed restructuring charges, the Company expects total restructuring expenses associated with Rewire restructuring actions approved through September 23, 2020 of approximately $169 million in 2020. The Company expects to complete the restructuring activities approved through September 23, 2020 within the next 12 months. Announcements associated with additional actions under The Rewire are expected to occur, some of which will likely result in additional restructuring charges,” Harley-Davidson said.

    Harley-Davidson India has responded with a press statement saying that the company is “evaluating options” to continue to serve its customers. While H-D India has said that the manufacturing facility in Bawal will be closed down, and the sales office in Gurugram will be significantly reduced in size, there is still no concrete announcement on how the brand will support its existing customer base in India. All Harley-Davidson India has said is that the dealer network will continue to serve customers through the contract term. Harley-Davidson has 33 dealerships across India, and each dealership will have a different contract term, but how existing customers will be served in terms of spares and service in the future is still not clear. In fact, with the closure of the manufacturing facility in India, the Harley-Davidson Street 750 range will likely be discontinued, as will be assembly operations. But there’s still some hope that the brand will continue to have some presence, importing models from its facility in Thailand, and with India’s Free Trade Agreement, that may work out to be cost-effective as well.

    Harley-Davidson has been under pressure in recent years, with sales of the American motorcycle brand slowing down in several markets around the world. And India seems to be one such market, where Harley-Davidson has been present since 2009, and where the first Harley dealership came up in July 2010. Harley-Davidson still led premium motorcycle sales in India over the last few years, led by the made-in-India Street 750 models. Harley-Davidson also had assembly operations in India at its plant in Haryana, assembling several models from completely knocked down (CKD) kits. In the last financial year, Harley-Davidson sold fewer than 2,500 units in India, and between April-June 2020, only about 100 Harleys were sold in India, making it one of the worst-performing international markets. And just about 10 years since the iconic brand set up shop in the world’s largest motorcycle market, it’s now time to wind up manufacturing and sales.

    Earlier this year, Jochen Zeitz replaced former CEO Matt Levatich as President, Chairman and CEO of Harley-Davidson. Levatich was in Harley-Davidson for 26 years, and with increasingly slowing sales in recent years, his exit was seen as a move to give new strategic vision to revive the brand internationally. ‘The Rewire’ plan outlined by Zeitz intends to re-look Harley-Davidson’s product strategy, as well as focus on about 50 markets, mainly in North America, Europe and parts of Asia Pacific, that represent the “majority of the company’s volume and growth potential.” And India, the world’s largest motorcycle market, seems to have been given the miss from those important markets where Harley-Davidson sees potential growth.

  • Harley-Davidson Street 750 To Be Discontinued

    Harley-Davidson Street 750 To Be Discontinued

    Harley-Davidson has announced the brand’s decision to discontinue sales and manufacturing operations in India, as part of the brand’s ‘Rewire’ strategy. Harley-Davidson India has released a press statement saying that the company will shut down its manufacturing facility in Bawal, and the sales office in Gurugram will be significantly reduced in size. The made-in-India Harley-Davidson models, the Harley-Davidson Street 750 and the Harley-Davidson Street Rod will now be discontinued. According to a source, a decision to discontinue the Street range was taken months ago, and that is why Harley-Davidson India was offering massive discounts on these models.

    Only last month, Harley-Davidson announced massive price cuts on the Street range of motorcycles. The Street 750, India’s highest-selling Harley-Davidson motorcycle, is also the most affordable, and the company announced a price cut of ₹ 65,000, lowering the price to ₹ 4.69 lakh (Ex-showroom). The Harley-Davidson Street Rod, on the other hand, was offered with price cuts of ₹ 77,000 with prices starting at ₹ 5.99 lakh (Ex-showroom). In fact, Harley-Davidson Street 750 used to Harley-Davidson India’s highest-selling model, accounting for over 80 percent of Harley-Davidson’s sales in India for several years in a row.

    According to one source familiar with the developments, the price cuts for the Street range were announced to liquidate existing stock of motorcycles. With Harley-Davidson planning to shut down manufacturing operations in India, both the Street 750 and Street Rod would have been discontinued anyway. Now, Harley-Davidson has said that the dealership network in India, totaling 33 across the country, will continue to support existing customers through the contract term. But each dealership will have a different contract term and there’s still no concrete announcement on how existing customers will be served in the future, in terms of service and spares.

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  • Maruti Suzuki Launches Its Car Subscription Programme In Delhi, NCR And Bengaluru

    Maruti Suzuki Launches Its Car Subscription Programme In Delhi, NCR And Bengaluru

    Expanding its vehicle subscription program – Marti Suzuki Subscribe, to newer cities, the carmaker today launched it in Delhi, NCR (Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurugram) and Bengaluru. Earlier in August, the company had launched a pilot program for its vehicle subscription model, in partnership with Myles Automotive Technologies, in Pune and Hyderabad. However, this time around, the company has partnered with Orix Auto Infrastructure Services India to offer its car subscription program to individual buyers in Delhi, NCR and Bengaluru. The carmaker says that with this subscription model, it aims to offer easy, and flexible car ownership options to its customers.

    The subscription plan will include a duration ranging from 12 to 48 months, depending on customer preference, and will involve an all-inclusive monthly subscription fee. There will be no down payment, and the monthly charge will cover expenses like maintenance, zero dep insurance, and 24×7 roadside assistance. And all this will be handled by Orix India, through Maruti Suzuki’s dealer channel. To give you an example, the subscription fee for a Swift Lxi in Delhi, for a tenure of 48 months, starts at ₹ 14,463 (including taxes). In July too the company had launched a subscription program with Orix in Bengaluru and Gurugram, but now the prices have come down.

    After the completion of the subscription tenure, the customer can either opt to upgrade to a new vehicle, extend the tenure, or buy the car at market price. Under the new program, customers can select their desired Maruti Suzuki car – Swift, Dzire, Vitara Brezza or Ertiga from Maruti Suzuki Arena, and the Baleno, Ciaz or XL6 from the Nexa line up.

    Commenting on the new ownership program, Shashank Srivastava, Executive Director (Marketing and Sales) Maruti Suzuki India said, “The vehicle subscription market is new to India and as such offers huge untapped potential. Globally, the penetration of such a leasing program varies between 5% and 30%. The comprehensive Maruti Suzuki Subscribe initiative offers customers multiple advantages and peace of mind from the botheration of maintenance costs and insurance renewal. The program is especially focussed to bring convenience to the individual customers.” He further added, “Progressively we aim to offer Maruti Suzuki Subscribe in 40-60 cities in the next 2-3 years.”

    At the time of getting the new car, customers will have the option to register the vehicle in either white plate, that is under the name of the customer itself, or black plate with all India permit, in which case it will be registered in the name of Orix.

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  • Ducati Introduces MyDucati Mobile App For Customers

    Ducati Introduces MyDucati Mobile App For Customers

    In a bid to connect with their customers and offer a single platform for all things Ducati, the Italian bike maker has introduced the MyDucati mobile app globally. The new application is available on both Android and iOS platforms and can be downloaded for free from the respective app stores. The MyDucati app brings the Italian manufacturer’s world under one roof for the user that includes new experiences, access to nearest dealerships, exclusive content, and preview to the brand’s upcoming model range. Existing MyDucati users will be able to sign up with the same credentials on the new app as the website.

    Some of the salient bits on the MyDucati app include the Garage section where the customers can consult the documentation of their motorcycle and carry a digital Ducati Card, which is the company’s official Ducatista document. The app also allows you to configure its motorcycles virtually, while owners can also customize their own rides by uploading a picture. The app allows you to save and share the picture with your friends and even the dealer.

    Furthermore, the MyDucati app can locate the closest dealer based on geo-localization, consult the services available, and even make an appointment for a test ride with a few clicks. There’s also a News section that keeps users up to date in real-time about all that’s happening around the world under the Ducati brand. There is a reserved section for the Desmo Owners Club (DOC) community where the members can interact with each other and share their experiences. The app will also offer access to promotions and personalized services based on the interests and preferences selected by the user.

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  • Skoda To Add 100 New Dealers In India By The End Of 2020

    Skoda To Add 100 New Dealers In India By The End Of 2020

    Skoda Auto India is currently focusing on expanding its footprint across the country. Apart from adding new outlets, the company will also be replacing the existing ones, who do not have enough financial resources to expand with the brand. The Czech automaker is working on the dealer expansion network throughout the country alongside its digital sales growth. The automaker intends to double its dealership network by 2022 as a part of project India 2.0.

    As per the original plan, the company aimed to strengthen its network by opening 124 new dealers by the end of this year. However, the plans were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the brand has revised its target to 100 new outlets by the end of this year.

    Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the Rapid automatic, Zac Hollis, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said, “We have reduced our target to 100 by this year-end and 130 by the middle of next year. This year we will open new outlets in Bhopal, Mysore, and Guwahati, and new service centers with completely new dealers in Navi Mumbai and other places. This year we will add 27 new outlets.”

    The company also confirmed that it will not be introducing the Kodiaq RS in the Indian market. But, the BS6 Kodiaq TSI model will hit the market by early next year. The recently launched the Skoda Rapid TSI automatic in India with a starting price of ₹ 7.49 lakh and goes up to ₹ 13.29 lakh (all prices ex-showroom).

  • Driver Arrested For Sleeping While Tesla Was On Autopilot At 140 kmph

    Driver Arrested For Sleeping While Tesla Was On Autopilot At 140 kmph

    A Tesla driver in Alberta, Canada was arrested for sleeping while the car was cruising at 140 kmph on the Autopilot. “Alberta RCMP received a complaint of a car speeding on Highway 2 near Ponoka. The car appeared to be self-driving, traveling over 140 km/h with both front seats completely reclined & occupants appeared to be asleep,” posted the official RCMP twitter account.

    “The driver received a Dangerous Driving charge & summons for court,” tweeted the RCMP. In a more detailed report on its own website, it was revealed that the driver was a 20-year old whose license was suspended for fatigue. “Although manufacturers of new vehicles have built-in safeguards to prevent drivers from taking advantage of the new safety systems in vehicles, those systems are just that – supplemental safety systems,” Superintendent Gary Graham of Alberta RCMP Traffic Services stated in the RCMP report. It also noted that Tesla’s didn’t come equipped with self-driving systems and onus is still on the driver to drive the car.

    Tesla itself doesn’t allow its users to implement the Autopilot feature for full autonomous use. It also adds a number of safeguards such as reminders and requires the driver’s hand on the steering wheel frequently for staying enabled. That being said, many users have proven the ability to manipulate the system and the same has been pointed out by many on Twitter who noted that this was probably a prank.

    This comes at the backdrop of Tesla’s founder claiming that a big update for its autonomous capabilities is in the works thanks to the neural network it is running on the DOJO supercomputer. The latest Tesla’s run its FSD chips for its autopilot capability while the older ones are based on Nvidia’s semiconductors. Next week, Tesla is also slated to announce some big updates related to its battery tech at its battery day event.

  • Benelli May Launch A New Four-Cylinder Motorcycle

    Benelli May Launch A New Four-Cylinder Motorcycle

    Benelli may showcase a brand-new sportbike with a new inline four-cylinder engine at the China International Motorcycle Trade Expo (CIMA) which will take place at Chongqing from September 19, 2020 till September 22, 2020. CIMA is set to be one of the only large motorcycles shows to be held this year, with both the EICMA and Intermot shows being canceled. Benelli, which is owned by Chinese giant Qianjiang Group, is set to showcase several new and upcoming motorcycle models at the CIMA.

    The brand is teasing the new bike and new engine on the Chinese language website, and there are no details available yet, other than what we can see from the images. And from the looks of it, Benelli will be unveiling a new motorcycle, as well as a new four-cylinder engine, although if both are related is not clear at this stage. The bike may not come fitted with the new engine and has been teased with the image of a covered motorcycle. And considering the image is not of a real motorcycle, it’s difficult to ascertain what kind of bike it will be. But one of Benelli’s most anticipated bikes is the slightly bigger adventure tourer, with a 800 cc parallel-twin engine, and it could very well be that, the new Benelli TRK 800, which will be unveiled at the show.

    If it’s indeed the TRK 800, which will be showcased at the CIMA, then the engine will probably be a standalone unveil. From the pixelated image, it’s not easy to make out the details of the engine, but what is clear is that it’s a four-cylinder motor with double overhead cams and liquid-cooling. From what we can make out, the engine doesn’t look like Benelli’s existing 600 cc inline-four, which is used in the Benelli TNT 600i, so this could be a new engine. The only question that remains is what kind of bike will this new four-cylinder engine be used on? From all indications, Benelli may be planning a new model offensive, apart from updating its existing line-up with new styling and feature updates. More details will be revealed at the CIMA.

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  • Hero Electric Ties Up With GoWash To Provide Electric Scooters

    Hero Electric Ties Up With GoWash To Provide Electric Scooters

    Hero Electric has partnered with Nagpur-based doorstep vehicle washing and auto detailing service provider GoWash. As part of the partnership, professionals of GoWash will use customized Hero Electric NYX HS500 ER electric scooters fitted with a dedicated compartment box at the rear while going for doorstep detailing and washing service. GoWash aims to start with 12 washing vehicles and provide service to 1,500 customers in September 2020. Later, they will be deploying 50 washing vehicles and aim at providing service to 6,000 customers by November 2020 in Nagpur city.

    Speaking on the partnership, Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric said, “Hero Electric is proud to partner with GoWash as this collaboration further strengthens our mission of providing eco-friendly mobility solutions to people. Hero Electric has always been an advocate of adopting sustainable practices by using electric mobility and GoWash has proven to have the best expertise in auto-detailing services while nurturing environmental practices. With this, we aim to expand the horizon for the adoption of electric vehicles and are excited to support GoWash in its vision.”

    Yashwant Budhwani, Founder and CEO of GoWash said, “For us at GoWash, it is not about being the No.1; it’s about being the best. best in service to the customers as well as create the best employment platform. All in all, we want to make this planet a better living place.”

    GoWash plans to expand its operations to Bengaluru in 2021. Customers can book a service on the company’s smartphone application. Along with vehicle washing services, GoWash also provides where customers can avail ceramic and PU coating services at nominal rates.

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  • Nissan ends partnership with current Vietnam distributor

    Nissan ends partnership with current Vietnam distributor

    Japanese carmaker Nissan has announced it will officially cut ties with its current distributor in Vietnam, Tan Chong, at the end of September.

    Both sides said they will part ways on September 30, ending all their partnerships in the production and distribution of Nissan vehicles for the Vietnamese market.

    Before ending ties with Malaysian-owned Tan Chong Motor Holdings, the automaker put Nissan X-Trail and Sunny models on clearance discount to try and sell its remaining inventory of vehicles assembled in Da Nang City.

    Tan Chong, a multinational corporation based in Malaysia, is not only the official distributor of Nissan in Malaysia and Vietnam, but also in Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

    A representative of Tan Chong in Vietnam told local media that sales of Nissan models in Vietnam will still happen as usual until the official termination of the joint venture. Local dealerships will continue to provide warranty and technical support services for customers post-purchase.

  • Honda Motorcycle And Scooter India To Launch A New Premium Motorcycle This Month

    Honda Motorcycle And Scooter India To Launch A New Premium Motorcycle This Month

    Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India are all set to launch a new premium motorcycle on September 30, 2020. But which motorcycle is it exactly, is still a mystery. For all you know, it could be the Honda CBR1000RR-R, whose bookings started in July itself. But our sources suggest that it is likely to be an all-new model, which will have a displacement between 300 cc to 500 cc and the model is likely to go up against Royal Enfield, the king of the segment in that range.

    Honda has updated its 500 cc range of motorcycles for 2021 featuring all-new color schemes, as well as other minor changes to bring them in line with the latest emission regulations for global markets. These include the Honda CB500X, Honda CBR500R, and the Honda CB500F. So the new model could be one of the updated 500 cc models too.

    We suspect that Honda is likely to use an existing international model, set it up according to India (specifications and equipment), and introduce it as a new model. The company did something similar with the Honda Hornet 2.0. It is based on the CB190R, which is an international model.

    Though, the one detail Honda confirms is that the new motorcycle will be an all-new model for India. The new model will be retailed through Honda’s BigWing network which exclusively caters to sales and after-sales of Honda’s premium 300 cc plus bikes. Expect the company to release more information closer to the date of the launch.

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  • Fiat Chrysler Automobiles And Groupe PSA Amend Merger Terms To Conserve Cash

    Fiat Chrysler Automobiles And Groupe PSA Amend Merger Terms To Conserve Cash

    Peugeot maker PSA and Fiat Chrysler (FCA) have restructured the terms of their planned merger to conserve cash, and also stepped up the promised levels of cost-cutting during the pandemic. The two companies, which are set to merge into Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest carmaker, said in a joint statement late on Monday that FCA would cut to 2.9 billion euros ($3.4 billion) the cash portion of a 5.5 billion euro special dividend its shareholders will receive under the terms of the accord they signed last year.

    France’s PSA, whose brand portfolio also includes Citroen and Opel, will in turn postpone the planned spinoff of its 46% stake in parts maker Faurecia until after the merger’s closing and extend it to all shareholders of the new group. Faurecia’s market capitalization is around 5.9 billion euros. “Amendments preserve the balance of original combination agreement,” the two groups said, adding that ownership of Stellantis would still be split 50/50 between current PSA and FCA shareholders.

    A source said on Monday that the aim of those changes was to reinforce the balance sheet structure of both companies after the COVID-19 crisis and ensure that the merger plan is concluded as soon as possible.

    Analysts had argued that such a large cash payout to FCA shareholders, led by controlling investor EXOR , the holding company of Italy’s Agnelli family, could weaken the new carmaker’s finances, as the auto industry is paying a high price for the coronavirus outbreak.

    Confirming last week that the deal was on track, FCA Chief Executive Mike Manley said both he and PSA CEO Carlos Tavares were aware of the need for the two firms to get to the merger with the strongest balance sheets possible as well as for shareholders to get what they expected.

    FCA and PSA said annual estimated synergies from their merger were now seen at more than 5 billion euros, compared with an initial estimate of over 3.7 billion.

    The two carmakers confirmed that they expect to complete the tie-up process by the end of the first quarter of 2021.

    Both earlier this year scrapped dividend payments on 2019 results, each worth 1.1 billion euros.

  • Auto sales down with 25 percent

    Auto sales down with 25 percent

    Auto sales fell 25 percent year-on-year in the first eight months to 151,903 units due to the continuing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Passenger cars accounted for 109,694 units, followed by commercial vehicles and special-purpose vehicles, according to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA).

    Sales in August, when Vietnam saw a fresh eruption of Covid-19 linked to central Da Nang City, fell 14 percent from July to 20,655 vehicles. This ended a rise in sales for three consecutive months from May. April sales had plummeted after the government imposed social distancing.

    Local brand Truong Hai Auto (Thaco) retained the top spot even as its year-to-date sales fell 16 percent to 49,940 units for a 34.3 percent market share.

    It was followed by Toyota with 34,743 units and Honda with 14,850 units, both down nearly 30 percent. Mitsubishi and Ford rounded off the top five. On June 28 the government cut first-time registration fees by half for locally made vehicles to foster sales amid the pandemic. The reduction will last through this year before returning to old levels on January 1, 2021. Auto sales had risen 11.7 percent year-on-year to 322,322 units last year.

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  • Tesla Launches Fast Electric Car Charging In Berlin

    Tesla Launches Fast Electric Car Charging In Berlin

    Managers at electric carmaker Tesla Inc on Thursday demonstrated new supercharger equipment on a Berlin research campus, saying they were looking at more target cities to attract potential buyers worried about access to charging.

    “Now, as part of our commitment to make Tesla ownership easy and convenient for everyone including those without immediate access to home or workplace charging, we are expanding out supercharging network into city centers,” said Jeroen van Tilburg, manager Europe of charging infrastructure at Tesla.

    A company spokesman told reporters Tesla would open at least one more inner-city fast-charging site in Germany in 2020, possibly more.

    He stressed that Tesla still believed in the slow workplace and residential charging as the main way to charge vehicles but wanted to offer a quicker option.

    The so-called V3 charger allows Tesla Model 3 cars to charge within five minutes enough to travel 120 kilometers (75 miles). Older Tesla models would receive relevant software upgrades. German policymakers aim to boost the demand for electric cars to cut emissions.

    “We have a lot to make up for in terms of charging infrastructure,” said Germany’s Economy Minister Peter Altmaier at the event.

    He reiterated pledges to speed the roll-out of public charging points and permits for private charging which had hampered sales in the past.

    The latest legislation for a green-led recovery after the coronavirus crisis offers buyers incentives and helps bump up power grids.

    Tesla has chosen a site near Berlin for a new factory due to start operating next year.

    Separately to the event, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper said on Thursday the factory had the potential to create 40,000 jobs, citing the economy minister of Brandenburg state.

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