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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.

  • Water to Add 123 EV Chargers Across 23 Highway Sites in South Korea

    Water to Add 123 EV Chargers Across 23 Highway Sites in South Korea

    South Korean renewable energy developer Brite Energy Partners will open 23 ultra-fast electric vehicle charging stations across the country’s national highway network through its charging brand, Water. The expansion installs 123 high-output chargers at highway service plazas across Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, Gangwon, and Gyeongsang provinces, with the initial site opening ahead of a scheduled October launch.

    Ultra-fast 400 kW hardware forms the backbone of the rollout, representing 62 of the planned plugs alongside 46 units rated at 200 kW and 15 units at 100 kW. The installation targets high-voltage vehicle architectures capable of drawing top-tier power rates during short rest stops.

    Hardware Mix and Connector Strategy

    Every stall across the 23 locations provides both DC Combo and North American Charging Standard (NACS) plugs. Integrating NACS connectors allows Tesla drivers to draw between 120 kW and 200 kW directly without third-party adapters. Stations with 400 kW units cater directly to 800-volt battery architectures, cutting session lengths during high-traffic travel periods.

    Operations began ahead of schedule at the Cheongju service plaza on the Seoul-bound Gyeongbu Expressway. The site operates as South Korea’s first highway rest stop equipped with 400 kW equipment, pairing two ultra-fast units with two 200 kW chargers.

    Tariffs and Rest Area Expansion

    Registered members receive a promotional electricity rate of 294 won per kilowatt-hour for 12 months following each station’s commission date. That pricing undercuts the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment’s standard roaming tariff for chargers above 200 kW by roughly 100 won per kilowatt-hour.

    Competition among charging point operators in South Korea centers increasingly on access to prime highway concession locations managed by the state turnpike operator. By securing sites through the Korea Expressway Corporation, Water captures high-turnover dwell traffic that commercial urban charging hubs struggle to match.

    “Highway rest areas are essentially the only locations where charging speed directly impacts a driver’s time, which is why we chose to participate in the Korea Expressway Corporation’s infrastructure expansion project by deploying the highest-output chargers available,” said Yoo Dae-won, Head of the Electric Vehicle Charging Business Unit (Water) at Bright Energy Partners.

    Network Footprint Across South Korea

    Placing multi-standard ultra-fast plugs on key intercity routes alters route planning for long-distance fleet operators and passenger drivers alike. The dual-cable design shields the network against connector obsolescence as more international automakers adopt NACS standards alongside existing Combined Charging System protocols.

    Capital intensity remains the primary pressure point for independent charge point operators across the region. Grid connection costs and peak-demand utility charges on 400 kW hardware test profitability, requiring sustained throughput and high utilization rates to offset promotional retail tariffs.

    Highway Concessions and Long-Distance Transit

    The turnpike program expands on earlier provincial charging initiatives rolled out across South Korea’s secondary roads over recent fiscal periods. State tenders have shifted focus from ubiquitous low-power neighborhood chargers to concentrated high-capacity rest stops along major freight and commuter corridors.

    Completing the rollout brings Water’s total highway footprint to 397 chargers distributed across 73 rest areas nationwide. Commissioning schedules for the remaining 22 sites run through the coming quarters across the four targeted provinces.

  • Hyundai Opens UK Orders for Ioniq 3 Compact EV at £18,495

    Hyundai Opens UK Orders for Ioniq 3 Compact EV at £18,495

    Hyundai Motor opened UK order books on Monday for its Ioniq 3 electric hatchback. Entry pricing starts at £18,495 on the road after government subsidies.

    The sub-£20,000 opening price applies to the base Advance 42 kWh trim. That reflects the £3,750 UK Electric Car Grant deducted from its £22,245 list price.

    Buyers choosing the larger 61 kWh pack pay £21,995 after the grant, down from £25,745. The top-tier N Line Evo tops the range at £28,195. Existing reservation holders who switch to binding orders get the full £3,750 state subsidy rather than the £1,500 promotional factory discount Hyundai initially planned. Showroom deliveries in the UK begin this month.

    Powertrain splits and charging specifications

    Engineering teams in Rüsselsheim, Germany, developed the 4.15-metre hatchback on a 400-volt variation of the group’s E-GMP electric architecture. Production for European and British markets goes to the carmaker’s plant in Izmit, Turkey. Dimensions run 4,155 mm long, 1,800 mm wide, and 1,505 mm high on a 2,680 mm wheelbase. The car pairs a 0.263 drag coefficient with 441 litres of rear cargo capacity.

    Two lithium-ion battery capacities determine performance across five model configurations. The entry 42.2 kWh pack pairs with a 108 kW front motor producing 145 horsepower. That delivers up to 344 kilometres, or 213 miles, of WLTP driving range. For 61 kWh long-range models, a 99.5 kW motor produces 133 horsepower and delivers up to 496 kilometres, or 308 miles, per charge.

    Both packs support direct-current fast charging at peak rates between 110 kW and 119 kW. A 10 to 80 per cent charge takes 29 minutes for the base battery and 30 minutes for the larger pack. Buyers can also specify an optional 22 kW onboard alternating-current charger for faster depot and home charging. Standard equipment includes the Android Automotive OS-based Pleos Connect interface with screens up to 14.6 inches, bidirectional Vehicle-to-Load capability, and the SmartSense driver-assistance suite.

    Pricing structure and retail financing

    Cash pricing and monthly personal contract purchase rates target high-volume retail buyers seeking long range on tighter budgets. Stepping up from the 42 kWh Advance to the 61 kWh version adds £3,500, taking post-grant pricing to £21,995. Mid-tier Premium trims with the 61 kWh pack cost £23,695. The top Ultimate trim costs £26,195 and adds matrix LED lighting alongside highway driving assistance systems.

    Hyundai Finance paired the launch with an entry personal contract purchase plan for the 61 kWh Advance model. The 48-month contract requires a £355 customer deposit and £355 monthly payments at an 8.9 per cent representative APR. In continental Europe, order books opened simultaneously. Base German retail pricing starts at €28,950 before regional incentives, backed by a €209 monthly leasing offer.

    Securing the full £3,750 Electric Car Grant across every version means we can now turn that interest into orders at a price that puts a genuinely spacious, long-range electric car within reach of far more drivers.

    Asian export strategy and segment competition

    Pricing the 308-mile long-range version at £21,995 places direct pressure on European incumbents and Chinese battery-electric imports in Britain. The Ioniq 3 arrives below the Renault 5 E-Tech, which retails from £21,495 with shorter range. It also undercuts the £23,990 entry price of BYD’s Dolphin G DM-i plug-in variant. Against sister brand Kia’s EV2, which shares the E-GMP 400V platform but caps range at 448 kilometres, the car holds a clear aerodynamic range advantage.

    South Korean automakers are adjusting European production footprints to protect margins against shifting tariffs and shipping costs from East Asian plants. Assembling the Ioniq 3 in Turkey while keeping software and battery design at group technical centres lets Hyundai avoid punitive import duties faced by Chinese pure-play EV makers. It also protects retail price parity. For Asian automotive suppliers, the high-volume rollout creates steady demand for 400-volt motor units, wiring harnesses, and battery management modules.

    Focusing on Europe reflects a deliberate geographic split in Seoul’s electric vehicle catalog. Larger 800-volt models like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 anchor brand volume in North America and Asia-Pacific markets. In the United States, where buyers favor larger crossovers, Hyundai confirmed it has no plans to introduce the smaller Ioniq 3.

    Earlier platform milestones and factory ramp

    The UK order launch follows an August preview where Hyundai tested customer appetite with a temporary £1,500 reservation incentive before securing category certification under the British grant scheme. Over the prior twelve months, the group converted capacity at its Izmit plant to build the E-GMP architecture alongside internal combustion superminis. German engineering trials had locked in the 0.263 drag profile earlier.

    British dealership demonstrator fleets will complete registration by the end of October. Factory delivery times for custom orders and wholesale shipments from Turkey through the first quarter of 2027 will show whether Hyundai converts early UK reservations into sustained European market share.

  • Toyota Commits $3.6 Billion to Shift Tacoma Production to Texas

    Toyota Commits $3.6 Billion to Shift Tacoma Production to Texas

    Toyota Motor has committed $3.6 billion to expand its San Antonio plant and relocate Tacoma pickup production from Mexico to Texas as carmakers adjust to a 25 percent import tariff on foreign-built vehicles in October 2026.

    The Japanese automaker joins General Motors and Ford in reallocating capital to domestic assembly lines, yet industry economists warn that tariff volatility is stalling broader supply chain investments across the sector.

    Tariff Pressure and North American Assembly

    Japanese automotive groups face difficult calculations as United States trade policy penalizes cross-border supply networks across Mexico and Canada. Toyota is pouring $3.6 billion into its Texas operations to bring Tacoma pickup manufacturing inside American borders, insulating its light-truck volume from cross-border import levies. General Motors is spending $4 billion across facilities in Michigan, Kansas and Tennessee to adjust its footprint.

    Honda Motor faces a different dilemma. The carmaker is operating near full capacity across its North American plants and has evaluated site selection for a new assembly plant, but executive leadership paused commitments in August due to unresolved trade disputes between the United States and Canada under the USMCA trade agreement.

    Supplier Margins Squeezed by Policy Shifts

    Parts manufacturers and technology suppliers lack the balance-sheet flexibility of finished-vehicle assemblers. Investment by automotive component suppliers plunged from more than $8 billion in the first quarter of 2025 to roughly $600 million across the middle quarters of the year, according to figures compiled by the Center for Automotive Research.

    The supplier sector employs 930,000 workers in the United States and has absorbed substantial unrecovered tariff expenses. Survey data from MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association, shows that nearly 80 percent of component vendors rank government trade policy changes as one of their four largest operational threats over the coming twelve months, alongside broader economic weakness and soft vehicle retail sales.

    The Long Cycle of Capital Allocation

    Automotive assembly investments require decades to deliver returns on capital, creating friction with short-term tariff revisions. Industry projections from Mobility Global indicate United States vehicle output will remain flat at 10 million units in 2026 before rising toward 11.3 million units by 2030 once major plant reconfigurations enter commercial service.

    Deloitte reports that component suppliers have recovered only half of their tariff-related cost burdens. In response, parts vendors are curtailing speculative capacity expansion and shifting capital budgets directly into factory automation and robotics to preserve operating margins.

    Employment Rebounds Below Previous Peak

    United States automotive manufacturing payrolls tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics stood at just under 1.8 million workers in September 2026. While that figure represents a gain of nearly 1 percent since January 2025, total sector employment remains more than 2 percent below the high recorded in July 2024.

    Automakers navigated policy reversals on electric vehicle incentives throughout 2025, which disrupted supplier tooling programs and forced factories to retool for internal combustion and hybrid powertrains. Carmakers are prioritizing the utilization of idle plant capacity over greenfield development until trade agreements reach stable terms.

    Attention now turns to the scheduled renegotiation milestones for the USMCA pact, where unresolved dispute resolution rules will determine whether Honda commits capital to a new North American assembly facility or diverts production to alternate international hubs.

  • LG Energy Solution to Supply 46100 Battery Cells to Mercedes-Benz

    LG Energy Solution to Supply 46100 Battery Cells to Mercedes-Benz

    LG Energy Solution will supply Mercedes-Benz with a new 46100 cylindrical battery cell for the German automaker’s next-generation electric vehicles starting in 2028.

    The agreement expands a series of four long-term supply contracts signed between the two companies since October 2024.

    New Dimensions for Cylindrical Packs

    With a diameter of 46 millimetres and a height of 100 millimetres, the 46100 format is an unannounced variation within the broader 46-series family. The cylindrical format gained industry prominence after Tesla adopted the 4680 size. Other manufacturers have experimented with 4695 and 46120 designs. The 100-millimetre height fits the specific packaging requirements of Mercedes-Benz vehicle architectures.

    Pilot manufacturing for the 46100 cell will take place at LG Energy Solution’s domestic facility in Ochang, South Korea. That site will calibrate machinery and refine production tolerances before equipment ships to Europe. Mass production will run at the group’s manufacturing complex in Wrocław, Poland, where line installation begins next year. The supplier is also weighing capital expenditures for dedicated module assembly lines at the Polish site to deliver complete clusters directly to vehicle assembly plants.

    Diversification Across Cell Geometries

    Automakers in Europe and Asia are rethinking their dependence on pouch and prismatic cell formats. Cylindrical cells offer superior structural stability and heat dissipation. That reduces the risk of thermal runaway in high-output drivetrains. Mercedes-Benz previously relied heavily on pouch cells from suppliers including SK On and Farasis Energy. Safety recalls and module complexity pushed the brand toward mixed procurement strategies.

    LG Energy Solution has built out manufacturing capacity for varied cylindrical specifications. The company started production of 4695 cells at the Ochang plant late last year. It is preparing to manufacture cylindrical units ranging from 4680 to 46120 specifications at its facility in Arizona by the end of this year. Adding a 46100 line gives the manufacturer a customized offering for premium European carmakers without redesigning its core cell chemistry.

    Procurement Rivalry Among Korean Suppliers

    Mercedes-Benz is maintaining a competitive supplier base across Asian manufacturers rather than granting exclusivity to a single partner. In April, the carmaker signed its first long-term electric vehicle battery contract with Samsung SDI. China’s CATL continues to supply large volumes across multiple vehicle platforms. Sourcing from multiple cell makers prevents bottlenecks and keeps downward pressure on pricing per kilowatt-hour.

    For Korean battery producers, securing multi-year European supply pacts offsets softer domestic electric vehicle adoption and tariff uncertainties in North America. The challenge sits in production yield rates for large-diameter cells. Scaling 46-millimetre lines requires tight welding tolerances and rapid tabless assembly processes. Both have created ramp-up delays across the sector.

    Manufacturing Milestones Ahead

    Validation testing on the Ochang pilot line will finish before commercial tooling is installed in Poland next year. Initial volume shipments will follow for the 2028 model rollout, building on supply agreements executed over the past two years as Mercedes-Benz overhauled its platform roadmap.

  • Formula One Returns to Sepang After Nine-Year Gap for Bahrain Grand Prix

    Formula One Returns to Sepang After Nine-Year Gap for Bahrain Grand Prix

    Formula One returned to the Sepang International Circuit for the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix from Oct 2 to 4, ending a nine-year absence since the venue last hosted a race in 2017.

    The event was relocated to Malaysia following an agreement involving Formula 1, the FIA, and the governments of Malaysia and Bahrain due to the situation in West Asia.

    State Leadership Inspects Paddock Operations

    Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim attended the qualifying session on Oct 3 to inspect preparations and the overall running of the race, received by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Petronas President and Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik, and Sepang International Circuit Chairman Datin Anita Azrina Abdul Aziz.

    Anwar conducted a 15-minute walk-through of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team garage. He then attended an official paddock dinner hosted by Bahrain Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa. The race weekend ran from Oct 2 to Oct 4, opening with Friday practice before Saturday qualifying established the starting grid.

    Emergency Calendar Shift from Sakhir

    Negotiations in July between Formula 1, the International Automobile Federation, and government representatives from both nations sealed the transfer. Bilateral talks involving King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa established the diplomatic framework. That deal transferred the commercial sanction to Southeast Asia.

    Shifting an entire Grand Prix freight contingent to Sepang on three months of notice required direct coordination between national carrier Gulf Air, local track managers, and international freight handlers. Formula One previously raced at Sepang every year from 1999 until 2017. The government ended its hosting contract after the 2017 edition due to escalating sanction fees.

    Transport Pressure on Klang Valley Infrastructure

    The return of single-seater racing tested regional transport links and event infrastructure surrounding Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Spectators faced road congestion on feeder routes into the circuit. Bus shuttle delays exceeded three hours during peak Saturday entry windows.

    Hotels and retail venues across the Klang Valley absorbed demand spikes from visiting team personnel, regional corporate sponsors, and overseas fans. Track managers operated under compressed setup schedules to reactivate paddock hospitality suites, broadcast compounds, and trackside retail villages. None of these facilities had handled Grand Prix volumes since late 2017.

    Commercial Realignment for Circuit Assets

    Petronas maintains title sponsorship rights with the Mercedes team, giving the state energy group direct brand exposure on its home circuit. Track operators in the region have adjusted commercial models toward motorcycling and regional GT championships. They moved away from multi-million dollar annual Formula One staging contracts.

    Government officials have not committed to a multi-year extension beyond this emergency hosting contract. Track executives now look to Sunday race attendance numbers and official transport debriefs to assess whether large-scale single-seater events fit the venue’s long-term commercial strategy.

  • BYD Sells 762,478 Electric Cars in Third Quarter to Extend Lead over Tesla

    BYD Sells 762,478 Electric Cars in Third Quarter to Extend Lead over Tesla

    BYD widened its global electric vehicle lead over Tesla in the third quarter of 2026. Deliveries of pure battery passenger cars hit 762,478 units across the three-month stretch.

    Deliveries at Tesla reached 486,532 vehicles globally over the same period. That beat market expectations of 463,761 units, though it fell 2.13 per cent short of the year-earlier total.

    The gap between the two carmakers reached 275,946 pure electric vehicles between July and September. It expanded sharply from the second quarter, when BYD led Tesla by 76,964 units. BYD increased third-quarter passenger battery sales by 30.89 per cent year-on-year. Quarter-on-quarter, sales rose 36.87 per cent.

    Breakdown of Quarterly Deliveries

    Entry models drove most of Tesla’s volume. The Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover accounted for 478,237 units, or 98.30 per cent of all deliveries between July and September. Remaining lines, including the Model S, Model X, Cybertruck and Semi, yielded 8,295 deliveries combined.

    Factory output at Tesla trailed final customer handovers. The Austin-based carmaker produced 464,391 vehicles during the quarter and drew down inventory by 22,141 units. In the same window, it installed 13.7 gigawatt-hours of stationary energy storage products.

    These BYD figures exclude plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and commercial fleet sales. The tally isolates pure passenger battery models for direct comparison against Tesla’s all-electric lineup.

    Nine-Month Volume and Market Shift

    Across the first nine months of 2026, BYD sold 1,629,957 passenger battery electric vehicles globally, up 1.50 per cent year-on-year. Tesla handed over 1,324,681 cars during the same period, recording an 8.77 per cent increase.

    Cumulative year-to-date numbers give the Shenzhen-based automaker an advantage of 305,276 pure electric cars. Tesla briefly led in the first quarter with 358,023 deliveries against BYD’s 310,389. BYD reversed that in the second quarter, selling 557,090 battery units against Tesla’s 480,126.

    Product breadth and tiered pricing across China and Southeast Asia continue to favour multi-segment domestic manufacturers over single-platform foreign lines.

    Pressure on Regional Supply Chains

    For component suppliers and dealership networks across Asia-Pacific, the divergence shows clear volume consolidation. BYD builds battery cells and motors in-house. That vertical integration protects assembly lines from external supply shocks and lowers retail prices in major regional markets.

    Tesla remains locked into two core consumer models while regional rivals in China, Thailand and Australia release fresh nameplates every six months. It lacks an updated high-volume compact platform in showrooms. Instead, the company relies on financing discounts and local incentives across Asian markets to defend its position against price cuts.

    Historical Ground and Earnings Date

    This pattern took root in 2025. BYD overtook Tesla over a full calendar year for the first time by selling 2,256,714 pure electric passenger cars against Tesla’s 1,636,129 deliveries. That ended Tesla’s multi-year run as the world’s largest producer of battery-only passenger vehicles.

    Management will detail third-quarter financial results after the close of United States markets on October 21 during its scheduled investor webcast, focusing on automotive profit margins and annual production targets.

  • Asian Automakers Take over Half of US Market as Detroit Drops to 36%

    Asian Automakers Take over Half of US Market as Detroit Drops to 36%

    Asian automakers are expected to account for more than half of new vehicle sales in the United States in the third quarter, pushing Detroit’s Big Three down to a record-low market share of just over 36 percent.

    According to Charlie Chesbrough, a senior economist at Cox Automotive, Asian brands are approaching record-high market share levels for the second consecutive quarter as consumers embrace hybrid vehicles over traditional petrol models.

    General Motors saw its third-quarter sales drop 5.5 percent to 670,974 units, while Japanese rival Toyota rose 0.6 percent to 633,223 units. Ford retained third place ahead of South Korea’s Hyundai-Kia, while FCA US fell to sixth place behind Japan’s Honda.

    Hybrid Lineups Drive Asian Gains

    The structural shift across American retail showrooms stems from product portfolio choices made half a decade ago. Japanese and South Korean manufacturers retained broad hybrid options across their core crossover and sedan lines, giving dealers immediate inventory when fuel prices surged. Toyota committed its top-selling 2026 RAV4 exclusively to hybrid and plug-in hybrid configurations, while Hyundai scaled petrol-electric systems across models ranging from the Elantra to the three-row Palisade.

    Detroit carmakers chose a starker electrification route that left dealerships vulnerable. General Motors and Ford directed capital toward dedicated battery-electric vehicles such as the Equinox EV and Mustang Mach-E, while retiring fuel-efficient compact petrol vehicles like the Ford Escape. GM offers only one hybrid model in its domestic lineup, the Corvette. When higher pump prices pushed mainstream buyers toward economical alternatives, Asian brands had stock ready on showroom floors.

    Detroit Caught Between Mandates and Buyers

    Retail dealership economics shifted rapidly after the 7,500 dollar federal electric vehicle tax credit expired last year, halting momentum for pure battery models. Mainstream consumers turned away from higher sticker prices and charging logistics, settling on standard hybrids that require no external plug. That pivot benefited Asian import groups, whose multi-powertrain factory flexibility allowed quick volume adjustments without costly assembly line retooling.

    For automotive component suppliers and retail dealership groups across North America, the product disparity poses operational strain. Dealership franchises tied entirely to domestic brands face slower inventory turns and higher floor-plan interest expenses on unsold pickups and large SUVs. Asian brand networks, by contrast, are turning hybrid crossovers within days of delivery, giving their finance arms stronger cash generation and healthier dealer balance sheets.

    The Looming Chinese Pipeline

    The competitive pressure facing legacy American manufacturers could intensify if Chinese original equipment manufacturers gain access to the market. Industry forecasts by Mobility Global indicate brands such as BYD, Geely and SAIC could capture up to 1.7 million vehicle sales, or roughly 11 percent of the United States market, by 2038 if regulatory barriers ease. Chinese producers have already established dominant pricing positions across Southeast Asia, Australia, Latin America and Europe by using integrated battery supply chains.

    Tariffs and punitive duties currently block low-cost Chinese imports, but political shifts have injected uncertainty into future trade policy. Former President Donald Trump stated in September that he would welcome Chinese vehicle manufacturing within the United States, provided companies build local assembly plants and employ American workers.

    Policy Battles in Washington

    Automotive lobbying organizations responded with swift resistance to any potential opening for Chinese competitors. The American Auto Policy Council, representing GM, Ford and Stellantis, joined the Auto Drives America coalition to petition Washington to keep import and assembly channels completely closed. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation went further, demanding a permanent congressional prohibition on Chinese connected hardware and software, citing data security and heavily subsidized competition.

    Domestic automakers are also seeking immediate regulatory relief on emissions benchmarks. A revised federal proposal aims to lower the 2031 fleetwide fuel economy target of 50.4 miles per gallon established under the previous administration. That revision would give domestic producers room to sell profitable combustion-engine trucks while they overhaul hybrid engineering programs.

    Washington is scheduled to finalize the revised fleetwide fuel economy regulations on Monday, setting the baseline standards Detroit manufacturers will need to meet through 2031.

  • Toyota and Honda Halt Thai Production as Floods Cause $38M in Losses

    Toyota and Honda Halt Thai Production as Floods Cause $38M in Losses

    Toyota Motor Thailand and Honda Automobile (Thailand) have temporarily suspended vehicle production at all their assembly plants in Thailand as severe flooding disrupts transport routes and parts deliveries.

    The disruption followed accumulated rainfall of more than 320mm in three days, leaving major transport corridors heavily flooded and preventing suppliers from reaching assembly lines.

    Honda Shuts Ayutthaya And Prachin Buri Lines

    Honda Automobile (Thailand) suspended vehicle production at its Prachin Buri and Ayutthaya plants from October 2 to 6 after suppliers in Chonburi and Rayong provinces were hit by flooding, cutting off component deliveries.

    Koji Iwanami, president and chief executive of Honda Automobile (Thailand), confirmed the target restart timetable while granting emergency leave to affected facility staff.

    “The company has temporarily suspended vehicle production at the Prachin Buri and Ayutthaya plants from Oct 2 to 6 because parts suppliers have been unable to deliver components required for vehicle production after being affected by flooding, particularly in Chonburi and Rayong provinces,” Iwanami said.

    Plant managers plan to introduce overtime shifts once lines restart to clear model order backlogs and recover lost output.

    Toyota Halts Four Thai Assembly Facilities

    Toyota Motor Thailand ceased work across its three primary manufacturing plants in Samut Prakan and Chachoengsao, alongside affiliate facility Toyota Auto Works. The company runs the Samrong facility in Samut Prakan together with the Ban Pho and Gateway plants in Chachoengsao.

    Submerged access routes broke the parts delivery cadences needed to support Toyota’s just-in-time production system. Plant managers are scouting alternate logistics bypasses and assessing inventory buffers to restart operations once floodwaters drain.

    Supply Chain Bottlenecks Expose Tight Logistics

    The manufacturing halts show how little inventory cushion exists in Southeast Asia’s primary automotive export hub. When arterial roads connecting the Eastern Economic Corridor’s parts cluster in Rayong and Chonburi get blocked, assembly lines outside Bangkok stall within hours regardless of plant floor safety.

    Car manufacturers in Thailand remain heavily exposed to single-route logistics risks. While suppliers upgraded localized drainage barriers after historic monsoon disasters in past cycles, external transport corridors between provinces remain vulnerable to acute flash flooding.

    Industrial Losses Mount Across Fifteen Provinces

    Federation of Thai Industries data show that flooding between September 24 and September 30 hit Bangkok and 14 surrounding provinces, affecting roughly 40 per cent of member operations in flooded districts. The group calculated preliminary losses of at least 1.018 billion baht ($38.7 million) across automotive assembly, parts suppliers, machinery damage, damaged vehicles and lost factory shifts.

    Industrial estates across Chonburi absorbed the bulk of direct supplier delays. Toyota and Honda are watching municipal drainage rates on key industrial arteries ahead of Honda’s scheduled production restart on October 7.

  • Nio Delivers 37,408 Vehicles in September to Meet Third-Quarter Guidance

    Nio Delivers 37,408 Vehicles in September to Meet Third-Quarter Guidance

    Nio delivered 37,408 electric vehicles in September, up 7.65 per cent from a year earlier. The result met its target for the third quarter.

    The Shanghai-headquartered carmaker finished the three months ended September 30 with 109,178 deliveries. That was a 25.39 per cent rise year on year. The total landed inside management’s projected band of 108,000 to 111,000 units.

    Quarterly volume beat the bottom of the guidance range by 1,178 cars and trailed the top end by 1,822. Deliveries climbed 1.41 per cent from the second quarter. In that previous period, the company handed over 107,658 vehicles and missed its own targets. Total volume across the group reached 300,301 units for the first nine months of the year, bringing cumulative shipments to 1,297,893 vehicles.

    Firefly Sets Monthly Record as Onvo Slides

    Performance split sharply across the company’s three marques. Firefly delivered 7,327 small electric cars in September. That was up 26.87 per cent year on year and 25.21 per cent month on month. It beat its previous monthly high of 7,084 units set in December 2025. Firefly added 1,475 deliveries compared with August, providing 93.83 per cent of the group’s monthly volume expansion.

    The mass-market Onvo brand moved the other way. It delivered 8,763 vehicles in September, sliding 42.52 per cent from a year earlier and dropping 0.53 per cent from August. The brand has now recorded two consecutive months of annual declines, hit by price competition in China’s mainstream family EV segment.

    Premium SUVs Anchor the Main Brand

    Deliveries for the core Nio premium badge reached 21,318 vehicles in September. That was a 55.29 per cent rise from a year earlier and a 0.68 per cent uptick from August. For the full third quarter, the main brand delivered 62,500 units, expanding 69.25 per cent year on year.

    Sport utility vehicles generated the bulk of those numbers. The third-generation ES8 crossed 150,000 cumulative deliveries on September 20, one year after its commercial release. Meanwhile, the flagship ES9 SUV reached 30,000 cumulative deliveries on September 23. It hit that mark 119 days after its May 28 launch. In August, the ES8 and ES9 together accounted for 17,480 units, representing 82.55 per cent of the core brand’s monthly sales.

    Diverging Brand Trajectories Reshape Sales Mix

    Running a three-brand strategy gives Nio coverage across price points. However, it also creates operational imbalances across assembly lines and dealer networks. Firefly provides entry-level volume. The premium Nio lineup secures higher revenue per vehicle. Onvo, designed to capture middle-income buyers, faces immediate pressure from domestic rivals cutting prices on mid-sized crossovers.

    RetailNews Asia views the core SUV lineup as the anchor for company gross margins while Onvo recalibrates. Maintaining showroom traffic across three brand banners requires heavy capital allocation for retail space and marketing. If Onvo fails to arrest its sales drop, lower dealership returns and factory utilisation will drag on profitability.

    Infrastructure Backing and Next Delivery Targets

    Nio entered the final quarter after adjusting its energy infrastructure business. On September 28, Geely agreed to take a 30 per cent stake in Nio Power. Geely is injecting 640 million yuan in cash alongside equity in battery swap operator Yiyi Power, standardising swap networks across commercial fleets and consumer vehicles.

    Attention now turns to the fourth-quarter production schedule. The group delivered 124,807 vehicles in the final three months of 2025. That sets a high seasonal bar. Meeting it requires Onvo to stabilise while Firefly and the premium SUV line maintain their delivery pace.

  • Nissan Starts 3 Million Pound Autonomous Transit Trial in Cambridge

    Nissan Starts 3 Million Pound Autonomous Transit Trial in Cambridge

    Nissan started a 3 million pound autonomous mobility trial in Cambridge to test driverless passenger transport on regional UK road networks. Dubbed ADventure, the project uses modified Leaf electric hatchbacks. Researchers will study how automated transit fleets can serve commuters and non-drivers in suburban communities.

    Engineers from Nissan Technical Centre Europe in Cranfield lead the consortium alongside Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick and transport education group PAVE UK. The UK Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade backs the project through its CAM Pathfinder programme in partnership with Zenzic and Innovate UK.

    How the Cambridge Fleet Operates

    Test operations rely on a specially equipped 2022 Nissan Leaf developed during earlier UK research. The trial targets three practical hurdles: integrating autonomous shuttles into existing municipal routes, evaluating passenger confidence, and validating sensor performance on narrow, mixed-traffic city streets.

    Local authorities will map specific routes across Cambridge. These include on-demand connections to medical appointments and transport hubs for residents who cannot drive. Researchers will track rider acceptance and safety data in real time to establish operating protocols that municipal transit authorities can replicate in other regional cities.

    Asian Automakers Export Autonomous Systems

    Japanese carmakers are shifting autonomous drive research out of closed proving grounds and into live commercial environments. The shift aims to defend market share against software deployments from Chinese and American competitors. Chinese operators such as Baidu and Pony.ai run commercial robotaxis across major mainland metros. By contrast, Japanese manufacturers have taken a government-partnered approach centered on public transit augmentation.

    For Asian automotive suppliers and fleet software developers, these European municipal trials serve as proving grounds for commercial export packages. Operational scalability remains the primary commercial risk. Fixed-route autonomous pods often struggle to generate sustainable operating margins once public research subsidies end, making fleet software integration costs the deciding factor for regional operators.

    Earlier Steps in Nissan Automated Road Testing

    Nissan led several UK automated driving programmes over the past decade before launching this Cambridge deployment. The company previously tested long-distance autonomous navigation under the HumanDrive project. It evaluated urban junction navigation in central London through ServCity, and trialled rural and residential road handling during the evolvAD programme.

    David Moss, senior vice president for research and development at Nissan AMIEO, said: “This project is an important step for autonomous mobility in the UK. With UK Government backing, it will take autonomous vehicle research beyond central London and into another city, helping us understand how these services can work for different communities and real-life journeys.”

    Public Demonstrations on City Streets

    Field data collected across the Cambridge trial will feed directly into safety validation frameworks developed by Warwick Manufacturing Group. Professor Siddartha Khastgir leads the academic safety team. His group is tasked with drafting operational safety standards for commercial deployment across Britain.

    Project partners will conclude the trial with public road demonstrations in Cambridge. Passenger-carrying Leaf vehicles will navigate live traffic without human driver intervention.

  • Xiaomi Enters China Range-Extended SUV Market with Sky Nomad from 209,900 Yuan

    Xiaomi Enters China Range-Extended SUV Market with Sky Nomad from 209,900 Yuan

    Xiaomi launched its Sky Nomad sport utility vehicle series in China with a starting price of 209,900 yuan. It is the company’s first commercial entry into extended-range electric vehicles. The lineup adds hybrid powertrains to a catalogue previously limited to pure battery models.

    Four new sport utility variants give the Beijing-based company a way to eliminate highway range anxiety while keeping entry prices below 210,000 yuan. Deliveries will feed directly into Xiaomi’s target of shipping 550,000 vehicles during 2026.

    Four variants and camping hardware

    Pricing starts with the five-seater N70 Pro at 209,900 yuan, followed by the all-wheel-drive N70 Max at 239,900 yuan. Larger family buyers get the seven-seater N90 Max at 269,900 yuan. An outdoor-focused Explorer version tops the range at 299,900 yuan with a factory-fitted pop-up roof and folding beds.

    Every model pairs an electric drivetrain with a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The engine acts purely as an onboard generator. The entry N70 Pro runs a 52 kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate battery and a 210 kilowatt front motor. That provides 351 kilometres of pure electric driving and 1,351 kilometres of total range under China Light-Duty Test Cycle standards.

    Higher grades adopt a 76 kilowatt-hour ternary pack and dual motors producing 310 kilowatts. That setup gives the N70 Max up to 505 kilometres of electric range and 1,461 kilometres overall. The larger 5.29-metre N90 Max delivers 464 kilometres on battery power and 1,705 kilometres combined.

    Dragonscale battery and fire replacement pledge

    Power packs across the lineup use Xiaomi’s Dragonscale architecture, developed jointly with Chinese battery manufacturers CALB and Sunwoda. The systems link to cloud-based monitoring and high-voltage cutoff switches. They charge the battery from 20 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes.

    Non-commercial first owners receive lifetime coverage against spontaneous battery combustion. Xiaomi attached the warranty commitment directly to the hardware. It offers a full vehicle replacement if a fire occurs due to a manufacturing defect.

    Compute hardware matches the pricing. All variants install Nvidia Drive Thor processors delivering 700 trillion operations per second, supported by roof-mounted LiDAR sensors. Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chips run Xiaomi’s HyperOS cockpit software.

    Challenging domestic hybrid heavyweights

    Entering the range-extended market pits Xiaomi straight against Li Auto, Seres Group’s Aito brand, and BYD in China’s family vehicle segment. Pure electric SUVs still face consumer hesitation in northern provinces and lower-tier cities where charging networks thin out during holiday travel.

    Adding combustion generators solves regional infrastructure bottlenecks without redesigning the digital cabin experience. The primary operational risk shifts to supply chain margins. Carrying both high-voltage batteries and internal combustion engines compresses unit profitability unless factory volumes scale rapidly.

    Scaling beyond pure battery platforms

    The launch builds on Xiaomi’s initial automotive rollout, which started with the SU7 electric sedan and continued with the YU7 electric SUV. Those two models carried the brand past 800,000 cumulative deliveries since production began.

    Xiaomi delivered 216,322 vehicles during the first seven months of 2026, up 14.8 per cent from the same period a year earlier. Maintaining that pace requires the Sky Nomad series to capture family trade-ins throughout the fourth quarter, where the company must deliver roughly 333,000 additional units across all model lines to meet its 550,000 full-year target.

  • Japan Factory Output Drops 1.7% as Vehicle Assembly Halts

    Japan Factory Output Drops 1.7% as Vehicle Assembly Halts

    Japan’s factory output shrank 1.7 per cent in August from July. Severe weather and seismic disruptions hit automotive assembly lines, reversing expectations of a rebound.

    A Reuters poll had pointed to a 1.7 per cent expansion. Instead, output missed median forecasts and fell for a second straight month.

    Disruptions Hit Automotive Assembly

    Vehicle production slumped 6.8 per cent month on month, according to Ministry of Economy data. Plant operations halted after an earthquake and a typhoon disrupted domestic logistics and assembly schedules in August.

    General-purpose and business machinery output fell 6 per cent over the same period. Those steep drops in vehicles and machinery wiped out modest gains across other manufacturing categories.

    Pressure on Regional Supply Chains

    Automakers across Asia depend on precision components and sub-assemblies exported directly from Japan. When domestic plants halt, regional supply chains feel the shock within weeks. That pinches vehicle availability for dealerships across Southeast Asia and Australia.

    Production volatility in Japan complicates inventory planning for regional parts suppliers and downstream car retailers. Dealership networks running lean stock models face delayed order fulfilments whenever Japanese assembly hubs stall.

    Central Bank Rate Calculations

    This two-month slide lands at a delicate moment for central bank policymakers. Bank of Japan officials continue to review economic indicators before deciding whether to raise interest rates in the near term.

    Slowing factory output complicates that plan. Raising borrowing costs during an industrial slump risks cooling domestic capital investment and consumer spending.

    Forecasts Point to Autumn Rebound

    Repeated natural disasters tested the industrial base throughout the summer, extending a volatile run for domestic goods producers.

    Manufacturers surveyed by the Ministry of Economy expect seasonally adjusted production to rebound 3.2 per cent in September and expand 3.1 per cent in October.

  • Toyota to Expand ¥27 Million Century Luxury Brand Globally

    Toyota to Expand ¥27 Million Century Luxury Brand Globally

    Toyota Motor is preparing to expand sales of its ultra-luxury Century badge beyond Japan. The nameplate was historically reserved for domestic heads of state. Now, Toyota is positioning it above Lexus in international showrooms.

    The rollout follows the introduction of a Century sport utility vehicle priced from ¥27 million ($171,651) in Japan. Annual Century deliveries there dropped to roughly 500 units last year from 1,700 cars in 1997.

    Shipments of the Century SUV have already started to mainland China, alongside small export volumes to select markets in Asia and the Middle East. Executive leadership is now assessing wider entries, including North America. Chairman Akio Toyoda recently appeared at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit in a custom Century SUV fitted with gold badging and bespoke trim.

    Building a Tier Above Lexus

    Carving out Century as a standalone crown brand resolves an internal ceiling that capped Lexus for decades. Lexus competes against volume luxury producers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. Yet it has struggled to justify price tags above $150,000 on standard production lines. Placing Century at the top allows Toyota to enter the ultra-luxury bracket without disrupting Lexus fleet and retail sales.

    Work on the shift began in October 2025 when Toyota unveiled a Century coupe concept at the Japan Mobility Show. Toyota then launched an English-language portal and opened a dedicated brand exhibition space in downtown Tokyo in March. The structure mimics European automotive groups by separating mass luxury from low-volume coachbuilding.

    Dealership networks and regional importers across Asia face a distinct retail model. Century models remain partly handmade, using traditional Japanese craftsmanship like Nishijin-ori brocade weaving and urushi lacquer trim. Output is tight. Because artisanal lines limit production, dealers will handle Century through bespoke allocations rather than standard floor inventory.

    Pricing Against European and Chinese Competitors

    Entering this tier puts Toyota against established European marques and aggressive Chinese electric vehicle makers. At ¥27 million, the Century SUV undercuts traditional benchmarks. The Bentley Bentayga starts near $230,000. Rolls-Royce commands base pricing around $355,000 for the Ghost sedan.

    Chinese automakers are also pushing into the bracket with software-heavy alternatives. BYD is marketing its Yangwang U8 SUV around $150,000. Meanwhile, Huawei-backed Maextro is preparing the S800 executive sedan to challenge the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class at roughly $100,000. These challengers rely on rapid software integration and extreme vehicle dynamics.

    Distributors plan to counter that tech pitch with mechanical refinement and quiet cabins. The Century nameplate dates back to 1967, giving it a pedigree newer Asian brands lack. But export networks still face a basic test: convincing overseas buyers to pay six figures for a Japanese badge with no European heritage.

    Powertrains and Production Hurdles

    Homologation presents an immediate hurdle under the hood. Historical Century sedans gained cult status through a proprietary 5.0-litre V12 engine introduced in 1997 and retired in 2017. Today’s variants rely on electrified setups. The sedan uses a V8 hybrid system, while the new SUV runs on a 3.5-litre V6 plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

    Engineers are evaluating future powertrain architectures for production iterations of the coupe concept. Automotive trade publications reported development of a modern V12 hybrid setup, but Toyota has declined to confirm specifications. Stricter emissions rules across Europe and tier-one Chinese cities make high-displacement engines costly to certify.

    Gray-market importers have already proved that international demand exists at lower price points. Under US laws exempting 25-year-old cars from modern safety rules, collectors buy 1990s V12 Century sedans through specialty dealers for around $25,000. Translating that niche enthusiasm into sales for a new $170,000 vehicle requires building elite retail infrastructure from scratch.

    The Next Steps for Export Markets

    Initial work to build global visibility started with diplomatic fleets and private previews across East Asia. The company is now gauging response from dealer groups in North America and Southeast Asia. Factory tooling for left-hand-drive variants at higher volume will wait on those findings.

    Toyota will review market feasibility studies and dealer allocation standards before presenting the Century lineup at international auto shows scheduled for 2027.

  • BYD Builds Ten-Millionth Dynasty Vehicle as Da Han Sedan Nears Launch

    BYD Builds Ten-Millionth Dynasty Vehicle as Da Han Sedan Nears Launch

    BYD rolled its ten-millionth Dynasty series car off the assembly line in China on September 29. An upcoming Da Han flagship sedan logged the production record.

    Production of the lineup began nearly thirteen years ago with the Qin plug-in hybrid in December 2013. The final 1.14 million units took less than nine months to build.

    Lu Tian, general manager of the Dynasty sales division, announced the figure ahead of the sedan’s October 13 commercial launch. Presales opened August 21 at the Chengdu Auto Show. Three battery-electric variants are priced between 249,900 yuan and 299,900 yuan ($37,070 to $44,670).

    The five-seat vehicle measures 5,256 mm long with a 3,130 mm wheelbase. Both rear-wheel-drive editions claim 1,008 km of range under China light-duty vehicle test cycle standards. The all-wheel-drive trim offers 880 km. Dual-chamber air suspension, rear-wheel steering, flash charging and LiDAR-based driver assistance come standard across all versions.

    Mainstream Models Squeeze Upmarket Sales

    Sales for the domestic lineup have shifted downward into mass-market segments. The earlier Han sedan and Tang sport utility vehicle established BYD in the premium tier, but both nameplates have lost retail share.

    August retail deliveries for Dynasty reached 170,842 vehicles, up 13.88 per cent year on year. The Han family contributed 2,997 units and the Tang line delivered 12,340 units, making up roughly 9 per cent of the monthly total. Cheaper volume rested on the Yuan, Song and Qin families. Together they delivered 153,726 vehicles, or 89.8 per cent of August Dynasty sales.

    Export Strength Offsets Domestic Softness

    Adding higher-margin models like the Da Han helps hedge against price competition across China. Group new energy vehicle sales climbed 17.84 per cent to 440,293 units in August. Total deliveries across the first eight months fell 6.84 per cent to 2,668,015 vehicles.

    Foreign sales have offset slower domestic growth. Shipments outside China rose 134.6 per cent in August to 188,700 passenger cars, generating 43 per cent of group volume. First-half international revenue reached 181.27 billion yuan. That accounted for 52.57 per cent of total turnover, overtaking domestic sales receipts for the first time.

    Expanding the Upper Dynasty Portfolio

    The Da Han follows the June 17 rollout of the Da Tang SUV, which delivered its 10,000th unit on July 23. Both larger vehicles sit above the original Han and Tang lines to defend higher price tiers against domestic rivals.

    Year-to-date Dynasty deliveries reached 1,045,805 units through August, down 13.15 per cent from the same period in 2025. That contraction narrowed from 22.44 per cent in the first half of the year. Volume has now grown year on year for three straight months since June.

    Regulatory filings show BYD has registered a plug-in hybrid variant of the Da Han, though pre-orders currently cover only electric trims. Commercial pricing and delivery dates for the hybrid will follow after battery-electric handovers start on October 13.

  • Momenta Secures Stellantis Deal to Supply Peugeot and Jeep from 2027

    Momenta Secures Stellantis Deal to Supply Peugeot and Jeep from 2027

    Momenta signed a global partnership with Dongfeng Stellantis Automotive Technology in Shanghai to supply intelligent driving systems for Peugeot and Jeep vehicles rolling out from 2027.

    The agreement covers battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models sold across China, Europe and other international markets, taking the Chinese software developer into mass-market export vehicles.

    Under the deal signed on September 24, Momenta will integrate its R7 World Model software into new production models engineered by Dongfeng Stellantis Automotive Technology (Wuhan), known as DSAT. The joint venture will combine chassis tuning, steering calibration, braking response and powertrain controls with Momenta’s software platform. Peugeot variants will focus on handling and road dynamics, while Jeep models will adapt the system for off-road use. The technical scope also includes joint development of Level 3 automated driving functions.

    Expanding From German Luxury to Volume Fleets

    The contract shifts Momenta’s commercial footprint away from a reliance on German premium brands toward high-volume vehicle manufacturing. The software developer already provides driver assistance for Mercedes-Benz on the electric CLA in China, alongside joint projects with BMW and Audi. Those existing German deployments remain confined to the Chinese domestic market. Partnering with DSAT gives Momenta immediate factory access to European showrooms through Stellantis distribution channels.

    Supplying mainstream brands across multiple continents presents structural software challenges that domestic Chinese rollouts avoid. Road infrastructure, road user habits and regulatory testing requirements in Europe differ substantially from urban traffic conditions in eastern China. If Momenta succeeds in validating Level 3 features under European safety rules, it will establish a blueprint for Chinese software firms to bypass regional trade barriers by exporting code inside legacy Western nameplates.

    Competitive Shift for Western Automakers

    Western automakers operating in Asia have abandoned attempts to develop proprietary driving stacks in isolation. Stellantis established DSAT with Dongfeng in August to address rapid market share losses in China, where domestic electric vehicle brands hold a decisive software advantage. Sourcing production-ready algorithms from an established local supplier reduces development spending and accelerates time to market for refreshed model ranges.

    Competitors face rising pressure from this supplier integration model. Japanese and South Korean manufacturers that rely on legacy Tier 1 component vendors risk lagging in software response times and over-the-air update cycles. By outsourcing autonomous architecture to Momenta while maintaining control over vehicle dynamics and suspension tuning, DSAT keeps its brand identities distinct while closing the digital feature gap.

    Scale Across Production Platforms

    Momenta expanded its commercial deployment rapidly in early 2026 before completing the Stellantis agreement. The company installed its driver-assist software in roughly 321,000 additional vehicles during the first half of 2026, an 83.7 percent increase compared with the same period a year earlier. Total installations have surpassed 1.2 million vehicles across 105 production models, backed by supplier relationships with 26 automakers.

    Chinese AI is taking a growing role in the development of intelligent vehicles worldwide.

    DSAT general manager Lv Haitao signed the agreement alongside Momenta chief executive Cao Xudong, who confirmed the software developer is positioning its architecture ahead of a broader global market shift toward automated driving platforms.

    Target Dates for Global Production

    Automotive supply chains now turn to hardware validation ahead of the scheduled 2027 market introduction. DSAT has not disclosed initial production volumes, factory allocation or the specific vehicle nameplates that will debut the R7 system. Momenta will prepare software localized for European roadway certifications ahead of 2028, the target year its management expects global adoption of advanced driver assistance to accelerate sharply.