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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.

  • Fiat Chrysler Automobile To Produce Face Masks In Asia

    Fiat Chrysler Automobile To Produce Face Masks In Asia

    Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Mike Manley told employees that the carmaker would help with the production of masks during the coronavirus emergency, a union representative said on Monday.

    Mask production would add to an ongoing effort by Fiat Chrysler (FCA) and rival carmaker Ferrari to find ways to help Italy boost the production of healthcare equipment such as ventilators.

    Manley said one of the group’s plants in Asia would be converted to produce face masks for healthcare workers and would reach a target of one million masks per month in coming weeks, UILM union representative Gianluca Ficco said, quoting a letter sent by the CEO to employees.

    Fiat Chrysler was not immediately available for comments.

    The threat from the coronavirus crisis closed in on the global auto industry on Thursday, as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV warned that a European plant could shut down within two to four weeks if Chinese parts suppliers cannot get back to work.

    FCA and Ferrari, both controlled by Exor, the investment firm of Italy’s Agnelli family, are in talks with Siare Engineering, Italy’s biggest ventilator manufacturer, to help it double production of the life-saving machines which are urgently needed in the coronavirus crisis, company officials said last week.

    FCA has temporarily halted most of its plants worldwide in response to the virus spread and a consequent plunge in global auto demand.

    Ferrari has also suspended operations at its two facilities, both located in Italy.

    “We need to use the current plants’ stoppage to equip ourselves with the necessary resources to face the emergency,” Ficco said, adding he hoped that other large companies might follow FCA’s example.

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  • Hyundai Motor India Suspends Operations At Its Chennai Plant

    Hyundai Motor India Suspends Operations At Its Chennai Plant

    The life-threatening Coronavirus pandemic has put the world on stand by and the story is no different in our country. Many automakers across the globe have already stopped production and even automakers in India are suspending operations as the number of Corona cases cross 350 in the country today. After Maruti Suzuki, Honda Cars India, Mahindra and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), even Hyundai Motor India has announced shutting down its Chennai plant March 23 onwards till any further notice.

    The step comes after the lockdown announcement by the State government as a precautionary measure against the outbreak of COVID-19. In succession to the ‘Janta-Curfew’ implemented nationwide today, over 80 cities in the country including the national capital are going on a lockdown tomorrow 6:00 AM onwards. Even Tata Motors that had announced to excessively scale-down productions at its Pune plant March 23 onwards is likely to go on a complete shutdown. Tata Motors had earlier affirmed through a statement that the company will preferably stop operation March 24 onwards after observing the situation in the country.

    Hyundai has taken several initiatives for the welfare of its customers as well amidst the Coronavirus scare. The carmaker will be providing round the clock roadside assistance to its customers in case of any emergency. It will offer two months extended warranty to those customers who are not able to avail the standard or extended warranty and free services due to any health emergency or shutdown of dealerships and workshops during the lockdown. Hyundai has deployed 1000 doorstep bikes and cars to provide road assistance services to its customers.

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  • Volkswagen Tests Ventilator Output As Carmakers Join Coronavirus Fight

    Volkswagen Tests Ventilator Output As Carmakers Join Coronavirus Fight

    German carmaker Volkswagen said on Friday it was joining other manufacturers around the world to explore using 3D printing to make hospital ventilators to combat the coronavirus.

    Governments are enlisting automakers including Ford, General Motors, Ferrari and Nissan to ramp up production of ventilators and other equipment they are short of to treat the fast-spreading disease.

    In a statement, Volkswagen said it had assembled a task force, was testing materials, and checking supply chains, to see how it can use 3D printing to help manufacture hospital ventilators and other life-saving equipment.

    Carmakers consider making ventilators at plants

    Automakers are thinking about making ventilators at their plants to help in the battle against the coronavirus. It’s an idea that at least one expert says comes with some complications.

    “Medical equipment is a new field for us. But as soon as we understand the requirements, and receive a blueprint, we can get started,” Volkswagen said, adding that prototype components had been printed and its Skoda arm was included in the project.

    A spokesman said the Wolfsburg-based, multi-brand company, which has more than 125 industrial 3D printers, was in close contact with governments and other authorities to assess needs.

    Volkswagen’s sports car brand Porsche also said on Friday it wanted to help in relief efforts. “We are collecting ideas about what we could do in terms of humanitarian help,” Chief Executive Oliver Blume said on a call to discuss earnings.

    US’ Electric Carmaker Tesla too has offered to make ventilators at its plants

    Munich-based carmaker BMW said it too was ready to help. “The production of components using 3D printing technology is a possibility,” it said.

    Sweden’s carmaker Volvo urged all governments to take the crisis equally seriously and limit movements.

    “I think for the economy, we need to do something drastic, rather then trying half-hearted measures that drag on forever,” Chief Executive Hakan Samuelsson said. “We are seeing the effect of this coronavirus is increasing every day.”

    The auto industry’s chances of recovery depended on coordinated action, Samuelsson told Reuters.

    “There is a big difference between countries. Some have curfews, with restaurants and schools closed. In other countries, there are less drastic measures. I just think we need to synchronize that more.”

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  • Ducati Posts Turnover Of 716 Million Euros In 2019

    Ducati Posts Turnover Of 716 Million Euros In 2019

    Ducati has closed 2019 on a positive note, consolidating the growth of the past few years for the Italian motorcycle manufacturer. In 2019, Ducati sold 53,183 motorcycles, compared to 53,004 motorcycles that were delivered to customers around the world. The result demonstrated that Ducati’s sales remained above 50,000 units for the fifth consecutive year, and confirmed positive signs of the market, which, in the above 500 cc segment, recorded a global growth of 1.4 percent. Among Ducati’s bestselling models across the world are the Ducati Panigale and the Ducati Multistrada.

    Ducati’s turnover, at the end of 2019, reached 716 million Euros (over Rs, 57,000 crore), a growth of 2.4 percent from 699 million Euros (over ₹ 56,000 crore) in 2018. Ducati’s operating profit of 2019 stood at 52 million Euros (Around ₹ 419 crore), up from 49 million Euros in 2018 (over ₹ 395 crore). The Borgo Panigale manufacturer of high-end motorcycles reached an operating margin of 7.2 percent against 7 percent in 2018.

    Turnover per bike figure stood at 13,500 Euros per motorcycle, which according to Ducati, represents the highest value in the history of the company, and indicates the evolutionary trend of the range of products offered towards the highest and premium part of the market.

    The Ducati Panigale remained the best-selling superbike in the world for the second consecutive year, with a market share of 25 percent, while with the addition of the 950 S and the renewed 1260 Enduro, the Multistrada family recorded the highest value of motorcycles sold since entering the market in 2003. Ducati now has 1,655 employees, with a sales network of 720 dealers and service points in over 90 countries. With the recent outbreak of the COVID-19, or coronavirus pandemic, Ducati has shut production at Borgo Panigale, but the company has announced that support for all customers will continue.

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  • Tesla Suspends Production At U.S. Vehicle Factory Due To Coronavirus

    Tesla Suspends Production At U.S. Vehicle Factory Due To Coronavirus

    Tesla Inc said on Thursday it will suspend production at its San Francisco Bay Area vehicle factory on March 24, ending a standoff with California authorities concerned about the spread of the coronavirus.

    The company said its New York solar roof tile factory also will temporarily suspend production, while operations at its Nevada battery plant will continue.

    “Despite taking all known health precautions, continued operations in certain locations has caused challenges for our employees, their families and our suppliers,” the company said in a statement.

    Tesla’s shares were down 8% in after-hours trading following the announcement.

    The decision to suspend production at the Fremont, California, plant comes as Tesla ramps up production of its Model Y sport utility vehicle at the factory. Demand for the Model Y is expected to be higher than for all of Tesla’s other models combined, Chief Executive Elon Musk has said.

    The decision to suspend production comes as Tesla ramps up production of its Model Y sport utility vehicle at the factory

    Musk on Thursday tweeted that Tesla’s China operations were running “normally across hundreds of suppliers & all of Tesla Shanghai.” The $2 billion Shanghai factory, which started delivering Model 3 sedans in December, is key to Tesla’s growth strategy and the company plans to expand production capacity there.

    Elon Musk’s expected defense of a $2.2 billion deal in court was postponed on Friday from its expected Monday start, due to the coronavirus outbreak.

    A Shanghai-based Tesla representative told Reuters the Chinese factory’s production rate has exceeded pre-coronavirus levels and over 91% of workers have returned to work since March 6.

    Tesla plans to start building Model Y SUVs in Shanghai from 2021 and expand car parts manufacturing capacity, a government document seen by Reuters showed.

    Cui Dongshu, secretary-general at the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) told Reuters Tesla sold around 3,900 vehicles in February, up from 2,620 vehicles in January.

    Tesla’s decision to suspend production at its San Francisco area plant came after several days of discussions with local officials and after the company met on Thursday with the city of Fremont.

    California’s governor on Thursday issued a statewide “stay at home” order to residents, telling them to leave their homes only when necessary during the coronavirus pandemic.

    The highly contagious respiratory illness has infected more than 10,700 in the United States.

    The automaker also said it believed it had enough liquidity to successfully navigate the extended period of uncertainty, with some $6.3 billion in cash at the end of the third quarter, ahead of a recent $2.3 billion capital raise.

    Tesla’s Fremont facility, which is the company’s sole U.S. auto factory, employs more than 10,000 workers

    The city and officials from the surrounding Alameda County did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

    Alameda County is one of six counties covered by an order from regional officials to “shelter in place,” which limits activity, travel and business functions to only the most essential, and advises people to stay home except for the most crucial reasons.

    The county sheriff’s office said on Tuesday afternoon Tesla was not considered an essential business and cannot continue to operate its factory normally.

    Tesla said on Thursday it would continue basic operations at the Fremont factory in compliance with the order to support vehicle and energy services and charging infrastructure.

    Tesla’s sole U.S. auto factory employs more than 10,000 workers, with annualized production of slightly more than 415,000 units by the end of December 2019.

    In an email to employees on Thursday, Tesla said operations at the Fremont plant will transition to “minimum basic operations” beginning on March 24.

    Employees at the California and New York factories will be provided with paid leave during suspended operations, the email said.

    Tesla’s Giga factory in Nevada, which employs around 7,000 people, produces battery packs for its electric vehicles and stationary storage systems.

    Its Buffalo, New York, plant produces the company’s solar roof tiles as well as some Supercharger and energy storage components. It has more than 1,500 workers in Buffalo, the company said last month.

    U.S. automakers Ford Motor Co, General Motors Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, on Wednesday said they were shuttering their U.S. plants, as well as factories in Canada and Mexico, to stop the spread of coronavirus.

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  • Harley-Davidson Suspends US Production Over Coronavirus Crisis

    Harley-Davidson Suspends US Production Over Coronavirus Crisis

    “We recognize the unprecedented nature of this global crisis. In order to best support our employees and following the social distancing guidance issued by public health authorities, we are temporarily suspending the majority of production at our US manufacturing facilities,” said Jochen Zeitz, acting CEO and President, Harley-Davidson. “We will continue to monitor the situation and take necessary steps to prioritize employee health and safety.

    Non-critical employees at Harley-Davidson’s headquarters and Production Development Centre in Milwaukee have also been asked to work remotely till the end of March. The company is also working with dealers to assess individual impacts and is encouraging dealers to follow the public health guidelines in their communities for the safety of its consumers.

    Harley-Davidson has become the latest motorcycle manufacturer to shut down at least some production facilities. In Europe, KTM and Ducati have also extended shutdowns at the two motorcycle brands’ manufacturing facilities, over the coronavirus pandemic. For Harley-Davidson though, the decision to shut down production comes at an already difficult time. Harley-Davidson sales are down, more so, in the US domestic market, and in late February, Harley-Davidson announced the departure of the brand’s CEO, Matt Levatich, who spent more than two decades at Harley-Davidson.

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  • Rolls-Royce To Shut Production At Goodwood For 1 Month Over Coronavirus Pandemic

    Rolls-Royce To Shut Production At Goodwood For 1 Month Over Coronavirus Pandemic

    Britain’s Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that the luxury automaker will suspend production at the Goodwood manufacturing facility in the UK for two weeks starting from March 23, 2020. Furthermore, the automaker will keep the facility closed for an additional two week period for the pre-planned Easter maintenance shutdown. The decision to close the plant arises due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus globally, which has affected the production and supply of components to automakers. Moreover, the virus is posing a major health risk, given its airborne nature. With the UK reporting over 2600 cases and about 71 deaths, the country has had to take strict measures to contain the virus.

    Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, “This action has not been taken lightly, but the health and well-being of our exceptional workforce is first and foremost in our minds.  We are a tight-knit community at the Home of Rolls-Royce and I have no doubt that our resilience will shine through during this extraordinary time. As a deeply customer-focused company, we are aware that this decision to pause our production will possibly cause some discomfort or inconvenience to a few of our esteemed patrons, for which we apologize while seeking their understanding at this difficult time.”

    Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood plant employs about 2000 personnel with each of the cars hand-built

    Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce has said that day-to-day operations of the company will be assured by non-production employees who will remain at work at the company’s head office on the Goodwood Estate or who will work from home on a rotational basis. The company has engaged social distancing measures, it said in a statement.

    More recently, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked automakers including Rolls-Royce, Ford and Honda to build medical equipment to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK government also said it will take support from the defense industry to build healthcare equipment to meet the increasing number of cases. Apart from Rolls-Royce, Nissan, BMW and Toyota among others have also announced plant closures in the UK, leaving Jaguar Land Rover and Honda with operational facilities. The closure will affect about 17,000 employees and production across the auto sector.

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  • Nissan Stops Production At UK Factory Over Coronavirus Impact

    Nissan Stops Production At UK Factory Over Coronavirus Impact

    Nissan has stopped output at Britain’s biggest car factory due to the impact from coronavirus as it assesses supply-chain disruption and the drop in demand, the most significant closure to affect the country’s autos sector so far from the outbreak.

    Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port car factory in northern England is also due to close on Tuesday until March 27 as party of parent company Peugeot’s plans to shut sites across the continent to handle the crisis.

    Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida says he’s happy to be fired by shareholders if there’s no sign of a turnaround at the Japanese automaker. Julian Satterthwaite reports

    Nissan’s Sunderland factory in north-eastern England made nearly 350,000 out of Britain’s 1.3 million cars last year, producing the firm’s Qashqai, Juke and LEAF models.

    “Further measures are currently under study as we assess supply-chain disruption and the sudden drop in market demand caused by the COVID-19 emergency,” the Japanese automaker said in a statement.

    Local lawmaker Sharon Hodgson, from the opposition Labour Party, called on the government to do more to support people.

    She wrote on Twitter: “40,000 people in and around my constituency rely on the plant for their livelihoods and I will do everything I can to secure them.”

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  • Ferrari To Close Plants In Italy For Two Weeks In Coronavirus Response

    Ferrari To Close Plants In Italy For Two Weeks In Coronavirus Response

    Luxury carmaker Ferrari said on Saturday it closed its two plants until March 27 in a response to the coronavirus outbreak in Italy and an emerging shortage of parts.

    Ferrari adds to a string of Italian manufacturers that have closed plants or slowed production rates in response to the virus emergency, threatening to disrupt Europe’s struggling automotive industry.

    Ferrari said in a statement it had so far ensured production continuity, as it already implemented all the health measures decided by the Italian government at the two sites, located in hometown Maranello and in Modena, in the northern Emilia Romagna region.

    France, Spain on lockdown over coronavirus

    France and Spain will close most shops, restaurants, and entertainment facilities and are encouraging people to stay home as the countries combat the coronavirus epidemic in Europe. The sweeping changes come as U.S. President Trump on Saturday extended

    However, it added the company was “now experiencing the first serious supply chain issues, which no longer allow for continued production”.

    Premium brakes maker Brembo, whose clients include Ferrari, said on Friday it would temporarily close its four Italian plants next week.

    All non-manufacturing activity will continue regularly, through smart working, Ferrari said.

    A source close to the matter said the company will adopt further measures during the closures period, including sanitization of the sites’ areas and added that no contagion cases were recorded among Ferrari’s workers to date.

    Italy agreed a series of measures on Saturday to improve health controls in factories, offices and other workplaces that have been allowed to stay open during the country’s coronavirus lockdown.

    Ferrari’s workers will continue to receive their full salary and will not be requested to use their day-off allowance during the closure period, the source said.

    Chief Executive Louis Camilleri said Ferrari took the decision to close its plants out of respect for its workers, “for their peace of mind and those of their families”.

    Earlier this week carmaker Fiat Chrysler and industrial vehicle maker CNH Industrial said they were temporarily halting operations and slowing production rates at some of their Italian plants to comply with the government’s anti-coronavirus requirements.

    Tyremaker Pirelli said it was cutting production at its Settimo Torinese plant, near Turin, after a worker tested positive for the coronavirus.

    Ferrari said its Formula One team Scuderia Ferrari had also suspended its operational activities.

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  • Ford To Shut Spanish Factory For One Week Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

    Ford To Shut Spanish Factory For One Week Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

    Ford said on Sunday it would shut its Spanish plant in the eastern region of Valencia for one week starting on Monday after three employees tested positive for coronavirus.

    “We have had three positive cases of COVID-19 in the Ford Valencia plant in the past 24 hours,” the company said, adding it was following protocol by isolating all employees that had contact with the infected workers.

    The Ford Endeavour recently underwent a substantial update. We get our hands on the updated SUV to find out if it still lives up to the benchmarks of the brand.

    The plant, one of Ford’s largest outside the United States, employs over 7,000 workers and produces over 400,000 vehicles a year including the Mondeo and Galaxy models.

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  • Volkswagen Plans To Tap Electric Car Batteries To Compete With Power Firms

    Volkswagen Plans To Tap Electric Car Batteries To Compete With Power Firms

    Volkswagen’s expansion in electric cars will open up new business opportunities in storing and managing energy, encroaching on business currently dominated by utilities and energy firms, chief strategist Michael Jost said on Thursday.

    Electric car batteries could be used to stabilize the energy grid by charging the battery in times of excess supply and selling electricity back to the grid at times when supplies of electricity from wind and solar power are low, Jost said.

    An automotive analyst says the car industry will potentially suffer as the world economy is negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic

    “By 2025 we will have 350-gigawatt hours worth of energy storage at our disposal through our electric car fleet. Between 2025 and 2030 this will grow to 1 terawatt-hours worth of storage,” Jost told journalists in Berlin.

    “That’s more energy than is currently generated by all the hydroelectric power stations in the world. We can guarantee that energy will be used and stored and this will be a new area of business.”

    The German carmaker is not alone in looking into this field. German utility E.ON has been working with Japanese carmaker Nissan to develop so-called vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services.

    Volkswagen is launching the ID:3 electric car this year. A basic version will cost less than 24,000 euros ($27,000) in Germany, once green car tax breaks and incentives are deducted, putting electric cars on par with combustion-engined variants.

  • Rolls-Royce Dawn Silver Bullet Roadster Teased

    Rolls-Royce Dawn Silver Bullet Roadster Teased

    Rolls-Royce is all set to introduce its first collection car of the new decade. It’s the Dawn Silver Bullet Collection and according to the company it is an ode ‘to decadence, to frivolity, to heady heydays and irreverent past times’. It’s basically the open-top roadster iteration of Dawn, and Rolls-Royce teased the car and we’ll know more about it very soon.

    A quilted transmission tunnel, with design cues taken from the leather jacket, runs through the center of the cabin in a tailored fashion.

    Drawing inspiration from the roadsters of the 1920’s -the Dawn Silver Bullet Collection looks seductive and cool too. It comes with a newly commissioned ultra-metallic silver paint finish which looks fantastic on the car. The aero cowling gives the Dawn Silver Bullet a high-shouldered silhouette. The rakish silver center spine brings the bodywork into the cabin, giving it the intimate, connected feel of a true two-seater.

    A behind-the-scenes look at Sunseeker, Britain’s biggest superyacht builder.

    It comes with a newly commissioned ultra-metallic silver paint finish which looks fantastic on the car.

    The Dawn Silver Bullet Collection features dark exterior detailing; dark headlights and a new dark front bumper finisher. The wheels are part-polished and offer a translucent shadow finish with a single silver pinstripe.

    Inside, the Dawn Silver Bullet Collection comes with an open-pore carbon fiber fascia. A quilted transmission tunnel, with design cues taken from the leather jacket, runs through the center of the cabin in a tailored fashion.

    Only 50 examples of this car will be made and we are sure there are plenty out there who want to scoop up this two-seater roadster from Rolls-Royce

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  • Tesla Rolls Out Its One Millionth Car

    Tesla Rolls Out Its One Millionth Car

    American electric car maker, Tesla Inc. has rolled out its one-millionth car from its main vehicle manufacturing facility, Tesla Factory, in Fremont, California. The company’s CEO, Elon Musk has posted a photo of the one-millionth car, a red color Tesla Model Y, congratulating his factory team for achieving the new production milestone. The company, which was founded in 2003, started producing cars in 2008 with the Tesla Roadster (discontinued) in 2008, taking 12 years to reach the one million mark.

    Currently, the company offers four models, Model S, Model 3, Model X, and the Model Y. Tesla recently also revealed its fifth pure electric vehicle, the Tesla Cybertruck, which made its debut in November 2019 and is slated to go into production in 2021. Tesla currently operates several production and assembly plants in addition to the Fremont facility, which includes – Giga Nevada near Reno, Giga New York in Buffalo, New York, and the most recently opened Giga Shanghai in Shanghai, China, Tesla’s first plant outside America

    China’s industry ministry urged Tesla to keep its China-made vehicles consistent after some Chinese customers complained the automaker put less advanced chips in their cars.

    The company has already started selling China-made Model 3s and plans to produce the new Model Y at its China plant. Furthermore, the company has started work to build a new Gigafactory near Berlin Germany. Based on the company’s current targets growth rate, Tesla’s next million cars could very well be rolled much sooner. Early this year in January, the company announced that it hopes to ship over 500,000 cars worldwide in 2020.

    Tesla unveiled the Model Y in March 2019, and the prices start at $39,000 (approximately ₹ 27 lakh). The Model Y will be available in a standard range version, and a long-range, Dual-Motor All-Wheel Drive, and Performance variants. The company says that the Model Y electric crossover is spacious enough to carry seven adults (gets optional 3rd row) and their gear. The high-efficiency powertrain and ultra-responsive motors will provide 0-98 kmph in as little as 3.5 seconds and a top speed of up to 241 kmph. The Model Y with the Standard Battery will have a range of 370 km while the long-range variant will be able to travel up to 483 km on a single charge.

  • Volkswagen Tiguan Diesel To Be Discontinued From April 2020

    Volkswagen Tiguan Diesel To Be Discontinued From April 2020

    With the BS6 norms kicking in, Volkswagen India has done some major restructuring to its current lineup. While the automaker has launched the updated Polo and Vento with the 1.0-litre petrol motor, the diesel versions have been discontinued. Similarly, the German auto giant is all set to boot the Tiguan diesel from its Indian line-up by the end of this month. The five-seater Volkswagen Tiguan diesel won’t be upgraded to meet the BS6 emission norms that kick-in from April 2020.

    The Volkswagen Tiguan was launched in India in May 2017 as a five-seater premium SUV. The model is powered by a 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine and does not get a petrol engine, even as an option. With the VW Group going petrol-only in India, the engine won’t be upgraded to meet the BS6 emission norms. Although, it is likely that the company will bring a petrol version of the Tiguan, if it has strong demand for it.

    Volkswagen has shifted its focus to the SUV segment starting 2020 and it launched the Tiguan AllSpace, which is the long wheelbase, seven-seater version of the SUV at a price tag of Rs 33.12 lakh (ex-showroom). The AllSpace is a more practical alternative for the Indian market and is more suited to lock horns with rivals in the segment including the Toyota Fortuner, Honda CR-V, Mahindra Alturas G4 and the likes. The Tiguan Allspace’s introductory price makes it just ₹ xx lakh expensive than the top-end Tiguan 5-seater and that’s one reason why the company can expect the demand for this 7-seater to surge.

    The Volkswagen Tiguan AllSpace is a petrol-only offering and comes with the 2-litre turbocharged TSI motor that develops 187 bhp. The model is offered only with the 7-speed DSG automatic transmission and is fully loaded on the feature front with All-Wheel Drive as standard. Nevertheless, the void of a five-seater SUV from Volkswagen will be soon filled by the T-Roc compact SUV that is slated to be launched on March 18, 2020. Like the Tiguan AllSpace, the T-Roc is being brought to India as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) and will be priced around the ₹ 20 lakh (ex-showroom) mark. The SUV will be sold in a single-variant with power coming from the 1.5-litre TSI turbo petrol engine that belts out 148 bhp. The new T-Roc will take on the Jeep Compass, MG Hector, Tata Harrier and the likes, and will be sold in a fully-loaded single variant.

  • Volvo Inaugurates Battery Assembly Line In Belgium

    Volvo Inaugurates Battery Assembly Line In Belgium

    Volvo Cars inaugurated a brand new battery assembly line at its Belgian manufacturing plant in Ghent, where it will start building its first fully electric car, the XC40 Recharge P8, later this year. The inauguration of the assembly line is in line with the company’s ambitious electrification strategy and its climate action plan. Ghent is one of two car manufacturing plants operated by Volvo Cars in Europe and has produced Volvos since 1965. It aims to reduce its lifecycle carbon footprint per car by 40 percent between 2018 and 2025, as the first step towards its goal of becoming a climate-neutral company by 2040.

    Over the next five years, Volvo Cars will launch a fully electric car every year, as it seeks to make all-electric cars 50 percent of global sales by 2025, with the rest hybrids. Recharge will be the overarching name for all chargeable Volvos with a fully electric or plug-in hybrid powertrain.

    The XC40 Recharge gets dual electric motors which are mounted on the front and rear axle that develop 402 bhp & 659 Nm

    Geert Bruyneel, head of global production operations, said “As the first of our plants to get a battery assembly line, Ghent plays a pioneering role as we continue to prepare our manufacturing network for electrification.”

    Earlier this year the company announced the planned construction of a battery assembly line at its US plant outside Charleston, South Carolina. Construction of that assembly line is expected to start soon. The company will also build battery electric vehicles at a Volvo-operated manufacturing plant in Luqiao, China, based on the CMA platform.

    Last year, Volvo Cars signed long-term supply agreements with two leading global battery suppliers, CATL of China and LG Chem of South Korea. The agreements cover the supply of batteries over the coming decade for next-generation Volvo and Polestar models, including the XC40 Recharge P8.