Author: James Bryant

Hyundai Motor has appointed Jose Munoz, its U.S. chief and global COO, as co-CEO, marking the first time a foreign national has held the title at a major South Korean conglomerate. The move is seen as a strategic response to navigate potential challenges posed by a possible second Trump administration. Munoz, credited with driving record sales for Hyundai in North America, joins three other co-CEOs, including executive chair Euisun Chung and president Chang Jae-hoon, who will take on a new role as group vice chair overseeing the automotive division. The leadership shift aims to enhance Hyundai’s global competitiveness and prepare…

BETA Technologies, an electric aviation company based in Vermont, has reached a key milestone with the first test flight of its production version of the ALIA CTOL, an electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) aircraft. BETA’s founder, CEO, and test pilot, Kyle Clark, piloted the flight, marking another step forward in BETA’s goal of bringing the ALIA aircraft to market. This flight follows the company’s recent progress with the ALIA VTOL, a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, both of which are moving through FAA certification processes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd_lTV3KBg8 The ALIA CTOL’s first production test flight took place on November 13 after…

Tesla has officially launched its Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover in the Philippines, with both vehicles priced competitively against mainstream rivals in the country’s automotive market. The announcement follows the opening of Tesla’s first Experience Center in the Philippines, located in the upscale Bonifacio Global City (BGC) area in Metro Manila. The event garnered significant attention, attracting both a large crowd and several notable officials. Tesla Experience Center, 22 Uptown Parade, Now Open. pic.twitter.com/H9Y8lgWMNr — Tesla Philippines Official (@teslaphp) November 8, 2024 The pricing for the Model 3 is positioned in the same range as traditional internal combustion…

Sweden is hopeful that the European Union and China will negotiate a pricing agreement on electric vehicles (EVs) soon to mitigate the impact of recent EU tariffs on Chinese imports, Swedish Foreign Trade Minister Benjamin Dousa told Reuters following a visit to China aimed at protecting Volvo’s business. The European Commission last month set tariffs of up to 45.3% on EVs imported from China, concluding a major trade investigation intended to shield Europe’s emerging EV industry. Sweden, home to Volvo Cars, abstained from voting on the tariffs, hoping instead for a compromise that could allow Chinese automakers to voluntarily raise…

Voltari Electric, a marine electrification specialist, has introduced the Voltari Patrol 26 RIB, a high-performance, carbon-fiber electric boat built for demanding security and government operations. Designed with advanced marine technologies, the Patrol 26 RIB builds on Voltari’s legacy of delivering innovative electric boats with a focus on durability and speed. Voltari was established in Canada in 2021 after acquiring LTS Marine, a provider of electric boat systems, and Carbon Marine, a carbon fiber laminate specialist. These technologies were integrated to launch the Voltari 260, an all-electric performance boat that set a high standard in sustainable marine mobility. Demonstrating its capabilities,…

Hyundai continues to make waves in the electric vehicle (EV) market, having secured consecutive World Car of the Year awards with its Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 models. The next chapter in this successful lineup is the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 9, a large, family-friendly electric crossover that is poised to compete with models like the Kia EV9 and the Hyundai Palisade. Insights into this new SUV were unveiled during Hyundai’s CEO Investor Day event in August, where Jae Hoon Chang, Hyundai’s CEO, confirmed crucial details about the Ioniq 9’s development and its significance in the automaker’s EV strategy. One of…

Volvo Cars posted a 3% increase in global sales for October, reaching 61,686 units, driven primarily by strong demand for electrified models in Europe, according to the company’s latest report. The Sweden-based automaker, majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding, noted that fully electric and plug-in hybrid models surged by 40% year-on-year, making up nearly half (48%) of all sales for the month. Fully electric models accounted for 22% of total October sales. Europe, Volvo’s largest market, saw a 21% sales increase to 30,167 vehicles, with electrified models representing 66% of cars sold—a 46% rise from the same period last year. In…

German automotive supplier Schaeffler AG has inaugurated a state-of-the-art technology center for materials science and engineering at its Herzogenaurach headquarters. The €90 million facility spans over 18,000 square meters and brings together expertise in materials science to drive advancements in eMobility, battery technology, and hydrogen fuel solutions. Equipped with 15 specialized laboratories dedicated to measurement, testing, and calibration, the center aims to push forward sustainable technologies such as solid-state battery coatings and hydrogen fuel cell components. The center also includes an EMC lab for testing the electromagnetic compatibility of Schaeffler’s electronic systems. “Innovative materials are crucial for sustainable solutions in…

Zoox co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Jesse Levinson cast doubt on Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, questioning its readiness for unsupervised driving during an interview at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference. Levinson’s comments come as Zoox, an Amazon-owned company, initiates its first driverless ride-hailing services in two U.S. cities. Levinson suggested that Tesla lacks the necessary technology for fully autonomous driving without human intervention. “The more fundamental issue is they don’t have technology that works,” Levinson remarked. “By works, I want to differentiate between a driver assistance system that drives most of the time — except when it doesn’t, and then…

Mazda is on pace to reach a record-breaking 400,000 vehicle sales in the United States this year, buoyed by strong demand for its SUV lineup, and is optimistic that this growth trajectory will extend into 2025, despite tempering its sales projections. This milestone would mark a significant achievement for Mazda, whose U.S. sales surged 23% last year to 363,354 units. The automaker delivered 313,452 vehicles through September, a 15% increase over the same period in 2023, driven largely by its new CX-70 and CX-90 SUVs and increased production of the CX-50 at its Alabama plant, a joint venture with Toyota.…

Hyundai  is set to enhance its presence in Japan, a market that has historically posed challenges for the South Korean automaker, by focusing on small electric vehicles (EVs). Chief Executive Chang Jae-hoon announced this strategy on Monday, revealing plans to launch an electric model of the Casper, Hyundai’s smallest sport utility vehicle, in the first half of this year, primarily through online sales channels. “It’s not easy to penetrate the Japanese market, but we’ll continue to sell high-quality electric vehicles online,” Chang stated during a presentation at the Global Management Dialogue 2024 forum, hosted by Nikkei and Swiss business school…

Lucid Motors’ 2025 Air electric sedan has been awarded the highest possible safety rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), according to a press release issued Tuesday. The luxury EV achieved a five-star rating in the agency’s New Car Assessment Program, which assessed crashworthiness and advanced safety features on approximately 87 percent of new models, including 37 vehicles with eight being electric or hybrid. The NHTSA evaluation included extensive tests on frontal, side, and rollover crash performance, along with selected advanced driver assistance systems. Eric Bach, Lucid’s Senior Vice President of Product and Chief Engineer, highlighted the company’s…