MITI clarifies open investment rules for BYD and other foreign automakers in Malaysia Reported on March 31, 2026, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) has issued a statement clarifying its policies on foreign automotive investment and BYD’s CKD assembly plans in Malaysia. Earlier reports suggested that MITI had imposed restrictive conditions on BYD’s Tanjung Malim plant, including a reported requirement to export up to 80% of...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

e infrastructure. The collaboration will deploy EV charging stations and electric motorcycle battery swapping cabinets for VinFast users, supporting a more sustainable and connected EV ecosystem. Under the agreement, Vikki Bank will provide suitable land and financial backing to help V-Green expand its network. The partnership will also enhance Vikki Bank’s operational spaces with daily amenities, attracting new customers while better serving e...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

ion-ready lighting technologies at Auto China 2026 in Beijing from April 24 to May 3. Thin Corner to Corner Headlamp integrates all core lighting functions with touch and intelligent voice interaction directly into the lighting system. It features ultra-slim lighting modules of just 15 mm x 120 mm. Its interactive functions include opening the vehicle front trunk (frunk) via touch on the illuminated logo or through voice control in Chinese and En...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

Michelin completes acquisition of Flexitallic to accelerate growth in polymer composite solutions Michelin announced the completion of its acquisition of Flexitallic, based in Houston, Texas, USA. Flexitallic operates across 17 facilities worldwide and produces a comprehensive range of composite gaskets, sheet products, and specialty filler materials. It employs approximately 1,200 people and generated around USD 220 million in sales in 2025. The...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

Charge+ exceeds 4,000 EV charging points in Singapore Announced on March 30, 2026, Charge+ has grown its network beyond 4,000 charging points nationwide, reinforcing its position as Singapore’s largest EV charging operator, as the country steps up EV adoption under the Singapore Green Plan 2030. Of these, over 2,000 are installed across four of Singapore’s five HDB zones, while around 1,700 points are located within roughly 300 condominiums. ...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

Six Japanese OEMs’ U.S. sales fall for the first time in four years (Jan–Mar 2026) Six Japanese automakers’ new vehicle sales in the U.S. from January to March 2026 totaled 1,416,619 units, a year-over-year (y/y) decrease of 5.4% for the first time in four years. The reason for the decline is believed to be the previous year’s robust sales from a last-minute surge in demand before higher automotive tariffs took effect (in April 2025). Cru...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

ate, a by-product generated during titanium dioxide manufacturing. In addition to manufacturing titanium dioxide and cobalt sulfate, the company also operates a business recovering nickel, cobalt, lithium, and manganese through the recycling of waste batteries. Following the vertical integration of its ternary cathode material business in collaboration with its affiliate, Cosmo Advanced Materials, Cosmo Chemical plans to expand its business scope...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

LG Chem to strengthen automotive electronics material business South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd. (LG Chem) announced that it has unveiled a plan to expand its electronic material business, from current KRW 1 trillion (JPY 110 billion) in sales to KRW 2 trillion (JPY 220 billion) by 2030. Prior to this, the company positioned automotive electronic components, semiconductors, and next-generation displays as the main areas of its business and integrated ...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

Toyota Motor Hamura is established, taking the lead in ladder-frame vehicles Toyota Motor Hamura Co., Ltd. (Hamura City, Tokyo), a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) that took over the Hamura Plant (Hamura City, Tokyo) from Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino), was established on April 1 and announced its corporate philosophy and other details. As a leader in ladder-frame vehicle production—featuring a structural ladder-like frame...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

Stellantis U.S. Q1 sales increase 4.3% on strength of ICE vehicles On April 1, Stellantis reported that its total first-quarter U.S. sales increased 4.3% versus the same period in 2025. Overall, the company sold 305,902 vehicles in the quarter.      • Jeep brand sales were up 2.8% to 144,552 units, assisted by sales of the all-new Cherokee and increased Grand Wagoneer sales    • Ram brand sales were up 20.1% to 112,160 units, led by Ram ...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

GM’s joint venture in China seeks to build vehicles in Mexico General Motors and its Chinese joint venture, SAIC-GM-Wuling, are reported to be in advanced talks to manufacture vehicles in Mexico. The move comes amid shifting trade policies, as Mexico raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 50% in January. The joint venture already ships approximately 130,000 Chinese-built Chevrolet Aveo, Groove, and Tornado vans annually to Mexico, but adding loca...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

GM U.S. Q1 2026 sales fall 9.7% from pre-tariff market high On April 1, GM announced that its sales in Q1 2026 totaled 626,429 vehicles, a decline of 9.7% compared to the same period a year earlier. GM says it expects a similar decline for the U.S. auto industry as a whole since the current market has been feeling the effects of winter storms (as well as affordability and gasoline price concerns) and is being compared to an exceptionally high sel...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

Rivian Q1 production down 29.9%, but deliveries up 20.0% in Q1 2026 On April 2, Rivian Automotive announced production and delivery totals for the quarter ending March 31, 2026.  The company produced 10,236 vehicles at its manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois in Q1 (down 29.9% from Q1 2025) and delivered 10,365 vehicles (up 20.0%) during the same period. Rivian said that production and delivery results for the quarter are in line with its ...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

Hero MotoCorp, India picks up 36.67% in Euler Motors On April 1, Hero MotoCorp completed the acquisition of 268,219 Series E Cumulative Compulsorily Convertible Preference Shares in Euler Motors for INR 2.1 billion, part of a broader INR 2.75 billion additional investment approved in February 2026. Post acquisition, Hero MotoCorp holds 36.67% of Euler Motors on a fully diluted basis, up from its earlier associate-level stake. Euler Motors is a Be...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/02

LEPAS to marks its European debut in Milan, Italy On April 2, the Chery brand LEPAS announced that it will organize a grand aesthetic gala in Milan to mark its European debut. It will unveil its signature Leopard Aesthetics design system, Elegant Technology, as well as showcase the Intelligent LEX platform powered by global innovation. Based on LEPAS press release...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/02

nced that Marquardt is developing a door interior panel that maintains the visual and haptic properties of polyurethane (PU)-coated textile synthetics commonly used in automotive interiors, while enabling a dynamic color-changing responsive display to be invisibly embedded within the surface, under its Centum project.  Marquardt partnered with E Ink to integrate a durable, low-energy display into premium coated surfaces. It will ensure that the ...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/02

KD, Spain, presents Optical Ethernet solutions at AEC 2026, Germany On March 27, KD announced that it has showcased its latest Optical Ethernet solutions for automotive applications at the Automotive Ethernet Congress 2026 (AEC 2026). It has presented the 10GBASE AU optical camera system with fiber connectivity, developed in collaboration with Leopard Imaging and Corning. Multigigabit camera demos showcased alongside Hinge; Optical Ethernet valid...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/02

Agratas, India completes steel frame at Sanand battery gigafactory On April 2, Agratas, the Tata Group's global battery business, completed the steel frame structure at its Sanand facility in Gujarat, a key construction milestone keeping the 20 GWh first-phase gigafactory on track for production in 2027. The structure spans 700 metres in length, 150 metres in width, and rises to 34 metres at its highest point, covering a built-up area of 105,000 ...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/02

NORMA Group, Germany, to cut 400 jobs worldwide by 2028 On March 31, NORMA Group announced that it will cut 400 jobs worldwide by 2028. The company plans to generate annual savings of up to EUR 42 million by 2028 compared to the 2024 cost base. The Group optimized its global footprint over the past year. In the Asia-Pacific region. The company consolidated its production sites in China and its distribution centers in Australia.  In the Americas,...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/02

Gelion, Australia, expands Collaboration Agreement scope with TDK Corporation On March 31, Gelion announced exceptional performance results from its Nano-Encapsulated Sulfur (NES) Cathode Active Material (CAM) platform, leading to an expansion in the Collaboration Agreement scope with TDK Corporation. These developments further validate the performance potential and commercial readiness of Gelion’s cathode technology. Gelion is seeking to repla...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/02