Global vehicle sales grew by 3.4% between January and April 2018 to 28.8 million units. The data for 53 markets from JATO (around 90% of the global total) indicates that the growth pace continues thanks to the positive economic indicators and good mood among consumers in most of the key markets. Even if almost two in three of the vehicles were sold in China, USA and Europe, most of the growth was driven by emerging countries like India, Brazil and Russia. All three of these m

When Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited Germany last week, BMW Group and Volkswagen Group each signed deals pledging to invest more in their China joint ventures. And the German automakers obtained something in return -- the opportunity to gain control of local joint ventures before other foreign peers. What the Chinese government promised the companies was undisclosed in the statements BMW and VW released under new agreements with their Chinese partners, but the State

China is considering a further reduction in electric-vehicle subsidies next year as the government pushes automakers to innovate rather than rely on fiscal policy to spur demand for alternative-energy cars, people familiar with the plan said. The average sales incentive per EV may be lowered by more than a third from the 2018 levels, said the people, who asked not to be identified disclosing information that isn’t public. Vehicles may be required to be able to go at least

BEIJING -- China unveiled late Thursday a long-anticipated easing of foreign investment curbs in the auto industry and other key sectors as Beijing moves to open its markets further. China's National Development and Reform Commission published on its website a new version of the so-called negative list, which sets out industries where foreign investment is limited or prohibited, that will take effect July 28. In addition to confirming already announced pledges to fully remove

How fast that revolution will unfold is the source of much dispute and uncertainty. And it matters a great deal to oil demand, electricity demand, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and global trade flows. In many ways, questions around EVs parallel questions around renewable energy. They have both been consistently underestimated. If they continue beating expectations, revolution is nigh. But there’s also a lot of hype, wildly conflicting projections, and plenty of ris

BERLIN/FRANKFURT - Daimler and its Chinese joint venture partner BAIC Motor Corporation agreed to upgrade the Mercedes-Benz factory in Beijing to make electric cars, the German carmaker said on Thursday. At a signing ceremony in Berlin attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Daimler signed a framework agreement to upgrade production facilities at Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd. (BBAC), to make New Energy Vehicles, a label for so-called lo