Auto Industry News

Ford Motor Co posted better-than-expected quarterly results on Wednesday and maintained its profit forecast for the year, citing strong vehicle pricing that partly offset higher costs and inflation.

The improvements include some visual tweaks along with additional tech and a larger range on a single charge.

ABB which makes fast electric chargers for cars, buses and trucks wants to spend $750 million on expanding its operations, the company said at its capital markets day on Thursday.

Shyft, which is based outside Detroit, will begin delivering the custom-built electric vans in the second half of 2022 to customers for testing. The van will have a driving range of up to 175 miles (281 km), with the ability to enhance that with expanded battery options.

Carmakers are working to secure supplies of materials from lithium, nickel, and manganese for batteries to magnesium for car components.

Great Wall plans to launch 10 new electrified products within three years in Brazil, four of which will be pure electric vehicles and six hybrids.

In a presentation to investors, Renault said a "pure electric entity" could be focused on France and be open to partnerships, while a separate one for the combustion engine and hybrid cars could be focused outside France and do the same.

Demand for nickel is expected to jump over the next decade as EVs go mainstream. Nickel bolsters energy storage in a battery's cathode, which in turn extends an EV's range. The auto industry is scrambling to boost EV range with large investments in research into more energy-dense batteries.