Victor Zhang

🚨 Volkswagen Faces Union Showdown As VW grapples with weak EV sales & Chinese competition, it negotiates with unions to cut costs & avoid shutting 3 German factories. https://lnkd.in/g5XsTZG7

EV Board approves tax support measures for HEV and MHEV vehicles The EV Board in Thailand has approved measures to support the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). These include reducing the excise tax for Hybrid (HEV) and Mild Hybrid (MHEV) vehicle production and extending the compensatory production period under the EV3 measure. The initiatives aim to ensure competitive balance and establish Thailand as a global hub for EV production and export. The tax reduction focuses on domestic production of passenger cars, while the extension of compensatory production responds to challenges faced by electric vehicle manufacturers, including a shrinking domestic market and strict lending practices that limit consumer purchasing power. To prevent oversupply and price wars, the EV Board has adjusted production requirements, allowing ratios to extend from 1:1 to 1:1.5 by 2025 and introducing conditions for the EV3.5 measure. Furthermore, the National Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Industry Policy Committee set a five-year investment goal of 500 billion baht to enhance Thailand's semiconductor and electronics sectors. This strategic initiative aims to develop skilled personnel and strengthen the country's competitiveness, contributing to technological advancement and economic growth. #MotiveAsia #Thailand https://lnkd.in/gmaFSh-H

Sony Honda Mobility's first electric car worth 100 million won, 'Apila 1', appears Sony Honda Mobility has launched its first mass-produced electric vehicle, the 'Afila 1', showcasing it at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The model features the 'Afila Intelligent Drive', utilizing 40 sensors—cameras, lidar, and ultrasonic waves—to evaluate driving conditions, while its ECU delivers up to 800 TOPS for AI-enhanced advanced driver assistance. The Afila 1 incorporates a 3D motion management system that integrates motor, brake, and suspension for optimal ride quality across varied road conditions. It offers a driving range of about 483 kilometers (300 miles) and is compatible with the Tesla Supercharger network. The sleek design includes a large infotainment screen for rear passengers, with sensors strategically mounted on the roof. Set to be released in two trims, 'Origin' and 'Signature', the Afila 1 starts at $89,900 for the basic model and $102,900 for the premium version, with four options for interior materials. Both variants will feature key functions and services free for three years post-purchase. Pre-orders are expected to begin this year in the US and Japan, with deliveries slated for mid-next year. #MotiveAsia #SouthKorea https://lnkd.in/gBj7bPju

🚗 Great Wall Motor Launches Ultra - Luxury Car Brand, with Wei Jianjun as Chairman 𝕰𝖓𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝕯𝖆𝖎𝖑𝖞 10/1/2025 🔥 📰 Initial Report: On January 9, it was reported that Great Wall Motor has newly established the "Great Wall Ultra - Luxury Car Business Group". 📑 Wei Jianjun, the chairman of Great Wall Motor, also serves as the chairman of the new brand. 👨‍💼Song Dongxian, the former vice president of technology at Great Wall Motor, is the CEO. 📈 Zhang Xiaobo is the CTO. 🛠️ 💡 Brand Significance: Great Wall Motor shows extraordinary emphasis on this new brand. ⭐ It breaks the traditional internal appointment model of Great Wall Motor. It is the first internal organization to set up a chairman position, with Wei Jianjun taking on this crucial role. 🎯 🔍 Insider Information: Insiders disclosed that Wei Jianjun will be involved in the vehicle definition and engineering development of the ultra - luxury car brand. He will also be highly engaged in the benchmarking and problem - solving processes of certain details. 🧐 Currently, the new brand is in a crucial development stage, mainly focusing on new energy products such as hybrids. 🔋 The vehicle portfolio may include supercars, sedans, etc. 🚘 Its positioning is higher than the existing five brands of Great Wall Motor, namely Haval, WEY, Tank, Ora, and Great Wall Pickup. 📊 However, the specific models and price ranges have not been fully determined yet. 🤔 📋 Operational Requirements: For this ultra - luxury car brand, Wei Jianjun requires it to be operated in a "high - quality, low - volume" manner. 🎯 There are significant differences from mass - produced vehicles in product definition, development, manufacturing, sales, and other aspects. More innovative and high - tech materials will be used. 🧪 Higher precision requirements are set for simulation and production. 📏 😃 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙩. 𝙄𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙪𝙨 𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. 😃 #EAC #NEV #Automobile #Automotive #China #NewEnergyVehicle

Recall on BMWs ex-Japan: Importers urged to check call-back status before buying or shipping cars. #bmw #nzta #importedmotorvehicleindustryassociation #via #callback #status #japan #recall #airbag #msport #steeringwheel #carnews

Nation’s auto industry make accords at forum A glance at a production line of FAW-Volkswagen in Tianjin. The 20th International Forum (TEDA) on Chinese Automotive Industry Development concluded in early September in Tianjin with the establishment of five consensuses on policy trends, corporate strategies, green industry development and advanced technology applications. The forum saw the participation of more than 100 representatives from ministries, auto company boards and industry experts. One of the consensuses reached during the forum is to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces through technological innovation and strengthen the application of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G and big data. The aim is to secure a competitive edge in the latter phase of competition within the new energy vehicle industry, particularly in the realm of intelligent technologies, said the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, one of the organizers of the forum. The first half of the competition is about electrification, an area where the Chinese automotive industry has established a strong foothold globally. Statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that from January to July, China's vehicle sales totaled 16.31 million units, a year-on-year increase of 4.4 percent. Among these, sales of NEVs reached 5.93 million units, accounting for more than 60 percent of the global market share for NEVs. In July alone, passenger NEVs accounted for more than 50 percent of sales for the first time, reaching 878,000 units. It signals dominance over traditional internal combustion engine vehicles and their emergence as the new mainstream in the Chinese auto market, An Tiecheng, chairman of China Automotive Technology and Research Center, said at the forum. In the intelligence sector, passenger NEVs with Level 2 driving-assist functions account for 56 percent of market share. Level 3 vehicles are undergoing pilot demonstrations for access and on-road operation. Level 4 testing is pioneering commercialization in sectors like buses, taxis and ride-hailing. Xin Guobin, vice-minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said at the forum that the MIIT will continue to support innovation in auto technology like chips and autonomous driving, advance infrastructure like charging stations and road testing, and promote development of the vehicle-energy-road-cloud ecosystem. The forum also suggested establishing an innovation system with carmakers as the mainstay, promoting collaboration among academic, industry and research institutions. It should focus on technologies such as advanced power batteries, new chassis architectures, advanced autonomous driving and foundational software to accelerate the transformation of technological achievements into production. Another consensus is to enhance global competitiveness by accelerating auto industry expansion, a shi

Volkswagen Sells Xinjiang Car Plant, Citing 'Economic Reasons, Volkswagen has sold its car plant in Xinjiang, citing economic reasons for the move, amid growing scrutiny over business operations in the region. #Volkswagen #Xinjiang #CarManufacturing #BusinessNews #EconomicDecisions