Sports car manufacturer What Porsche is planning for the electric future

Status: 06/22/2021 9:24 a.m.

As a rule, Porsche tests new technology first on the race track – including a new high-tech battery. Because there are no suitable batteries on the world market, Porsche will produce them in-house in the future.

From Tim Diekmann, SWR

If you sit in the new Porsche Taycan, you don’t have to do without the usual sound. Although the first fully electric Porsche should glide almost silently across the street, it sounds either like a bubbling sports car or – when accelerating – like an intergalactic rocket. Porsche calls this “Electric Sport Sound” – because the Swabian car manufacturer does not want to deliver its newest vehicle completely without sports car noises. The luxury sports car, which Porsche sold 20,000 times worldwide last year, is only supposed to be the beginning of an electromobility initiative.

High-tech battery made in Germany

In just two years, every third Porsche should be equipped with an electric motor – as a hybrid or fully electric. For this, Porsche needs lots of powerful batteries. But they are hard to find on the world market, says Porsche boss Oliver Blume: “We need high-performance cells for our electric sports cars. But we can’t find them anywhere at the moment. That’s why we develop and build these cells ourselves.” The first battery cells are expected to roll off the assembly line from 2024, initially for around 1,000 vehicles per year. “The focus will initially be on small series for racing and high-performance vehicles. In the future, however, this is not just about racing cars,” explains Blume at the official presentation at the Porsche Development Center in Weissach. In the first step, innovative technologies are usually only developed for a limited high-tech application, “but once the innovations have proven themselves there, they will gradually establish themselves across the board. That must be our goal. At Porsche, that’s what we call it Principle: from motorsport to series production. ”

Range model Tesla

For battery cell production, the Stuttgart-based company is working with the German company Customcells, which it claims to be a world leader in the development of lithium-ion battery cells. The joint venture operates under the name Cellforce Group.

According to automotive expert Stefan Bratzel from the Center of Automotive Management in Bergisch-Gladbach, it is logical that, after Volkswagen, Porsche is now also relying on the production of its own battery cells: “The battery cell accounts for the largest part of the car’s added value, and it has a lot of innovation potential . Automobile manufacturers who develop competencies in this area have a long-term competitive advantage. ” According to Bratzel, Porsche should not chase after the competition for the US electric car manufacturer Tesla, but rather must lead the way as an innovator.

New battery technology promises many advantages

According to the head of electrochemical energy technologies at the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research in Baden-Württemberg (ZSW), Markus Hölzle, the batteries as we know them today should still develop their potential: “Everything can, must and will be improved Above all, however, the cost of battery cells must be reduced further. And the energy density must also increase so that the batteries become more compact. ” The ability to recharge quickly is also important. To do this, Porsche wants to work with so-called silicon anodes, which “has two major advantages over the previously used carbon: it improves the ability to charge quickly and increases the energy content,” explains Hölzle. But now Porsche must first show that they can do it.

But while Porsche is still planning the future, competitor Tesla is already building the world’s largest battery cell factory in Grünheide near Berlin and promises a production capacity of 100 gigawatt hours per year, a thousand times as much as Porsche’s subsidiary Cellforce Group.

Climate neutral by 2030?

The focus on e-mobility and the setting of climate targets is an important step for the brand, emphasizes car expert Bratzel. “Porsche is a brand that nobody really needs, but many people want to have it because of its positive image. And I believe that it is becoming more and more important for the Porsche clientele in particular to say: ‘I have a sports car and still drive in a climate-friendly way . ‘”

Climate protection has long since become an image factor. This also shows the ambitious goal of the Swabian car manufacturer to be “balance sheet CO2-neutral” by 2030 and thus earlier than Daimler (planned for 2039) or Volkswagen (planned for 2050).

Environmentalists are skeptical

The environmental protection organization Greenpeace is skeptical whether Porsche will really be climate-neutral by 2030. “Unfortunately, ‘climate-neutral’ on the balance sheet ‘usually means that in the end generously cheap CO2 credits are bought from offsetting projects instead of consistently reducing CO2,” says Benjamin Gehrs from Greenpeace. With its large SUVs, Porsche consumes an unnecessarily large amount of resources. Porsche must also get out of the business with climate-damaging diesels and gasoline engines faster and more consistently than before.

So will the Porsche 911 possibly soon hit the streets as an electric car? Unlikely. In addition to battery cell technology, Porsche is also working on the development of synthetic fuels, so-called eFuels, which are to be produced using renewable electricity. Artificial sports car sound, as in the Taycan, is then unnecessary. At Porsche, the first step is to advance research in the field of battery cell development. The federal and state governments support the project with 60 million euros

Electric car manufacturer US agency investigates Tesla accidents

Status: 06/18/2021 10:49 a.m.

The US traffic safety authority NHTSA has investigated 30 accidents with Tesla models since 2016. It examines whether and how the use of Tesla’s assistance system for automated driving influenced the accidents. In recent years, accidents involving Tesla models have repeatedly raised the question of the extent to which there is a connection with the assistance system for automated driving. Does the US electric car manufacturer’s autopilot pose any particular dangers? To find out, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating 30 accidents involving Tesla models. The accidents have occurred since 2016 and claimed a total of ten deaths. The NHTSA has now published an official list with details of the accidents investigated for the first time, as reported by Reuters news agency.

Sensational accident in Texas

Accordingly, eight new investigations have been initiated since March 2021. In three of the 30 cases, the involvement of the autopilot in the accident could be excluded, according to the NHTSA. Two final reports are ready.

An accident in Texas in April caused a sensation in which a Tesla Model S hit a tree and immediately caught fire . Two men died in the accident. It is believed that neither of them had been behind the wheel. The authority is currently investigating six other incidents from other manufacturers in which assistance systems may be involved.

Problems in china

The US electrical manufacturer Tesla is repeatedly confronted with all kinds of safety concerns, most recently in the important Chinese market.

For example, an event at the Shanghai auto show in April caused a sensation. A woman at the Tesla booth got into a Model 3 from the manufacturer and complained screaming about brake failure. It was taken away by security guards while the videos were spreading online. The Chinese market supervisory authority then intervened, and state media called for an investigation into Tesla.

Tesla is the best-selling electric car in China. The group has also been producing in Shanghai since 2019. A quarter of all Teslas now roll off the assembly line there

(Source: Reuters) The leading electric car manufacturer Tesla (USA) will again accept vehicles pay in bitcoin when the process of “mining” this cryptocurrency is certified to use clean energy. Tesla CEO, Billionaire Elon Musk announced the above information on June 13 and immediately caused bitcoin to increase 5.1% in value, to $ 37,360.60 at 1:10 am on June 14 (Vietnam time). Billionaire Musk said Tesla will restore use bitcoin coin in payment transactions when “miners” certify that 50% of the electricity used to “mine” cryptocurrencies is clean energy and identify this as a positive trend in the future. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are the “rewards” obtained after the process of “mining” with specialized miners that solve computational problems that allow linking blocks of transactions (blockchains). This process consumes a large amount of energy. In May, billionaire Musk announced Tesla will no longer accept bitcoin as a means of payment in its purchases. The announcement reverses Tesla’s decision in late March to accept payments in bitcoin and invest $1.5 billion in the digital currency. According to the graph of Bitcoin Mining Power Consumption Index produced by the University of Cambridge (CBECI), the energy use for “mining” cryptocurrency has increased continuously since 2016, even skyrocketing in 2020 and up The current level is 149 terawatt-hours (TWh), an all-time high.

Luxury sports car manufacturer Ferrari unveiled its first fashion collection on June 13. Photo: autobala.com This luxury car brand has partnered with Rocco Iannone, former designer for Georgio Armani and Creative Director of Pal Zileri. With the two main colors red and yellow that make up the brand’s brand, Ferrari’s fashion show took place on June 13 at its Maranello production facility in Northern Italy. Highlights of this collection are oversized parka and bomber jackets, a mix of nylon, silk and custom fabric, paired with tight skirts, shorts and trousers. Many of the products carry Ferrari’s galloping horse logo, suitable for both men and women, embodying a style the company describes as “bold, daring and determined”. On June 15, Ferrari will also reopen the legendary Cavallino restaurant in Maranello, under the direction of Italian chef Massimo Bottura, who owns three Michelin stars. This restaurant used to be a canteen and became the favorite place of founder Enzo Ferrari to welcome employees, customers and friends. In 1929, Mr. Enzo Ferrari founded a company called Scuderia Ferrari, with the core job of sponsoring racers and racing cars before they were put into use. Until 1946, he founded the Ferrari SpA brand with the main business being the production of cars. From small beginnings, the Ferrari brand is now valued at up to $ 27 billion – a huge number. Especially, at the recent Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland, brand valuation and consulting firm Brand Finance announced a list of the strongest and most valuable brands in 2020. Accordingly, with Brand strength index (BSI) reached 94.1/100 points, Ferrari has won the “throne” of the strongest brand in the world, surpassing technology corporations such as Apple or Google.

In April 2021, the Prime Minister issued a document assigning the Ministry of Science and Technology to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade in, soon finalizing and promulgating national technical regulations on gasoline, diesel fuel, and biofuel corresponding to emission standards at level 5. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is responsible for directing petrol and oil suppliers to have a plan to supply gasoline and diesel at level 5 to ensure that they meet demand for use and are in sync with the application roadmap. emission standards level 5. According to the Vietnam Register, with this regulation, the Euro 5 emission standard only applies to new cars when the vehicle type approval certificate is issued. The emission test method for new vehicles is carried out in a dedicated laboratory. Euro 5 emissions do not apply when periodically checking with cars in circulation. For cars in circulation, the emission standards are applied according to the rapid test method at the registration facilities according to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 16 on the roadmap for applying emission standards of cars participating in traffic and automobiles. Imported used. This standard stipulates that cars with gasoline and diesel engines manufactured after 2008 will apply the level 2 emission standard from January 1, 2020. Thus, raising the automobile emission standard from level 4 (in 2017) to level 5 in January 2022, Vietnam becomes one of the top countries in ASEAN in terms of controlling emissions that have an impact on the environment. In addition, the improvement of automobile emission standards will reduce the cost of disaster recovery due to the greenhouse effect and the cost of medical examination and treatment for the community.

The film is part of the “hydrogen campaign” for a green and clean environment initiated by car manufacturer Hyundai Motor. The film was officially released on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of the United Nations World Environment Day (1972-2021). Easy and simple explanations led by BTS’s leader RM, along with infographics will help you better understand hydrogen, the next generation of clean and safe energy, sustainable fuel of future. In the movie, BTS’s RM asked the question, “We need someone to save the world, but who?”, then answered himself with a simple “It’s you.” Through the film, Hyundai and BTS encourage everyone to take action to make the surrounding environment a better place. Every small action contributes to a big change. The goal of “Operation Hydrogen” is to reduce the world’s carbon emissions by at least 60 tons per year by 2050. Meanwhile, BTS is also promoting Hyundai Motor’s hydrogen fuel cell Nexo SUV. Watch the video and learn how they are making meaningful changes for a better, brighter and more sustainable future. Quynh Hoa According to Hyundai

The three new Bugatti smartwatches bear the names of several of the luxury automaker’s brands – such as the Bugatti Pur Sport, Le Noire and Divo. These three models all have the prefix Bugatti Ceramic. All three smartwatches pack an impressive number of features and functions including up to 90 different sport modes, health and fitness sensors that help track key stats at all times, as well as GPS. Heart sensor with two purposes of measuring both heart rate and heart rate variability. Three Bugatti smartwatches crafted with the highest precision, class and comfort. The watch is equipped with a Bugatti rubber strap or a titanium strap for your choice. The impressive-looking bezel is made of scratch-resistant ceramic. The watch case is forged from lightweight titanium. The device can last up to two weeks with a 445mAh battery. The Bugatti smartwatch also features a 390 x 390 pixel high resolution LED touch screen inside a sculpted sapphire glass case. In terms of price, the three new smartwatches won’t be as expensive as a Bugatti sports car but are priced like luxury watches, thanks to the premium materials used in their manufacture. The devices will be priced at 899 euros (about 25.2 million dong) for believers to pre-order with a 5-year warranty period. According to Gizmochina

“A key element in Kia’s transition has been the transition from internal combustion engines to electric motors,” said President and CEO, Kia North America. With our strategic investment in the United States to produce electric vehicles, we are not only taking great strides toward leading the electric vehicle market, but also increasing our economic contribution to the countries in which we do business.” Illustration. The manufacturers also plan to work with local governments and businesses to expand hydrogen infrastructure in the US. Currently, Hyundai Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with the US Department of Energy to cooperate on the expansion and innovation of fuel cell technology. This includes the installation of hydrogen pumping stations for NEXO. Automaker Hyundai is planning to introduce an electric fuel cell commercial truck. The plan is to use these vehicles to replace diesel trucks for logistics services between seaports and warehouses. Earlier, Hyundai announced plans to buy a controlling stake in robotics company Boston Dynamics and has formed a joint venture with Motional, an American autonomous vehicle company. The company has plans for commercial use of the robot on the streets by 2023. “This investment demonstrates our strong commitment to the US market, our dealers and customers. Hyundai will lead the future of the auto industry in the US and around the world. Our efforts are positive proof that Hyundai will continue to pursue excellence in its current and future product lines,” said Jose Munoz, CEO of Hyundai Group. . Hyundai currently operates a plant in Alabama.

Huawei is starting to move into the car business after being hit by a US ban that made it lose access to chip design software for smartphones. The company recently launched the Seres SF5 crossover between Huawei and energy firm Cyrus. This model features smartphone connectivity and automatically transfers music and navigation information between the two sides, and is equipped with voice control technology and an audio system with 11 speakers. Visitors at Auto Shanghai exhibition in Shanghai (China). Photo: Reuters. Sources familiar with the matter said that, in addition to working with Changan to develop joint venture-branded smart cars, Huawei also plans to launch its own branded electric vehicles. and is in talks to buy a controlling stake in the electric vehicle division of a small domestic automaker. Huawei’s partnership with Chongqing Changan comes amid a global shortage of semiconductors and particularly affects carmakers. According to observers, switching to the automotive chip business is a more appropriate new direction, especially when the company is unable to produce chips for smartphones due to the bans from the US. Changan is currently unavailable for comment. Meanwhile, Huawei said it will let automakers make announcements about their cooperation relationships. Battery maker CATL, also part of the partnership, was also unavailable for comment.

The global chip shortage could last until 2023. (Source: Nikkei) Came in by surprise The Covid-19 pandemic was the first to cause the global economy to fall into recession last year, disrupting supply chains and changing consumer shopping patterns. So, to cope with the pandemic, automakers are forced to cut chip orders in 2020, while chip manufacturing companies also reduce production activities. But the rapid recovery and mis-predictions of car buyer demand have caused automakers to rush to place orders in large quantities. Meanwhile, the supply of semiconductor chips is not enough. In addition, the US government’s sanctions on Chinese technology corporations, plus consumers who bought many laptops, game consoles and other electronic products during the pandemic led to Inventory is getting smaller and smaller. Although computer chips are not very complicated or expensive, they are an integral part of making electronic devices and household items. Shortages are getting worse, spreading from the car industry to the consumer electronics market. Estimates by the US-based Semiconductor Industry Association say about 75% of global manufacturing capacity is in East Asia, led by TSMC (Taiwan) and Samsung (Korea). U.S. semiconductor companies account for 47 percent of global chip sales, but only 12 percent of global output is produced here. The shortfall is due to Asian companies investing too little in 8-inch chip factories. These companies have struggled to ramp up production as demand for 5G phones and laptops grew faster than expected. Qualcomm Inc, Samsung’s smartphone chip maker, is one of the major chipmakers struggling to keep up with consumer demand. Apple’s main supplier Foxconn also warned about the lack of chips affecting the supply chain for customers. Widespread impact The chip crisis hit the car industry first, especially on the productivity and sales of big companies like General Motors, Ford and Volkswagen. According to market research firm IHS Markit, the shortage of electronic chips affected the production process of 1.3 million cars and trucks worldwide in the first quarter of 2021. The company’s report also shows that the Renesas chip plant fire in Japan in March, as well as disruption to chip factories due to severe winter weather in Texas, will cause shortages. becomes serious. Last month, the British mini-car maker said it had suspended production lines for three days because of chip shortages. Recently, Ford also warned that the number of products is at risk of falling to 1.1 million vehicles this year. At the end of last year, the impact of the chip shortage crisis spread to consumer electronics. Last month, Apple’s financials indicated that the company would suffer losses of between three and four billion dollars in the first two quarters of the year, with the biggest impact on Mac and iPad products. Recently, Chinese technology giant Xiaomi increased the prices of some TV models, citing the fact that the price of key components increased higher than before. Meanwhile, two electronics groups Samsung of Korea and Sony of Japan also simultaneously increased product prices. In addition, the crisis has begun to affect China’s home appliance manufacturing sector. The world’s largest maker of home appliances, Midea Group, said the price of chips used to make home appliances would soar if the global chip shortage persists. The biggest impact from the chip crisis is still consumers. While demand for consumer electronics and automotive items tends to be quite price-sensitive, a reduced supply can increase the price of affected items by 1-3%. This could temporarily boost inflation later this year. Chip pressure has pushed up car prices in the US. New prices averaged $37,200 in the first quarter, up 8.4% year-over-year. Meanwhile, production disruptions due to chip shortages will continue. CEO of chip maker Infineon (Germany) Reinhard Ploss estimated that it will take about two years for chip supply and demand to be balanced. THIUY VUY (according to SCMP/Reuters)

TSMC will increase semiconductor chips for cars by 60% this year To do this, TSMC has to reallocate semiconductor chip production capacity to other industries that are also experiencing “stressfully high demand due to the acceleration of digital transformation”. The Taiwanese semiconductor chip maker said: “With fixed short-term capacity, TSMC has been trying to increase production in 2021 for microcontrollers (MCUs), one of the key components in the products sold in China. leading cars by 60% compared to the level in 2020”. This represents a 30% increase from pre-pandemic levels in 2019. TSMC will also continue to work with the automotive supply chain to address the current shortage. Modernizing supply chain management and increasing demand forecasting will be the way to avoid such shortages in the future, TSMC added. The global semiconductor chip shortage, which began last year, has forced some auto production lines to close and is also affecting consumer electronics. TSMC has repeatedly said it is doing its best to address shortages and ramp up production. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on May 20 that she had held meetings with 30 senior industry leaders about the semiconductor chip shortage and said the US could help. increase transparency in the market. This meeting was attended by major automakers such as General Motors, Ford Motor, Stellantis NV, semiconductor chip suppliers and other semiconductor companies. Phan Van Hoa (according to Reuters)

This person livestreamed right at the exhibition, then went to Tesla’s booth and the incident happened. The girl said her Model 3 car’s brakes failed, nearly killing 4 members of her family in an accident. Tesla has denied the relevant information, but it doesn’t stop there. This is not the only difficulty with Tesla at the moment. The world’s top electric car maker may even be facing one of the worst public relations crises in China, a market investors see as a special feature. crucial to Tesla’s growth momentum. Under increasing pressure to become the focus of criticism from Chinese media and regulators, Tesla is said to be strengthening cooperation with regulators in the mainland and strengthening relationships. with the Beijing government. Tesla’s shift in strategy toward fostering behind-the-scenes interactions with policymakers in Beijing marks a shift from the company’s previous stance, which did not seem to take market failures too seriously. its second largest university (after the US). The changes also take place in the context that China is actively “regulating” many large and powerful private companies, especially technology giants, due to concerns about the risk of domination in this market. A woman protesting on the roof of a Tesla Model 3 electric car at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2019. Tesla “turns the car”? It is customary for Chinese regulators to discuss policy and industry standards with local and multinational companies, as well as associations and consulting organizations. Attending these meetings has become the norm for many tech companies, but unlike rivals including Toyota Motor and General Motors, Tesla executives are largely absent from closed-door meetings. Instead, Tesla officials regularly speak at high-level conferences. Tesla CEO, billionaire Elon Musk also regularly uses Twitter to comment or criticize China’s regulators or strict rules. However, in the past weeks, Tesla executives have attended at least four policy discussions, with topics ranging from automotive data storage, technology to connect information from vehicles to systems. infrastructure, vehicle recycling and carbon emissions. There, according to officials, Tesla — which is headquartered in California and produces the Model 3 sedan and Model Y sport utility vehicle at a separate factory in Shanghai — made no specific commitments. only participate in the discussion. There are other signs that Tesla – once “sweetheart” – is looking to mend its rocky relationship with Chinese authorities. In two job ads posted on its WeChat account in April, Tesla wanted to find management candidates to update its policy database and maintain relationships with governments and industry associations to ” building a harmonious external environment and supporting Tesla’s business development goals in the regional market.” The exact number of candidates Tesla is looking for is unknown. Tesla Model 3 car. Attack wave A flood of negative news about Tesla in China has increased in recent months. Earlier this year, a Tesla Model 3 was reported to have exploded in a garage in Shanghai, while an article in state media said there were at least 10 reported incidents this year. 2020 about Tesla drivers losing the ability to control their vehicles. In February 2021, the State Market Administration summoned a Tesla representative to request feedback on consumer complaints related to issues such as battery fires, unexpected acceleration, and software update errors. software over the internet. It is reported that China has also recommended the use of Tesla cars to state employees because of the belief that the vehicle’s sensors can record images and location data. In March 2021, Tesla made headlines when the military announced it was “banning” access to Tesla equipment and vehicles from military complexes, citing security concerns with vehicle-mounted cameras. . A few days later, Elon Musk then emphasized at a high-level forum that Tesla would shut down if its cars were used for spying purposes. CEO Musk also sought to defuse tensions in a March speech to state broadcaster CCTV that China’s future “will be great” and that the country will be “the biggest market.” of Tesla. However, the incident at the Shanghai Auto Show and the subsequent reaction of Tesla Vice President Grace Tao was seen as the last straw when, instead of admitting shortcomings, the Tesla and Tesla relationship official The government again questioned the real motives of the above extreme guest. According to Grace Tao, the disruptive woman clearly wanted a high level of compensation and the company didn’t have any reason to pay her. In a post on Weibo, Tesla claimed not to compromise with “unreasonable demands”. State media and government agencies were quick to criticize Tesla. State news agencies flooded Tesla with a series of posts pointing out risks and technical errors, while officials issued warnings. An article in state media titled “Three Lessons for Tesla” warned the California-based electric car maker to respect the Chinese consumer market. The Global Times article emphasized: “The arrogant and overbearing stance that Tesla takes in public is reprehensible and unacceptable, which can seriously damage its reputation and source of the company’s customers in the Chinese market”. Xinhua News Agency and People’s Daily both publicly said that Tesla was indifferent to the interests of consumers. Tesla was criticized for canceling their investment pledges (estimated 14 billion yuan) and tax pledges (about 2.23 billion yuan annually), even failing to meet revenue targets. A wave of attacks, demanding to “evice” Tesla from China is repeating like what Google has faced. Many argue that what is more worrying is that the negative comments are not only appearing on a few articles but are increasingly taking the form of an organized “anti-Tesla” campaign. The involvement of state media makes things worse, because the lesson with Dolce&Gabana or H&M recently showed that Beijing has the right to “bring something up and bury it” when needed. Tesla later issued a statement apologizing for its lack of sensitivity in handling customer complaints. A post on Weibo later said that Tesla was willing to cooperate with the authorities, properly implementing “self-inspection and adjustment” procedures to “fix” customer service issues. Inside a Tesla factory. Beijing’s Power Tesla was once seen as a “baby”, one of Beijing’s efforts to demonstrate that China is allowing more foreign businesses to enter its relatively closed market. The company has been increasing its investment and focusing on the Chinese market over the past two years. With government backing, Tesla broke ground on a major Shanghai factory in 2019 and last year began delivering Model 3s built at the factory to customers in China. Tesla’s China sales have more than doubled in 2020, and the Model 3 is the best-selling electric vehicle in the country. Accounting for about 30% of Tesla’s global sales, China is the automaker’s second-biggest market after the United States and helped Tesla hit a record for first-quarter vehicle deliveries. CEO Elon Musk even had a meeting with Premier Li Keqiang in 2019. However, the success has come with closer scrutiny, especially as many local businesses are also looking for a larger market share in this potential electric vehicle sector. China’s favorable policies towards electric cars have spurred the birth of a number of startups hoping to compete with Tesla such as Nio and Xpeng Motors, although their sales are still far behind Tesla. Simply put, to some extent, Beijing welcomes Tesla’s presence and investment in the electric vehicle market, but still wants the dominance of domestic players in this area. The most prominent in the Chinese electric vehicle market is currently Tesla, SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co. and BYD. Data in March showed that these three giants accounted for 55% of China’s electric vehicle market, but only 5% of the total market share in the country’s auto market, a fact that the electric vehicle market still very young. Hongguang Mini, the SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile joint venture, has overtaken Tesla this year in terms of sales. Everything will now probably depend on Tesla’s ability to penetrate deeper into China, a market seen as key to Tesla’s global success. The challenge for Tesla now is to make sure it doesn’t take another serious hit in China, where Tesla is poised for more than 40% of its total global deliveries by 2022. China has clearly created favorable conditions for Tesla, the giant in the electric car industry, and now realizes that letting this darling dominate the market may not be in China’s interest. Many companies like Volkswagen and Mercedes have gone through the same thing.

The global chip shortage has hit automakers hard, especially Ford, as it said it would have to cut production in half in the second quarter. In the latest move, auto industry groups have pressed the Biden administration to secure chip supplies for manufacturing plants. The new alliance will include a number of large chip companies such as AT&T, Cisco Systems, General Electric, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Verizon Communications. The group announced that it will resist government actions to support the industry, which is struggling in production because of the chip shortage problem. Tech companies like Apple or Microsoft are also affected by the situation, but much less severely than automakers. Last month, the iPhone maker said it could lose $3 to $4 billion in sales in the current quarter because of chip shortages. According to Reuters

The shortage of semiconductor chips globally has a heavy impact on many industries. Artwork: Reuters Some of the world’s top semiconductor buyers, including Apple Inc, Microsoft Corp and Alphabet Inc (Google’s parent company), are working with leading chip makers in the world, such as Intel Corp. , to set up a new lobbying group to promote the US Government to support semiconductor chip manufacturing. The Semiconductors in America Alliance, which includes Amazon Web Services’s Amazon Web Services division, said on May 11 that it urged US lawmakers to provide support for the CHIPS Act for the country. The United States (CHIPS for America Act), which President Joe Biden asked Congress to provide finances worth $ 50 billion. In a letter to congressional bicameral Democrats and Republicans, the coalition said funding for the CHIPS Act would help the United States build the necessary capacity for a more flexible supply chain. to ensure important technologies will be available in the US when needed. Global semiconductor chip shortages hit the auto industry heavily, with Ford Motor Co saying it may have to halve its car production in the second quarter. Automotive industry groups are pressing the Biden administration to secure chip supplies for car factories. However, government officials have been reluctant to use national security laws to divert the supply of computer chips to automakers because they fear it could harm other industries. The new alliance involves companies from other industries using semiconductors, including AT&T, Cisco Systems, General Electric, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Verizon Communications Inc. However, they warn that the government only supports one industry like the automobile industry. Tech giants, like Apple, are also hit hard by a shortage of semiconductors, but are less severe than automakers. Last month, the iPhone maker said it would lose about $ 3-4 billion in revenue in the second quarter (ending June 2021) due to a shortage of chips. According to Refinitiv estimates, Apple’s second quarter revenue is forecast to reach $ 72.9 billion./.

Photo: FT The dog-shaped coin that started as a joke has grown in value by 1,000% this year and has received the support of many celebrities, such as Tesla founder Elon Musk. . Photo: FT It is not clear how much money Aziz McMahon will gain after investing in Dogecoin. However, The Guardian says that this number is significant. For her part, Aziz McMahon declined to comment. Goldman Sachs said that Aziz McMahon was not involved in the bank’s crypto business. Photo: Bloomberg Last week, Goldman Sachs opened a Bitcoin investment division. This is in contrast to 2018 when the bank said it had decided not to enter the cryptocurrency market. Photo: Bloomberg Created by two software engineers named Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, Dogecoin was intended to be a faster and happier alternative to bitcoin. Since its inception, Dogecoin has a growing community of users. In mid-April, Dogecoin reached the top 10 of the largest cryptocurrencies in the world.

Zhang Yazhou made a riot at the Tesla booth in April and shouted that “Tesla broke the brake”. Photo: Global Times. According to the The Beijing News Yazhou requested a compensation of 50,000 yuan, about 7,700 USD, to compensate for the mental damage caused by the incident to herself and her family. The lawsuit was filed in a court in China’s Henan province on May 6. The story originates from an accident that happened in February this year, when Yazhou’s father was driving a Tesla Model 3, while Yazhou was sitting in the passenger seat. An unexpected incident occurred, the car crashed into the vehicle ahead, injuring Yazhou’s father and hospitalized. Yazhou asserted that the faulty brake system led to the accident, and carried out a series of different demonstrations, even looking to the riotous Shanghai Auto Show at the Tesla booth. Tesla is facing many complaints about customer service in China. Photo: Reuters. Tesla then released the car’s black box data, saying that in about 30 minutes before the crash, the car accelerated at times to nearly 120 km / h, braking 40 times and significantly reduced speed. degrees at the moment before the crash. Tesla doubted the incident might stem from Yazhou’s father speeding the car and not keeping a safe distance from the car in front. Yazhou of course disagrees with this conclusion of Tesla and thinks that the company may have interfered with the data to put false information. Although Tesla had offered to ask another independent unit to check the data from the vehicle, Yazhou refused. Tao Lin – Tesla’s vice president of global operations, said in a statement on April 19 that every action of Zhang Yazhou was “professional”, as if someone was behind to support her. This entire scheme is intended to undermine Tesla’s reputation. This is also the reason for Yazhou client’s decision to sue Ms. Tao Lin. In addition, Tesla Shanghai and Tesla Beijing are also on the list to be sued. In addition to the cost of compensation, Yazhou also asked all three of the aforementioned individuals and organizations to immediately stop the accusations, write letters of apology and post their apologies publicly on the national media. The cost of the lawsuit must also be paid by Tesla’s side. In the lawsuit, Zhang Yazhou also said that Tesla “should have actively negotiated and handled” product quality issues “with a demand and customer-focused attitude.” Instead, she accused the automaker of “making false statements to create a negative image” of her.

Information from VinFast said: “Currently, VinFast is focusing on vehicle development projects involving foreign research institutions. However, the COVID-19 epidemic has significantly hindered the conclusion. connectivity and mobility between countries Therefore, VinFast has decided to bring the entire overseas vehicle development team to its headquarters in Vietnam to optimize all resources and facilitate coordination. with the production team at our complex in Hai Phong, Vietnam. VinFast research centers in Australia. The Vietnamese automaker also added: “For this reason, we temporarily closed our Australian office (Port Melbourne) and moved all staff to Vietnam. In fact, Kevin Yardley has resigned. We will fix all matters in accordance with the law if anyone fails to move to Vietnam “. VinFast also said that the decision to close its research and development office in Port Melbourne “will not affect the Lang Lang car test facility. We will make an official notice if there are any changes” . Lang Lang car test facility. According to the CarAdvice This decision will affect about 50 employees at VinFast’s research center in Australia, including mainly former Holden, Ford and Toyota employees who lost their jobs after the “kangaroo country”. also produces domestic cars./.

Semiconductor chips are an important component of modern electronics that can be found in thousands of products used every day, including cars, computers, smartphones and medical devices … These chips are the brains of all electronic devices, performing functions ranging from repetitive tasks like memory and microprocessors, to complex tasks like intelligence. artificial and high-end graphics. Semiconductor chips, which have a relatively low price, have suddenly become a scarce commodity. Jordan Wu, co-founder and CEO of Himax Technologies Co., told Bloomberg: “I’ve never seen anything like this in the past 20 years, since the company was founded. Every industry lacks chips ”. President Joe Biden with the chip model in a press conference at the White House, before signing an executive order to prevent a shortage of semiconductor supplies with the US economy, on 24/2. Photo: REUTERS The global chip crisis is believed to have been rooted in a miscalculation when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out last year. With the epidemic spreading from China to the globe, many companies predict that consumers will reduce the time spent using technology equipment. However, when “stuck” in the home, consumers begin to buy more technology devices: Add laptops so their children can learn from afar; buy a handheld game machine, an oil-free fryer, a blender … to make life less boring. There has been a comparison to call the Covid-19 epidemic “a prolonged Black Friday event”.
Meanwhile, car manufacturers were also affected by the pandemic. They were forced to shut down factories during a period of social isolation, when demand declined because customers were unable to visit stores. They ask suppliers to stop shipping components, including chips, which are increasingly essential to cars. By the end of last year, consumers started going out but restricted the use of public transport. Automakers reopened and turned to chipmakers like TSMC (Taiwan), Samsung (South Korea), and of course had to wait in line. Chip makers have been unable to accommodate soaring demand for their very loyal customers.
The shortages are aggravated this year, due to a series of disruptions. For example, the Japanese Renesas Electronics chip factory caught fire, the drought in the “country of the chip” Taiwan (China), and the cold spell in Texas (USA) caused the factories of Samsung, NXP Semiconductors and Infineon there to temporarily stopped working. “Everything right now is no different from hell,” said Frank McKay, CPO of Jabil – a company that buys billions of dollars of chips each year to assemble products for customers including Apple, Amazon, Cisco Systems and Tesla – to speak. Every day, Frank said, his company faced a shortage of about 100 components and had to negotiate as hard as possible to get it.
The difficulty of manufacturers
Limited supply of semiconductor chips is not a new issue, but what has happened is often related to specific chips. Consumers around the globe now compete fiercely for a cheaper chip made in old factories, when it is a fact that these factories are difficult to upgrade.
For example, the supply of integrated microchips for automotive systems is particularly in short supply as they are typically manufactured on 8-inch wide silicon (wafer) discs, instead of more high-end 12-inch panels. But no company builds more production lines because they are not profitable. Sumco Corp – one of the leading wafer manufacturers, has reported production capacity of an 8-inch equipment line to be around 5,000 panels a month by 2020 – less than in 2017. The purchase of new equipment and Starting with lower productivity means producers’ costs go up.
Meanwhile, the US, Japan and Germany – the world’s largest car makers – are making moves to put pressure on major chipmakers in Asia, forcing them to prioritize chip lines. In-car use up above the needs of other customers, which include smartphone and computer makers. The governments of these three countries fear that the car industry will slow down, or even cut production due to lack of chips, threatening domestic jobs and economic recovery after the pandemic. However, according to insiders, the political pressure to force chipmakers to prioritize demand from carmakers only exacerbates the realities of the supply chain.
“We have to renegotiate with a number of customers and at the same time have to respond to requests from the government to prioritize the production of chips used in the car manufacturing industry, which plays an important role. “This is in contrast to before, when chip manufacturing on a first come first served basis”, said Mark Liu – Chairman of TSMC.
Just a bubble?
The technology war between the US and China, which took place before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, is also believed to have had negative effects on the supply chain. As Washington imposed restrictions on China’s Huawei Group’s access to key US technologies, it increased stockpiling of components as much as possible. Many other Chinese companies, which fear they will fall into the same situation, do the same way Huawei has. The result has spiked demand for chips and components.
On April 12, Huawei directly blamed the United States for indirectly causing a global crisis, arguing that Washington’s sanctions on Chinese technology companies have caused love. “panic procurement” of components and chips, causing supply chain disruptions. “Apparently unreasonable US sanctions against Huawei and other Chinese companies have created a component shortage across the industry, and this could completely cause a crisis. global ”- said Eric Xu – Huawei’s rotating chairman.
However, companies are still uncertain about the current “thirst” for chips. For them, great demand comes from a series of hedge orders, stockpiling efforts or even the determination to take market share from competitors, thereby creating the “semiconductor chip bubble” on market. TSMC President Liu acknowledged that most customers want to order more than twice as much as they need to minimize the risk of supply chain disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions.
“The current strong demand won’t last forever, because buyers won’t buy five phones or five cars at a time. I worry that there will be adjustments when one of the big players in the industry takes action, and orders will start to decline, ”a leader in the chip supply chain told Nikkei Asia. “I’ve never seen anything like this in the last 20 years since the company was founded. Every industry lacks chips.” – Co-Founder and CEO of Himax Technologies J ordan Wu

On April 19, a woman who claimed to be a Tesla customer climbed onto the roof of a Tesla car at a Shanghai auto show. She wears a T-shirt with the words “brake not working”. Tesla car owners in China have been complaining about brakes on social media for months. The Shanghai police identified the woman named Zhang and said she was sentenced to 5 days in prison for disturbing public order. Tesla is constantly in trouble in the Chinese market. Photo: Reuters. The three lessons of Tesla Tesla accused the woman of being involved in a “speed violation” collision in February. During two months of negotiations, she refused to have a third party inspect it but demanded a refund for the car. Reply to the magazine Caijing Tesla China Vice President Tao Lin revealed that the woman was demanding high compensation and the company had no reason to pay. In a post on Weibo, Tesla claims not to compromise with “unreasonable requests”. After that, state media and government agencies quickly reprimanded Tesla. State news agencies publish a series of editorials. The Chinese government’s Central Disciplinary Committee also issued a warning statement. An article titled “Three Lessons Tesla must learn” advised the American electric car maker to respect the Chinese consumer market. “The arrogant and bossy attitude that the company shows in public is deplorable and unacceptable. This could seriously damage the company’s reputation and customer base in the Chinese market, “said the report. The Hoan Cau Times criticize. Tesla apologized for failing to promptly address the vehicle owner’s problems. The billion-dollar country is an important market for Tesla. Photo: Reuters. In posts on Weibo, Tesla said it was “ready to cooperate with the authorities”. The company claims to “self-check and fix to fix” problems in the customer service process. Tesla expanded its market share to 1.4 billion people over the past two years. With the support of the Beijing government, Tesla built a large factory in Shanghai in 2019. Last year, Model 3 cars produced at this factory began to be delivered to customers. Tesla’s sales in China have more than doubled by 2020. The Model 3 is the best-selling electric vehicle in the billion-population market. Tighten control CEO Elon Musk even met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in 2019. But success always comes with attention, especially as Chinese homegrown companies are looking for a foothold in the market. This country’s electric car school. China’s favorable policies for the electric car industry spurred the birth of startups like Nio and Xpeng Motors. These businesses did not hide their ambition to compete with Tesla, although sales were still far behind. “The leading company brings a lot of benefits to China. But when that company dominates the market, it no longer benefits Beijing,” said Bill Russo, founder and CEO of private companies. Investment, Automobility Limited, commented. Companies like Daimler’s Volkswagen and Mercedes have been under similar scrutiny in the past, he said. The leading company brings many benefits to China. But when that company dominates the market, it no longer benefits Beijing Bill Russo, CEO of Automobility Limited Negative news about Tesla has increased in China over the past months. In early 2021, a Tesla Model 3 is believed to have exploded in a Shanghai garage. According to a post in state media, there are at least 10 reports in 2020 of Tesla drivers being unable to control the vehicle. On April 13, on Dongjiang Avenue (Guangzhou), a Tesla caught fire after colliding with a roadblock and another vehicle, leading to the death of a passenger. After the incident, some Tesla owners said they were prevented from driving on highways. Chinese police appear to be blocking all Tesla vehicles from running on the highway because of safety concerns. On March 19, the news agency Bloomberg citing some sources about the Chinese military’s claim that omnidirectional cameras and ultrasonic sensors on Tesla vehicles could reveal the location. A Twitter account posted a picture with the caption: “In Guangzhou, #Tesla trams are not allowed to travel on highways”. Photo: Twitter. Therefore, the ban on the company’s vehicles to ensure the security of military information. All Tesla car users were required to park outside military complexes. In February, the China Market Administration (SAMR) met with Tesla’s subsidiaries to discuss vehicle quality. The agency’s statement on April 21 showed that they were very concerned about the incident at the Shanghai auto show. SAMR also directs local regulators to strengthen the protection of consumers’ interests. Billionaire Musk is looking for a way. In March, in an interview with state television CCTV China’s future “is going to be great,” he said, and that the country is “the biggest market” for Tesla.

Audi unveiled up to four brand-new models this week at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, where the stretched A7L and A6 e-tron sedans garner the most attention. The two models share the stage with an upgraded long wheelbase Q5 and a mysterious new Audi Shanghai concept in the form of an all-electric SUV. While the A7L will be the first Audi model in China developed with local Volkswagen Group partner SAIC – other models developed with another partner FAW – this new electric vehicle is not far behind. . Considered a research concept at the moment, it will evolve into a production car in the second half of this year. Details are still scarce, but we do know that it will be 4,870 mm long. The figure on this electric luxury Audi Shanghai makes it nearly as long as the Audi e-tron SUV currently sold in many parts of the world, and some local sources say it will be built based on Volkswagen’s MEB chassis. Group, similar to the Q4 e-tron and the smaller Q4 Sportback e-tron. The concept car shown at the show has a camouflage cover with an e-tron mark and all the windows are darkened, meaning the company is not ready to reveal the interior of the new car. With Audi quiet, all we can do is speculate. Considering the announced overall length of the car, perhaps the production version will be equivalent to the Volkswagen ID.6 that also debuted at this year’s Shanghai Auto Show. That three-row electric SUV also uses the MEB chassis and measures 4,876 mm in length. However, this is merely a speculation. If that is the case, we can expect the best version of the new electric SUV to be equipped with the AWD Quattro drivetrain with 2 electric motors delivering a total output of 302 hp and 310 Nm of maximum torque. the equivalent of the dual-motor ID.6, or even more powerful, to deserve the Audi title. At ID.6, this capacity allows it to accelerate from 0-100 km / h in 6.6 seconds and the top speed is electronically limited to 160 km / h. In terms of travel distance, we can also see ID.6 modeled with two options of 58 kWh and 77 kWh, with the second type providing a maximum travel distance of 588 km / h according to the Chinese NEDC cycle. . Time will tell what real specs will be on the new Audi electric SUV. The model on display only has a simple name, the new electric Audi Concept Shanghai, and will certainly bear a different name when it goes into production. Also, it is worth noting that this model will be exclusive to the Chinese market. Video: Audi introduces a series of luxury electric cars in China.

An auto warranty is a must-have when buying a car, demonstrating the manufacturer’s responsibility to the customer, making sure the product is sold at its best and increasing the buyer’s confidence. Currently, some car manufacturers confirm the quality of the car through warranty. However, the car owner should note that for some cases such as adding some accessories and toys on the car, it is possible that the warranty will be denied. Refusal of car warranty “degree” Warranty between car manufacturers may vary, but there are some common features regarding the eligibility of the warranty as well as disclaimer. In particular, many car owners are also confused that they will be denied the warranty. Mr. Nguyen Hoang Quan shared: “I need advice on installing options such as DVD, subwoofer, reverse sensor, camera … In general, it is related to the electrical part and works at the outside garage that is not managed by the car manufacturer . But when buying a car, the sales staff told me that it will not be covered by the warranty according to the regulations. ” Issues such as glazing and floor coverings do not affect the vehicle’s warranty. Photo: THY NHUNG Accordingly, some people believe that this is just a “trick” for sales of employees, while mounting toys outside will not affect the car warranty. However, there are also some opinions that car owners should consider and ask the car manufacturer before adding the interior. “I think that before doing it, I also advise some brands, instead of installing it outside, the owner can buy accessories to bring into the installation company and still be warranted. Most of the electric damage is due to the addition of toys (electrical parts) without reference to the design diagram of the circuit according to the vehicle “- said Mr. Ngo Quynh, a car owner. According to a survey of PV, although according to regulations of some car manufacturers, the installation of toys or not depends on the toy involved, affecting which parts of the vehicle. For example, furniture such as screens, speakers or cameras … affecting the electrical system may be a possibility that the car company will refuse the warranty. However, not all car manufacturers “impose” this regulation. Each car company rules differently The installation of accessories can cost the cheapest about 200,000 VND and the highest up to tens of millions VND. Having lost a large amount of cost to “level” the car, in addition to not being warranted, the owner should also note. Mr. Chien, Manager of Muoi Hung Auto store, said that it depends on the position that the owner of the car can replace or renew. For example, cars such as Audi, Lexus, BMW, … luxury cars, technically not hard-skilled will be susceptible to errors, so the firms refusing to warranty are correct. For large interiors, more skilled engineers are likely to make no impact. “Ordinary cars are not a problem, but when buying a car, the sales staff will also advise customers” – Mr. Chien said. According to Mr. Chien, related to the screen, lights, sound, the use of electric wires is likely to affect. It’s okay to have parts like flooring, leather or glazed. Because in the process of doing, there are errors that the technicians do not notice, affecting the safety of the vehicle, this problem cannot be confirmed. Universal models with normal structure and not as detailed as luxury cars will be more difficult to handle. Regarding this issue, the director of a car dealership in Ho Chi Minh City also shared: “This is not a strict regulation of car manufacturers, but this regulation is intended to ensure safety for owners, especially when traveling on the road ”. In some cases, warranty may be denied – In cases where customers take the car for maintenance and care at other facilities, not with the company’s warranty center. If there is any damage or damage, the car company is not responsible for handling. – Products and liquids such as oils, greases, battery electrolytes, radiator coolants, air conditioner refrigerants, power steering fluids and other items not approved by the manufacturer Export specified. Any damage caused by or related to the above products is not covered under warranty. – Damage caused by participating in racing, parade or any competition, if damage occurs, the automaker is not responsible. – Installation and replacement by non-genuine parts causing damage to the vehicle. Such as coolant, raw material, lubricant is not suitable for vehicle. – Using non-genuine parts or using the wrong fuel, lubricant or liquid not recommended by the manufacturer. – When modifying or assembling or dismantling equipment on the vehicle, affecting the function and operation of the vehicle.

These products are designed to help original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) build advanced smart vehicles and enable the Chinese automotive industry to upgrade technology and become the power pioneer. new intake and automatic driving. Huawei sees smart auto components as its long-term strategic opportunity. The company will continue to invest more in this area, especially in the development of autonomous driving software, to build an advanced autonomous driving system. This year, Huawei will form a group of more than 5,000 people working in the investment and development (R&D) field of smart auto components, and the total investment in this field will be $ 1 billion. By nurturing high-end talent through R&D centers in Europe, Japan and China, Huawei aims to strengthen its product competitiveness with a focus on innovation, thereby delivering better product and optimal driving experience for customers. In October 2020, Huawei launched the brand HI. As a new digital auto-oriented component supplier, Huawei has worked closely with OEMs to build premium smart vehicles under its innovative “Huawei Inside” initiative, which includes an All-new digital architecture for smart vehicles, 5 smart solutions (Smart Driving, Smart Cockpit, mPower, Smart Connect and Smart Car Cloud) and more than 30 smart components . “The ‘Huawei Inside’ initiative is designed to integrate Huawei’s technological prowess with car manufacturers’ car manufacturing capabilities to create premium smart vehicles that deliver an immersive driving experience. more, ”commented William Wang, President of Huawei’s Smart Automotive Solutions Business (IAS BU). In the face of the rapid transformation of smart vehicles, Huawei is committed to illuminating the future of autonomous vehicles through innovation, he said. The kit that Huawei launches this time includes an intelligent cockpit, providing a classy driving experience; High-resolution 4D imaging radar for advanced automatic driving; HUAWEI Octopus, an open auto driving platform … In addition, there is the HUAWEI MDC 810, a mass-produced intelligent driving computer platform with the highest computing power in the industry. This platform provides dense computation up to 400 TOPS complying with ASIL-D’s safety requirements. In addition, HUAWEI TMS, which provides personalized applications, helps OEMs build thermal systems with optimal energy efficiency and a superior experience. At Auto Shanghai 2019, Huawei officially announced its entry into the smart car components market. And over the past two years, Huawei has established extensive cooperation with major auto manufacturers around the globe. This year will see the launch of several top car models using Huawei smart components, marking the commercialization of Huawei’s smart car solutions.

Kia Seltos in the US and Vietnam use different engines – Photo: Autoblog. Kia North America is conducting a mass recall of Seltos vehicles to prevent the risk of fire. However, the entire number of Kia Seltos cars included in the recall is equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI petrol engine. Meanwhile, Seltos in Vietnam market uses two petrol engine options of 1.4 Turbo and 1.6L. Therefore, there is no contact between vehicles in the market during this recall, the Kia Motors statement stated. On April 13, the US Road Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the Seltos recall program carried out by Kia Motors in North America, with a very large volume. The above information immediately affected car owners outside the US market, including Vietnam. Kia Motors also quickly released a statement clarifying the market areas related to the recalled Seltos, along with a description of the fault that caused the car to face a fire risk. Accordingly, the oil rings in the engine have not been fabricated, heat treatment in accordance with standards causes abrasion, causing the cylinder lining to be scratched, causing oil to enter the combustion chamber, leading to Lack of oil and could cause the vehicle to stall and face the risk of fire. Speaking to the Transport Magazine, Mr. Tran Viet Hung – Deputy Director of Communications Thaco confirmed that the program to recall Seltos cars in the US according to the announcement of Kia Motors on April 13 does not affect vehicles manufactured and distributed by Thaco. distribution in the Vietnamese market. Thaco is still in close contact with Kia Motors and closely following this issue to ensure absolute safety for vehicles sold to the market.

In the framework of the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture has introduced a brand new SUV called Talagon. This is the largest line of Volkswagen cars to serve the Chinese market with the taste of spacious cars. Volkswagen Talagon has a wheelbase of 2,980 mm, equivalent to the 7-seater SUV Atlas sold in China with the name Teramont. Meanwhile, the overall dimensions are enlarged with measurements of length x width x height of 5,152 x 2,002 x 1,795 mm, respectively. Talagon’s head section has a masculine design with neat and sturdy lines. The two positioning lights are connected by the chrome bar of the grille, the sporty front bumper with polygonal air intakes. At the rear, the Talagon has the highlight of the horizontal LED taillight strip, accompanied by a trapezoidal dual exhaust cluster for a strong feeling. Interesting equipment on the exterior of Talagon is the welcome light located underneath the underbody, instead of being mounted in the rearview mirror like many other models. The Volkswagen Talagon’s cockpit has a youthful design and a premium feel. The central control cluster area is simplified with few function buttons and button shift levers, helping to optimize the space used in the front seats. The car is equipped with a digital dashboard connected to the infotainment screen. Customers can choose to configure 6 seats or 7 seats for Volkswagen Talagon. With an option of 6 seats, the middle row will include 2 business seats commonly found on MPV lines. The third row of seats has a spacious and comfortable seating space for 2 adults. Powering the Volkswagen Talagon is a 2.5-liter V6 turbocharged engine with a maximum capacity of 195 horsepower and a maximum torque of 500 Nm. The SUV has a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and a 4Motion 4-wheel drive system. According to Paultan, Volkswagen could provide the Talagon with an optional 2.0L I4 turbocharged engine. The price of the German SUV has not been announced. It is not clear if Volkswagen will introduce the Talagon to other markets outside of China.

Over the past few years, the American electric car maker has received favor from the Chinese authorities. However, in recent months, Tesla has received fierce criticism. In March, the news agency Bloomberg citing some sources about the Chinese military’s claim that the omnidirectional cameras and ultrasonic sensors on Tesla vehicles could reveal the location. Therefore, the ban on the company’s vehicles to ensure the security of military information. Accordingly, all Tesla car users were required to park outside military complexes. In February, Tesla cars manufactured in Shanghai were also investigated by Chinese authorities for quality and safety. At the same time, Beijing is also putting pressure on technology companies operating in the country on the issue of user data. The administration’s campaign has targeted Ant Group, the financial technology company under Alibaba. Ant pledged to “strengthen the protection of personal information” after reforming its business at Beijing’s request. Tesla considers a market of 1.4 billion people to be an important part of its growth plan. Photo: Reuters. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, reassures China that his company is not doing anything inappropriate. In the interview with CCTV Musk dedicates many winged words to this country. Electric vehicle CEO pledged that China will become the “biggest market” for electric vehicle manufacturers in the long run. “I am very confident about Tesla’s future in China,” Musk said CCTV . “I believe that the Chinese economy can grow extremely well in the next decade and will become the top economy in the world. The country is also committed to a sustainable energy future,” said Tesla CEO. added. Although he doesn’t speak Chinese, Musk remains one of the most popular American business leaders in China. Earlier last year, a video of him dancing on stage during the Model 3 launch was circulated on Weibo, a popular social network in China. Musk also has about 1.7 million followers on Weibo, more than Apple CEO Tim Cook. Tesla’s revenue in China in 2020 grew 124% from a year earlier, largely thanks to Model 3 sales (137,000 units). According to the China Passenger Vehicle Association, the Model 3 is the best-selling electric car in the 1.4 billion population.

Porsche cars are perfected on a new technological line Painting the body of a new Taycan on an assembly line at the Zuffenhausen factory previously required workers to move a tool weighing almost 7 with just the thumb 3,600 times per work day. It sounds strenuous, but Porsche has adopted a new system that eliminates that stress and improves quality by using patches to seal holes in the bodywork. These holes are not visible to the naked eye, but are intended to be filled by anticorrosive paints while in the paint shop. Once completed, these holes must be sealed so that they are watertight. If not, leaks will form. Taycan was not only the first Porsche to use this new patching method, but also the first car in the world to do so. The holes in the body of Taycan will be painted with new technology A total of 106 of the 143 holes in the Taycan body are now patch sealed in a very quick and automatic process. As noted previously, line workers do not have to push up to 3,600 plugs into holes in the body per shift. This new process is less complicated, faster and produces a higher quality product. The robot does this kind of work that looks like a barcode scanner. It only takes three minutes to do the whole job while 1 person needs more than seven minutes. Dirk Paffe, Paint Shop Process Planning Manager at Porsche: “The key feature of the solution is not just the seal itself, but also the automation of the process. We can glue patches in large quantities and at high cost, speed with absolute precision using a robot. ” New technology on Porsche Taycan will be spread on its models in the near future Does this mean that robots will soon take over all the work on the human assembly line at Porsche? Not at all, but making the worker’s life much easier and securing a better quality car.

Hyundai officially introduced the commercial version of the Santa Cruz pickup to the world public – Photo: Moto1.

First appeared as a concept car in 2015, but until today the commercial version of the new Hyundai pickup is officially introduced to the world. Although Santa Cruz has the design of a pickup line, the Korean automaker chose a rather unfamiliar name to describe the new model is the Sport Adventure Vehicle. insurance).

Santa Cruz has a front-end design quite similar to the latest generation Hyundai Tucson. The front highlight is the daytime LED strip and the split headlight cluster set low compared to the steering wheel. The car measures 4,971 mm long, 1,905 mm wide and 1,694 mm high, with a long wheelbase of 3,005 mm. The body size is 132.3 mm long.

Santa Cruz also has another name is Sport Adventure Vehicle – Photo: Moto1.

Hyundai equips Santa Cruz with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine, with a capacity of 190 horsepower and a maximum torque of more than 244 Nm, accompanied by an 8-speed automatic transmission and a drive system. 4-wheel full-time (AWD).

The highlight inside the car is the 8-inch center console display that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, or the optional classic digital display. The leather interior and dashboard design are similar to the new models in the current Hyundai family.

Santa Cruz has standard safety features including forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian and bicycle detection, lane keeping assist and driver focus alert, adaptive cruise control. , avoid collision with blind spots, avoid collisions with vehicles crossing behind, blind spot monitoring cameras, safety emergency exit assistance, surrounding monitoring screen, …

Interior of a pickup truck Hyundai Santa Cruz – Photo: Moto1.

Hyundai Santa Cruz is expected to be produced in June and sold to the market later this year. Currently, the Korean car manufacturer does not disclose the selling price of this new pickup model.

(Illustration)

Last year, Hyundai was considered the most likely partner of Apple in the electric car production project that the company is actively developing.

The Korean company previously confirmed it was in talks with Apple to jointly develop an electric self-driving car after Apple announced its intention to launch a car bearing its name.

However, on Feb. 8, Hyundai confirmed that negotiations on co-manufacturing electric vehicles with tech giant Apple had collapsed.

Since the end of 2020, Apple has shown that it is cherishing a plan to invest $ 3.6 billion to market its electric vehicle products in 2024. However, Apple does not seem to find an umbrella manufacturer. which car is suitable when the negotiation deal with Hyundai or Nissan falls apart.

However, Apple recently publicly negotiated with Magna, a Canadian auto parts supplier. It is known that this company has signed an agreement to supply spare parts for the Fisker Ocean model.

Although Magna does not manufacture cars under its own brand, and LG has never been directly related to the auto industry, the two companies recently announced a “LG Magna e-Powertrain ”. Last December, they agreed to jointly develop motors, inverters and chargers for electric vehicles.

According to the Korea Times, Apple has signed an agreement to produce the first series of electric cars with the consortium. The source of the newspaper stressed that the details of the cooperation are still being discussed, with the announcement of Apple’s electric vehicle likely to take place in 2024.

The Drive notes that Apple chose LG and to create the “Apple Car” is completely grounded, because the iPhone manufacturer has bought LG’s display for a long time. experience in developing and manufacturing custom-made products, and this is different from Hyundai: Magna’s Austrian branch, for example, produces Jaguar I-Pace and Toyota Supra gasoline-powered electric cars. usually, common, normal.

On the Apple side, the company recently said that the first electric car could not be released to the public before 2024. Instead, the plan will be pushed back to 2028 because Apple sets a very high standard for new products. mine.

Apple also admits there is no breakthrough in battery technology. The company was forced to buy exclusive designs and software.

Once the third largest smartphone manufacturer in the world in 2014, Korean electronics company LG on April 5 officially became the first major smartphone brand to completely withdraw from the market.

LG said this is a strategic decision to help the company focus resources on growing areas such as components for electric cars, connected devices, smart homes, robotics, and intelligence. business creation and solutions, as well as platforms and services.

The newly formed company may be called LG Magna e-Powertrain with a capital investment of $ 1 billion with the main manufacturing areas of electric vehicle engines, frequency converters and chargers. LG will hold a 51% stake and the Canadian auto company will own 49%.

The formal agreement can be signed this July after being reviewed and approved by LG’s shareholders.

Previously, LG announced its withdrawal from the phone business to focus on other areas such as electric vehicle components, connected devices, smart home, robotics, artificial intelligence, B2B solutions for businesses, and several other platforms and services.

LG and Magna could work together to make electric cars for Apple. Photo: Korea Times.

Source of Korea Times commented that LG currently does not have too much experience in the field of cars or electric vehicles. The selection of the Apple Car electric vehicle project is for the Korean giant to demonstrate its transformation efforts.

The deep relationship between Apple and LG is said to be an important factor in bringing these two corporations to a cooperation agreement in the automotive sector. Apple is currently a partner of many LG subsidiaries such as LG Display, LG Chem, LG Energy Solution and LG Innotek.

In addition, LG has played a role in supplying engines, battery packs and components for electric vehicles of General Motors and Tesla. Magna has many years of experience in providing technology solutions for many car manufacturers.

Representatives from LG currently declined to comment on the information Korea Times.

Since the beginning of 2021, Apple is said to have been looking for partners to research and manufacture self-propelled electric cars. Initially, Hyundai and Kia were the first two names to sit at the negotiating table with Apple and were unsuccessful. Then, it was reported that Apple had contacted six Japanese carmakers, but the results were not better.

VinFast expects a higher price than Ford

On April 12, Bloomberg reported that Vingroup was considering bringing VinFast on the US stock exchange to raise $ 2 billion. According to this source, the car company is currently working with consulting units to IPO (initial public offering) right in the second quarter of 2021.

The source of Bloomberg confirmed that if successful, the IPO could push VinFast’s valuation up to $ 50 billion. At that time, VinFast will immediately close to the top 10 largest car manufacturers in the world, on par with famous manufacturers such as Hyundai (51.38 billion USD), Honda (50.86 billion USD) and surpass Ford (49, 47 billion USD).

With a scale of $ 2 billion, VinFast’s IPO will be the largest ever IPO of a Vietnamese company, after Vinhomes’ first share sale worth $ 1.4 billion in 2018. This could also become the first Vietnamese company to list in the US.

Although VinFast is a fledgling company, the valuation may outstrip traditional Asian carmakers like Suzuki ($ 21.29 billion) and Japan’s Nissan ($ 20.63 billion).

VinFast IPO details including the size and timing may change as discussions with the consultant are in progress. Bloomberg also said that Vingroup representatives declined to comment on this information.

The top 10 car manufacturers with the highest market capitalization are currently Tesla of the US, Toyota of Japan, Volkswagen of Germany, Daimler of Germany, General Motors (GM) of the US, BMW of Germany, BYD and Nio of China. , Stellantis and Ferrari.

Lexus LF-Z Concept length x width x height is 4,880 x 1,960 x 1,600 mm respectively, wheelbase 2,950 mm, weight 2,100 kg. This helps the car have a low center of gravity while reducing vibration and noise in the cabin.

The interior of the Lexus LF-Z Concept is followed “Tazuna” language, which means reins in Japanese, is heavily aimed at the driver. This design is inspired by the relationship between humans and horses, communicating through a reins.

The car has an airy space, the cabin is minimalistic and has artificial intelligence (AI) acting as a virtual assistant of the driver. High-end sound system made by Mark Levinson.

AI technology will learn driver behavior, provide driver assistance through voice communication. Lexus believes it will help the driver control the car more efficiently, such as directions, traffic information …

Clock and touchscreen share one module. Functional controls are located around the steering wheel area for easy operator operation.

Lexus LF-Z Concept is equipped with 4-wheel drive system, trade name is DIRECT4, this system can control the electric motor independently, control front / rear wheels separately. Therefore, the car can customize front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or two-wheel drive depending on traffic situations.

In addition, torque distribution systems, throttle control or steering wheel control can help the car have better steering reflexes, narrower steering angles but for precise cornering.

Powering the Lexus LF-Z Electrified is a Lithium-ion battery, liquid-cooled, with a capacity of 90 Kw / h; produces a maximum capacity of 536 hp and maximum torque of 700 Nm. Acceleration from 0-100 km / h in 3 seconds, maximum speed 200 km / h. The vehicle is equipped with a charger with a charging speed of 150 kW and a travel distance of 600 km.

Lexus aims to introduce 20 new or upgraded models, of which 10 are hybrid, plug-in hybrid or fully electric by 2025.