The Mobility Briefing | Week 15

Hello there,

Here's your concise weekly roundup of EVs & mobility of this week, let’s start:

Asia 🌏

1. BYD 🇨🇳 launched its premium Denza brand in Europe to compete with top-end German manufacturers. The first model will be the Z9 GT sport wagon, priced above €72,000.

2. CATL 🇨🇳 announced that it seeks to buy a controlling stake in Nio's 🇨🇳 power unit, which operates over 3,000 battery swap stations in China. This follows CATL's previous $342 million investment in Nio Power.

3. Volkswagen 🇩🇪 reported EV sales dropped over 33% in China 🇨🇳.

4. The EU 🇪🇺 and China 🇨🇳 agreed on talks over minimum prices for Chinese EVs to replace tariffs and ease trade tensions impacting European automakers.

5. BMW 🇩🇪 said first-quarter sales fell due to a 17.2% drop in China 🇨🇳.

6. Leapmotor 🇨🇳 said it will offer free smart driving software, including highway navigation assist, and refund users who paid for it before May 31.

7. Polestar 🇸🇪 will close 72% of its stores in China 🇨🇳 and exit a local joint venture after selling only about 3,120 cars in 2025 due to weak demand.

8. Tesla 🇺🇸 has stopped taking orders for the Model S and Model X in China 🇨🇳, both on its website and WeChat channel, amid rising tariffs on US imports.

9. Toyota 🇯🇵 aims to develop about 15 electric vehicle models by 2027 with production of 1 million cars annually - Nikkei reports.

10. Waymo 🇺🇲 said it will start collecting data in Tokyo 🇯🇵 with 25 driver-operated Jaguar I-PACE cars next week - its first public road tests outside the US in collaboration with Nihon Kotsu 🇯🇵.

11. Foxconn 🇹🇼 said it sees strong EV growth potential in Japan 🇯🇵, plans to launch buses by 2027, and aims to partner with Honda 🇯🇵, Mitsubishi 🇯🇵, and Nissan 🇯🇵 - No active talks are being conducted currently.

12. South Korea's government 🇰🇷 unveiled emergency support for its auto sector, including financing, tax cuts, and EV subsidies, to counter US tariffs and expand exports to emerging markets.

North America 🌎

1. Trump 🇺🇲 announced a 90-day tariff pause for some countries 🌎.

3. General Motors 🇺🇲 said it will temporarily lay off about 200 workers at its Factory Zero EV plant in Detroit 🇺🇲 to adjust production with market demand.

4. Lucid 🇺🇸 won the bankruptcy auction for Nikola's Arizona factory, Phoenix HQ lease, and select assets with a $30M bid. Lucid plans to offer jobs to ~300 former Nikola employees to support its EV production expansion.

5. GM 🇺🇲 will halt BrightDrop van production in Ontario 🇨🇦 due to slow sales, temporarily lay off 1,200 workers, and retool the plant for 2026 models with 500 layoffs becoming permanent.

6. Waymo 🇺🇸 said it integrated with Google Maps in SF, LA, and PHX, to let users find routes and book rides directly through the Waymo One app from ride service directions.

Europe 🇪🇺

1. Britain 🇬🇧 cut EV fines and exempted small carmakers to ease US tariff strain, as EVs hit 19% sales, far below the 28% target set for 2025.

2. Porsche 🇩🇪 delivered 71,470 cars globally in Q1, down 8%, with China down 42%, Europe 10%, and Germany 34%, while North America rose 37% to 20,698 units.

3. Stellantis 🇫🇷🇮🇹🇺🇲 said it stopped making Leapmotor's T03 EV in Poland 🇵🇱 on March 30 and is now weighing other sites.

4. Volkswagen 🇩🇪 said EV sales more than doubled in Europe 🇪🇺.

5. Germany's new government 🇩🇪 said it will boost EV incentives, extend tax breaks through 2035, support hydrogen truck stations, and explore converting surplus car plants for military production needs.

6. BMW 🇩🇪 reported global EV sales rose 32% and 64% in Europe 🇪🇺.

7. Novares 🇫🇷 and Valeo 🇫🇷 said they are demanding customers pay full US auto tariffs upfront, as Trump's 25% import duties hit suppliers with no room to absorb added costs.

8. Scania 🇸🇪 has acquired Northvolt's bankrupt heavy-industry battery division, reviving a $6M deal originally proposed in February. The unit will continue operations under Scania.

Middle East 🌍

1. Tesla 🇺🇲 launched operations in Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦, and inaugurated the first supercharger station.

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading!

Charged up for more? See you next week.

Stay in motion, Mobility Prof

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