Tesla Motors and Panasonic have agreed to cooperate on the construction and operation of the American carmaker's so-called gigafactory, its envisioned large-scale battery manufacturing plant in the United States.
David Ingrams, who retired from Audi UK's press office today (31 July) played a key role in helping the German automaker's engineers achieve "uncompromised" right hand drive configurations and also oversaw a collection of about 50 classic cars, many of which he helped to launch when new. The man who praised Audi for taking the long-term view has himself served 36 years with the automaker and the connection may not yet be completely severed.
David Ingrams, who retired from Audi UK's press office today (31 July) played a key role in helping the German automaker's engineers achieve "uncompromised" right hand drive configurations and also oversaw a collection of about 50 classic cars, many of which he helped to launch when new. The man who praised Audi for taking the long-term view has himself served 36 years with the automaker and the connection may not yet be completely severed.
South Africa's engineering bargaining council (MEIBC), says pictures of striking employees carrying tyres were 'not very helpful' as the country starts to recover from the near five-week walkout.
Nissan Motor said its Japanese supplier of airbag systems, Takata Corporation, is expected to meet all the costs relating to its massive car recall last month.
Volkswagen said operating profit declined 3.1 percent in the second quarter as emerging-market volatility and a plunge in earnings at its core passenger-car division weighed on earnings.
Volkswagen said operating profit declined 3.1 percent in the second quarter as emerging-market volatility and a plunge in earnings at its core passenger-car division weighed on earnings.
Continental raised its 2014 profit forecast for the second time this year to 11 percent of sales from 10.5 percent, after lower production costs and improving auto demand helped boost quarterly earnings.
Daimler is to spend EUR1.5bn (US$2bn) to modernise the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant by 2020 and has also reached a multi-year agreement with the works council on cost reductions worth several million euros.
Daimler plans a 1.5 billion euros investment its Mercedes plant in Sindelfingen, Germany, after employees agreed a labor deal that the company says will save 100 million euros in costs.
Fiat shareholders will likely approve the automaker's merger with Chrysler when they meet in Italy for the last time on Friday. Industry watchers expect Fiat to win the two-thirds majority vote needed for a merger.
Fiat shareholders will likely approve the automaker's merger with Chrysler when they meet in Italy for the last time on Friday. Industry watchers expect Fiat to win the two-thirds majority vote needed for a merger.
A 1957 BMW 507 that once belonged to Elvis Presley is returning home to be fully restored.
From 1955-1959, only 254 copies were made, and most of them were purchased by celebrities including Alain Delon and Ursula Andress. The King drove one during his time as a GI in Germany, and later had it painted red because he supposedly got tired of women writing their phone numbers on the body panels in lipstick.
Photo: BMW
There has been plenty of speculation about what happened to the 507 in the following years. The car is now in the hands of the BMW Museum in Munich, where it will go on display until August 10th. Then it will be fully restored in a long process that could take up to two years.
Elvis' 507 may return to the museum after that, become a rolling exhibit, or perhaps land in some wealthy collector's garage. Who knows?
Tesla Motors has now officially teamed up with Panasonic to build a large-scale battery manufacturing plant in the U.S., known as the Gigafactory. Its location, however, remains to be determined.
According to the agreement, the electric car maker will prepare, provide and manage the land, buildings and utilities, while Panasonic will manufacture and supply cylindrical lithium-ion cells and invest in the associated equipment, machinery, and other manufacturing tools based on their mutual approval. Third-party suppliers will be called upon to produce the required precursor materials.
The goal with the Gigafactory is to keep reducing the cost of long-range battery packs in parallel with manufacturing at the volumes required to enable Tesla to meet its goal of advancing mass market electric vehicles.
“We have already engaged in various collaborative projects with Tesla toward the popularization of electric vehicles,” said Yoshihiko Yamada, Executive Vice President of Panasonic. “Panasonic's lithium-ion battery cells combine the required features for electric vehicles such as high capacity, durability and cost performance. And I believe that once we are able to manufacture lithium-ion battery cells at the Gigafactory, we will be able to accelerate the expansion of the electric vehicle market.”
The Gigafactory will produce cells, modules and packs for Tesla's electric vehicles and for the stationary storage market. It's expected to employ about 6,500 people by 2020.
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