As reported in a press release on Jan. 16, NXP Semiconductors has announced a significant boost to its research, development and innovation (RDI) efforts through a €1 billion loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB). This loan, carrying an interest rate of approximately 4.75% and a duration of six years, is designated to support NXP's RDI investments across Europe, specifically in Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Romania until 2026. Aimed at advancing semiconductor solution...

SAIC-GM-Wuling has reached a significant milestone by being the first mainland Chinese auto brand to initiate power battery production in Indonesia. This development was marked by the production of its first power battery, dubbed the Magic Battery, which was accomplished in an impressively short time frame of just four and a half months from the project's inception. The Magic Battery, developed in-house by Wuling, incorporates the latest electric vehicle battery technologies. This achievement...

Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M), a leading Indian automaker, has unveiled its new dedicated state-of-the-art manufacturing and battery assembly facility at its Chakan plant near Pune, India, the company announced Jan. 8. The newly developed facility is aimed at producing M&M's pure electric cars. The new facility is strategically located within M&M’s Chakan manufacturing hub, which is also one of India’s largest greenfield projects. M&M’s Chakan plant is spread across a...

BMW i Ventures has invested in Phoenix Tailings, a company focusing on the zero-waste, zero-emission production of rare earth metals, a move aimed at expanding and stabilizing the processing of these critical elements in the US. This Series B financing round, led by Envisioning Partners and with participation from Yamaha Motor Ventures and Escape Velocity, will help Phoenix Tailings increase its rare earth metal production to approximately 200 metric tons annually. Phoenix Tailings, which was...

Aurora Innovation, a company specializing in autonomous driving technology, has inaugurated a new 78,000 square-foot office and testing facility in Bozeman, Montana, US. This new facility, situated on Montana State University's Innovation Campus, aims to bolster the development and testing of Aurora's FirstLight Lidar technology. This strategic investment follows Aurora's 2019 acquisition of Blackmore, a Bozeman-based lidar company, which bolstered its expertise in lidar technology essential ...

Eberspaecher has inaugurated a new production facility in Przylesie, Poland, for manufacturing thermal management systems for electric city buses and coaches, the company announced in a press release on Dec. 17. The plant, which spans 12,500 square meters, will engage in the series production of the AC138 EVO thermal management system. This new system caters to electric city buses and coaches from leading international manufacturers, with an annual production target of up to 20,000 syste...

Inalfa Gabriel Sunroof Systems (IGSS), a joint venture between the Netherlands-based Inalfa Roof Systems and Gabriel India, the flagship company of India-based Anand Group, is planning to expand capacity to serve growing demand for sunroof systems in the Indian automotive market. IGSS is now exploring plans to set up production facilities in Northern and Western India after setting up its first plant in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in Southern India. "To meet the rising demand for sunroofs due to the...

Lithium Americas Corp. has finalized a joint venture with General Motors Holdings LLC (GM) to develop the Thacker Pass lithium carbonate project in Humboldt County, Nevada. This partnership aims to bolster the North American supply chain for critical minerals. Lithium Americas retains a 62% stake in the project and will oversee its management, while GM has acquired a 38% stake through an investment totaling $625 million, which includes both cash and letters of credit. The arrangement allocates $...

Yokohama Rubber has commenced the construction for its new passenger car tire plant in Hangzhou City, mainland China, with a groundbreaking ceremony held Dec 16. The event was attended by local government officials, community representatives and the top executives of the Japanese tiremaker, including its Chairman and CEO Masataka Yamaishi, and President and COO Shinji Seimiya. The new plant is scheduled to commence production in the second quarter of 2026. The new plant will replace an existi...

As reported in a press release on Dec. 4, VisionPower Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (VSMC), a collaboration between Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp. (VIS) and NXP Semiconductors NV (NXP), initiated the construction of a new 300-mm wafer manufacturing facility in Tampines, Singapore. The ceremony was attended by numerous stakeholders, including government officials and Dr. Tan See Leng, the minister for Manpower and second minister for Trade and Industry. The facility, VSMC's first...