Douglas A. Bolduc

Renault and Hyundai collaborate with ViveLaCar in Germany while BMW and Mini use the startup's service in Austria and Switzerland. The company estimated that it is processing more than 100 subscriptions a week.

Volvo will start by testing steel made from hydrogen-reduced iron, with the aim of using it in a concept car within the coming years and eventually becoming the first automaker to build vehicles with fossil-free steel.

Volvo plans to stand out from rivals both inside and outside the automotive industry -- especially in the U.S. and China -- is by offering one of the industry’s most generous family leave programs.

The Smart, Jeep, Land Rover, Fiat, Maserati, Honda, Lexus, Nissan, Peugeot, Suzuki, Ferrari and Mercedes brands all reported triple-digit sales percentage increases in April, helping to overall market grow by more than 260 percent last month.

The Toyota, Skoda, Kia, Honda, Jeep, Maserati, Nissan and Dacia brands increased April sales in Turkey by triple-digit percentages or more. Those gains helped the overall market to increase by 130 percent in the month.

The Skoda Octavia continued its strong performance with 13 top fives after four months. The compact car was No. 1 through April in Austria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovakia and Slovenia, according to market researcher JATO Dynamics.

Volvo's Torslanda factory, near Gothenburg, which produces about 300,000 vehicles annually, is the Swedish automaker's first vehicle assembly plant to achieve climate neutrality.

InoBat Auto, a Slovakia-based battery cell making startup that was formed in 2019, is looking to capitalize on a predicted sixfold increase in electric vehicle production in Europe in the next five years. The company's head of business development, Jonathan Carrier, explained how to Automotive News Europe.

The automaker says that the potential listing being considered for this year could be a "logical next step" on the company's "capital market journey." Volvo abandoned merger plans with sister brand Geely Automobile in February.

Nearly 40 percent of the Europe's partsmakers have a positive outlook, according to a study done by the European supplier organization, CLEPA. That is up from 8 percent last autumn. CLEPA Secretary General Sigrid de Vries explains why there has been such a big improvement despite new challenges such as the chip shortage.

Peter Horbury, who has been design chief at Geely Auto since 2011 after holding top jobs with Volvo and Ford, recently spoke with Automotive News Europe about mentoring the next generation of car stylists.

The Lancia, Jeep, Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen, Maserati and Alfa Romeo brands all reported triple-digit sales percentage increases in March, helping their new parent company Stellantis grow by nearly 140 percent for the month.

Skoda and Toyota tied for the most top five finishes in Europe with 21 each after three months.

The Skoda, Toyota, Nissan, Citroen, Dacia, Land Rover and Alfa Romeo brands increased March sales in Turkey by triple-digit percentages. Those gains helped the overall market to gain 92 percent in the month.

Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath is happy that the electric vehicle market is attracting a new wave of companies, but he is concerned that some of the players are more concerned about their stock valuations than addressing the climate crisis.