Yang Jian

 Robert Bosch signed a partnership deal with WeRide, a China-based autonomous driving technology provider, to develop software enabling autonomous driving functions for passenger vehicle makers in the world's No. 1 market. 

Cariad, the Volkswagen Group's software unit, formed a China subsidiary in Beijing to develop products tailored for Chinese consumers. 

CATL, China’s largest battery supplier for electric vehicles, received permission this week from the German state of Thuringia to produce 8 gigawatt-hours of battery cells a year at a new plant.

Chinese battery maker EVE Energy is looking to build a factory in the northeastern Hungarian city of Debrecen as part of efforts to expand globally and secure more business in Europe.

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, China’s largest private automaker, started testing three methanol-powered vehicles in Demark this week with a goal of selling the vehicles in European markets. 

Mercedes, BMW and VW have key electric car debuts planned or the show that is expected to be postponed due to surging coronavirus infections in multiple cities across China.

Daimler likely will realize a long-pursued goal of becoming a majority shareholder in a passenger vehicle joint venture with BAIC later this year, according to a Chinese media report. 

Even under new blueprint, what the company calls an asset-light business model with a renewed focus on Jeep and Maserati imports, Stellantis still confronts hurdles to revive sales and profits at two Chinese joint ventures.

German supplier ZF will assist Jidu, a smart electric-vehicle brand of Chinese self-driving technology developer Baidu, to develop chassis and other components.

Smart EVs will be exported and distributed in Malaysia and Thailand first by Proton Holdings, the Malaysian carmaker partly owned by Geely, with a brand experience center also planned.

Webasto appointed Zhang Lihua acting president of its China operations, effective Feb. 1. Jan Henning Mehlfeldt, the current president of Webasto China, will lead the supplier’s business in Europe.

Stellantis builds and distributes Jeep models at a Chinese joint venture with GAC Motor, while Peugeot and Citroen cars are built and marketed at a partnership with Dongfeng Motor Group.

Jürgen Unser, a senior executive at Volkswagen Group’s joint venture with China FAW Group, will become Audi’s new China president, effective Jan. 1.

Chinese electric-vehicle startup Nio signed up oil giant Royal Dutch Shell to jointly construct battery swap stations for electric vehicles in Europe and China.

Geely Holding Group, the largest private Chinese automaker, plans to launch sales of an electric semitruck in early 2024, expanding its presence in a key commercial vehicle market.