Mercedes and BMW disclosed their BEV development plan
- Details
Mercedes and BMW disclosed their BEV development plan
- Mercedes and BMW presented their development plans for BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles).
- Mercedes has announced the creation of a new range, EQ, solely dedicated to BEVs.
The carmaker’s aim with this range of BEVs is to develop an offer at the same price as the equivalent thermal models.
Mercedes plans to launch 10 different models of BEVs between 2020 and 2025. According to the carmaker, this BEV range should account for about 500,000 sales in 2025. Currently, Mercedes has only one BEV marketed under its own brand, the Electric Drive (ED) B-Class, of which 2 000 units were sold worldwide in the first half 2016.
It is to note that BEV models of Smart will not be included into the EQ range.
The carmaker’s aim with this range of BEVs is to develop an offer at the same price as the equivalent thermal models.
Mercedes plans to launch 10 different models of BEVs between 2020 and 2025. According to the carmaker, this BEV range should account for about 500,000 sales in 2025. Currently, Mercedes has only one BEV marketed under its own brand, the Electric Drive (ED) B-Class, of which 2 000 units were sold worldwide in the first half 2016.
It is to note that BEV models of Smart will not be included into the EQ range.
- BMW for its part intends to develop its range of electric vehicles with both BMW and Mini brands. The already sold i3 and i8
(10 000 units have been sold worldwide in the first half of 2016) will be backed by an electric Mini in 2019, an electric SUV X3 in 2020 and an electric i5 (midrange sedan) in 2021. Within five years, BMW will therefore have developed five different BEVs.
(10 000 units have been sold worldwide in the first half of 2016) will be backed by an electric Mini in 2019, an electric SUV X3 in 2020 and an electric i5 (midrange sedan) in 2021. Within five years, BMW will therefore have developed five different BEVs.
- Within five years, BMW will have five different BEV models in its range. The carmaker does not communicate on its side on sales forecast but stresses it will develop in parallel its range of PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrids Electric Vehicles) of which 10 000 units have been sold worldwide in the first half 2016.
Contact us: info@inovev.com
Read more... Mercedes and BMW disclosed their BEV development plan
Nissan will stop the Note production at Sunderland from 2017
- Details
Nissan will stop the Note production at Sunderland from 2017
- While the future production of 100,000 Nissan Juke on the Sunderland UK site is not at all guaranteed (see Inovev’s analysis "Nissan unveils a new B-segment SUV: the Kicks"), the Japanese carmaker has announced it would stop producing the Note on this site from spring 2017.
- The production of the first generation of the Note (a B-segment MPV) started in Sunderland in 2006.
The second generation was launched in 2013 but its sales have strongly declined.
Consequently its production declined gradually from 107 000 units in 2006, down to to 40 000 units in 2016.
This compact van has certainly suffered from a fierce competition from compact SUVs that were developed from the 2010s.
The second generation was launched in 2013 but its sales have strongly declined.
Consequently its production declined gradually from 107 000 units in 2006, down to to 40 000 units in 2016.
This compact van has certainly suffered from a fierce competition from compact SUVs that were developed from the 2010s.
- The Note is also manufactured in Japan (for Asian markets) and Mexico (for US markets).
It is therefore quite possible that the Note continues to be sold in Europe, this time coming from the Mexico plant in the same way as Honda HRV which is also produced in Mexico and whose European sales are very close to the Nissan Note’s in Europe (25 000 units and 28,000 units respectively, on the cumulative nine months 2016).
It is therefore quite possible that the Note continues to be sold in Europe, this time coming from the Mexico plant in the same way as Honda HRV which is also produced in Mexico and whose European sales are very close to the Nissan Note’s in Europe (25 000 units and 28,000 units respectively, on the cumulative nine months 2016).
- The production of the Note in Mexico has also declined: from 90 000 units in 2014 down to 70 000 in 2015 and 50,000 in 2016.
- The transfer of European production of the Note to Mexico could improve the situation of the Mexican site.
Contact us: info@inovev.com
Read more... Nissan will stop the Note production at Sunderland from 2017
The hybrid Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro challenge the hybrid Toyota
- Details
The hybrid Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro challenge the hybrid Toyota
- The Toyota group has become the largest manufacturer of HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles), far ahead of its competitors.
Since 2012, over one million units are produced annually in its plants. Toyota has sold 9.5 million hybrid vehicles in total since the launch of the first generation Prius in 1997.
Since 2012, over one million units are produced annually in its plants. Toyota has sold 9.5 million hybrid vehicles in total since the launch of the first generation Prius in 1997.
- The Hyundai-Kia group wants to enter this HEV market currently dominated by few players, in order to meet in an easier way anti-pollution standards in the various world regions. In order to attain the new environmental constraints the Korean group Hyundai-Kia, in the same way as the Japanese Toyota group, will launch several models specifically designed as HEV, as well as hybrid models derived from thermal models.
- Two hybrid models built on the same platform were launched in 2016, the Hyundai Ioniq (C-segment sedan) and Kia Niro (C-segment SUV). They share the same 1.6l 105hp petrol engine and the same44hp electric motor (149hp in total) and will soon be available in plug-in version (like the Toyota Prius, and also like the Kia Optima which is equipped with a 2.0l150hp petrol engine).
- Both models will be followed by other hybrid models over the coming years as Hyundai-Kia plans to market 25 different hybrid models by 2020.
- Hyundai-Kia sold 62,000 hybrid vehicles worldwide in 2015 (43,000 Hyundai and 19,000 Kia). In 2016, this figure is expected to approach 100,000 units. The group aims to sell 300,000 hybrid vehicles a year, compared with 1.4 million units expected by Toyota.
Contact us: info@inovev.com
Read more... The hybrid Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro challenge the hybrid Toyota
Ford has definitively stopped its production in Australia
- Details
Ford has definitively stopped its production in Australia
- The Ford group produced its last car in Australia on October 7, 2016. The carmaker announced three years ago it would stop producing cars in its Australian plants, officially considered unprofitable.
- This judgment follows that made by Mitsubishi in 2008, a year ahead of those that will be made by General-Motors (Holden) and Toyota which also decided to permanently stop their production in Australia.
- The Australian market (about 1 million vehicles per year) will be from 2018 entirely supplied by imports, mainly from Asia, South Africa, North America and Europe.
- A quarter century later, the Australian automobile production has ended up following the same path as that of New Zealand, neighbouring country of Australia, which gave up its car industry in the early 90s.
- Ford created its first automobile plant in Australia in 1925. The most iconic and best-selling model was the D/E-segment sedan Falcon launched in 1960 and whose generations succeeded until 2016. This was the last model manufactured by the brand in Australia, alongside the Territory (2004-2016), a compact SUV based on the Falcon, which has been for ten years the best-selling SUV in the Australian market.
- After the closure of Ford, GM and Toyota plants, the Australian market could see a total reshuffle of cards at the brand level.
Contact us: info@inovev.com
Read more... Ford has definitively stopped its production in Australia
Will the PSA Poissy plant survive from the departure of Citroen C3?
- Details
Will the PSA Poissy plant survive from the departure of Citroen C3?
- The transfer of the production of the Citroën C3 from the French Poissy plant to the Slovak Trnava plant is being set up and will halve the activity of the Poissy plant located in the Paris region.
- Into the 240 000 vehicles that will be produced on the Poissy site in 2016, half of them (about 120,000 vehicles) are older generation Citroën C3.
- The other half (120 000 units) includes the DS 3 (ex-Citroen DS3), and Peugeot 208 which is also already largely manufactured in the Trnava plant. PSA’s plan is to produce all next generation (2019) Peugeot 208 in Trnava.
- What will be then left on the Poissy site?
The DS 3 and its successor (available in three- and five-door variants) and probably an SUV version of the DS 3 currently under study.
The DS 3 and its successor (available in three- and five-door variants) and probably an SUV version of the DS 3 currently under study.
- Inovev does not see at this moment other possible production.
Taking into account this assumption, The Poissy plant would operate with a production capacity of 125,000 units per year, against 250,000 units per year currently. While the Poissy plant will work almost 100% capacity in the coming year,
the capacities will be halved from 2017 compared to today.
Taking into account this assumption, The Poissy plant would operate with a production capacity of 125,000 units per year, against 250,000 units per year currently. While the Poissy plant will work almost 100% capacity in the coming year,
the capacities will be halved from 2017 compared to today.
- With 125,000 units produced per year with one product model, can the Poissy plant remain viable and competitive in the future?
Contact us: info@inovev.com
Read more... Will the PSA Poissy plant survive from the departure of Citroen C3?
Inovev platforms >