Latest news with #EVIndustry
Car and Driver
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
The Reason You Will Be Seeing Fewer 2026 Nissan Leaf EVs on the Road
Nissan appears to be facing rare earth material shortages that could affect production of the new Leaf. Chinese restrictions on rare earth exports are causing bottlenecks in the global EV industry. There's also been a delay in plans for production of two new EVs at Nissan's Mississippi-based factory. Just as Nissan was about to turn over a new Leaf, literally, it appears as though the company's plans have run into some headwinds. According to a report from Reuters in Tokyo, a shortage of parts caused by Chinese restrictions on rare earth imports has caused production plans to be scaled back. The all-new Leaf was set to launch for the 2026 model year as a larger vehicle than the original hatchback. Now a small crossover, it was claimed to have decent range of up to 303 miles in the S+ trim, and a starting price in the mid-$30,000 range. Just as with the original, the 2026 Leaf was aimed at offering EV mobility at a relatively accessible price. The elimination of the federal EV rebate program will certainly have a cooling effect on U.S. sales of the little electric Nissan. Globally, though, it's the rare earth shortages that will affect production in the markets of Japan and Europe. Already, Nissan has begun voluntary retirement talks with workers at a plant in the U.K. where the Leaf is to be produced. Nissan Currently, Nissan is conducting an ambitious plan to reduce its workforce by 15 percent, while shuttering seven plants. The company's financial situation is pretty shaky, and slowing EV sales aren't going to help. Meanwhile, there's also a 10-month delay for two planned EV models that were to have been built at Nissan's plant in Canton, Mississippi. While the health of Nissan's dealer network in the United States is probably more dependent on sales of mainstream combustion-powered crossovers like the Rogue and Pathfinder, the renewed Leaf should have provided sales growth for the brand. The original had a few missteps at launch, but ultimately delivered on its mission for practical EV transportation. This new model would have built on that reputation, and offered the kind of space and pricing many EV shoppers are looking for. Even if the new Leaf proves to be better than ever, it faces a tough growing season ahead. Car and Driver reached out to Nissan and will update the story if we receive a response. Laura Sky Brown Digital Director Laura Sky Brown has been involved in automotive media for a very long time, and she sees it as her calling to guard the legacy and help ensure the continued high quality of Car and Driver. She was one of the first staffers at Automobile Magazine in the '80s and has worked for many other car magazines and websites as a writer, editor, and copy editor ever since. It has been her privilege to edit many of the greats of automotive journalism over the years, including the ones who currently write for C/D.
Bloomberg
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
BYD Unleashes an EV Industry Reckoning That Alarms Beijing
The price war engulfing China's electric vehicle industry has sent share prices tumbling and prompted an unusual level of intervention from Beijing. The shakeout may just be getting started. For all the Chinese government's efforts to prevent price cuts by market leader BYD Co. from turning into a vicious spiral, analysts say a combination of weaker demand and extreme overcapacity will slice into profits at the strongest brands and force feebler competitors to fold. Even after the number of EV makers starting shrinking for the first time last year, the industry is still using less than half its production capacity.
CBC
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Ford speaks after Honda postpones plans for EV plant in Ontario
Premier Doug Ford is set to speak at 9:45 a.m. ET Tuesday along with several other Ontario ministers. This comes just hours after Honda announced it would put on hold a plan to build a major electric vehicle supply chain in Ontario.
South China Morning Post
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
India's EV drive risks stalling as China tightens grip on rare earth exports
India 's fast-growing electric vehicle industry is facing renewed uncertainty after China , the global leader in EV components and rare earth processing, imposed stringent export controls on critical minerals – a move analysts say exposes the South Asian nation's deep reliance on Chinese supply chains and could derail its clean energy ambitions. Advertisement The restrictions, announced in early April by China's Ministry of Commerce, target seven rare earth elements – samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium. These minerals, vital for technologies ranging from electric motors to renewable energy systems and military-grade chipmaking, now require special export licences for shipment out of China. China's decision, widely seen as a response to US tariffs, adds a new layer to global geopolitical tensions, while highlighting the strategic importance of rare earths in the 21st century. Experts say rare earths could prove as transformative today as fossil fuels were in previous centuries for Western powers. China dominates the rare earth market, controlling 63 per cent of global mining and 90 per cent of processing output. The fallout from its restrictions is expected to hit India's fledgling EV industry hard, with disruptions in supply chains and rising costs. Heavy machinery works a rare earth mine in central China's Jiangxi province. Photo: AP India's EV market, though growing rapidly, is still dwarfed by China's. Despite possessing an estimated 6.9 million tonnes of rare earth reserves, India remains reliant on Chinese imports due to underdeveloped domestic extraction and processing capabilities. China's advanced refining infrastructure and efficient supply chains have kept India dependent on these critical imports.
