Editor's Pick
-
ArticleValmet Automotive opens battery plant in Finland as it expands EV production capabilities
As demand for EVs increases globally, hiking up production of battery packs is increasingly essential to OEMs. Carmakers are now seeking ways of building the packs and modules on the same site in order to simplify their supply chains.
-
Article
Robert Engelthorn replaces Knudt Flor as president of BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg
BMW Manufacturing in the US has appointed Dr Robert Engelthorn as its new president and CEO, replacing Knudt Flor who has retired, overseeing BMW’s largest global production plant.
-
Article
Faraday Future names Matt Tall as new vice president of Manufacturing
Amid the company’s overarching new manufacturing strategy, Faraday Future is also making sweeping hiring announcements to oversee its push to expand production of its flagship FF 91 model.
-
Article
Toyota to produce hydrogen fuel cell modules for trucks in Kentucky from 2023
Toyota’s plant in Georgetown, Kentucky will become a production centre for the company’s dual fuel cell development, serving commercial vehicles.
-
Article
Volvo Trucks buys Chinese manufacturing site to expand heavy duty truck manufacturing
As part of the company’s broader plans to develop global reach, Volvo has acquired JMC Heavy Duty Vehicle to produce and sell more heavy-duty trucks in China.
-
Article
Nissan and Envision AESC to build new EV battery plant in Japan - reports
Nissan Motor will reportedly build a lithium-ion battery plant in Japan to support EV production as part of a joint investment project with battery manufacturer Envision AESC.
-
Article
Driving home the reality of global market changes: Honda Swindon factory closes
Honda has closed its Swindon, UK plant, as it ends European production. The carmaker is focusing electric vehicle investment and scale in Asia, and is a sign of how electrification could reshape manufacturing footprints.
-
Article
A production transformation that will last 20 years at Volkswagen
Christian Vollmer at Volkswagen discusses how virtual tools have helped production move during the pandemic, why cross-plant collaboration has accelerated and VW’s evolving manufacturing strategies to ramp up EV production.
-
Article
Lightweighting the EV is a challenge to celebrate
There is a new impetus to save weight as vehicles become powered by electric powertrains. Reducing the weight of a vehicle by optimising the mix of materials and the application in design is now a key focus.
-
Article
Electrification and digitalisation go hand in hand at Ford and VW
As the automotive industry electrifies, manufacturing is changing dramatically and OEMs are using big data to keep pace with that change. Increasingly moving into the world of tech, old quality control processes may no longer suffice since a lot of EV components cannot be reworked like traditional equivalents. Manufacturing has to be ultra-precise like never before.
-
Article
VW and Ford invest in flexible production for an uncertain future
The speed of change in the technology of cars and rapid electrification requires new manufacturing equipment and is making expensive old machines redundant, but exactly where the industry is going next is hard to predict. More flexible manufacturing is the answer.
-
Article
Cellular manufacturing adds flexibility in Mercedes-Benz bodyshop
For the production of the new C-class, Mercedes has taken the opportunity to add flexibility by way of cellular manufacturing in the body shop and with so-called ‘TecLines’ for assembly.
-
News
VW to have 240 GWh of battery plants in Europe by 2030
Volkswagen Group plans to significantly increase battery cell production capacity and reshape the EV battery supply chain in Europe, with plans to have six ‘gigafactories’ by the end of the decade – including an expansion of its partnership with Sweden’s Northvolt.
-
Article
Playing catch-up in plastics recycling for automotive production
A closed loop for plastics in the automotive industry has so far been a distant dream, as an unmanageable variety of mixed materials makes recycling them into new high-quality materials unviable. Fortunately, there are some promising new approaches on the horizon.
-
News
Ford Europe invests $1 billion in Cologne for EV production
After JLR, Ford has also announced that all its vehicles for sale in Europe will be pure-electric by 2030. It is investing $1 billion in its Cologne (Köln) plant to make that a reality. This move will be supported by the sharing of the VW Group’s MEB electric vehicle platform.
-
Article
Powertrain to the people
As the automotive industry rapidly electrifies, powertrain suppliers have to adapt, but Illya Verpraet finds out that ZF is on board with the transition, enjoying more freedom in both engineering and manufacturing
-
Article
Power is nothing without control
Chassis components keep the wheels from falling off the EV revolution. Illya Verpraet found out how Gestamp is managing the change with material and quality control innovation
-
Article
AI and automation in automotive production need people and quality data to succeed
Experts from BMW, Ford, Symbio Robotics and Cosmo Tech discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in automotive production need fast ramp-up times and adoption by employees to succeed. High-quality data and use of simulation are also key.
-
Article
EV start-up Arrival to build microfactory in South Carolina
Arrival, the start-up that plans to build electric commercial vehicles in what it calls ‘microfactories’, has announced its first US production location in York County, South Carolina. It has also raised $118m from funds managed by BlackRock.
-
Article
Renault assembly network future under review as management announce cost-saving programme
Renault has launched a business transformation plan which includes a 18% cut in production capacity
