The automotive export figures released at the close of October 2024 indicate that China has increased its lead over Japan, defying tariffs. After achieving a lead in 2023, China expanded its export gap throughout 2024 by meeting international standards and by addressing key market opportunities.

Capturing much attention, China’s automotive exports have given the Asian country a significant lead over Japan, which held the title of the world's largest vehicle exporter for nearly five decades until last year.

China exported 5.22 million vehicles in 2023, out numbering Japan’s vehicle exports at 4.42 million units. Between January 2024 and September 2024, China exported 4.7 million units. Japan, on the other hand, shipped 3.06 million units.

While Japan’s vehicle exports declined by four percent in the period between January 2024 and September 2024, China’s vehicle exports grew by a good 26.7 percent year-on-year.

The factors that are said to have contributed to a rise in vehicle exports by China are an outlook for new opportunities the world over against a saturating domestic market. The other reason is the significant uptick in electric vehicle adoption at 38.6 percent.

Chinese companies like BYD have found a strong hold in export markets of Europe despite tariffs. This Chinese electric vehicle company has smartly moved up in valuation as compared to Tesla of USA.

Increasingly aligning with international demand, Chinese vehicular exports have come to include competitively priced SUVs and technologically advanced EVs that rival European and US counterparts in quality and appeal.

What is perhaps very interesting is how China's export reach has shifted in the last few years. From focusing on Africa and less-developed regions, Chinese automakers have come to target higher-income, densely populated countries in other continents to ensure a significant export growth.

EVs clearly remain a stronghold, accounting for a substantial chunk of the export volume. The Asian country exported 1.77 million EVs in 2023. This accounted for over 30 percent of its total vehicle exports.

The first nine months of 2024 saw EV exports from China accounting for 1.524 million units, representing 32.4 percent of all auto exports – a 22 percent increase from the same period last year.

Among the export markets that Chinese vehicle manufacturers have targeted are in Europe, Asia, Central and South America and the Middle East.

To counter tariffs, Chinese vehicle manufacturers are luring buyers in the overseas markets by providing cost-effective, feature-rich vehicles interestingly.

Image for representative purpose only

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Pune-headquartered electric commercial vehicle manufacturer EKA Mobility has expanded its retail presence to 60 operational dealerships across 15 states in India. The company has also confirmed that an additional 30 dedicated distribution outlets are under development.

The infrastructure expansion aims to establish localised maintenance and retail networks for the logistics, e-commerce and public transport sectors. Each retail outlet is configured specifically for commercial electric vehicles, featuring a minimum of two service bays, factory-trained technical personnel and component warehousing to manage fleet vehicle uptime. The company intends to scale its distribution footprint to more than 200 dealerships across 20 states in FY2027.

The company operates under the Government of India’s Automotive Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. Its equity backers include Mitsui & Co. of Japan, the VDL Group of the Netherlands, the NIIF India-Japan Fund and Enam Holdings.

EKA Mobility operates manufacturing facilities at Koregaon Bhima and Chakan in Pune, which produce electric buses, trucks and small commercial vehicles (SCVs). The company is also building a 47-acre production complex in Pithampur. Once fully operational, the combined manufacturing infrastructure will support an annual production capacity of 15,000 electric buses, 24,000 SCVs and 4,000 freight trucks.

The manufacturer's vehicle line-up includes the EKA 3W Cargo, the EKA 6S and 3S passenger three-wheelers, a line of four-wheel SCVs spanning 1.5 to 3.5 tonnes, electric buses ranging from 7- to 12-metres and heavy-duty trucks up to 55 tonnes. All eCVs are linked to EKA Connect, an internal automated fleet management platform that processes real-time positioning, telematics and predictive battery diagnostics to manage fleet operating costs.

Rohit Srivastava, Business Head and Chief Growth Officer, EKA Mobility, said, “Last-mile connectivity is at the heart of India’s mobility transformation. With a presence across 15 states, we are steadily building a strong and accessible retail ecosystem for our customers. As demand for electric commercial vehicles grows, it is important that customers have easy access not just to products, but also to dependable service and long-term support. Looking ahead, we plan to scale our network to over 200 dealerships in 20+ states by FY27, further strengthening our reach across key markets, as we remain committed to making electric mobility more accessible, practical, and dependable for businesses across India.”

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Italian luxury automotive brand Ferrari has unveiled the Ferrari Luce, its first fully electric production vehicle, at the Vela di Calatrava – Città dello Sport in Rome. The debut marks the expansion of the manufacturer’s multi-energy strategy, positioning electrification alongside its existing internal combustion engine and hybrid powertrains.

The vehicle’s bodywork, cabin and digital interface were developed in partnership with LoveFrom, the design collective founded by Jony Ive and Marc Newson. The 5-seater, 4-door model features a glasshouse structure enclosed by floating aerodynamic wings at the front and rear.

The exterior surfaces yield a drag coefficient of 0.254, which represents the lowest figure achieved by a road-going Ferrari model. The vehicle utilises staggered wheel sizes, with 23-inch dimensions at the front and 24-inch dimensions at the rear.

The powertrain is built on an 800-volt electronic architecture and features four independent synchronous electric motors with radial flux derived from the F80 platform. The configuration yields a total output of 1,050 cv (1,035 horsepower) and 990 Nm of torque.

Ferrari claims that the vehicle achieves a zero to 100 kmph acceleration time of 2.5 seconds, a zero to 200 kmph acceleration time of 6.8 seconds and a top speed exceeding 310 kmph. Power is supplied by a 122 kWh battery pack manufactured in Maranello that functions as a structural component of the chassis and supports fast charging rates up to 350 kW, providing an estimated operating range of over 530 kilometres on the WLTP cycle.

The vehicle has a total kerb weight of 2,260 kg. To control the quad-motor system, Ferrari introduced its Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) and Side Slip Control X software, which modulate torque distribution across all four wheels 200 times per second. The vehicle incorporates an independent rear-wheel steering setup and an active suspension architecture with electronic actuators. It also features an elastically mounted rear subframe designed to manage noise, vibration, and harshness.

Inside the cabin, the layout pairs mechanical buttons, switches, and dials with digital displays developed alongside Samsung Display. The mechanical controls handle functions such as drive mode selection and climate settings. The system includes a patented acoustic feedback program that captures mechanical vibrations from the axles to generate an electronic soundscape inside and outside the vehicle based on throttle input.

Production is scheduled to begin in late 2026, with European pricing positioned at approximately EUR 550,000. Deliveries in the United States are scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2027.

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Uber, one of India’s leading ridesharing apps, has inked a partnership with JSW Group to co-develop and deploy electric vehicles targeted for the Indian ride-hailing market.

The MoU signed between Parth Jindal of JSW Group and Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, will see JSW Green Mobility, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Group, deploy EV solutions at prices and performance expected in the cab segment in India.

The aim is to provide localised EV solutions across various categories on Uber, along with driving the adoption and utilisation of green vehicles.

Parth Jindal, said, “We are excited to collaborate with Uber to explore scalable EV mobility solutions aligned with national net-zero goals for India. By combining Uber’s platform scale and mobility insights with JSW’s growing automotive and clean mobility ambitions, we hope to contribute meaningfully to India’s EV ecosystem.”

Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India and South Asia, said, “India’s transition to electric mobility requires strong ecosystem partnerships across technology platforms, automakers, fleet operators, and infrastructure players. Through this collaboration with JSW Group, we aim to help accelerate the adoption of EVs on the Uber platform by exploring solutions purpose-built for the needs of Indian riders and drivers. This partnership also reflects our continued commitment to supporting the Government of India’s vision of advancing green and sustainable mobility at scale.”

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European automotive major Stellantis has announced a project to produce an electric vehicle, designated the E-Car, with production scheduled to begin in 2028. The manufacturing will take place at the Pomigliano d’Arco plant in Italy.

The term E-Car refers to European, Emotion, Electric and Environmental friendliness. The project aims to support the adoption of electric vehicles for city-centric mobility and intends to boost design and manufacturing jobs in Europe. The vehicle is designed to address the contraction of the small car segment in the region.

Antonio Filosa, CEO, Stellantis, said, “The E-Car is a concept that finds its natural match in the small car success that runs deep in our European Stellantis DNA. Our customers are calling for a revival of small, stylish vehicles, proudly produced in Europe, which are also affordable and environmentally friendly. Stellantis is answering their call with exciting new models for multiple brands. Production is expected to start in 2028 in our Pomigliano (Italy) plant.”

The selection of the Pomigliano plant aligns with its history of producing cars, such as the Fiat Panda. The E-Car models will utilise BEV technologies developed with partners to improve affordability and reduce time-to-market.

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