ESG performance or compliance are fast becoming a priority for most corporates. Looking beyond their ambitious targets about achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 while the country may have set a carbon neutrality for a later date, ESG is driving carbon footprint reduction and a quest for sustainable future. As early followers of ESG processes rake in carbon credits, it is companies like Tesla that made billions of dollars from selling carbon credits than electric autonomous cars. 
Carbon credits are a key part of financial performance and has helped it to achieve carbon credits, It is the same with BYD of China. Raking in carbon credits as a manufacturer of electric vehicles, BYD, aided by the Chinese Government’s ‘Made in China 2025’ initiative, is finding itself in a position of advantage as it eyes the European market for expansion. 
BYD could soon sell more than 300,000 vehicles in Europe alone with its factory in Hungary scheduled to begin operation in 2026. The capacity at the plant would be gradually expanded to 300,000 vehicles per year against the background of the company selling 16,000 vehicles across Europe in 2022. 
But that is not all: With a clear edge in electric vehicles as compared to Europe, US or the rest of Asia, which has been sold in developing electric vehicle technology, Chinese automakers like BYD have begun to eye plants of European manufacturers like Volkswagen as they falter and cut the flab. 
As Volkswagen is forced to sell its facilities in Dresden and Osnabrück, work that has been lost is going the way of Chinese car companies. Scrambling to meet the EU’s strict 2025 emissions targets, European manufacturers are buying carbon credits from Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers like BYD, which have accumulated a lot of them. 
With Europe planning to fine Volkswagen Eur 1.5 billion for falling short of emissions compliance, it is a not time away that Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers look poised to not only dominate the European market but also build their vehicles in the heart of Europe in big numbers rather than export them from their home country.
Having developed the habit of keeping technology and innovation to themselves and in their home country, the Chinese automotive players are playing smart with their electric vehicle card. They are triumphing on the basis that they are too good at making electric vehicles much like they are not so good at making ICE vehicles. They lack the knowledge of metallurgy that is needed to build internal combustion engines, mentioned an electro-mechanical engineer in Germany. It feels like a punch to the gut, added another engineer from Europe as he explained how the US and European flocked to China to save costs and are being bought over almost by the same companies that they once collaborated with in search of a new, large market.
 

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American automotive and technology company Lucid Group has announced that Silvio Napoli has officially assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately. The appointment completes a scheduled leadership transition that was initially announced on April 14.

He succeeds Marc Winterhoff, who has completed his tenure as Interim CEO and returned to his previous position as Chief Operating Officer (COO), reporting directly to Napoli.

Napoli joins the software-defined vehicle and technology manufacturer following a career in global industrial management. He most recently served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Schindler Group, where his responsibilities covered large-scale international operations, financial management and corporate technology strategies.

According to management, Napoli's immediate operational roadmap for Lucid will prioritise several structural developments, including streamlining internal processes and organisational structures to improve execution while deepening overall customer engagement. He will also be responsible for driving cost competitiveness across the vehicle manufacturing pipelines and instituting stricter accountability metrics across operational teams.

The transition comes as Lucid looks to stabilise its long-term market position and scale its technical product offerings.

Turqi Alnowaiser, Chairman of the Lucid Board of Directors, said, "On behalf of the Board, we are pleased to have Silvio as CEO at this important stage for Lucid. The Board remains fully committed and focused to Lucid's long-term future, and we have strong confidence in Silvio's leadership."

Silvio Napoli, added, "After spending time with our teams and gaining deeper firsthand experience with our products and technology, I'm increasingly confident in our ability to deliver consistent execution and long-term value. Our focus will be on strengthening customer engagement, operating with consistency and accountability, achieving cost competitiveness and streamlining our organization and processes to fully leverage the strength of our team."

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African electric mobility and battery-swapping platform Spiro has secured a USD 215 million investment round to accelerate the deployment of its clean energy infrastructure across Africa.

The equity round was backed by global institutional investors, including Impact Fund Denmark and Equitane, alongside continued support from long-standing partners such as FEDA.

The pan-African expansion will be anchored by technological innovation, research and development and artificial intelligence-driven energy analytics out of Spiro’s Global Technology and Engineering Center located in Pune, India.

Founded by Indian entrepreneur Gagan Gupta under the Equitane Group, Spiro has transitioned past its proof-of-concept phase to become the largest electric mobility player in Africa. The company's operational infrastructure across the continent includes over 100,000 active electric motorcycles and a network of 2,500 automated battery-swapping stations.

The operations span seven fast-growing urban markets, including Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon. It has established a dedicated manufacturing and assembly plants located in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, complemented by a battery recycling facility in Nigeria.

The Pune-based innovation hub houses more than 150 engineers and manages over 30 proprietary patents. Technical developments focus on IoT-enabled, solar-powered swap stations and secondary-life battery applications for stationary renewable energy storage.

The new capital will be deployed to expand this battery-swapping network, strengthen local industrial manufacturing footprints, and support entry into additional high-growth African markets, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia.

The company claims operating a Spiro electric vehicle reduces daily mobility expenses by up to 40 percent, translating to savings of up to USD 2 per day compared to internal combustion engine motorcycles.

A third-party verified lifecycle assessment in Kenya indicated that Spiro's electric bikes deliver a 72 percent reduction in climate impact compared to fossil-fuel alternatives, avoiding roughly 19 tonnes of CO2 emissions over a single vehicle's lifespan. The study also registered an 80 percent reduction in ozone depletion potential and a 20% reduction in particulate matter emissions, mitigating public health risks in rapidly expanding urban centres.

Gagan Gupta, Founder of Spiro and Chairman of Equitane, said, “This past year marked a defining strategic milestone for Spiro. Across seven active markets, our deployment of 100,000 electric vehicles and 2,500 smart-swap stations has turned sustainable mobility into an affordable, everyday reality. Spiro has become a major driver of local industrialization, value creation and manufacturing across African markets with 6,000 sustainable direct and indirect jobs. Supported by our global pool of investors, we are entering our next growth chapter to deliver clean, cost-effective energy and transport alternatives to millions of riders across the continent”.

Lars Bo Bertram, CEO, Impact Fund Denmark, added, “We are investing in Spiro and bringing Danish pension capital into one of Africa’s most promising growth markets because we see potential for significant commercial growth in Spiro and electric mobility across Africa, as well as measurable climate impact. That is exactly the type of investment we want to make”.

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VinFast India, one of the youngest electric vehicle manufacturers in the country and part of the Vietnamese conglomerate VinFast Group, has appointed Amit Arora as its new Director – O2O (online-to-offline) Sales.

In his new role, he will be responsible for building VinFast India’s retail presence, focussing on converting digital leads into actual sales.

Arora has more than two decades of experience in the automotive industry across marketing and sales functions. Till recently, he was the Head of Marketing for V-Green, part of VinFast Group, focusing on building the company’s brand presence, customer acquisition and support business growth in the EV charging ecosystem.

He also oversaw brand positioning, campaigns, partnerships and demand generation across segments.

Prior to that Arora, spent close to 11-years at Maruti Suzuki India as Senior Manager for International Markets, focussing on the Latin America and Oceania region. He also spent around 6 years of his career at Hyundai Motor India and rose to the ranks of Head of Sales Marketing Strategy.

Arora is a Commerce Graduate from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College and also holds a Postgraduate Degree in International Business from Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH).

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Aprilia Racing and Monster Energy have announced a multi-year partnership during the Grand Prix of Italy. The agreement initiates a collaboration between the two brands starting from the 2026 season, with Monster Energy scheduled to elevate its involvement to become the team's title sponsor for the 2027 championship.

Under the agreement, Monster Energy’s three-claw logo will be displayed on the factory Aprilia RS-GP bikes, rider leathers and official team assets. The arrangement marks the first time Aprilia Racing has signed a title sponsor for its premier class campaign.

The partnership coincides with a period of competitive growth for the Noale-based manufacturer. In 2025, Aprilia established itself as the European manufacturer with the most wins in FIM Grand Prix history, securing third place in the riders’ championship with Marco Bezzecchi and second place in the manufacturers' standings. During the 2026 season, the factory team has recorded victories in the opening three rounds, podium finishes across the first five races, a podium lockout at the French Grand Prix, and currently leads the rider, manufacturer and team standings.

Massimo Rivola, CEO of Aprilia Racing, said, “We are extremely happy to announce this partnership with a global company like Monster Energy, who will be alongside us in 2026 as main sponsor and who will take on the role of title sponsor in 2027. This agreement represents a milestone for Aprilia Racing and the crowning moment of our path of success. For this reason, we are particularly proud of this collaboration which will contribute to further reinforcing the ambition of our project. I would like to thank Monster Energy for the trust they have placed in us, and we will do everything we can to ensure that it pays off as we begin this new chapter together.”

Mitch Covington, Senior Vice-President of Sports Marketing, Monster Energy, added, “Partnering with Aprilia Racing marks an exciting step forward for Monster Energy in MotoGP. The team has established itself as one of the most competitive and progressive forces in the championship, and we are looking forward to being part of that journey as it continues to evolve. MotoGP represents the pinnacle of two‑wheel racing, and it remains a key platform for Monster Energy to connect with fans globally. Together with Aprilia Racing, we are committed to elevating that connection and contributing to the continued growth and momentum of the sport.”

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