Alcoa has developed new manufacturing technology—the Micromill—that will produce what the company says is the most advanced aluminum sheet on the market. The Micromill will enable the next-generation of automotive aluminum products, and equip Alcoa to capture growing demand from automakers for lighter-weight, yet durable and formable materials.
Skoda predicts over 1 million cars sales in 2014
Skoda expects to sell over 1 million vehicles this year, the highest in the Czech carmaker’s 119-year history, on surging sales in China and stable business in Europe.
VW buys stake in QuantumScape, U.S. battery startup company
Volkswagen AG bought a stake in battery startup QuantumScape Corp. with the aim of developing technology that can more than triple the range of its electric cars, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
VW brand suffers biggest drop in car sales this year
Sales of Volkswagen’s core passenger-car brand fell 4 percent in November, the biggest monthly drop this year, as demand contracted in eastern Europe and Latin America and VW switched to a new-generation Passat late in the month.
Toyota to invest ~$165M to triple Japan production capacity for Mirai FCV
The Nikkei reports that Toyota will invest about ¥20 billion yen ($165 million) to triple production capacity in Japan for its new Mirai fuel cell vehicle to meet what it describes as strong corporate and public-sector demand. The Mirai is due to go on sale in Japan 15 December; Toyota expects orders to exceed its current annual capacity of 700 units by the release date.
