Tag: business

Nissan On Track For 2026 Resurgence In India; 7-Seater B-MPV Gravite Teased

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Nissan’s all-new game-changing seven-seater B-MPV will be called Gravite and will be launched in early 2026. It is the first product to be rolled out under the brand’s refreshed and strategically curated line-up for India.

Purpose-built for modern Indian families, the Gravite delivers exceptional versatility and modularity, redefining convenience for value-conscious households while accelerating the expansion of Nissan’s revitalized product portfolio.

Announced in July 2024 as the second model in Nissan Motor India’s ambitious product offensive, the Gravite underscores the company’s forward momentum. The product roadmap includes the launch of the Gravite in early 2026; followed by the Tekton in mid-2026 and a 7-seater C-SUV in early 2027 — reaffirming Nissan’s deep and ongoing commitment to diversifying, strengthening, and revitalising its offering for Indian customers.

A Name that Reflects Nissan’s Ambition

The name “Gravite” draws inspiration from the word gravity, signifying balance, inherent stability, and powerful attraction. This choice reflects Nissan’s core vision of designing vehicles that perfectly anchor families in comfort, superior versatility, and seamless connectivity. Inspired by 1.4 billion Indians and the 19,000 vernaculars and rituals that form the foundation of the nation, the Gravite is the perfect companion for the aspirational and versatile Indian.

Interior: Pioneering Modularity and Comfort

The Gravite transforms family journeys with exceptional cabin roominess and pioneering, class-leading storage innovations. Every aspect has been meticulously crafted for versatility and intuitive use—from ultra-modular seating that effortlessly adapts to changing passenger and cargo needs, to smart space utilization that makes both daily commutes and extended family road trips equally seamless.

Set for its grand debut in early 2026, the All-New Gravite will be manufactured locally in Chennai. This production milestone reinforces Nissan Motor India’s unwavering commitment to deliver vehicles specifically tailored to the evolving demands of Indian customers. As the second critical model in Nissan’s rejuvenated lineup, the Gravite represents a decisive step in the brand’s product renaissance in India.

Design and Inspiration

The All-New Gravite establishes a bold and distinct identity aligned with Nissan’s global design language. Its signature C-shaped front grille—a defining element of Nissan’s DNA—ensures instant recognition and a bold on-road presence. The Gravite’s sleek horizontal proportions and confident, muscular stance combine modern elegance with practical and everyday usability.

The Gravite is the only vehicle in its segment to feature distinctive hood branding along with unique rear-door badging—a bold design choice that powerfully amplifies its exclusive identity. The rear fascia continues to echo Nissan’s signature C-shaped interlock theme, ensuring the MPV’s unmistakable presence on every road.

Massimiliano Messina, Chairperson, Nissan AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe & Oceania), commented: “India continues to be a strong contributor to AMIEO’s performance, and Nissan Motor India plays a pivotal role in our strategy. Over FY25, we have strengthened our business operations, expanded our portfolio, and delivered on every promise made under our 2024 product offensive. The upcoming line-up—shaped by global insights yet deeply attuned to the needs of Indian customers—reflects our commitment to this dynamic market. With new models developed in and for India, and exports to several international markets, India remains both a growth driver and a strategic hub for Nissan Alliance. The reveal of the GRAVITE demonstrates our continued momentum and reinforces our confidence in the road ahead.”

Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, stated: “The All-New GRAVITE is a testament to Nissan Motor India’s renewed focus on the evolving Indian market. Deeply rooted in the fabric of the country, it is designed to be the perfect companion for the diverse needs of our customers. As the second model in our all-new product line-up, the GRAVITE marks a pivotal step in our transformation journey and reinforces our commitment to delivering vehicles that resonate with the aspirations of Indian consumers.”

To support this growth, Nissan is fast-tracking the expansion of its nationwide dealership network, ensuring greater accessibility and enhanced customer experience across the country.

Building on this momentum, the Nissan Magnite continues to strengthen the brand’s global footprint as one of its most successful ‘Made in India’ models. Now exported to 65 markets across South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, the Magnite’s strong acceptance underscores India’s pivotal role as a manufacturing and export hub for Nissan.

Further strengthening its future-ready product roadmap in India, Nissan revealed the Tekton in October 2025—its upcoming premium SUV. With its commanding design and modern technologies, the Tekton sets the tone for the brand’s next phase of growth, complementing today’s introduction of the new Gravite and signalling a robust, multi-segment offensive tailored for the Indian market.

BLive EZY Launches 5,000 EV Drive To Power City’s Last Mile Deliveries

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BLive EZY, India’s leading e-mobility platform offering EV as a service for last-mile delivery catering to e-commerce and quick commerce companies like Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, and Blinkit, has announced the launch of its operation in Kolkata. The company plans to deploy 5,000 electric 2W and 3W vehicles (EVs) over the next 36 months, marking a major step toward sustainable and carbon-free deliveries in Kolkata.

With over 3 million deliveries fulfilled daily and nearly 1 lakh delivery partners on the road, Kolkata stands as one of India’s fastest-growing e-commerce markets in India. Yet, EV penetration for deliveries remains below 2%, signalling a vast opportunity for electrification. Through its successful EZY franchise model, BLive aims to create 50+ EV Franchisees, driving rapid EV adoption while enabling entrepreneurship.

Franchise Model: Profitable, Scalable, and Hassle-Free

BLive EZY’s growth is driven by its franchise model, which allows individuals and EV entrepreneurs to participate in India’s booming EV revolution. With an investment starting at INR 25 lakhs, franchisees can own a fleet of electric two-wheelers and earn assured monthly rentals. This fleet is deployed with leading delivery platforms like Zomato, Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy.

The model offers investors a profitable business opportunity — BLive manages end-to-end operations, including deployment, maintenance and rider management — allowing franchise partners to earn 2X return on their investment within 48 months, right from the comfort of their homes. The entire fleet operation is efficiently managed on BLive’s AI-powered “Smart Fleet” tech platform, allowing vehicle tracking, digital rider onboarding, and digital payments and real-time vehicle data.

Driving Green Deliveries and Sustainable Livelihoods

BLive EZY’s entry into Kolkata aligns with its mission to enable green deliveries and sustainable livelihoods. The platform’s end-to-end EV ecosystem ensures seamless operations for enterprises and delivery riders, combining smart fleet technology with predictive analytics and real-time tracking.

“Kolkata represents the next big leap in India’s EV growth story. With high delivery volumes and increasing demand for sustainable logistics, this is the right time for businesses and individuals to invest in clean mobility,” said Sandeep Mukherjee, CEO & Co-Founder, BLive. “Our model makes EV adoption simple, scalable, and profitable — a win for entrepreneurs, enterprises, and the environment.”

Nissan Motor India Exports Hit 1.2 Million

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Nissan Motor India announced a significant milestone in its export operations with the export of its 1.2 millionth vehicle from India. This accomplishment underscores Nissan’s steadfast commitment to its ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ philosophy and reaffirms India’s pivotal role as a strategic export hub for the company in the AMIEO region. The 1.2 millionth vehicle, a New Nissan Magnite B-SUV destined for the GCC region, was ceremoniously flagged off by Mr. Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, at the Kamarajar Port, Ennore, Tamil Nadu.

Since the commencement of its export operations, Nissan Motor India has shipped a diverse range of models including the Nissan Magnite, Nissan Sunny, Nissan Kicks and Nissan Micra, catering to global markets across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. The arrival of the New Nissan Magnite significantly increased the global footprint of Nissan Motor India’s export strategy in both LHD and RHD covering our 65 countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said: “We are proud to celebrate yet another historic milestone of exporting 1.2 million Nissan vehicles from India. This achievement reflects the collective dedication of our teams and the trust of customers across the world in our Made-in-India cars. The Nissan Magnite continues to be a global success story, representing our focus on design, quality, and innovation that transcends borders.”

The New Nissan Magnite has been recognized among the safest B-SUVs, earning a prestigious 5-star Global NCAP rating for Adult Occupant Protection and 3 stars for Child Occupant Protection. With its bold design, over 20 first and best-in-segment features, and 55+ safety features, the Magnite continues to set benchmarks in the compact SUV segment.

Proudly Made in India, the New Nissan Magnite embodies Nissan’s ‘One Car, One World’ strategy and is now sold in over 65 countries across both right-hand and left-hand drive markets, showcasing India’s manufacturing excellence on a global stage. The company is also gearing up for the upcoming launch of its new global C-SUV, the Nissan Tekton, which will be introduced in India next year and also exported to select international markets.

Parkobot Raises INR 2.09 Crore In Seed Round Led By Inflection Point Ventures

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Parkobot the world’s first “Airbnb for parking” powered by IoT smart Parking Space Barrier has raised INR 2.09 Crores in seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures, one of India’s largest angel investing platforms. The round also saw participation from HNIs. The funds will be utilized to expand infrastructure, reach additional markets, strengthen backend and increase product portfolio.

Since its founding, Parkobot has made its mark as the world’s first startup to launch an “Airbnb for private parking” which makes it an innovative platform powered by an IoT-enabled parking space barrier. With a mission to redefine urban mobility and space utilization, Parkobot has made it possible for its owners to monetize unused private parking spaces on an hourly basis, which in turn provides real-time, location-based booking through a smart, integrated mobile app.

The strength of this platform is its completely in-house tech stack, horizontally and vertically scalable IoT devices, and smart automation features generating efficiencies to enhance parking and generate revenues.

Mitesh Shah, Co-Founder, IPV says, “Urban parking is a huge challenge facing today’s cities. Poor planning and lack of proper parking spaces lead to encroachment on roads, illegal parking and congestion. However, Parkobot is driving the change by bringing in technology and smart parking systems that provide real-time availability of parking spaces and making underutilized private parking spaces available to the public.”

Parkobot operates in a rapidly growing market, with a global Total Addressable Market (TAM) of $114 billion and an Indian TAM of $9.5 billion, expanding at a CAGR of 6.5%. Currently in stealth mode, the startup has already deployed high-traffic parking spots at key locations, laying the groundwork for scale.

Founder of Parkobot, Amrit Choudhury says, “Parkobot envisions decongesting India’s streets by utilizing underutilized private parking spaces, transforming them into revenue-generating assets via our IoT-enabled Parkobot barrier & app. Our goal is to create cleaner skies, less traffic congestion, and seamless urban mobility for all.”

With over 20,000 monthly bookings, Parkobot leverages its proprietary Parking Management System (PMS), featuring smart boom barriers and exclusive pre-booking to boost parking revenue and reduce manual intervention. With no direct global competitors in IoT-enabled parking monetization, Parkobot is uniquely positioned to convert underutilized parking spaces into smart, revenue-generating assets.

Hardeep Singh Brar Appointed As President And Chief Executive Officer Of BMW Group India

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BMW Group India has announced a change in personnel at the helm with Mr. Hardeep Singh Brar being appointed as the President and Chief Executive Officer effective September 1, 2025.

Mr. Hardeep Singh Brar succeeds Mr. Vikram Pawah who is taking charge as Chief Executive Officer of BMW Group Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. Jean-Philippe Parain, Senior Vice President, Region Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, BMW Group said, “India is among the fastest growing markets for BMW Group and an important pillar of our long-term success strategy for the region. Mr. Hardeep Singh Brar holds vast expertise and an intricate understating of Indian automotive industry to lead this dynamic market and strengthen BMW Group’s operations here. We would like to thank Mr. Vikram Pawah for his immense contribution towards strategic growth of BMW Group India and playing a decisive role in its recent development.”

Mr. Brar brings more than thirty years of rich experience in Indian automotive industry, having held numerous senior management positions. He most recently served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Kia India. Prior to this, Mr. Brar’s diverse experience included leading core functions of sales, marketing, customer experience, network development and corporate strategy across several brands including Maruti-Suzuki, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, General Motors, Nissan Motor and Great Wall Motor Company. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Punjab. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School’s Senior Executive Leadership Program.

Mr. Vikram Pawah has been with the BMW Group since 2017 and has successfully led the company’s operations in both India (2017 – 2018 and 2020 – 2025) as well as Australia (2018 – 2020). In recent years, Mr. Pawah strongly fixed BMW Group India’s gaze on expanding market share through new opportunities and target groups, and taking electric mobility, digitalization, retail experience and customer centricity to the next level.

Nissan Magnite Achieves 2,00,000 Sales Milestone

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Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. (NMIPL) today announced a significant milestone for its popular compact SUV – the Nissan Magnite, which has surpassed 2,00,000 cumulative sales across domestic and export markets since its launch in 2020. This achievement marks a significant moment in Nissan’s journey in India and underscores the Magnite’s strong resonance with customers worldwide. The Nissan Magnite has disrupted the B-SUV segment by offering an unmatched combination of bold design, safety, class-leading features, and exceptional value. Its success in both domestic and international markets highlights its universal appeal and the strength of Nissan’s ‘One Car, One World’ philosophy.

Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said: “The 200,000 global sales milestone is a proud moment for the entire Nissan Motor India family! The New Nissan Magnite continues to capture the imagination of customers around the world with its dynamic design, superior quality, value, and innovative features. We are grateful to our customers in India and across global markets for their continued trust and belief in the Magnite and love for the Nissan brand. We are fully committed to the Indian market, our customers, dealer partners and stakeholders as we work towards expanding our domestic and export product portfolio under the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision.”

Nissan Motor India has also recently introduced a government-approved CNG retro-fitment kit for the New Nissan Magnite, catering to the growing customer demand fuel alternatives. Manufactured and quality assured by Motozen, the kit will be installed at government-authorised fitment centres and is priced at an additional INR 74,999. The kit is compatible with the 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine (manual transmission) variant of the New Magnite.

The New Magnite SUV’s bold and stylish design, 20+ first & best-in-segment features, and 55+ safety features make it a standout choice in the compact SUV segment. With its bold road presence, premium features, and expanding global reach, the New Nissan Magnite is now present in over 65 countries, including both the Right-Hand Drive and Left-Hand Drive markets.

Nissan Motor India continued consistent and sustainable growth in India with a consolidated sale of 99,000+ units for FY2024-25, delivering best single year performance for in the last seven years. The year was marked by the continued success of the New Nissan Magnite, which remains a key pillar for Nissan’s domestic business, selling 28,000+ units annually, and expanding export operations from 20 markets to 65+ international markets, resulting in an unprecedented export sale of 71,000+ units, making India an export hub.

New Nissan Magnite Now Available With CNG Retrofitment Kit

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The New Nissan Magnite will now be available with a government-approved CNG retrofitment kit. The CNG Kit is fully developed, manufactured and quality assured by Motozen (3rd Party) as per country Regulatory Standards. Motozen will provide warranty for kit components. This initiative reflects focus on providing customer-focused solutions. The fitment of these kits will be carried out at government-authorised fitment centres. The complete retrofitment will be available at competitive additional price of INR 74,999 only.

The rollout of this eco-friendly CNG kit fitment for the sustainability-aware and environment-conscious customer will be done in a phased manner across the country. In the first phase, Nissan customers can order the CNG kit installation via Nissan authorised dealerships in seven states, namely Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala and Karnataka. It will later be expanded to other states across the country as part of Phase 2.

The CNG kit option is available only with the New Nissan Magnite 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with the manual gearbox. The customers will get enhanced fuel economy with the CNG retrofitted kit. All CNG kits will be retrofitted by government-approved vendors, offering a certified homologated kit that complies with current local regulations and safety standards.

Mr. Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, commented: “The New Nissan Magnite has been a phenomenal product for us and has led the success story in India. With a view to meet the requirements of customers, Nissan Dealers will provide an alternate fuel option in the form of a government-approved CNG retrofitment kit which will be carried out at the authorised fitment centres for customers. We are confident that this move will enhance the popular compact SUV’s value proposition and practicality.”

Exciting Times Ahead For Nissan As The Company Gears Up To Launch New Products Backed By Best Single Year Performance In FY 24-25

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Nissan Motor India has announced an all-new 7-seater B-MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) to their existing line-up. The company showcased two new products slated for India at their recently concluded Global Product Showcase Event held in Yokohama, Japan. This is in line with the company’s plans for the India business to reshape its new products to meet the rising aspirations of its customers and deliver products in all high-growth segments such as the B-MPV and C-SUV segments in addition to its existing share in the B-SUV segment led by the New Nissan Magnite.

Nissan will continue to strengthen its presence in India’s rapidly growing market, enhancing domestic performance and expanding exports. Nissan’s planned product offensive has begun with the first-time global reveal of an all-new 7- seater B-MPV scheduled to launch in FY25 as a brand new addition to the India product portfolio.

This will be followed by a previously announced 5-seater C-SUV (compact sports utility vehicle) in early FY26. The company has shared two brand new teasers for Indian audiences which confirm the developments and timelines for both vehicles. Nissan Motor India remains on track to have 4 products by FY26 for Indian customers across the B/C and D-SUV segments.

The C-SUV has been designed to disrupt the segment in India. It will be feature- packed and be delivered with state-of-the-art proprietary advanced technologies. Inspired by another iconic Nissan SUV, the new C-SUV takes its design cues from the Nissan Patrol. The C-SUV will deliver true Nissan SUV DNA and deliver the same robust reliability, premium craftsmanship and technology that Nissan is renowned for globally. The C-SUV with unmistakable presence will offer a high approach and departure angle making it the perfect companion for Indian road conditions.

The Nissan 7-seater B-MPV on the other hand aims to deliver unmatched value, quality and comfort to its core customer driven by value conscious customers seeking to maximize their purchase in the segment. The Nissan B-MPV will deliver muscular styling that is unique to Nissan’s distinct design philosophy. It has been designed to ensure comfort for passengers on all rows without compromising on driving pleasure.

Building on the success of the New Nissan Magnite, Nissan is introducing a new C- SUV that will also be made in India and exported globally. This 5-seater C-SUV will be the second model from the Chennai plant to follow the ‘One Car, One World’ strategy, reinforcing Nissan’s commitment to expanding its presence in both domestic and international markets.

Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. (NMIPL) continued consistent and sustainable growth in India, delivering best single year performance for FY 2024-25 in the last seven years despite multiple headwinds faced by the domestic auto industry. The year was marked by the continued success of the New Nissan Magnite, which remains a key pillar of Nissan’s domestic business plan and a vital part of the company’s global export operations. In FY 2024-25 Nissan Motor India recorded total domestic volume of 28,000+ units led by the New Nissan Magnite introduced in October 2024. This strong performance was delivered despite the rising consumer preference for alternate fuel vehicles in the B-SUV segment in India.

On the export front, the company expanded its operations from 20 markets to 65+ international markets and registered an unprecedented and historic export sales of 71,000+ units further reinforcing India’s role as a growing manufacturing and export hub for Nissan globally. This brings the consolidated sales of the company to 99,000+ units for FY 2024-25.

Nissan is setting its sights on achieving an ambitious target of 1,00,000 units in both annual domestic sales and exports from India. To support this goal, the company will locally manufacture both new products at the Alliance JV plant in Chennai. This approach ensures that every vehicle manufactured here meets global standards, catering to both domestic and international markets.

Commenting on the performance, Frank Torres, Divisional Vice President of AMIEO Region Business Transformation & President of Nissan India Operations said, “India remains a strong pillar of growth for Nissan driven by the continued success of the Nissan Magnite. The export of the new Nissan Magnite expanded to over 65 international geographies including LHD markets this year.

On the restructuring of the India business operations as a part of the global turnaround actions, he said “Nissan remains committed to the Indian market, customers, dealer partners, employees & stakeholders. Nissan & its dealer partners will continue to provide Sales & Service to customers of existing and future new models. Nissan’s stated India product offensive remains intact, including the plan to introduce 1 all-new B-MPV & 2 new C-SUVs. We will continue our plans to export vehicles to other parts of the world as per our One Car, One World plan. This restructuring is part of our efforts worldwide to become a leaner and more agile company, as part of our global turnaround actions.”

Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India said, “This year has been a challenging one for the auto industry. Despite this, the New Magnite has shown and has proven that it remains a strong favorite amongst the B-SUV customers. The continued expansion of our dealership network reflects our commitment to improving accessibility and customer service. As we move forward, with the recent announcement of the additions of an All-New 7-seater B-MPV and 5-seater C-SUV and we are focused on offering an exciting product portfolio and expanding our dealer network further for enhancing customer experience.”

Nissan Motor India also announced that it will increase the price of New Nissan Magnite across all trims by up to 3 per cent from 1st April 2025 onwards. This price hike will be done to offset the rising input costs and operational expenses.

The Nissan Magnite has consistently performed well in its segment. In August 2024, the Nissan Magnite crossed a cumulative sale of 150,000 units. October 2024 marked the launch of the New Nissan Magnite after which it gained an even stronger momentum and global appeal, surpassing 10,000+ bookings milestone within three
months of the launch. The New Nissan Magnite also achieved an export milestone of 50,000 units, embodying Nissan’s ‘One Car, One World’ philosophy by exporting to 65+ LHD and RHD markets.

Manufactured at the Chennai plant, the new Magnite includes 20+ Segment-first features in India and a bold new design. Strengthening its sustainability commitment, it is now fully E20 fuel compliant. The new Magnite’s success was amplified by its recent debut in Saudi Arabia as the first left-hand-drive (LHD) market.

Continental Bags Award For “Tire Manufacturer of the Year” And Recognized For Environmentally Friendly Tire Production

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Continental has been awarded “Tire Manufacturer of the Year” at this year’s Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence. The premium tire manufacturer received a further honour for its tire plant in Lousado, Portugal, which has produced tires CO2-neutrally since last year. This makes Continental the only tire manufacturer to win two of the prestigious awards, outperforming the competition as “Tire Manufacturer of the Year” as well as in the category “Environmental Achievement of the Year – Manufacturing”. The awards were bestowed as part of the Tire Technology Expo on March 4 at the exhibition center in Hanover. They are regarded as some of the top honours in the industry.

“We are especially proud to be the only manufacturer to be honored twice at the Tire Technology Awards in an extremely competitive field,” says Edwin Goudswaard, Head of Research and Development at Continental Tires. “Both awards highlight our strong commitment to sustainable tire development and manufacturing. In such a highly competitive market, this success demonstrates our innovative prowess and our ability to actively shape the future of the industry.”

Competition in both categories was fierce. As “Tire Manufacturer of the Year,” Continental outperformed competitors from the USA, Italy, and France. This marks the fourth time Continental has received this title – most recently in 2022.
Sustainability efforts are becoming an increasingly important focus for the industry, and therefore for the awards. By naming Continental “Tire Manufacturer of the Year” for 2024, the jury of 27 independent industry experts acknowledged Continental’s ongoing achievements on the road to greater sustainability. The projects considered in their deliberations included increasing the share of sustainable materials through recycled PET bottles at further Continental plants, expanding the plant in Rayong, Thailand, according to the highest energy-efficiency standards, obtaining the international sustainability certification ISCC-PLUS for its plants in Lousado, Portugal, Puchóv, Slovakia, and Hefei, China, as well as upgrading the tire plant in Hefei with automation technology in line with state-of-the-art sustainability standards.

Continental has also repeatedly impressed the jury in award categories that specifically recognize environmentally friendly development and production measures. In 2024, for example, the company took top spot in the category “Environmental Achievement of the Year – Tire Design” with its sustainable production of the tire UltraContact NXT. This year, Continental won the prize in the “Manufacturing” category for the sustainability measures at its tire plant in Lousado, Portugal. Since 2024, the plant has been testing a CO2-neutral production process that advances the company’s ambition to achieve carbon neutrality. Thanks to a fully electric steam boiler, Continental generates the steam using both in-house produced solar power and renewable energy from the grid. Steam is needed to heat the rubber compound for the tires during the so-called vulcanization. During this process, raw rubber is turned into a flexible, elastic form. In the tire industry, a large proportion of the consumed energy is used for generating steam. Previously, the Lousado tire plant relied exclusively on natural gas for steam generation. With an annual production capacity of 18 million tires, the plant in Lousado is considered a mega plant. Continental is aiming to switch all of its tire plants to fully carbon-neutral production processes by 2040 at the latest.

The Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence have been bestowed since 2008 as part of the Tire Technology Expo in Hanover each spring. The prizes span 13 categories honoring the latest innovations in tire technology and major advances on the road to a more sustainable tire industry. The award ceremony is coordinated by the industry magazine “Tire Technology International.”

Hyundai Motor Company President and CEO José Muñoz Holds Town Hall With Employees At Namyang R&D Center

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Hyundai Motor Company President and CEO José Muñoz held a town hall meeting with employees at the company’s Namyang R&D Center, his first such meeting since assuming the role of Hyundai Motor CEO. At the event, Muñoz underscored his commitment to direct communication with employees and that engineers share the common language of data and statistics.

Beginning the town hall, President Muñoz spoke directly about future business plans, emphasizing the importance of Hyundai Motor’s customer-centric philosophy and achieving the highest quality standards to ensure sustainable success amid the rapidly changing business environment.

“As an engineer myself, I have been looking forward to spending time with the outstanding team here at Namyang. I tend to challenge engineers, because I have high expectations for people I care about, like my family,” said President Muñoz.

President Muñoz shared his reflections on his first two months as CEO and outlined Hyundai Motor’s management strategy, future vision, and approach to overcoming key challenges. In relation to electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous driving technology, Muñoz emphasized that Hyundai and its employees can achieve greater success together through advanced technology development and strategic partnerships.

“We will succeed by continuing to deliver beautifully designed, high-quality vehicles with technology that customers want. We must treat our customers as honored guests and provide exceptional service,” he said.

Muñoz also shared his leadership approach, offering insights from his extensive global automotive and mobility industry experience. Since joining Hyundai Motor Company in 2019, he has driven significant growth and profitability, solidifying his leadership in the global mobility industry.

Speaking at the town hall, President and CEO Muñoz said, “It’s an honor to serve our customers, employees, dealers, suppliers and other stakeholders in this new capacity. I’m excited and motivated by the tremendous opportunities for Hyundai around the world.”

Attended by more than 800 employees – including President and Head of Research and Development Division, Heui Won Yang, and Executive Vice President and Hyundai Motor Company Chief HR Officer, Hae In Kim – the hour-long session reinforced the pivotal role the Namyang R&D Center has played in Hyundai Motor’s position as a top three global mobility brand, as well as its importance in the company’s future. The Center plays a key function in leading Hyundai Motor’s differentiated product strategies tailored to the needs of local markets, as well as delivering industry-leading quality, safety and technology innovations.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the 3.47 million-square-meter facility is a comprehensive research and development hub, with world-class capabilities in software development, design and engineering, and vehicle testing and evaluation.

“Namyang, our global center for R&D, has a phenomenal track record of delivering beautifully designed, high-quality, safety-focused vehicles with technology and features that our customers value,” Muñoz commented.

“This is evidenced through Hyundai’s increasing sales, market share, profitability, and industry accolades around the world. I don’t think any brand has won more World Car of the Year Awards than Hyundai in the last few years, and we can trace this back to all the excellent work happening here in Namyang. This is where the magic happens!” he added.

Joining those at Namyang digitally, the town hall was also livestreamed globally to Hyundai Motor colleagues across the world, including at headquarters in Seoul and operations in China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, India, and the Asia-Pacific regional offices in Indonesia and Australia.

The session included an open Q&A, encouraging direct dialogue between leadership and employees. Asked about overcoming the challenge of global EV adoption, Muñoz highlighted the company’s strategic approach:

“We continue to lead the transition to electrification. We understand that this business is based on consumer demand, which is why we continue to invest in hybrid electric vehicles, extended range electric vehicles (EREV), hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and vehicles powered by internal combustion. More powertrain choices across our lineup are emblematic of our flexible approach.”

Muñoz took questions on other areas of Hyundai Motor’s global business, including autonomous driving technology, outlining that, “Autonomous driving has incredible potential to make driving safer by drastically reducing accidents, as well as being more convenient and efficient. We are making long-term investments with autonomous driving. Our Advanced Vehicle Platform division is doing a great job leading this internally here in Namyang.”

Closing the event, Muñoz called on all Hyundai Motor employees worldwide to continue striving for excellence, encouraging them to “Stay humble, stay hungry, work hard and always have a customer service mindset – I am here to serve you so we can serve our customers together.”