FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Electric carmaker Tesla <TSLA> is scouting out locations for a possible factory in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany’s most populous state, daily Rheinische Post reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.
First inspections have taken place, the paper said.
Tesla spokespeople in Europe were not immediately available for comment.
Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said in a tweet in April that the company was “considering” building a factory in Germany.
Last year, Musk said Germany was a leading choice in Europe to build a Gigafactory, adding “the German-French border makes sense, near the Benelux countries”.
NRW, Germany’s most populous state, shares borders with the Netherlands and Belgium.
Tesla is also looking at the German state of Lower Saxony, which shares a border with the Netherlands, its Economy Minister Bernd Althusmann said earlier this week.
(Reporting by Christoph Steitz; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Gulfstream’s expanded facility in Appleton, Wisconsin. The $40 million, 190,000 square-foot building can accommodate 12 Gulfstream G650ER aircraft and employs more than 100 people. (Gulfstream photo)
SAVANNAH, Ga., Aug. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. today announced it has officially expanded its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations at Wisconsin’s Appleton International Airport with the opening of a newly built aircraft maintenance facility. The facility has been operational since Aug. 10.
The nearly 190,000 square-foot/17,652-square-meter building, northeast of the airport terminal, was constructed with an investment of approximately $40 million. The expansion to the Appleton service center includes 101,853 sq ft/9,462 sq m of hangar space, which will accommodate 12 Gulfstream G650ER or G650 aircraft. In addition to offices, back shops and general support space, the expansion adds a new sales and design center and increased customer access to Gulfstream’s design portfolio. The project, announced in February 2018, has resulted in nearly 100 new jobs at Gulfstream Appleton, with the potential for more in the next few years.
“This is a very exciting day for Appleton and the entire Fox Valley,” said Derek Zimmerman, president, Gulfstream Customer Support. “This beautiful facility represents the most significant expansion we’ve had in the 20 years we’ve been here. It is a tremendous asset to our site and the community. It will help us enhance the reliability of our growing fleet, support more customers and elevate their experience, continue to maintain a high level of safety and provide a world-class workplace for our employees.
“We are thankful to General Dynamics, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce Regional Partnership, the Outagamie County Executive, the Outagamie County Board of Supervisors and the town of Greenville Board for their essential support.”
Gulfstream announced the maintenance facility opening before an audience of employees and state and local dignitaries, including Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. The company will open four other expanded or new service centers in 2019 and 2020: Savannah, Georgia; Van Nuys, California; Palm Beach, Florida; and Farnborough, England.
Gulfstream Appleton is home to a service center and a large-cabin completions facility spread over approximately 500,000 sq ft/46,452 sq m. It offers customers a broad range of services, including major inspections, structural modifications, major avionics installations and safety upgrades. Its MRO operation is certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, European Aviation Safety Agency, Civil Aviation Administration of China and seven other civil aviation authorities worldwide. In 2018, Appleton had nearly 500 aircraft visits.
Gulfstream Appleton’s new facility has several sustainable features, including sensitive land protection, rainwater management system, enhanced control systems for heating and cooling, optimized energy performance and electric vehicle charging stations. It is expected to receive U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.
New contract reaffirms long-standing relationships with Abellio and with Eversholt Rail
Derby Etches Park depot to maintain Bombardier Class 222sfor East Midlands Railway mainline services until 2022
Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation has announced today that it has signed a new Train Services Agreement (TSA) with Abellio and Eversholt Rail for the new East Midlands Railway franchise in the United Kingdom. Under the new agreement which lasts from today until December 31, 2022, Bombardier will maintain Bombardier class 222 diesel-electric multiple unit (DEMU) trains at Derby Etches Park depot for use on East Midlands Railway mainline services. The new agreement follows Bombardier’s previous role in maintaining the 125 miles per hour trains for the former East Midlands Trains franchise. The contract is valued at approximately £133 million GBP ($161 million US, €145 million euro).
Phil Hufton, President, Bombardier Transportation UK said, “We are delighted that we have reached agreement with Abellio to maintain the Class 222 fleet for East Midlands Railway’s mainline services. This important contract win is testament to our team at Derby Etches Park and their hard work and professionalism in continually delivering one of the highest performing and most reliable Intercity fleets.”
Steve Timothy, Client Relations Director, Eversholt Rail said, “We are pleased to be working in partnership with Bombardier Transportation to support the delivery of our Class 222 trains for the Sheffield – London mainline service to Abellio East Midlands Railway from 19th August”.
Under the Train Services Agreement, maintenance of the 27-strong fleet of Class 222 trains will take place at Derby Etches Park depot, where 130 staff are employed, with heavy component maintenance taking place at Bombardier Crewe.
LONDON, Aug 21 (Reuters) – Investigators probing an engine explosion on an Air France A380 in 2017 are studying a possible manufacturing flaw in a recently salvaged cracked part in a move likely to trigger urgent checks on dozens of Airbus superjumbos, people familiar with the matter said.
The focus of a two-year-old investigation into the mid-air explosion over Greenland, which left the plane carrying more than 500 passengers with the front of one engine missing, has switched to the recently recovered “fan hub,” the people said.
The titanium alloy part is the centrepiece of a 3-metre-wide fan on engines built for the world’s largest airliner by U.S.-based Engine Alliance, co-owned by General Electric and United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney.
It had sat buried in Greenland’s ice sheet since September 2017 when one of four engines on Air France flight 66 abruptly disintegrated en route from Paris to Los Angeles. It was prised from the ice in June after a high-tech aerial radar search.
Confirming the focus of the probe after Reuters reported the plans for inspections, France’s BEA air accident agency said it had discovered a “sub-surface fatigue crack” on the recovered part and the engine maker was preparing checks.
The people familiar with the matter linked the crack to a suspected manufacturing flaw and said the checks – to be carried out urgently on engines that have conducted a certain number of flights – would affect dozens of the double-decker jets.
The people said the suspect part was fabricated on behalf of consortium member Pratt & Whitney, which declined to comment.
Engine Alliance is one of two engine suppliers for the Airbus A380 in competition with Britain’s Rolls-Royce.
Its engines power a total of 152 aircraft or just over 60 percent of the 237 A380s in service.
Besides Air France, other airlines operating the A380 with Engine Alliance powerplants include Dubai’s Emirates, Qatar Airways, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad and Korean Air.
The checks will involve taking some planes out of service outside their usual maintenance schedules, one source said.
Investigations are not complete and are likely to tackle other features such as the loads or physical forces at play. Experts say air accidents are rarely caused by isolated factors.
Europe’s Airbus declined to comment.
SIOUX CITY REMEMBERED
Nobody was hurt in the September 2017 incident, in which the Air France superjumbo diverted safely to Goose Bay in Canada.
Although rare, uncontained engine failures, in which shrapnel capable of puncturing the fuselage exits an engine at extremely high speeds, automatically raise alarm.
The checks come weeks after relatives marked 30 years since an engine failure left a United Airlines DC-10 with almost no control, culminating in the death of 111 out of the 296 people on board during an attempted landing at Sioux City, Iowa.
U.S. investigators cited a defective titanium alloy part and weak inspection procedures, although they also praised the “highly commendable” performance of the crew of flight 232.
The July 1989 crash sped up improvements in manufacturing methods for titanium alloy. Experts say hidden internal defects in such parts are unusual but remain difficult to detect.
Titanium alloy is used widely in aerospace, which is the metal’s biggest customer due to its strength compared to the weight of each part and its ability to handle high temperatures.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Elaine Hardcastle)
São José dos Campos-SP, August 16 2019 – Embraer unveiled today, on the eve of its 50th anniversary, images of the demonstrator aircraft with 100% electric propulsion technology, which is currently under development. The prototype has a special paint scheme and is ready to receive systems and components.
The aircraft’s electric motor and controller are being manufactured by WEG at the company’s headquarters in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil, as part of the scientific and technological cooperation agreement for jointly development of electrification technologies.
Advances on the project include the partnership with Parker Aerospace that will be responsible to supply the cooling system for the demonstrator aircraft.
On the forthcoming months, the companies’ technical teams will continue to test the systems in the labs preparing the integration in the demonstrator aircraft for testing under real operating conditions. The first flight of the prototype is scheduled for 2020.
About the technological cooperation
The proposed scientific development program of aeronautical electrification, formalized through the cooperation between Embraer and WEG announced in May 2019, constitutes an effective and efficient instrument for experimentation and maturation of the technologies before they are applied in future products.
The partnership, in the context of pre-competitive research and development, seeks to accelerate the knowledge of the necessary technologies to increase the energy efficiency of an aircraft, considering the use and integration of electric motors into innovative propulsion systems. A small single-engine aircraft, based on the EMB-203 Ipanema, will be used as test bed, carrying out the initial evaluation of the electrification technology.
The electrification process is part of a series of efforts carried out by Embraer and the aeronautical industry aimed at ensuring the commitment with the environmental sustainability, as already done with biofuels to reduce carbon emissions.
By establishing strategic partnerships through more agile cooperation mechanisms, Embraer is stimulating knowledge networks to allow a significant increase in Brazil’s competitiveness and the construction of a sustainable future.
DETROIT (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co said on Monday it would invest $50 million upgrading a Chicago facility to partially assemble hybrid electric SUVs and vehicles for police use, creating 450 jobs.
The plant currently modifies vehicles for police use. That work will be transferred to a nearby facility.
After retooling, the new production line will later this year start partially assembling hybrid versions of the Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle and the luxury Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring SUV.
It will also partially assemble the Police Interceptor SUV.
On Friday, Ford said it would lay off about 200 workers in September at a Canadian manufacturing plant in Oakville, Ontario, with more layoffs possible in January, because of slowing sales of the sedans that the plant manufactures.
Overall, U.S. new vehicle sales are expected to fall this year, although pickup trucks and SUVs remain more popular than traditional passenger cars.
Last week, Ford also kicked off talks on a new four-year contract with the United Auto Workers union, with job security, healthcare costs and the use of temporary workers expected to be major sticking points.
(Reporting by Nick Carey; Editing by Peter Cooney)
LONDON (Reuters) – Jaguar Land Rover (TAMO.NS) is making a multi-million pound investment to build electric vehicles in Britain, in a major boost for the UK government and a sector hit by the slump in diesel sales and Brexit uncertainty.
Britain’s biggest car company, which built 30 percent of the UK’s 1.5 million cars last year, will make a range of electrified vehicles at its Castle Bromwich plant in central England, beginning with its luxury sedan, the XJ.
“The future of mobility is electric and, as a visionary British company, we are committed to making our next generation of zero-emission vehicles in the UK,” Chief Executive Ralf Speth said on Friday.
The announcement gives a boost to Britain’s automotive sector hit this year by Honda and Ford’s (F.N) plans to close factories.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has highlighted the dangers of a no-deal Brexit and the need to maintain frictionless trade with the European Union, echoing warnings from the industry that just-in-time production could be hit by customs delays and additional bureaucracy.
But it has signed a deal with workers at the Castle Bromwich factory to go from a five-day to a four-day working week with the same amount of hours which should allow the plant to operate more efficiently.
Three of JLR’s four European car plants are in Britain, giving it limited capacity elsewhere on the continent.
The other, in Slovakia, only opened last year and is still being ramped up with other models allocated there.
“We are making this investment because the ongoing Brexit uncertainty has left us with no choice, we had to act, for our employees and our business,” JLR said.
“We are committed to the UK as our home and will fight to stay here but we need the right deal.”
Both candidates to replace Prime Minister Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, have both said they are prepared to take Britain out of the EU on Oct. 31 without a deal, although it is not their preferred option.
Brexiteers have argued that the EU’s biggest economy Germany, which exports hundreds of thousands of cars to Britain ever year, would do its utmost to protect that trade
Friday’s announcement comes after a turbulent few months for Jaguar which announced around 4,500 job cuts earlier in January and posted a 3.66 billion pound ($4.5 billion) loss in 2018/19.
The carmaker is undergoing a turnaround designed to offer an electrified option to all of its new models from 2020 as it seeks to move away from its reliance on diesel vehicles which are being increasingly shunned by buyers.
Jaguar also called on the government to bring giga-scale battery production to the country so that Britain is not left behind in the rush to produce low and zero-emissions vehicles and technology.
Britain’s business minister Greg Clark said the government was doing all it can to meet that goal.
“We are determined to realize that ambition,” he said.
($1 = 0.7952 pounds)
Reporting by Costas Pitas; editing by Michael Holden and Jane Merriman
FILE PHOTO – A car hangs on the wall of Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich manufacturing facility in Birmingham, Britain, November 17, 2016. REUTERS/Darren Staples
While we are impatiently waiting for Tesla, Rivian, and others to bring their electric pickup trucks to market here in North America, China is already getting some.
Nissan is launching a new electric pickup truck through a Dongfeng joint venture in China: the Dongfeng Rich 6 EV.
With its aggressive zero-emission mandate, China has forced automakers to accelerate their deployment of all-electric vehicles in the country.
Several of them are now making EVs just for the Chinese market.
Out of Alstom’s factory in Savigliano (CN) perfectly on time, the last “Jazz” train, the 136th for the Campania Region, will soon be in passenger service. To celebrate the end of the deliveries, Marco della Monica, Director of the Regional Passenger Division of Trenitalia Piemonte, Michele Viale, General Director of Alstom in Italy, Davide Viale, Site Managing Director of Alstom of Savigliano, who were joined by Jazz and Pop teams both of Alstom and Trenitalia.
“Jazz” is a successful project the one of with trains circulating in 11 Italian regions, from Trentino to Sicily, a fleet of 136 Alstom trains of the Coradia family, which will soon be joined by over 150 Coradia Stream “Pop”. They are the new single deck regional trains in Alstom’s Coradia family, part of the framework agreement signed in August 2016 with the Italian railway operator. The first three Pop, out of a total of 47 trains destined for Emilia Romagna, have already been in passenger service since 14 June. Deliveries of Pop will continue at a fast pace till 2020.
The “Jazz” and “Pop” trains are part of a plan to renew regional transport and are already revolutionizing commuter travel. The trains, are multiple electric units (EMU), can travel at a maximum speed of 160 km per hour and have an entrance to the carriages “flush” with the pavement, which facilitates the passenger climb. They meet environmental sustainability criteria and 95% Jazz and 97% POP are recyclable, which also guarantees 30% more energy savings than the previous generation. Many services on board: video surveillance system, internal screens visible from every point of the train for passenger’s information, sound system, braille messages, 220 V power sockets for mobile phones and laptops.
“Over the past 15 years, more than 400 regional trains have been designed, produced and put into commercial service by Alstom in Italy, including the 136 Jazz of which today we have completed the production. To these figures we will gradually add the 150 Pop: the first vehicles already in passenger service in the Emilia Romagna region last June. We are proud to support Trenitalia in the public transport rail revolution and to work for the Italian regions, for passengers, for citizens”, Michele Viale, General Manager of Alstom in Italy declared.
The “Jazz” and the “Pop” trains are designed and manufactured by Alstom in Italy. Project development, production and certification are managed by the Alstom site in Savigliano (CN), a center of excellence for regional trains, with the support of Sesto San Giovanni (MI) for traction systems and auxiliary converters, and Bologna for on-board train signaling systems.
FILE PHOTO: A Fiat Chrysler Automobiles sign is seen at the U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan,
TURIN, Italy (Reuters) – Fiat Chrysler plans to invest 700 million euros ($788 million) in an electric makeover of its iconic Fiat 500, a top executive said on Thursday, as the automaker seeks to move on from its failed bid to merge with France’s Renault.
FCA’s chief operating officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Pietro Gorlier, announced the investment – the Italian-American company’s biggest single bet on an electric vehicle – at its Mirafiori plant in Turin, northern Italy.
“The plan is confirmed,” Gorlier told reporters, when asked if FCA’s investment in electric vehicle technology would remain unchanged after its $35 billion plan to merge with Renault, an electric car pioneer, collapsed last month.
He said FCA would invest the 700 million euros to build a new production line at Mirafiori to turn out 80,000 of the new 500 BEV, its first battery electric vehicle to be marketed in Europe after a smaller, initial foray in the United States.
Production will start in the second quarter of 2020, with capacity to be expanded later, Gorlier said.
The 500 compact car is one of the group’s most famous models, launched by then Fiat in the late 1950s and quickly becoming a symbol of Italian urban design.
The 700 million euros investment is part of a plan announced last year to invest 5 billion euros in Italy up to 2021.
In abandoning its merger offer for Renault, FCA blamed French politics for scuttling what would have been a landmark deal to create the world’s third-biggest automaker.
($1 = 0.8878 euros)
(By Giulio Piovaccari; Editing by Mark Bendeich and Mark Potter)
