Aramco chief warns of possible oil supply shortages, as Chinese demand set to surge
The chief of the world’s largest oil company is worried about global crude supplies.
Current market dynamics — such as China’s slowdown and an aviation sector that is still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic — have kept demand relatively subdued, but that is set to change soon. Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser fears the world won’t have enough spare capacity to deal with that shift.
“For crude oil, we are in a situation where there is a spare capacity that is helping to mitigate interruptions,” Nasser told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble. “However, I am not so sure about the mid-to-long term, because as the spare capacity erodes, we will not be having the capability to mitigate any short or long term interruptions like what happened with Russia-Ukraine crisis.”
Aramco pumps about 10% of the world’s crude oil supply. It has a maximum capacity to pump 12 million barrels of crude per day, Nasser said, and is working on increasing that by a further million barrels per day. Still, he says, “We should be worried about the mid to long term. I think there will be an issue in meeting the growing demand.”
The latest oil market report from the International Energy Agency out Wednesday forecast global oil demand will increase by 1.9 million barrels per day in 2023 to reach a record 101.7 million barrels per day — with nearly half of that coming from China. The agency meanwhile expects oil supply growth to slow to 1 million barrels per day in that same period.
While Aramco is working on building additional production capacity, “I don’t think it is enough investment to bring additional capacity that will be needed to supply the market,” Nasser said. “It will not mitigate a situation where the demand is growing and offsetting the decline. You need additional investment elsewhere, globally, to meet global demand.”
Investment in hydrocarbons has decreased amid a focus on decarbonization, and government regulations in many countries discourage fossil fuel exploration and drilling. Saudi Arabia and many of its partners in the OPEC producers’ alliance have repeatedly called for simultaneous investment in hydrocarbons and in the energy transition to avoid a future supply squeeze.
The looming supply-demand dynamic could bolster prices. Maarten Wetselaar, chief executive of Spanish oil company Cepsa, on Wednesday predicted that the crude oil price would return to triple-digits in the second half of 2023. Front-month Ice Brent crude futures were trading near $87.36 per barrel at midday in London.
“Think about it this way,” Nasser said. “Today we have around 2 million barrels of spare capacity. The aviation industry is 1 million barrels below pre-Covid level. As [the] aviation industry picks up in 2023-24, that’s an additional 1 million barrels. [Consider] China opening up and that will really add a lot to the demand side.”
He stressed, “So all of these indicators now, without looming recessions — if economies start picking up and improving, that will also require additional supply. So you need additional investment to prepare for what’s coming.”
The new CLA Shooting Brake is the first electric Mercedes vehicle available as an estate. It’s more spacious, more capable, and more high-tech than ever.
Meet the new Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake EV
Mercedes introduced the new CLA Shooting Brake on Tuesday, its first electric estate car. The Shooting Brake arrives as the second EV from the luxury brand’s new entry-level family of vehicles.
The electric wagon takes the best of the new CLA, which was revealed just a few weeks ago, and adds more space and capability.
It’s also bigger than the current CLA Shooting Brake, offering a more spacious interior. The new EV measures 4,723 mm in length, or 35 mm longer than the outgoing model.
With an extended wheelbase of 2,790 mm (+61 mm), the electric version offers 14 mm more headroom and 11 mm more legroom in the front. Rear passengers gain 7 mm of headroom but lose 6 mm of legroom compared to the current model.
Boot space is 455 L, which is 50 L more than the CLA sedan, but 30 L less than the outgoing Shooting Brake. However, it does include an added Frunk (front trunk) for an extra 101 L of storage space.
With all seats folded, overall storage space is 1,290 L. It also comes with standard roof rails, which Mercedes claims can easily fit surfboards or bicycles with a 75 kg (165 lbs) load capacity.
Inside, the new Shooting Brake is nearly identical to the CLA Sedan. It features the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) with its fourth-gen infotainment.
The setup includes a 14″ infotainment and 10.25″ driver display screens. An extra 14″ passenger screen is available. A trim piece with star-pattern graphics replaces it if not. All three screens are powered by the latest-gen chips and graphics from Unity Game Engine.
Powered by the new Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture and an 85 kWh battery, the new Shooting Brake EV offers up to 473 miles (761 km) WLTP range.
It will be available in single and dual-motor powertrains. The base CLA 250+ Shooting Brake has 268 hp (200 kW) output and a WLTP range of up to 473 miles (761 km). Meanwhile, the dual-motor CLA 350 4MATIC Shooting Brake has combined 349 hp (260 kW) and a range of up to 454 miles (730 km).
Based on its 800V architecture, the new electric estate can add 193 miles (310 km) WLTP driving range within 10 minutes. Mercedes said that should be plenty to get from Geneva to Milan or Berlin to Hamburg.
Mercedes will introduce new EV variants in early 2026, followed by a 1.5 L hybrid model. Prices will be revealed closer to launch, but it’s expected to start slightly higher than the current model. The current CLA Shooting Brake starts at around €40,000 ($46,500) in Europe.
Following the new CLA and CLA Shooting Brake, Mercedes-Benz plans to launch two SUVs. Check back soon for more info on the upcoming lineup.
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Rivian today announced a partnership with Google Maps on a new navigation system for its electric vehicles.
Rivian will continue to offer its own customized navigation interface on the 15.6-inch center touchscreen, but the underlying data is now powered by (the Automotive SDK from) Google Maps instead of third-party alternatives. Rivian cites customer feedback in making this change:
Instead of doing some small incremental improvements, we wanted to profoundly change our solution so that we make it the best navigation solution in the industry by combining strengths from both teams.
End users will benefit from fresh Google Maps traffic and “much better” routing (with improved ETAs and rerouting) information that includes crowd-sourced reports about construction, accidents, and other road disruptions. Rivian will also now show Google Maps satellite imagery in a sizable upgrade.
Rivian has already been using Google Maps for place information (hours, photos, ratings, etc.) and will now let you “tap on places of interest right on the map and learn more about hours, reviews, and contact information with just a tap.” More broadly, Rivian builds on top of Android Automotive OS and offers YouTube, as well as Google Cast.
Whether you’re about to embark on a long road trip or just trying to find the quickest way to run errands around town, navigation should be seamless, accurate and helpful.
Rivian owners will continue to have vehicle and condition-specific range EV estimates, as well as detailed information about charging stops.
Meanwhile, this Google Maps upgrade comes with a new design language that Rivian says “celebrates natural spaces in its topography and colors —from green parks to deep blue lakes and oceans.” There are also enhancements to “glanceability and easier access to information.”
These updates are also coming to the Rivian mobile app. Specifically, users can see traffic and traffic incidents, place photos/descriptions and satellite view (with a Connect+ subscription). Destination and trip sharing remains available.
Rivian Navigation with Google Maps is beginning to roll out today.
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People look at iPhones at the Apple Fifth Avenue store in New York City on May 23, 2025.
Adam Gray | Reuters
Apple and miner MP Materials announced a $500 million deal Tuesday for rare earth magnets and the development of a recycling facility that will reinforce the iPhone maker’s U.S. supply chain.
MP Materials stock climbed 23%. Shares of Apple were marginally higher.
As part of the agreement, Apple will buy rare earth magnets created at the company’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Both companies will combine on a new rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California. MP Materials plans to start shipping magnets in 2027.
“American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a press release. “Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States.”.
Apple said the deal will create dozens of new manufacturing and research and development roles.
Rare earth magnets are key components that make up everything from consumer electronics such as smartphones and computers to cars and renewable energy systems.
For years, the U.S. has worked on curbing its reliance on China, which dominates the global rare earth elements supply chain. MP Materials operates the only rare earth mine in the U.S.
Earlier this month, the Department of Defense became the largest shareholder in the rare earth miner, buying $400 million in preferred stock to improve rare earth magnet supply on American soil.
Apple announced a plan to invest more than $500 billion to beef up U.S. manufacturing capabilities earlier this year. The plan included a new factory for artificial intelligence servers in Texas.
Shares of MP Materials have nearly quadrupled since the start of the year, pushing the miner’s market capitalization to nearly $10 billion. The stock has nearly doubled over the last month.
WATCH: Pentagon invests in MP Materials, guarantees floor price for rare earth minerals
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