NIO (NIO) eyes buying Volkswagen plant in historic market shake up
China’s NIO (NIO) is considering buying Volkswagen’s Audi plant in Brussels. Volkswagen’s plant is at risk of being shut down, and NIO wants to take advantage as the market shifts to EVs.
NIO in talks to buy Volkswagen Brussels plant
Volkswagen may close its first plant in Germany ever. Its Audi Brussels factory is also at risk. The last time the company closed a facility was back in 1988 in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania.
However, VW is facing an overcapacity crisis amid sluggish EV sales and a slew of new competitively priced electric cars from China.
CEO Oliver Blume warned that Germany’s competitive advantage is at risk as the industry shifts to electric vehicles. Volkswagen has already canceled plans for a new EV facility and delayed key model launches as it falls further behind Chinese automakers.
According to a Belgian media report, China’s NIO is in talks to buy Volkswagen’s plant in Brussels.
The report from De Tijd claims NIO representatives recently visited the plant and are already working on a bid. NIO needs to submit its offer to VW by next Monday at the latest.
Volkswagen plans to stop building cars at the facility after the last Audi Q8 e-tron rolls off the production line next year. If the plant closes, the nearly 3,000 workers will lose their jobs.
NIO already sells vehicles in Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark. Although it doesn’t sell cars in Belgium yet, NIO plans to launch there soon.
Although NIO faces an additional 20.8% tariff on imports to the EU, the Chinese EV maker is committed to expanding in the region.
Electrek’s Take
NIO buying out Volkswagen’s Brussels plant would be symbolic of the market’s shift to EVs. European automakers, including VW, are facing stiff competition from China.
Even with tariffs, several Chinese EVs are expected to still be cheaper than their European rivals.
Although NIO is known for its “smart electric vehicles,” it’s launching new lower-cost models. Its new electric SUV, the Onvo L60, is widely viewed as a true Tesla Model Y Challenger. Starting at around $30,000 in China, NIO’s new electric SUV undercuts the Model Y by about $4,000 (30,000 yuan).
NIO plans to launch the competitively priced electric SUV globally later this year. Next year, the company will follow up with its new Firefly EV, which will launch in Europe for under $32,000 (30,000 Euro).
Meanwhile, Volkswagen’s struggles are not limited to Europe. The company is also facing a plant closure in China with its joint venture partner, SAIC.
Source: CnEVPost
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Environment
U.S. crude oil falls below $60 a barrel to lowest since 2021 on tariff-fueled recession fears
A view shows disused oil pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan April 2, 2025.
Pavel Mikheyev | Reuters
U.S. oil prices dropped below $60 a barrel on Sunday on fears President Donald Trump’s global tariffs would push the U.S., and maybe the world, into a recession.
Futures tied to U.S. West Texas intermediate crude fell more than 3% to $59.74 on Sunday night. The move comes after back-to-back 6% declines last week. WTI is now at the lowest since April 2021.
Worries are mounting that tariffs could lead to higher prices for businesses, which could lead to a slowdown in economic activity that would ultimately hurt demand for oil.
Oil futures, 5 years
The tariffs, which are set to take effect this week, “would likely push the U.S. and possibly global economy into recession this year,” according to JPMorgan. The firm on Thursday raised its odds of a recession this year to 60% following the tariff rollout, up from 40%.
Fueled by incentives from the Illinois EPA and the state’s largest utility company, new EV registrations nearly quadrupled the 12% first-quarter increase in EV registrations nationally – and there are no signs the state is slowing down.
Despite the dramatic slowdown of Tesla’s US deliveries, sales of electric vehicles overall have perked up in recent months, with Illinois’ EV adoption rate well above the Q1 uptick nationally. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that the number of new EVs registered across the state totaled 9,821 January through March, compared with “just” 6,535 EVs registered in the state during the same period in 2024.
Those numbers represent more than 50% growth in EV registrations – far beyond the expected 12% first-quarter increase nationally being projected by Cox Automotive. (!)
What’s going on in Illinois?
While President Trump and Elmo were running for re-election, they campaigned on the threat promise of canceling the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs. Along with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker made countermoves – launching a $4,000 rebate for new electric cars and up to $1,500 for the purchase of a new electric motorcycle.
At the same time, the state’s largest utility, ComEd, launched a $90 million EV incentive program featuring a new Point of Purchase initiative to deliver instant discounts to qualifying business and public sector customers who make the switch to electric vehicles. That program has driven a surge in Class 3-6 medium duty commercial EVs, which are eligible fro $20-30,000 in utility rebates on top of federal tax credits and other incentives (Class 1-2 EVs are eligible for up to $7,500).
We covered the launch of those incentives when the program was announced at Chicago Drives Electric last year, but the message here is simple: incentives work.
SOURCES: Chicago Business, Ray Cunningham; featured image by the author.
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The electric construction equipment experts at XCMG just released a new, 25 ton electric crawler excavator ahead of bauma 2025 – and they have their eye on the global urban construction, mine operations, and logistical material handling markets.
Powered by a high-capacity 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery capable of delivering up to 8 hours of continuous operation, the XE215EV electric excavator promises uninterrupted operation at a lower cost of ownership and with even less downtime than its diesel counterparts.
XCMG is delivering on part of that reduced downtime promise with the lower maintenance and easier repair needs of electric equipment, and delivering on the rest of it with lickety-quick DC fast charging that can recharge the machine’s massive battery in 1.5-2 hours … but that’s not the slick bit. The XCMG XE125EV can be powered up without leaving the job site thanks to its BYD battery swap technology.
We first covered XCMG and its battery swap technology back in January, and covered similar battery-swap tech being developed by MOOG Construction offshoot ZQUIP, as well – but while XCMG’s battery tech has been in production for several years, it’s still not widely known about in the West (even within the industry).
XCMG showed off its latest electric equipment at the December 2024 bauma China, including an updated version of its of its 85-ton autonomous electric mining truck that features a fully cab-less design – meaning there isn’t even a place for an operator to sit, let alone operate. And that’s too bad, because what operator wouldn’t want to experience an electric truck putting down 1070 hp more than 16,000 lb-ft of torque!?
Easy in, easy out
The best part? All of the company’s heavy equipment assets – from excavators to terminal tractors to dump trucks and wheel loaders – all use the same 400 kWh BYD battery packs, Milwaukee tool style. That means an equipment fleet can utilize x number of vehicles with a fraction of the total battery capacity and material needs of other asset brands. That’s not just a smart use of limited materials, it’s a smarter use of energy.
You can check out all the XE215EV’s specs at this tear sheet, and get an in-person look at the Chinese company’s latest electric excavator this week in Munich, Germany.
SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG.
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