Ford to Axe 14% of Workforce in Europe

US car manufacturer Ford have said they plan to lay off 4,000 of their workforce in Europe, becoming the latest automaker to try to slash costs. 

 

The job cuts represent about 14% of Ford’s 28,000 workforce in Europe and around 2.3% of their total workforce of 174,000, and will be completed by the end of 2027, the company said on Wednesday. The bulk of the layoffs will take place in Germany, where 2,900 positions are under threat, and in UK, with an expected 800 jobs to be deleted. 

 

The US carmaker will be the latest after Nissan, Stellantis, and GM to resort to the drastic cost-cutting step as the automotive sector faces challenges, including weak EV sales.

 

For sure, the measure will exact a heavy blow to the EU’s top economy, Germany, where the bloc’s biggest carmaker – Volkswagen – earlier announced that they would consider plant closures or layoffs for the first time in their 87-year history.

 

In September, thousands of demonstrators stormed Brussels to protest Volkswagen’s plans to shut down the Audi facility in the Belgian capital. 

 

The development comes as EU automakers are facing their worst months since the Covid-19 pandemic. Car sales within the bloc have fallen by 200,000 vehicles in the first eight months of 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to the Center for Automotive Research.

 

Malaysia's Sivasangari Subramaniam was stopped in the semi-finals of the Singapore Squash Open today when she lost to world No. 10 Amina Orfi 3-1: 5-11, 6-11, 12-10, 8-11 in 64 minutes. 

 

It was the Egyptian's third win over Sivasangari in four encounters.

 

I'm disappointed but it is what it is.

Xiaomi SU7 Clone Nicknamed Redmi SU7

A copycat of the Xiaomi SU7 sedan has been spotted in China. 

 

The license plate tells us the EV’s name is Yunlei (韵蕾) and the badge reveals the manufacturer as Shandong Yanlu New Energy. Despite Xiaomi SU7 being a sedan, its clone is a compact SUV. Xiaomi will unveil their first SUV early next year, so Yunlei is way ahead of its time. 

 

Also, Yanlu’s designer did a pretty good job, as the front face, headlights, and hood shape are quite accurate, as is Xiaomi’s Blue Bay signature color. 

 

The Xiaomi SU7 clone belongs to the category of low-speed electric vehicles (LSEVs). 

 

LSEVs are small, affordable electric cars with limited speed and range, mainly used for short city trips and popular for their low cost and minimal regulations. Seniors mainly used them and were often copycats of expensive legacy cars. Their popularity culminated a few years ago. 

 

However, Yunlei EV proves that LSEVs are not yet done in China. 

 

Yunlei EV is manufactured in Gaotang County in Shandong province, about four hours south of Beijing, where Shandong Yanlu New Energy are based. 

 

“Our company take independent research and development as the core value and adheres to the business philosophy of environmental protection”, the company, which focused mainly on producing electric tricycles, claim. Chinese social media users nicknamed Yunlai a Redmi SU7, referring to Xiaomi’s low-cost smartphone series. 

 

LSEVs were famous in China for providing cheap copies of famous vehicles. You could, for example, buy an electric Bodo BD10, a replica of the Hummer H2, Buggati Chiron, or Volkswagen UP! clones. The price was usually no more than 30,000 yuan ($4,200). The cars had only a few horsepower. 

 

FYI, Xiaomi SU7 was launched on March 28 in China. CEO Lei Jun said they will deliver 100,000 units by the end of November, exceeding the original target. The new target is 120,000 units delivered by the end of the year. 

 

And on October 29, Xiaomi Auto unveil the production model of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, positioning the battery-electric vehicle as the world’s most powerful and fastest road-going sedan with 1,527 hp and a top speed of 207 mph (333 km/h). Pre-orders have already started, and the company announced a starting price of 814,900 yuan ($111,700).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By comparison, Porsche's Taycan Turbo GT retails at $230,000.

 

With the SU7 Ultra, Xiaomi signal a serious entry into the high-performance electric-vehicle market, but its success will likely depend on its reception beyond the domestic Chinese market as it aims to challenge performance-car mainstays such as Porsche, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi.

Brands are Social Distancing Too

During these trying Covid-19 times, it's not just people that are social distancing. Brands are doing it too.

McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Audi and Volkswagen are just a few of the corporate conglomerates that are interpreting "social distancing" with logo redesigns. They’re simple, yet effective messages on the importance of staying indoors.

Coca-Cola, the world’s most famous beverage has unveiled a billboard (in the albeit very deserted) Times Square in New York that urges “staying apart is the best way to stay united”. 

The billboard was created in partnership with Mercado McCann in Argentina and follows The Coca-Cola Foundation’s, the philanthropic arm of Coke, $20.5 million donation to help fight the virus.

Burger King are re-imaging their store signs in the US from “home of the Whopper” to a more simple message: “Stay home”.

The term has become popular because of the worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus. Social distancing means standing 2 meters (6 feet) apart from others in an effort to lower the risk of contracting the illness.