The MotorClaw Brief — August 20, 2026
Uber switched on its first European robotaxi service in Zagreb, Mahindra’s EV unit crossed 400,000 deliveries, and Daimler Truck closed its €600 million ARCHION share sale. LG Energy Solution began cell production in Lansing, Michigan, while China’s NEV retail slipped 15% in early August. Chery plans a UK engineering base and Kia set out an Indian hybrid roadmap.
Uber switched on its first European robotaxi service in Zagreb, Mahindra’s EV unit crossed 400,000 deliveries, and Daimler Truck closed its €600 million ARCHION share sale. LG Energy Solution began cell production in Lansing, Michigan, while China’s NEV retail slipped 15% in early August. Chery plans a UK engineering base and Kia set out an Indian hybrid roadmap.
Uber launches first European autonomous rides in Zagreb
Uber has started offering autonomous rides through its app in Zagreb, Croatia, making it the first European city where riders can book a robotaxi via Uber. The service, powered by Pony.ai and operated by Verne, covers key areas including the city centre, operating between 07:00 and 21:00. A licensed operator remains behind the wheel during the phased introduction. Riders request the service by choosing UberX or Comfort in the app. The companies plan to scale the partnership to additional European cities, with details to be announced later this year. Uber expects autonomous vehicles and human drivers to operate alongside each other for the foreseeable future.
Read the full story →Mahindra's EV unit surpasses 400,000 cumulative deliveries
Mahindra Last Mile Mobility has recorded more than 400,000 cumulative electric vehicle sales, a figure the Mahindra & Mahindra subsidiary says makes it the earliest player in India's commercial-vehicle sector to reach that mark. The company said its electric fleet has clocked over 9 billion kilometres in last-mile duty, which it calculates has kept roughly 185,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the air. It has led India's electric commercial-vehicle rankings for four financial years. The company attributes the performance to vehicle economics that suit drivers and delivery partners, plus financing, partnerships, and after-sales support. Mahindra's stated ambition is one million of its EVs on Indian roads by 2031.
Read the full story →Daimler Truck completes ARCHION sale, raises €600 million
Daimler Truck has completed its secondary offering of shares in ARCHION Corporation, reducing its stake to 25% and generating approximately €600 million in cash proceeds. The transaction brings Daimler Truck's ownership in line with Toyota Motor Corporation's stake, completing the post-integration structure planned under the business integration of Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino Motors. The offering supports ARCHION's development as an independent listed company by broadening its shareholder base and increasing its free float. Daimler Truck said the move reflects its focus on heavy-duty commercial vehicles and realising scale where it creates value.
Read the full story →Dongfeng Liuzhou and CATL sign five-year battery pact
Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor and CATL have signed a five-year strategic agreement in Ningde on 18 August, covering technology development and commercial models for the commercial-vehicle battery market. The partners aim to lift Dongfeng Liuzhou's position in new-energy commercial vehicles and promote common battery specifications. They also plan to test a 'battery bank' concept for trucks, treating the battery as a separately owned asset rather than part of the vehicle, which could lower a buyer's initial outlay and spread operating risk. The companies frame the deal as support for a lower-carbon shift in the commercial-vehicle sector, bringing together cell technology, volume delivery, and life-cycle services.
Read the full story →LG Energy Solution starts production at Lansing plant
LG Energy Solution has announced the start of production at its new 226-acre facility in Lansing, Michigan, which will make large-format batteries for energy storage systems and electric vehicles. The plant has a target of more than 35 GWh of annual capacity at full-scale production and currently employs about 900 people, expected to grow to 1,700. LG Energy Solution has invested more than $5 billion in Michigan since 2010 and now operates facilities in Holland, Lansing, and Troy. By the end of 2026, the company expects its Michigan workforce to exceed 3,300. DTE Energy is among the utilities planning to use Lansing-built batteries for future ESS projects.
Read the full story →China's NEV retail falls 15% in early August
Retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China fell 15% year-on-year to 399,000 units over the first 16 days of August, according to the China Passenger Car Association. NEV deliveries edged up 1% on the previous month and held 63.6% of all passenger-vehicle retail sales in the fortnight. Year-to-date NEV retail volume stands at 6.067 million units, down 13% from a year earlier. Wholesale NEV shipments reached 425,000 units, lifting wholesale penetration to 72.9%. The CPCA attributed much of the weakness to costlier fuel after China raised refined-product prices twice in July, and expects a pick-up in the back half of August.
Read the full story →Chery plans UK engineering base in Bedfordshire
Chery will open a passenger-car research and development site in Bedfordshire, England, later this year, working first on tuning cars for British roads before widening to autonomous-driving and AI research. The group said it intends to hire locally over time. Chery, together with its Omoda and Jaecoo marques, took close to 8% of the British market in July, up from roughly 3% a year earlier on SMMT figures. In June, the company signed a non-binding memorandum with Nissan for the Japanese firm to build Chery cars at its Sunderland plant using an idle production line from next year. Chery moved about 276,820 vehicles worldwide in July, with 202,533 shipped abroad.
Read the full story →Kia plans strong hybrids and EV for India
Kia has outlined plans for two strong-hybrid launches in India by 2029, naming the Sonet and Carens Clavis as the first candidates. The company has not yet disclosed the exact system specifications or launch sequence for these models. Kia's India roadmap also includes a locally developed B-segment electric SUV, adding a battery-electric model to the hybrid plan. The approach means Kia's India line-up will span both hybrid and electric powertrains rather than relying on a single route through the next phase of emissions standards and demand changes.
Read the full story →Applied Intuition earns TÜV SÜD VIVALDI certification
Applied Intuition's simulation platform has earned VIVALDI Inspection Certification from TÜV SÜD, independently verifying it as fit for virtual validation of automated driving systems. The certification signals to OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers pursuing type approval under UN R171 that their simulation tooling has been credibility-assessed for homologation. VIVALDI is TÜV SÜD's framework for assessing whether a simulation platform is suitable for safety-critical validation, evaluating over 100 requirements across four key areas. TÜV SÜD conducted documentation audits and onsite technical evaluations. Applied Intuition said the platform covers the entire development toolchain, with traceability built in across the workflow.
Read the full story →Rhein Holding to invest €6 million in Ebusco
Ebusco has agreed a €6.0 million equity investment from existing shareholder Rhein Holding B.V., announced on 19 August 2026. The Dutch electric bus maker said the investment provides additional financial strength to execute its operational plans. The investment will be completed in two tranches of €3.0 million each, with the first expected to be funded in the coming days and the second before the end of August 2026. Following completion, Rhein Holding is expected to hold roughly 16.6% of Ebusco's issued share capital, with the right to nominate one Supervisory Board member. The shares will be subject to a 90-day lock-up.
Read the full story →Volkswagen Anhui passes 100,000 smart EVs built
Volkswagen Anhui has passed the 100,000 mark for smart electric vehicle output at its Hefei plant, a little over two years after production began in February 2024. The milestone vehicle was an ID.UNYX 08, the electric SUV Volkswagen developed with Xpeng. Volkswagen owns 75% of the Anhui venture, which was reshaped from the former JAC Volkswagen operation. The plant now builds vehicles for the ID.UNYX and Cupra programmes, with an ID.UNYX 09 planned for later this year. The ID.UNYX 08 went on sale in April from RMB 229,900. Volkswagen has invested in Xpeng to support production models for China's electric market.
Read the full story →Seres posts H1 loss on costs and impairment
Seres swung to a RMB 1.72 billion attributable loss in the first half, moving from a RMB 2.94 billion profit a year earlier. First-half revenue fell 7.87% to RMB 57.49 billion. The company cited battery-grade lithium carbonate prices rising 132.2% year-on-year and more expensive automotive chips, while a RMB 1.75 billion impairment on intangible assets added to the pressure. Gross margin slipped to 21.8%, down 4.7 percentage points, while R&D spending rose 27.4% to RMB 3.73 billion. Seres delivered 196,580 vehicles in the half, including 178,777 NEVs, and ended the period with more than RMB 73.15 billion in cash.
Read the full story →Several automotive companies announced major investments or operational milestones on Wednesday 19 August 2026, including Uber's European robotaxi launch, Daimler Truck's €600 million share sale, and LG Energy Solution's start of production in Michigan.
Where this essay draws on releases tracked in the MotorClaw feed, they're listed here.
- Pony.ai Inc. — Uber launches first autonomous rides in Europe via Pony.ai and Verne in Zagreb
- Mahindra & Mahindra — Mahindra's electric three-wheeler unit tops 400,000 deliveries
- Daimler Truck AG — Daimler Truck Completes ARCHION Share Sale, Reducing Stake to 25% for €600 Million
- Dongfeng Motor Corporation — Dongfeng Liuzhou and CATL sign a five-year commercial-vehicle battery pact
- LG Energy Solution — LG Energy Solution Begins Production at New Lansing Battery Plant for EVs and Energy Storage
- China Passenger Car Association — China's NEV retail slips 15% in early August but outruns the wider market
- Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. — Chery plans a UK engineering base ahead of British-built cars
- Kia — Kia targets an electrified India line-up with strong hybrids by 2029
- Applied Intuition, Inc. — Applied Intuition Earns TÜV SÜD VIVALDI Certification for Automated Driving Simulation
- Ebusco — Rhein Holding to invest EUR 6 million in Ebusco, taking ~16.6% stake
- Volkswagen Group — VW Anhui reaches 100,000 smart EVs after two years of output
- SERES Group — Seres posts H1 loss as component costs and impairment weigh on earnings