Pleased Tuesday! It is March 3, 2026, and that is The Morning Shift — your day by day roundup of the highest automotive headlines from around the globe, in a single place. That is the place you will discover crucial tales which might be shaping the best way Individuals drive and get round.
On this morning’s version, we’re wanting on the state of the European auto provider trade, in addition to an odd counterpoint to rising fuel costs on account of warfare with Iran. We’ll additionally take a look at Tesla leveling out in Europe, and Hyundai and Kia’s numbers within the United Sates.
1st Gear: European automotive half suppliers are coping with a ‘polycrisis’
European components makers are bullish on EVs, and constructed up their provide chains to accommodate what they thought can be the way forward for private transportation. Sadly for them, they’re now discovering that the long run is rather a lot more durable than they’d hoped — and all these regulatory guarantees of an all-electric world are vanishing into inside combustion smoke. From Automotive Information:
European suppliers face a “polycrisis” — a collision of gradual electrical automobile adoption, intensifying Chinese language competitors, rising calls for from automaker to scale back costs, and regulatory fragmentation. These mixed challenges threaten 350,000 jobs by 2030, based on the European Affiliation of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA).
Between 2024 and 2025, automotive suppliers introduced 104,000 job cuts, CLEPA Secretary Common Benjamin Krieger mentioned in a launch.
Germany’s Tier 1 suppliers have been hit notably arduous.
* ZF Friedrichshafen is axing 7,000 jobs in its electrical and hybrid powertrain division by 2030.
* Bosch is slicing 13,000 jobs, primarily in its German-based mobility division, by the tip of 2030.
* Continental is slashing 10,000 to 11,000 jobs from 2024 by means of the tip of 2026.
* Schaeffler plans 4,700 job cuts throughout Europe, responding to a ramp-up in electromobility that’s “a lot too gradual.”
As a red-blooded Brooklynite, I am nicely accustomed to poly crises. One particular person will get strep, and out of the blue half your mountain climbing group is out sick. Ours are poly in who they have an effect on, although, quite than within the variety of causes — I do not envy what Europe now has to navigate. There is not any amoxicillin for what they’re coping with.
2nd Gear: Battle with Iran is making fuel costly, however it’s making lithium low-cost
The US and Israel determined to go to warfare with Iran this previous weekend, in what our extraordinarily regular and common U.S. navy leaders are calling “all a part of God’s divine plan” with the aim of “mild[ing] the sign hearth in Iran to trigger Armageddon and mark [Jesus’] return to Earth.” This transfer is unhealthy for lots of people, and also you’re one among them — your fuel costs are climbing due to worldwide disruptions from the warfare. Your EV batteries, although, would possibly really get cheaper. From Reuters:
Lithium costs in China plunged on Tuesday as weaker gross sales from main electrical automobile producers and escalating Center East tensions dampened demand prospects.
Essentially the most-active lithium carbonate contract on the Guangzhou Futures Trade fell 12.99% to shut daytime buying and selling at 150,860 yuan a metric ton, hovering close to its 13% day by day restrict.
The decline adopted experiences of softer February gross sales from a number of Chinese language EV producers, together with trade chief BYD whose EV gross sales plunged greater than 40% year-on-year in the course of the month.
The Center East battle is predicted to curb demand within the area, one of the fastest-growing markets for China’s battery vitality storage system.
This is not nice for these lithium miners, however the lack of Center East demand might imply cheaper batteries for the remainder of us. Until all of us get bombed, or one thing. The silver linings listed here are slim, I will admit.
third Gear: Tesla stanches some bleeding in Europe
Tesla has been plummeting lately, as its CEO makes use of his funds to again far-right politicians and pivot his automotive firm away from automobiles. Final month, although, issues appeared rather less grim for the automaker. Gross sales in Europe ticked up, ending a years-long shedding streak. From Reuters:
Tesla gained market share in key European markets in February, official information confirmed, signalling some stabilisation on the continent after two straight years of declining gross sales.
In France, the U.S. electrical automobile maker’s registrations, a proxy for gross sales, rose 55% whilst most rivals bought fewer automobiles within the nation than a yr in the past.
Registrations extra than doubled from February 2024 in Portugal. They elevated 74% in Spain, 32% in Norway and 14% in Belgium, however fell 45% within the Netherlands, 18% in Denmark and seven% in Italy.
The UK and Germany, Europe’s largest automotive markets, are set to report later within the week.
Tesla’s European gross sales fell 27% final yr amid rising competitors, notably from Chinese language EV manufacturers, controversy over Elon Musk’s politics and an ageing mannequin lineup.
Tesla’s market share continues to be down in Europe, that means its features have been outpaced by features from the competitors. Nonetheless, perhaps the Cybertruck is admittedly the savior the corporate wanted— ha! Sorry, could not get by means of it with a straight face.
4th Gear: Hyundai and Kia are doing nice within the States
As the US faces rising financial uncertainty, consumers have been loath to shell out for high-priced automobiles. Kia and Hyundai, which provide good worth for the cash, appear to be the exception — they’re profitable out on consumers who need one thing to ferry them by means of the downfall of our civilization. From Automotive Information:
Hyundai and Kia posted greater U.S. gross sales in February, pushed by sturdy crossover and hybrid quantity, in addition to incentives, bucking what is predicted to be one other weak month throughout the auto trade.
Gross sales final month rose 6 % to 65,677 at Hyundai and 4.3 % to 66,005 at Kia, the businesses reported March 3.
Each firms set February gross sales information and it marked the second month in a row Kia outsold Hyundai.
Gasoline-electric hybrid gross sales surged 79 % at Hyundai and 53 % at Kia, the businesses mentioned.
Keep in mind when “The Strolling Useless” had that brand-new Hyundai within the apocalypse? Perhaps that is some reality in tv. Not the zombie components, simply the Hyundai.
Reverse: Because it ought to
I have never been watching “Heated Rivalry,” however I hear it is kind of the other of this.
On The Radio: Porter Robinson – ‘Years Of Battle’
Gotta love Porter. My favourite Robinson sibling.
