Daily brief
Automotive & Business Brief — 9 September 2026
Europe-built cheap EVs land: Dacia Spring gen-2 shifts from China to Novo Mesto (Slovenia), from €17,900. Electrification industrialises in CEE: Hyundai Mobis PE plant live in Slovakia (280k units); BMW Regensburg adds Neue Klasse battery-marriage process.
Executive Snapshot
- Europe-built cheap EVs land: Dacia Spring gen-2 shifts from China to Novo Mesto (Slovenia), from €17,900. Electrification industrialises in CEE: Hyundai Mobis PE plant live in Slovakia (280k units); BMW Regensburg adds Neue Klasse battery-marriage process.
Top Developments
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Dacia moves Spring EV production from China to Slovenia; priced from €17,900
Europe
On 8 September Renault’s Dacia unveiled the second-generation Spring — built at Novo Mesto, Slovenia (same plant as Twingo E-Tech / Nissan sister), instead of China. ~210k gen-1 Springs sold since 2021. Gen-2 is larger (~18 cm), on Renault Group’s RG-EV small architecture, LFP 27.5 kWh usable / ~250 km WLTP, from €17,900; deliveries early 2027; four colours / two trims. Move aims to qualify for Europe-made EV subsidies (France’s low-income scheme excludes Chinese-built EVs) and avoid EU CVDs on China-built BEVs. Dacia plans four EVs by 2030.
Companies Renault, Nissan
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Hyundai Mobis opens first European PE-system plant in Nováky, Slovakia
Europe
On 3 September Hyundai Mobis started mass production of PE (Power Electric) systems — integrated motor + inverter + reduction gear — at Nováky, Slovakia. First PE plant in Europe; third electrification base after BSA plants in Czech Republic and Spain. ~106,000 m² site / 8,500 m² floor; annual capacity up to 280,000 PE systems; investment ~KRW 250bn. Supply target: Hyundai Motor, Kia and global customers; aim to lift non-HMG revenue share to 40% by 2033. Slovakia hosts Kia, VW, Stellantis and Volvo plants.
Companies Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Mobis, Kia, Volkswagen, Stellantis, Volvo Cars
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Wire harness “reinvented”: zonal DfA, modular connectors, automation from design
Global
Automotive Manufacturing Solutions (8 Sep): zonal E/E is splitting large harnesses into smaller sub-harnesses easier to automate, but connector density at zonal controllers is rising (Audi: box size driven by external interfaces). Industry voices (Komax, FAU, Audi, VW’s Melanie Sohnemann) stress Design for Automation — current harness auto often ~10%; co-designed demonstrator cited ~90%. VW modular connector systems cut manufacturing time to ~18% of prior in one example and 30–50% savings across platforms; one legacy connector family >1,000 variants / ~200k configs. Digital twin “backpack” for process data; BMW Neue Klasse electronic fuses generating fleet load data.
Companies Audi, Volkswagen, BMW
Sources
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GG Group supplies aluminum harness solutions for Ferrari Luce EV
Europe
On 1 September GG Group (Gebauer & Griller, Austria) said it is an essential partner on Ferrari’s full-electric Luce, providing aluminum harness solutions. MarkLines summary of the announcement: ~40% system weight cut vs conventional copper harnesses, supporting lower center of gravity / efficiency. GG positions full-aluminum HV concepts (conductor + shield braid) and cites long series history in aluminum contacting.
Companies Gebauer & Griller
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Suprajit finishes Europe SCS consolidation into Tangier; warehouse to Hungary
Europe
Indian supplier Suprajit Engineering has completed the transfer of Stahlschmidt Cable Systems (SCS) European industrial activities previously in Poland and Germany into Tangier, Morocco. SCS Polska liquidated Aug 2025; German tool shop relocated to Tangier; European warehouse moved to Hungary; some commercial/technical roles remain in Germany. SCS acquired 2024 (~€13.5m EV); FY25–26 revenue up sharply with Q4 EBITDA margin turning positive (~2.1%) after Tangier concentration.
Companies Suprajit
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BMW Regensburg installs Neue Klasse “battery marriage” into mixed-line flow
Europe
After a three-week shutdown (8–30 Aug), Regensburg resumed X1/X2 production with a new energy-module pre-assembly (VEM): HV battery is robot-joined to the body early in final assembly (“Speicher-Hochzeit”), fed from a high-bay warehouse sized for a day’s modules. Hundreds of press/body/paint/assembly/logistics upgrades for mixed ICE/PHEV/BEV + Neue Klasse flexibility. Site builds >1,400 X1/X2 daily; Neue Klasse production at Regensburg targeted 2H of this decade (trade press: next-gen iX1 possibly late 2027).
Companies BMW
Sources
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Stellantis Melfi on one alternating shift through September for DS7 ramp
Europe
Plant direction confirmed to unions: all September on a single alternating shift (06:00–14:00 / 14:00–22:00 rotation), holding ~295 vehicles/day to support DS N°7 start-up/quality ramp. Same daily volume as prior two-shift pace (~150×2) but concentrated; unions (FIM/UILM/FISMIC/UGLM) warn pay/continuity impact and press for supply-chain fixes and faster volume recovery. Lancia Gamma pre-series eyed for later 2026.
Companies Stellantis
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TE Connectivity–HENN fluid deal targeting September close; Aptiv HV brand now live
Global
Bundles VDA/SAE fluid quick-connects with electrical+coolant assemblies for EV thermal. Separately, Aptiv (1 Sep) rebranded Winchester → Aptiv Interconnect and IAS → Aptiv High-Voltage Technologies alongside Aptiv Connection Systems.
Companies TE Connectivity, Aptiv
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VW Osnabrück defense conversion remains the live template under Future Plan 2030
Europe
Follow-on coverage (7–8 Sep) keeps Osnabrück in focus: key terms for sale to Aurelius (majority) + Lower Saxony, with Rafael air-defense anchor after car SOP ends summer 2027; ~1,400 of ~1,800 jobs cited as potentially preservable. Still sits under Future Plan 2030 (approved 3 Sep): >500k units EU overcapacity; Emden/Zwickau/Hanover/Neckarsulm lack secured competitive allocation from 2031–34; European production concept due end-June 2027.
Companies Volkswagen, Aurelius
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Leoni’s 12th Morocco plant (Bouskoura) still expanding N-Africa wiring capacity
Africa
Leoni launched construction of a ~35,000 m² Bouskoura unit (12th Morocco plant; ~20k employees across 11 sites today). Part of >MAD 932m investment programme with Moroccan government; includes training + R&D for wiring tech; up to ~4,000 direct/indirect jobs cited. Morocco already exports Leoni harnesses to 14+ countries.
Companies LEONI