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Europe
On 22 Oct Bosch said it will carve its German Mobility business and three central service units (Bosch Digital, Global Business Services, Global Real Estate) out of Robert Bosch GmbH into wholly owned subsidiaries. About 62,500 employees in Germany, most of them from Mobility, will move with their contracts; Robert Bosch GmbH keeps headquarters plus central research, just over 3,000 people. The new companies start on 1 August 2027, with the steps completed by end-2027. Mobility made €55.8bn in 2025, about 60% of group sales, and its operating margin slipped to 4.7% in H1 2026 from 5.8%. Bosch says the structure speeds decisions and opens room for strategic partnerships and new business models; it has no IPO plan, per the SWR report cited by Dr. Web. Under German transfer-of-undertaking law, existing collective terms stay protected for one year.
Companies Bosch
Source: Bosch press release (22 Oct, DE) · Reuters via Euronext (22 Oct) · Handelsblatt (22 Oct, DE) · Dr. Web (23 Oct, DE)
Europe
Revenue fell to SEK 66.9bn from 86.4bn and adjusted EBIT was minus SEK 3.7bn (margin −5.6%); free cash flow was minus SEK 8.9bn. China revenue fell almost 50%; US margins were hit by tariffs and the end of EV incentives, plus a SEK 1.1bn CAFE-credit write-down. Europe held up, with a 45% BEV share in Q3, and the EX60 has more than 50,000 European orders, but new cell-to-body technology is making the ramp slower than planned. Volvo will take out a further SEK 5bn of indirect and variable cost, ending consultant contracts, using attrition and exit packages. It plans 13 new cars by 2030 with more localised production, and a lower-priced global BEV for Europe with deliveries after summer 2027.
Companies Volvo Cars
Source: Volvo Cars Q3 release, Cision (23 Oct) · TV4 / TT (23 Oct, SV) · Yahoo Finance (23 Oct)
Europe
Q3 sales were €4.88bn, down 2.6% like-for-like and slightly below consensus. Original-equipment sales fell 3.8%, with Europe (46% of OE) down 7.1% and China down 12.9%, while North America was flat and Asia excluding China grew 7.5%. The POWER division (electrification and thermal) fell 9.6% in OE, partly on a one-off customer compensation a year earlier, while BRAIN (ADAS, displays, telematics) grew 8.2%. Valeo confirmed 2026 guidance of €20–21bn sales and a 4.7–5.3% operating margin. CFO Edouard de Pirey told journalists Valeo has all the memory chips it needs this year and can secure next year’s, provided customers pay the price.
Companies Valeo
Source: Valeo Q3 press release (22 Oct) · Reuters via Euronext (22 Oct) · RTTNews (22 Oct)
Europe
On 22 Oct ITRE voted 49–27 (5 abstentions) and TRAN 27–18 (1 abstention) for the EPP–S&D–Renew compromise. For cars, the 2035 target is 87.5% below 2021, with the gap up to 95% covered by credits for low-carbon European steel; vans fall to 35% in 2030 and 80% in 2035. Cars on eligible renewable fuels count as zero-emission, and small affordable EVs can earn super-credits tied to Made-in-Europe rules from the Industrial Accelerator Act. The committee opinions are not binding. The lead ENVI committee votes next and the plenary in December, but Agence Europe reports that the Parliament still needs a deal on the IAA automotive section before the plenary, with the ITRE IAA vote expected in December. The Franco-German position (90%, no offset) differs.
Source: Agence Europe (22 Oct) · ANSA (22 Oct, IT) · ad-hoc-news / dpa (22 Oct, DE)
Americas
Late on 21 Oct, at the federal labour court in Mexico City, VW de México and the SITIAVW union agreed a third pre-deal: 4.4% on base wages, 0.25% into the savings fund and a one-off MXN 12,000 (3.59%), for 12 months, so the next review is August 2027. The two earlier offers (10.4% over 18 months and 13.16% over 24 months) were rejected. VW says this is its final offer and it does not foresee a fourth round. The union will brief members on 26–27 Oct and hold the vote on Wednesday 28 Oct (Reuters cites 29 Oct from company and union statements); the court extended the strike deadline to Thursday 29 Oct, 11:00. Context from earlier reporting: VW has warned the 2027 Golf could be moved if the conflict drags on, and Taos assembly goes to one shift.
Companies Volkswagen
Source: Reuters via Euronext (22 Oct) · Proceso (22 Oct, ES) · El Economista (22 Oct, ES) · LodeHoy (22 Oct, ES)
Europe
Škoda staff heard at works meetings in Mladá Boleslav and Kvasiny (Vrchlabí followed on 22 Oct) that VW wants pay, bonuses and premiums frozen until 2030. Union chief Jaroslav Povšík said KOVO will not accept it and that if layoffs start, workers at all three Czech plants would stop production. Škoda management admitted for the first time that the situation could threaten plant utilisation and jobs; the company points to the current pay deal, which runs to 31 March 2027, and Reuters says it did not comment. Škoda employs about 36,500 in Czechia, including agency staff. In Saxony, IG Metall welcomed Minister-President Kretschmer’s plan for an ‘AutoUnion Sachsen’ to save Zwickau, but rejected longer hours or ‘wage suppression’ and said the focus must be plant utilisation.
Companies Volkswagen, Škoda
Source: Reuters via Global Banking & Finance (22 Oct) · ČT24 / ČTK (22 Oct, CZ) · Aktuálně.cz (CZ) · Sachsen News / dpa (22 Oct)
Asia
Handelsblatt reported, and dpa followed on 22 Oct, that Mercedes is working on the architecture for its next model generation, due in the 2030s. Instead of building on several platforms, front, rear, side and floor sections would become separate modules sized to each vehicle, which management calls ‘tech stacks’. The aim is lower cost, higher efficiency and faster production, in line with Tesla, Chinese OEMs and Stellantis’ single-platform approach. A Mercedes spokesman confirmed ‘a very ambitious plan for the future’ but gave no details.
Companies Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Stellantis
Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung / dpa (22 Oct, DE) · Handelsblatt (22 Oct, DE) · finanznachrichten / dpa (22 Oct, DE)
Americas
LME three-month copper fell 1.8% to $14,089/t on 22 Oct, after touching $14,031, its lowest since 15 September. LME stocks rose for a fourth day to 272,950 t, the highest since 24 July, mostly from deliveries into New Orleans and Baltimore as the COMEX premium over LME flipped to a discount near-term. Cash copper still traded $116/t above three-month, a sign of near-term tightness. The official LME cash settlement on 22 Oct was $14,215/t. Aluminium fell 1% to $3,010/t.
Source: Reuters via Kitco (22 Oct) · Westmetall LME copper cash series · Business Recorder (22 Oct)
Asia
Infineon and Volkswagen Group China’s CARIAD and VCTC teams turned project-level work into a long-term platform covering the chain from defining chip requirements through reference designs and system validation to mass production. The focus is three areas: vehicle E/E architecture, domain controllers and on-board power supplies, adapting Infineon’s AURIX microcontrollers and power modules to VW China’s CEA E/E architecture. The aim is shorter development cycles and more local technical support for VW China’s next connected models.
Companies Infineon, Volkswagen
Source: Gasgoo (22 Oct) · Gasgoo (19 Oct) · EEPW (Oct, CN)
Global
Volvo Group reported Q3 net sales of SEK 119.5bn (110.7bn), 7% organic growth, vehicle sales up 8% and service sales up 5%. Adjusted operating income rose to SEK 14.7bn from 11.7bn, a 12.3% margin (10.6%), and industrial operating cash flow improved to SEK 7.2bn from minus 1.7bn. Currency added SEK 970m to operating income. Detailed order intake by region is in the full report, released at 07:20 CEST today.
Companies Volvo Group
Source: Volvo Group release (23 Oct) · AB Volvo via Cision (23 Oct) · PR Newswire (23 Oct)
Asia
On 22 Oct the two companies agreed that Mitsubishi will develop and build a Honda-branded pickup based on the Triton, for sale in ASEAN from 2028. It is the first cross-supply deal under the Honda–Nissan–Mitsubishi strategic partnership signed in August 2024. Honda gets a pickup it currently lacks in the region; Mitsubishi gets more volume and better utilisation in Thailand. The companies say they will keep looking at more mutual vehicle supply.
Companies Honda, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan
Source: Honda press release (22 Oct) · Mitsubishi Motors release (22 Oct) · Nikkei Asia (22 Oct)