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Volkswagen could outsell GM in China for the first time in nine years

As of the end of November, Volkswagen had sold 70,000 more cars than General Motors in China in 2013, making it appear inevitable that VW will outsell GM there. The feat would return the German brand to the top of chart in China for the first time in nine years, but even the second-place getter won't be complaining too loudly: both automakers sold more than three million vehicles in a market pegged to hit 16 million sales this year.
Volkswagen said it could have sold more cars if it had had more production capacity in China. The arrival of a new-to-China Audi A4, a China-built A3 sedan, the VW Bora and Skoda Octavia, as well as an $18.2-billion-euro investment in the country to construct new factories, means VW should see its numbers grow in 2014. GM's lineup is expanding next year, too, adding four Chevrolet nameplates and two vehicles to its Baojun brand as it tries to get to five million in sales by 2015.
Among other automakers, Ford benefited from good product and woes for Japanese automakers over a territorial dispute with China, outselling Toyota by almost 32,000 units through the end of November. The Ford Focus is China's best-selling vehicle so far this year.

VW considering single, cheaper li-ion cell for all plug-in vehicle batteries

Volkswagen is finding rapid success in the battery electric vehicle market; especially in Europe where the e-Golf is already the segment sales leader. Recent concepts like the C Coupe GTE, Sport Coupe GTE and Cross Coupe GTE suggest more plug-in hybrids from the company are on the way, too. To make future models more economical, the German automotive giant is considering switching to a standard design for its lithium-ion battery cells. Using standardized parts is a long-accepted principle in production because it leads to economies of scale, and a company can pass on the savings to buyers or pocket the money to boost profits. VW is aiming for a massive 66-percent drop in costs by switching to a unified design, according to Heinz-Jakob Neusser, the board member in charge of development, to Automotive News. While the cells would be uniform, they could be crafted into different modules to fit each specific model. VW currently buys cells from Panasonic and Samsung for various models, but under the new plan all of the automaker's brands would switch to a single one. "We have a clear understanding in the group of a common cell," Neusser said, according to Automotive News, without suggesting when a change might happen. VW also has a few months decide on a different future for its EVs. The automaker is reportedly considering whether to use sold-state lithium-ion batteries from a US-based supplier for upcoming models. The next-gen tech could potentially give a massive boost in range while also being fireproof.

Car companies may need to start curbing model proliferation

Looking at the current automotive landscape, especially from German makers, you quickly get the impression that less definitely isn't more. BMW alone offers its 3 Series platform in practically every segment possible, including the regular sedan and 4 Series Gran Coupe, which would seem to be direct competitors. Porsche might be the winner, though, with 20 different variants of the 911 listed for sale on its US website. However, some of this model madness might be reaching an end as companies begin cutting back spending or shifting money to other priorities.
According to Yahoo Finance, the offerings from the German automakers are up 25 percent over the past three years to over 200 models in Europe. The peak is expected to come around 2018 at 230 separate vehicles, according to consulting company PwC.
Amazingly, BMW, which is among the poster children for this model explosion, might be changing its tune. "I'm sure there will be points in the future where we look at certain cars and say, 'Maybe we need to think differently now,'" said head of sales Ian Robertson in an interview, according to Yahoo Finance. The statement certainly sounds shocking coming from a company rumored to have 23 front-wheel-drive vehicles all using a single platform on the way.