BorgWarner, a leading supplier for the automotive industry has further extended its supply program with a North American-based OEM.

The company has extended contracts on several wastegate turbocharger programs for midsized petrol engines, which will be used in several of the automaker’s midsized and large SUVs, as well as truck applications, with production to continue through 2028 and beyond.

BorgWarner stated that its reliable wastegate turbo technology features a robust design that enables lightweighting and durability, and delivers a quick boost response and powerful performance.

For the unversed all turbochargers making up the extension feature wastegate actuators to help release excess built up energy within the engine. They are also electrically actuated, allowing for more precise control of boost levels, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.

Volker Weng, Vice-President of BorgWarner and President and General Manager, Turbos and Thermal Technologies, said, “BorgWarner has a longstanding and trusted relationship with this OEM, having supplied them with our turbochargers for more than 10 years. These platform extensions are a testament to the strong collaboration between our engineering teams and we look forward to continuing our work together through the rest of this decade and beyond.”

French automotive supplier Valeo reported first-quarter sales of EUR 5.3 billion, marking a slight 1 percent decline on a like-for-like basis, as the company reaffirmed its financial targets for 2025.

Original equipment sales remained stable compared to the same period last year, while aftermarket sales saw a 3 percent increase. Despite a turbulent global environment, the company credited its performance to resilience in key markets and rapid cost adaptation.

Christophe Perillat, CEO, Valeo, said, “In a turbulent environment, Valeo maintained its original equipment sales in the first quarter. This result was delivered thanks to a solid performance in Europe and in Asia excluding China and despite delayed production start-ups in North America and a rapid shift in the customer mix in China.”

To safeguard its 2025 objectives, Valeo is ramping up restructuring efforts. The company is targeting a 5 percent reduction in administrative and selling costs and a 15 percent cut in investments for property, plant, equipment and intangible assets in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year.

The group is also taking aggressive measures to mitigate the financial impact of U.S. tariffs and trade restrictions, including a comprehensive review of its supply chain and a firm push to recover costs through pricing policies.

“Our ability to adapt quickly and maintain strict cost discipline allows us to stay on course. None of this would be possible without the unwavering commitment of our teams,” added Perillat.

Valeo also highlighted continued commercial success in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), citing a significant new order from Volkswagen. The deal underscores Valeo’s growing role in next-generation automotive technologies, driven by its dual expertise in both hardware and software.

“Our order intake strategy remains focused on profitability, and our recent momentum in ADAS reflects that,” added Périllat.

The company said its 2025 targets are based on the latest market assumptions from S&P Global Mobility, and current trade measures as of 29 April 2025.

Automotive component supplier Sundram Fasteners has announced its financial results for the quarter and year ended 31 March 2025.

For Q4 FY2025, the revenue came at INR 13.53 billion, up from INR 12.78 billion in the same period last year. Domestic sales stood at INR 9 billion (INR 8.4 billion in Q4 FY2024), while exports were INR 4 billion (INR 3 billion in Q4 FY2024). Net profit came at INR 1.34 billion as compared to INR 1.32 billion.

For FY2025, total revenue was INR 52 billion, as against INR 49 billion, which includes domestic sales of INR 34 billion, as against INR 33 billion last year. Exports grew by 12.39 percent to INR 15 billion, as against INR 14 billion last year. The net profit came at INR 5 billion, as against INR 4 billion last year.

The consolidated revenue for FY2025 came at INR 59.83 billion, as against INR 57.2 billion last year, while net profit came at INR 5.4 billion, compared to INR 5.25 billion last year.

Arathi Krishna, Managing Director, Sundram Fasteners, said, “We achieved the highest-ever quarterly PAT at INR 1.34 billion by maintaining strong financial discipline, sustaining a positive cash balance and adopting best practices in quality management and automation. This growth is particularly encouraging as we have witnessed significant progress in our non-auto business, which has contributed to our overall robust performance. Our growth is supported by strong domestic and export order book. We remain committed to driving volume-led growth by leveraging emerging opportunities in the electric vehicle segment and continuing our focus on innovation which will enable us to outpace industry growth rates.”

During the year, Sundram Fasteners incurred a CAPEX of INR 3.7 billion towards capacity expansion and new projects across internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE), plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.

Tier 1 supplier UNO Minda has got approval from its Board to set up a new greenfield plant for manufacturing of high-voltage electric powertrain for the passenger vehicle and commercial vehicles segment. These products include combined charging units, e-axles, inverters, and motors. The location still being determined is expected to see an investment of around INR 4.23 billion, which will be funded through a combination of debt and equity.

UNO Minda Auto Innovations, a subsidiary of the company, will execute the project, which subsequently will be converted into a joint venture company with Suzhou Inovance Automotive (Inovance Automotive).

The JV eventually will see Uno Minda hold 70 percent equity stake. The CAPEX will be phased over the next three years, with Phase 1 expected to be commissioned by Q2 FY2027.

Ravi Mehra, Managing Director, UNO Minda Group, said; “This investment underscores Uno Minda's commitment to driving the future of electric mobility in India. By establishing this state-of-the-art facility, we will be well-positioned to meet the growing demand for high-voltage EV powertrain solutions. Our partnership with Inovance Automotive brings together our respective strengths and will enable us to deliver cutting-edge technology to our customers.”

German tier 1 supplier ZF will introduce the next generation of its range extender technology for electric vehicles (EVs), with volume production beginning in 2026.

A range extender combines a combustion-powered generator with an electric motor, producing energy for the vehicle battery once its charge drops.

Dr Otmar Scharrer, Senior Vice President R&D, Electrified Powertrain Technology at ZF, said, "Although the all-electric range of passenger cars is around 500 km on average, range anxiety still influences a wide range of buyers when choosing their next vehicle. These (range extenders) represent a real alternative to larger – and thus more expensive – batteries or plug-in hybrids."

The German supplier has gained experience with range extenders, including supplying systems for the iconic London taxi. Now, it is advancing the technology with two new systems: the electric Range Extender (eRE) and electric Range Extender plus (eRE+).

Both designs are highly integrated and flexible across performance levels, 400V or 800V architectures and semiconductor types. The eRE combines an electric motor, integrated inverter, dedicated software and a planetary gearset. The eRE+ adds an intelligent clutch and differential, enabling it to serve as a generator or a secondary drive. Output is scalable: 70–110 kW for the eRE and 70–150 kW for the eRE+.

Dr Scharrer, added, "The new interest and the increased demand for range extenders shows that the potential of this technology is far from exhausted – in particular for model platforms that are already designed for battery-electric drivelines. Behind our solutions is a system and platform concept. This means that we are optimally equipped to respond to all customer and market requirements with shorter development cycles."

Compared to plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), range extenders offer lower additional costs, faster development, simpler platform integration and easier supply chain management — especially attractive for newer automakers with little combustion engine expertise.

China is currently leading with ‘Range Extended Electric Vehicles’ (REEVs) covering over 700 kilometres, thanks to such technology.

"This is where we find it convenient that there is a wide range of BEV platforms that can be supplemented by range extenders," said Scharrer.

The company is also seeing growing interest in the U.S. and European market.

"The market for all-electric vehicles has not developed as much as predicted a few years ago," Scharrer observed. "For this intermediate phase, range extenders can be the ideal solution."