IAA Mobility 2025: major automakers unveil aggressive push into mass-market and luxury EVs amid fierce competition and geopolitical shifts

Jaguar Land Rover faces a major cyberattack that has disrupted its global manufacturing, highlighting growing risks and the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity in the automotive sector.Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is currently dealing with a pretty serious cyberattack that's really thrown a wrench into its global production and retail functions. This whole incident—well, at least to me—seems like one of the most disruptive events in the company's recent past. The breach was spotted towards the end of August 2025, and almost immediately, JLR shut down its IT systems across the board. The company’s move to contain the damage—shutting everything down—did what it was supposed to do, but it also ended up causing a lot of operational standstill. Major manufacturing sites in the UK—like Solihull, Halewood, and Wolverhampton—and facilities in Slovakia, China, India, and Brazil have all been halted. Because of this, roughly 33,000 UK workers have been told to stay home through at least the first half of September. The disruption's impact has gone beyond just vehicle production, spilling over to suppliers too, many of whom have had to send their workers home because they can't get the necessary components. At first, JLR was trying to reassure everyone that none of their sensitive customer data had been compromised. But, interestingly enough, they later changed their tune and admitted that “some data” was affected. As far as specifics go—well, they haven’t really said much yet about what exactly was compromised. They did, however, mention that they’re working closely with regulators and will notify any parties that might be impacted. Cybersecurity experts industry-wide are warning that this kind of exposed data could make companies more vulnerable to phishing scams and identity theft—so, yeah, it highlights that even big, well-established automakers aren’t immune to these vulnerabilities. The group claiming responsibility for the attack is a teen hacker collective with a pretty fearsome name—"Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters." It’s actually a mash-up of three hacking groups: Scattered Spider, Lapsus$, and ShinyHunters. Despite law enforcement cracking down on them around the world, these groups still seem to be exploiting social engineering tricks and known security gaps to go after big corporations globally. What's also pretty worrying is that JLR isn’t alone in this—2025 has seen a surge of ransomware and cyberattacks targeting prominent British companies, including retailers like Marks & Spencer, Co-op, and Harrods. All in all, this event stacks onto a pretty tough year for JLR. The company’s been struggling with an 11% dip in quarterly sales, delays in production, and even had to pause shipments to the US because of tariffs. Profit margins have shrunk too. And at the same time, JLR is going through a major strategic shift—phasing out new petrol and diesel Jaguar models in favor of a fully electric lineup, led by the new CEO, PB Balaji. In the short run, JLR says it plans to bring their systems back online in a “controlled and safe manner,” with help from third-party cybersecurity experts and law enforcement agencies. Dealerships have apparently kept selling cars, but with a catch—they’re having trouble registering new vehicles, which is hitting the retail pipeline pretty hard. Some media outlets suggest this chaos could last for several weeks, but JLR hasn't really confirmed or denied any specific timelines. The impact on the aftermarket supply chain isn’t trivial either. Extended production stops could create serious bottlenecks in parts supply, affecting distributors, workshops, and fleet operators who depend on steady vehicle output and parts availability from JLR. This whole incident underscores the growing importance of beefing up cybersecurity defenses across manufacturing and retail networks, especially as digital integration becomes more central to operations. It also raises urgent concerns about data security, operational risk, and crisis readiness for OEMs and their suppliers alike. As JLR works to get back on track, watching how they respond and recover will be crucial for industry players. This experience really drives home how vulnerable even major automotive brands are in today’s cyber threat landscape—highlighting the need for coordinated security measures and adaptable supply strategies to lessen the impact of such disruptions. Honestly, it’s pretty clear that cybersecurity can’t be an afterthought anymore. Source: Noah Wire Services

MAN Truck & Bus's fully electric trucks have surpassed five million kilometres across Europe in demanding operational roles, demonstrating their viability and rapid adoption in sustainable commercial transport, with major companies and municipalities leading the charge.Since early 2025, MAN Truck & Bus's fully electric trucks have traveled over five million kilometres in demanding daily operations across Europe, really showing their increasing viability and acceptance in the world of commercial logistics. Big names in European logistics, like DB Schenker, Dachser, Duvenbeck, and Dräxlmaier, played a big part in reaching this milestone. These approximately 200 battery-electric trucks, which consume about 90 kWh per 100 km on average, have together helped save roughly 3,600 tonnes of CO₂, especially when compared to traditional diesel trucks that burn around 27 litres per 100 km. If you think about it, over the trucks’ typical lifespan — which is around 1.2 million kilometres — that could amount to roughly 172,000 tonnes of CO₂ saved. To put that into perspective, it’s about the same as what a mid-sized German city of around 32,000 people might produce each year. What’s quite remarkable is how versatile MAN's eTGX and eTGS electric models have proven to be, operating successfully in all sorts of sectors. These include automotive logistics, timber, food transportation, and municipal services. They’re built at MAN’s Munich plant, where they use a pretty innovative mixed production line—capable of rolling out up to 100 units every day. These trucks are designed not just for city driving but also for medium to long-distance haulage, construction jobs, and urban deliveries. Friedrich Baumann, who’s in charge of Sales and Customer Solutions at MAN Truck & Bus, mentions that hitting five million kilometres practically serves as "impressive proof of the practical suitability" of their electric trucks, really highlighting how adaptable they are in real-world settings. The first batch—about 200 pre-series electric trucks—rolled off the line in 2024. They were built for customers eager to move toward electric mobility. These trucks have been put to work in several countries—Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Portugal, Norway, Denmark—you get the idea. For instance, the Behrens Group, a major German timber wholesaler, has clocked over 50,000 kilometres using MAN eTGX trucks equipped with swap bodies for electric forklifts and partly powered by solar energy. Then there’s the Jacky Perrenot Group in France, which ordered over 100 units for food delivery, and Danone in Poland, using these trucks to cut back on supply chain emissions. Also, Royal Unibrew in Denmark and Nor Tekstil—the largest textile service provider in Norway—have incorporated MAN eTrucks into their fleets. It’s like a wave across Europe toward greener logistics. And it’s not just companies—the public sector is taking note too. An Austrian consortium, involving 12 cities and municipalities, has signed contracts for up to 45 MAN electric trucks, which signals a rising trend in municipal adoption. From a production side, MAN aims to exceed 1,000 electric truck orders by the end of 2025. That’s after they saw nearly 800 confirmed orders shortly after starting series production in June 2024. In fact, there was a huge jump—about 238% more electric vehicles sold in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period the previous year. Admittedly, they started from a pretty low base, but still, the growth is promising. These trucks are also quite capable on long hauls, with typical daily ranges between 400 and 600 kilometres, and some even reaching up to 800 km with strategic charging in between, as Dr Frederik Zohm, one of MAN’s R&D leaders, points out. A core part of the MAN approach is modular battery design and durability, which aims to make it easier for fleet operators to transition, especially since they often have heavy-duty schedules. From the feedback so far, it seems that electric trucks can handle the tough demands of various tasks, while also delivering environmental advantages and dependable operation. It’s pretty interesting, right? I find it surprising that electric trucks like these can really match up to traditional diesel ones in so many ways—while also helping reduce emissions significantly. The future of logistics, it seems, is heading toward cleaner, smarter technology, and MAN appears to be leading quite well in that shift. Source: Noah Wire Services

As UK car manufacturing declines and global trade tensions threaten exports, industry charity Ben enhances support for displaced workers with proactive upskilling and mental health initiatives in a bid to stabilise the sector's future.The UK automotive industry is currently going through quite a tough patch, with production numbers declining, a significant number of jobs being lost, and a real urgency to tackle skills shortages. Industry charity Ben has stepped up its support for automotive workers affected by redundancies. They're not just offering immediate help for those losing their jobs but also focusing on proactive solutions like upskilling and career coaching. For instance, with UK car manufacturing dipping nearly 12% in the first half of 2025, and thousands of jobs being cut across the supply chain, Ben’s expanded ‘Work, health & wellbeing’ services aim to serve as a safety net. These include free online tools, personalized coaching for CV writing, job hunting strategies, managing stress, and financial advice. Plus, there's added digital mental health support programs to back workers up. Rachel Clift, Ben’s CEO, points out that the industry faces a two-fold challenge: “The automotive sector is dealing with redundancies while also having a long-term technician shortage,” she explains. This concern isn’t unfounded — predictions suggest that by 2035, the industry may need to fill over 111,400 new and replacement roles, including 45,800 technician positions. Ben also works closely with key industry players like Rygor, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). These groups provide tailored career resources to help workers manage these turbulent times. Right now, things are made worse by a handful of economic and geopolitical issues. Recently, Lotus announced plans to cut 550 jobs in the UK — around 40% of their 1,300-strong workforce. The company cited falling sales and financial instability caused by global uncertainties such as trade tensions and tariff implications. Although Lotus said it plans to keep manufacturing at its Norfolk plant, the company’s shift towards third-party production and consolidating globally reflects broader instability across the industry. Interestingly enough, this restructuring follows a government-backed intervention that previously prevented the plant’s closure, which really highlights just how fragile UK automotive manufacturing has become given the changing trade policies. Tariffs from the US are still a huge threat, especially to the UK’s luxury brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, Jaguar Land Rover, and McLaren. These companies face a 25% import tariff on foreign-made vehicles, and Mike Hawes, SMMT's CEO, has warned that these tariffs are quickly eating into export volumes. Unless the government steps in or manages to negotiate better trade deals, thousands of jobs — estimates suggest over 25,000 — could be at risk. These tariffs push up costs and also scare away wealthy American buyers, which directly hits order books and company forecasts. Industry experts warn that unless something changes, many jobs in the UK automotive sector could be lost. On top of that, suppliers in Germany connected with car manufacturing are also feeling the pinch. Thyssenkrupp, for example, announced plans to cut around 1,800 jobs, blaming weak market conditions and tariff concerns. Meanwhile, recruitment firm Hays has issued a serious profit warning, mainly because of reduced hiring in Germany’s automotive sector. That market’s been especially hit by US tariffs and economic headwinds. These issues highlight how intertwined the European automotive supply chain is — problems in one area quickly ripple out and affect employment and investment confidence throughout. Despite a slowdown in job openings across the UK motor trade — vacancies dropped to a vacancy rate of 2.7% in May 2025, a 21% decrease from the previous year — there’s still a strong demand for skilled technicians. Many automotive firms report difficulties in filling these technical roles, and wages are climbing for those positions. The average salary for vehicle technicians is now well above the government median, which shows how competitive the market for skilled, hands-on workers has become. This ongoing skills gap underscores the importance of initiatives like the ones Ben supports—focused on reskilling and career development—to help secure a sustainable workforce long term. As the industry grapples with all these challenges, there's a growing consensus that a unified support system is crucial. Combining immediate aid for workers who’ve lost their jobs with longer-term investments in talent development seems to be the best way forward. While companies and policymakers are trying to navigate economic and trade uncertainties, charities and industry organisations are playing an increasingly vital role — helping automotive professionals shift careers, and ensuring the workforce’s capabilities adapt to evolving industry needs. Source: Noah Wire Services