Yazılar

Global Electric Vehicle Sales Rise 18% in January

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Global sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles saw an 18% increase in January compared to the previous year, with Europe and the United States experiencing stronger growth than China for the first time since last February, according to research firm Rho Motion.

Europe began the year with robust sales as new CO2 emission targets took effect in the European Union, boosting demand. However, China experienced a 43% month-on-month sales decline in January, primarily due to the Chinese New Year holiday period. Despite this, the global market showed steady growth.

Governments worldwide are implementing policies to support electric vehicle (EV) adoption, which remains crucial amid ongoing trade tensions and challenges in the automotive industry, such as plant closures and job losses. In January, China extended its auto trade-in subsidies into 2025, while Europe began consultations on new CO2 emission targets.

BY THE NUMBERS:

  • Global EV and plug-in hybrid sales rose 17.7% year-on-year, reaching 1.3 million units in January.
  • Sales in China grew 11.8%, totaling 0.7 million vehicles.
  • European sales rose 21%, totaling 0.25 million, with Germany seeing a 40% increase.
  • The U.S. and Canada saw a 22.1% rise in sales, reaching 0.13 million units.
  • Sales in other global markets surged 50%.
  • On a monthly basis, global sales fell by 35%, primarily due to a sharp decline in China.

OpenAI’s Sam Altman Proposes Stargate-like AI Program for Europe

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed interest in creating a Stargate-like AI initiative for Europe, similar to the U.S. version backed by President Donald Trump. The U.S. venture, which includes major backers like OpenAI, Softbank, and Oracle, plans to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure over the next five years. During a panel discussion at the Technical University of Berlin, Altman stated that his company would be eager to bring a similar program to Europe, but emphasized that Europeans should determine the rules and regulations for AI technology. Altman further stressed the importance of Europe embracing AI to stay competitive globally.

As part of OpenAI’s expansion in Europe, the company also announced plans to open a new office in Munich, Germany. Altman highlighted that this would enable OpenAI to help more individuals, businesses, and institutions harness the potential of AI. This new office follows the opening of OpenAI offices in Dublin and London in 2023 and plans for further expansion in Paris and Brussels in 2024. Altman is also set to attend an AI summit in Paris on Monday, which will be attended by European leaders and other officials.

Iliad to Invest €3.1 Billion in AI Infrastructure Across Europe

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French telecom company Iliad has announced plans to invest €3 billion ($3.1 billion) in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, focusing on expanding data centers and computing power across Europe. The investment will be made through its subsidiary OpCore, which manages the group’s 13 data centers. In the short term, OpCore will deploy several hundred megawatts of capacity, with an ambition to reach several gigawatts of capacity over the long term.

This move comes ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, where Iliad is expected to make further announcements regarding its AI strategy. The company has also partnered with Mistral AI, a French AI firm, to offer its “le Chat pro” AI model to Iliad’s 15.5 million subscribers in France.

While Europe has been trailing the U.S. and China in AI development, with the U.S. investing through initiatives like President Donald Trump’s Stargate program, Iliad’s investment is a significant step in bolstering the region’s AI capabilities. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, speaking on the matter, has also encouraged Europe to adopt AI and expressed openness to replicating successful U.S. programs, such as Stargate, in Europe.