Europe

Tesla trusts the Robotaxi as his next Milmillonario business. China is already in conversations to get ahead in Europe

by

Robotaxi is the business of the future in urban mobility. At least that is what technological giants such as Tesla, Google or Baidu believe and what some analysts have been saying for years. Although for now it is a business where profitability does not seem to be in sight, expansionist plans continue. And the next battlefield is Europe. That is what they claim from The Wall Street Journal. The American media ensures that Baiduconsidered the Chinese Google, works to try its vehicles without driver in Switzerland. Türkiye would follow the deployment and would be the first step to hit the table and position himself as pioneers on European soil. The information comes after Baidu has opened conversations with Swiss Post for Postauto, one of its units that provides the public bus service, has vehicles of this type on the street. If everything goes ahead, the goal is to start testing at the end of this year. The project with Türkiye, internal sources have affirmed WSJ It is similar. Objective: Be the first Putting autonomous buses on the market that can make trips for themselves without the intervention of a driver is a shortcut to open the way to a future robotaxis business. While in the United States and China, this business is being tested for a long There are active tests with busesa horizon for a robotaxis service in the street has not been completed. The problem of these services is that, for the moment, they are not generating any profitability. In the United States, General Motors burned so many Cruise tickets that he has preferred Cancel the project Despite having squandered billions of dollars along the way. Waymo’s success is partial because despite working in various cities in the country, its reach is small. And, at the same time, Tesla has also put all the machinery in motion to enter the market. However, the company’s own shareholders They have expressed their doubts on whether this must be the path that the company has to take. The project seems to have surpassed a more affordable Tesla, which has generated doubts. As to ChinaRobotaxis are much more widespread. In fact, Baidu operates in 12 different cities with its apologue service but Face Weride competition that is already available in eight cities, Pony.ai either Momenta that are in full phase of expansion. Given the competition and the hard challenge of profitable services, these companies are in full expansion to third countries. For example, Weride has already reached an agreement with Uber to integrate into its platform and offer trips with autonomous robotaxis in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The objective is to take the service to 15 different cities in the future. In spite of everything, companies that want to enter the European market have it complicated. At the moment, European regulation is very demanding with autonomous vehicles and, in fact, Tesla herself has to save some functions In vehicles that are able to advance without a driver inside the park, offering a service cut in front of what they have on the street in the United States. For now, the closest thing to a robotaxi is what offers Mercedes. The company already has functions for the driver to completely disregard the car, as long as it circulates less than 60 km/h, the environment has previously mapped and the weather conditions are good enough. Despite doubts, as we say there are companies that see in this business a clear commitment to the future. Tesla has joined In the background to the business proposal of Waymo or Baidu, technological giants that aspire to develop their own software for autonomous vehicles and put them on the street associating with a large vehicle company that provides them with the hardware, that is, of the car in itself. The only difference with Tesla is that Elon Musk’s company can manufacture its own vehicles and with their own assembly chains and the acquired knowledge They aspire to earn more money working in vertical integration with proper vehicles and software development that stays at home. Photo | Baidu In Xataka | I have tried a totally autonomous taxi. This is traveling without driver

Europe detected the oscillations of the blackout in Spain but did not know how to anticipate collapse

by

While It is still done Analysis Committee meetings to find out what happened in the blackout of April 28. A new preliminary report of the European Network of Electricity Transportation Networks (ENTSO-E) has thrown An important focus on something that Europe could not see. Short. So far, what was known were the data of the “Black box”where second to second it has been investigated that it began to fail. But a new preliminary report of the Entso-E has confirmed That it is not only about the oscillations that were recorded in Spain: collapse was a “complex sequence of events.” In depth. The point is that the report explained that during the half an hour before the incident, two power and frequency oscillations were observed in the European electricity grid, between 12:03 and 12:07 and between 12:19 and 12:21. And of course, both Red Eléctrica in Spain and RTE in France took measures to mitigate these oscillations. However, at 12:33, the electrical system of the Iberian Peninsula He collapsed completely. The matter has more crumb. At that time, no oscillations and system variables were detected within the normal range of operation. But that did not mean that everything was under control. Europe had detected those oscillations, but when Spain and France intervened, they did not interpret it as a critical risk. This was how in southern Spain, a series of failures in electricity generation caused a loss of 2200 MW. This loss was sufficient to trigger a drop in the frequency of the system, which fell to 48 Hz. In other words, the electrical frequency must be maintained around 50 Hz. If it drops from 48 Hz, the system can enter a critical state. And that was exactly what happened. From that moment on … The blackout was inevitable. The electricity exchanges between Spain and its neighboring countries were at high levels: 1000 MW towards France, 2000mw to Portugal and 800MW to Morocco. But when the system collapsed, these connections were also lost. The transmission lines between France and Spain stopped working at 12:33:21 and automatic protection systems disconnected the entire Iberian network three seconds later. There was a figure that circulates in networks. The president of the Government in his appearance before the media said: “15GW disappeared in 5 seconds”I immediately ran this statement in the networks, but the Entso-E has specified that the loss was 2.2GW. So where did that figure come from? The 15 GW that circulated after the blackout comes from an initial REE estimate based on automatic defense systems. According to the Secretary of Energy of MitecoJoan Groizard, 10 GW were counted in automatic cuts (demand breakdown) and 5 GW in contribution of interconnections that stopped supplying energy. However, the report of the ETSO-E specifies that the loss recorded in southern Spain was 2200 MW (2.2 GW), a significantly lower figure, evidencing that the initial calculation did not reflect the loss of generation itself, but the global impact of the event on the electrical system. And now what? Entso-e has created A panel of experts to continue investigating what happened. These experts, from countries not affected by the blackout, will collect all the available data to rebuild minute by minute what happened on April 28 to prepare a technical report that will be presented to the European Commission throughout the second half of the year. In turn, the Spanish committee will continue working in parallel, analyzing not only technical failures, but also possible cyber attacks or errors in digital systems, according to has detailed The vice president, Sara Aagesen, in an interview for eldiario.es. Forecasts In the same interview, Sara Aagesen He has insisted in that the causes of the blackout are “enormously complex” and that no hypothesis is ruled out. But many unknowns are left: what centrals were disconnected exactly? What triggered the drop of 2200 MW? And why not the alert signals were detected in time? The first “green” blackout He has put Testing the Iberian Electricity and has evidenced the vulnerabilities of a system in full transition to renewables. While the full analysis of the blackout could take months, both system operators and governments They move in a field full of uncertainty. The key now is to rethink the Microredes, Energy storage and Gridorming technologies capable of stabilizing an increasingly volatile network. The road is being configured now and is in the present where you have to continue working. Image | Unspash and Eric Fischer Xataka | The other uncomfortable truth of the blackout: Spain does not yet have enough batteries for its renewable boom

Now we know what the US Army did in Finland. Russia is expanding its troops on its border with Europe

by

In April there was a paradox that we count. While Finland again became the “happier” nation From the planet, a United States army had reached its borders to prepare for “the worst.” Thus began a simulation where Finland’s defense forces and a Washington operation were trained together for a eventual invasion. If there was any questions about who the enemy was, Russia has just cleared it. Remove silent. I told it in Exclusive the Wall Street Journal supported by the satellite data that he had achieved. While much of international attention is still focused on war in Ukraine, Europe begins to worry to a series of strategic movements of the Russian army that, without making almost noise, are redefining the military balance of the continent. In the Russian city of Petrozavodsk, about 160 kilometers from the border with Finland, military engineers work on the expansion of bases and the creation of a new headquarters that will house tens of thousands of soldiers in the coming years, many of which today fight in Ukraine. These troops, according to Intelligence sources Western, they are not designed for the current war, but for future confrontations with NATO. Moscow has intensified recruitment, modernized rail infrastructure in border areas and duplicated its military budget, already exceeds 6% of GDP. President Putin has ordered that the size of the Russian armed forces increase until 1.5 million troopsand although publicly denies expansionist aspirations, its government continues to give contradictory signs, including official statements that affirm the need to prepare for a possible confrontation With the Atlantic Alliance. Rejuvenate the army. It is one of the consequences. The rebound of military spending has promoted an unprecedented acceleration in weapons production. Before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia manufactured around 40 T-90m tanks a year. Now produce almost 300although many are not sent to the front, but are reserved in national territory. Artillery and ammunition production has also increased, and Russian drones have won in quality and volume. Thus, the Moscow army, far from collapse, is being reconfigured faster than most analysts had planned, with new units, equipment and a constant rotation of troops that allows to maintain pressure in Ukraine while other formations are prepared on Russian soil. In fact, some European intelligence services alert A “B” scenario: If a fire is achieved in Ukraine, Russia could be in a position to launch a large -scale war in Europe within five years, or even before if you perceive weakness in NATO cohesion. Tensions on the eastern flank. No doubt, Russian military strengthening has unleashed immediate reactions in Baltic and Poland countries, which have already Started to reinforce Its borders with ditches, antipersonnel mines and anti -tanks, the acquaintances as “dragon teeth”. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have abandoned international treaties on mines, and several governments consider plausible that Russia seeks to test the solidity of NATO through a limited incursion in a member state with Russian population, as Estonia. To this is added the concern caused by covert operations attributed to the Russian Intelligence Servicessuch as sabotage attempts and murders in Western Europe. Hence, many analysts warn that the Kremlin could bet on a lower provocation that fractures consensus within the alliance, especially if you perceive internal divisions or lack of coordinated response. Territorial strategy For its part, The Journal remembered that Putin has resorted to the historical legacy of the Russian military force (which beat Napoleon and Hitler) to justify the war in Ukraine and his ambition to recover influence on former allies who have leaned towards the West. The Russian government has reorganized its internal military structure creating new districts Around Moscow and St. Petersburg, and has increased logistics cooperation with Belarus, its main ally and basis of operations in the current war. In the Leningrad Military District, which borders Estonia, Latvia and Finland, medium -sized brigades are being transformed into divisions of up to 10,000 troopsand barracks, hospitals, warehouses and new railway routes are being built that connect with Norway, Finland and the south of St. Petersburg. Finland, who historically has tried to avoid tensions with Russia but is now part of NATO, Observe carefully The renewal of ancient border steps and the construction of railway headers that would allow the passage of mechanized forces, with direct implications for their national security. New social elite. Explained the medium that one of the pillars of this military reconstruction is the huge Increased recruitmentpowered by Financial incentives that in some cases exceed $ 20,000 to sign a contract. These sums far exceed Average annual income In many Russian regions, and have allowed a constant flow of new soldiers (between 30,000 and 40,000 per month According to estimates) that allows Russia to maintain its presence in Ukraine without exhausting its strategic reserve. Not just that. In addition, the medium exposed another measure that we have already counted a few weeks ago: veterans are receiving Extended benefitsas positions in local governments and seats in Parliament, consolidating the military estate as a New National Elite. The new recruits will be mostly intended for the units that are deployed at the border with NATO, and for them the new armament is reserved, while the Ukrainian front continues to receive reconditioned Soviet material. Russia’s next strategic military exercises, called Zapadthey will focus on these border regions, and they are expected to serve as a demonstration of force addressed to both NATO and internal public opinion. New power architecture. In summary, Russia is betting very strongly that her military resurgence, combined with a possible Western fatigue before the Ukrainian conflict, returns her back A seat in the table where new security rules in Europe are defined. Although figures like Trump They discard the possibility that Russia has ambitions beyond Ukraine, the facts Described in the Journal On land and warnings of multiple European intelligence agencies suggest otherwise. If you want also, Moscow seems to trust that an NATO divided, uncoordinated or weakened by internal conflicts will be forced to negotiate from a disadvantage … Read more

This remains in Europe and the US

by

If you planned to get an Xbox, you may be late at the best price. Microsoft He has just announced a global climb in their consoles and controlsa rates review that, for now, will not affect Xbox Game Passbut that anticipates changes in the price of games First-Park At the end of the year. The announcement arrives at an especially delicate time for the industry, with a commercial war between the United States and China. From this May 1, the new prices are already active in Europe. The Xbox Series S of 512 GB It goes from costing 299.99 euros to 349.99 euros, an increase of 16.67 % compared to the price that maintained since its launch in 2020. It is a considerable rise for a console that stood out precisely for its low cost of entry. The model with 1 TB of storage It is also more expensive: 349.99 euros passes to 399.99 euros. The Xbox Series X Digital now costs 549.99 euros, while The version with record reader It is 599.99 euros. Finally, the special edition Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black It reaches 699.99 euros, consolidating as the most expensive console of the current Microsoft catalog. The controls do not get rid of this upward revision. The Xbox Wireless Controller (Core), in its basic version, will be sold for 64.99 euros, while the color model amounts to 69.99 euros. Those who seek a more advanced option must prepare the portfolio: the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Full) reaches 199.99 euros. As for official headphones, Microsoft has confirmed that price changes, for the moment, only affect United States and Canada. In the lower table of the article you can consult all the prices updated both in euros and in dollars. Price in Europe Price in the US Xbox Series S 512 349.99 euros $ 379.99 Xbox Series S 1TB 399.99 euros $ 429.99 Xbox Series X Digital 549.99 euros $ 549.99 Xbox Series x 599.99 euros $ 599.99 Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition 699.99 euros $ 729.99 Xbox Wireless Controller (Core) 64.99 euros $ 64.99 Xbox Wireless Controller (Color) 69.99 euros $ 69.99 Xbox Wireless Controller – Special Edition 74.99 euros $ 64.99 Xbox Wireless Controller – Limited Edition 89.99 euros $ 89.99 Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Core) 149.99 euros 149.99 dollars Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Full) 199.99 euros $ 199,99 Xbox Stereo Headset 59.99 euros (no price change) $ 64.99 Xbox Wireless Headset 109.99 euros (no price change) 119.99 dollars In addition to the consoles and accessories, Microsoft has also advanced that some games will see their price for the Christmas campaign increased. In the US, the price will go from $ 69.99 to $ 79.99. It is another sign that the cost of the great titles follows an ascending trajectory. The case reminds future releases of Nintendo Switch 2, that will reach the market with higher prices than usual In some cases. What is kept without changes, at least for now, are Xbox Game Pass rates. From Redmond they say that “these changes are challenging and have been taken after careful market evaluation and the growing cost of development.” Although the company has not directly mentioned tariffs, the context is difficult to ignore: the commercial escalation between the US and China is already causing tensions in international prices and it is likely that this is not the last adjustment we see in the industry. The striking thing is that Microsoft is not the only company that has chosen to raise prices. Sony also increased last month the cost of its PlayStation 5 console in Europeincluding the United Kingdom, applying a 10% rise in the digital edition. The new PS5 digital costs 499.99 euros, 50 euros more than it cost so far, matching the standard PS5 price in its launch. In the midst of these oscillations, there is a curious fact: the PS5 external record reader has dropped in price. It goes from costing 119.99 euros to 79.99 euros, which partially compensates for the increase if acquired together with the digital version. The standard PS5 with Blu-ray unit remains at 549.99 euros, and the PlayStation 5 Pro retains its price of 799.99 euros. It is not the first time that the Sony console rises in price. In August 2022, the digital edition has already gone from 399.99 euros to 449.99 euros, and the standard version rose from 499.99 euros to the current 549.99 euros. Images | Billy Freeman | Jaime Marrero In Xataka | The Nintendo Switch 2 has reached the market with an important price increase. People are giving the same

is that it is not interconnected with Europe

by

THE SPANISH ELECTRY RED (REE) He has ruled out A cyber attack as the origin of the blackout that affected the country yesterday. The preliminary cause is pointing to a massive disconnection of renewable energy, especially in the peninsular southwest. This vulnerability of the system, According to RBC Capital Markets in statements to Reutersit is because “the Spanish system depends strongly on solar energy, but lacks storage and a robust backup network.” Isolated from Europe. The European Union has one of the networks more interconnected in the worldallowing countries to import or export electricity in moments of shortage. In fact, just a few days ago, Spain before the renewable boom had to export energy to Portugal and France. However, this timely case does not hide a structural underlying problem: the entire peninsula It is still an energy island. Other places where it does work. Denmark has more than 80% of its electricity from wind energy, so the question arises from why it does not suffer blackouts. The answer is in the interconnection, since in case of fall it can import from Germany, Sweden or Norway almost immediately. The Nordic model. Being part of the Nordic electric market or Nord Pool has adopted A flow -based market coupling model to improve network efficiency and facilitate the integration of renewable energy. This system has optimized the flow of energy in the Nordic and Europe a flexibility which allows you to maintain the stability of your electricity network even with a high proportion of renewable energies. The door: France. Spain Only exchange 2.8% of its capacity with France, well below of 15% target established by the European Union for 2030. One of the projects that is in development to improve this situation is underwater interconnection by the Gulf of Bizkaia, which will connect Gatika (Spain) with Cubnezais (France). Managed by INELFE will increase the exchange capacity up to 5,000 MW and is expected to enter into operation in 2028. However, the progress of interconnections has faced obstacles. France has shown reluctance to increase electrical connections with Spain beyond the submarine cable of Biscay, which has generated diplomatic tensions and has slowed the process, According to EFE. Besides, You are using Its nuclear network as a strategic tool to maintain under the level of interconnection of Spain, consolidating its role as dominant node in the European electric flow. In this way, France is allowing its nuclear to “monopolize” part of the export system to central Europe. Facing the future. The blackout highlighted the need to reinforce electrical infrastructure to guarantee system stability, such as Expand the interconnections With other countries such as underwater cable with Italy, maintain plants such as hydroelectric or thermal, and invest in storage technologies, such as Large -scale batteriesthat They replicate the inertia of traditional systems. Image | Pxhere Xataka | What is the “energy zero” and why the supply can go suddenly but it takes hours to recover

Spotify will rise in price this summer in Europe and Latin America, according to FT. Some countries will be out of adjustment

by

Everything indicates that Spotify will adjust its prices again. According to Financial Timesthe streaming giant plans a new climb that will affect several countries in Europe and Latin America as soon as this summer. It would be a strategic change that, for the moment, has not been officially announced and that relies on anonymous sources. What seems clear is that the United States would be out of movement. It is not a minor detail: it is its largest market and already lived a price increase in July last year. The scope of the adjustment is not yet confirmed. There is no concrete list of affected countries, but the British medium offers clues that allow anticipating the course. In recent weeks, and almost silently, Spotify has increased its rates in the Netherlands and Luxembourg. In both cases, the price of the individual plan has gone from 10.99 to 12.99 euros per month. For the rest of Europe and Latin America, however, there is talk of a more gradual approach. According to these same sources, the company would be considering a rise of only 1 euro in the individual plan. It would be a more content adjustment, probably to avoid any adverse reaction in markets where there are millions of customers. In the case of Spain, the history of upload is limited. For more than ten years, the individual plan remained at 9.99 euros. It was not until July 2023 when Spotify applied its first adjustmentraising the price up to 10.99 euros. If the rumors are confirmed, the new price could be at 11.99 euros per month from this summer. It should be remembered that in the United States, where the climb is already a fact, users are currently paying $ 11.99 a month for the same plan. It will be necessary to see how the market reacts if this new round of increases is formalized. And above all, what countries are finally included. At the moment, the only certain thing is that Spotify moves. And it is not an isolated movement. All this happens at a key moment for the company. Spotify has just registered benefits after 18 years accumulating losses. A milestone that marks a before and after in its financial strategy. Besides, The rumors point to work in a new subscription that would finally include audio in high fidelity. A long -awaited promise that could be part of the redesign of its offer to justify the new price positioning. Images | Emojisprout emojisprout.com | Eyestetix Studio In Xataka | Modern algorithms decide for us to see. YouTube is the last redoubt where the algorithm does not choose for you

Europe has focused on stopping Chinese electric cars. The true threat is in its cars with combustion engines

by

He returned with other motor partners of the motor of the presentation of a new model or of a first contact. I do not remember the car that was but it was at Frankfurt airport, almost a second house for whom we have entered this world, and we were in 2023. I receive a call from a phone that I didn’t have saved. To the answer, the person on the other side of the phone is presented and explains that Chery, the company that owns Omoda and Jaecoo, are finalizing the details for their first events in Spain. The Chinese group was going to land In our country. It was already an open secret But I talk a few minutes on the phone to learn more details. They explain that they are very clear: they will enter the market with combustion vehicles. It is not that its bet is clearly focused on low ranges but they are sure that their arrival in Europe should be through models with thermal motors. The electric car is perhaps the future (and yes, they have options saved to launch) but for now they will focus on gasoline and hybrid vehicles because they are still preferred by European customers. Although logical, the speech did not stop crashing. It is not that they rejected the electric car but they were clear that they were going to follow that very own philosophy of Toyota to sell in each market what the client asks. And the client, in Europe, continues to prefer the hybrid car or the pure combustion. When Omoda made his long in Spain, we explained that he had MG as a reference. Saic’s company is the Chinese manufacturer who More cars is selling And, in fact, this Chinese state group is the most successful in our continent at the moment. His MG4 Electric It is one of the great supervants because by size and autonomy it was much cheaper than its rivals. However, Saic knew how to smell very well what the client claimed. The MG4 Electric is especially interesting in markets such as Spanish, where we prioritize cheap cars. But for all those who do not want or cannot afford the jump to the electric car, the former British company has offered a good handful of pure combustion products that have managed to place themselves in the lower market. And the results have not been waiting. We looked at the electric car … Given that electric offensive of Chinese cars for Europe, with the MG4 Electric leading a landing to which Byd has joined as a great reference between plug -in vehicles, child, Xpeng, Dongfeng, Leapmotor and, more discreetly, Chery (omoda/Jaecoo), the European Union decided to lift commercial barriers to the cars arrived from the cars arrived from the Asian country. Those commercial barriers are translated, Since October 2024in specific tariffs on each company, taking into account the alleged help that the brand has received from the Chinese State and the degree of collaboration they have shown with the European authorities in their investigation. The Tariffs apply to electric cars And even those brought by European companies from there as a result of their association with Asian companies. But those commercial barriers They do not apply to combustion vehicles nor to the plug -in hybrids that is where, truly, China is hurting. We do not know if it is part of a strategy not to make tariffs a direct attack on the Asian country or because from Europe it was considered that the real danger was in the Chinese and cheap Chinese car and that local businesses could fight with low -end combustion cars. But the truth is that where they begin to get a part of the cake is exploit those cars with combustion engines. For proof, the SAIC growth presented in Europe under different brands. According to ACEA dataThey sold in Europe 157,340 units in 2024, 6.7% more. A figure that places them above Jaguar-Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Mazda and Honda. Its market share stood at 1.5%. And in what we have this yearSaic keeps making his way. In what we have been registered 52,508, a third of the cars that placed in 2024, with a 52.3% growth in the first quarter of the year. At the moment, he has left Suzuki behind, who had it ahead in 2024, he is shot by Volvo, and his market share has grown up to 1.9% (compared to the 1.2% last year at this point at this point). As for the other Chinese companies, we have no data at European level. We do know that Chery has announced That Omode and Jaecoo will extend to a total of 19 markets this year. So far, they only operated in eight markets but in 2025 we will see them. With this extension they expect to sell about 10,000 units when April ends and reach 75,000 units at the end of the year. It is a small figure with respect to what we have seen with omoda but will allow them to place themselves above companies such as Honda or Mazda if the figures end up closing. In Spain, Registrations reflect that Omode is already selling almost as much as Fiat, accumulating 2,539 units in what we have been over, and surpassing brands fully settled in our country such as Honda or Suzuki. In addition, Chery adds 1,945 units of Jaecoo and 1,154 of Ebro. Right now, their more than 5,700 units sold as a group place them in a competitive position despite only offering a handful of models and without having received the options with eco or zero emissions stickers They are a claim. With very little time in the market, the Jaecoo 7 plug -in hybrid is already the fourth most selling model in our country. For its part, Byd already sells more than Tesla In our country (3,809 units compared to 3,169 units of Elon Musk cars) but focuses the bulk of its registration on … Read more

Hermès already has an answer to the US tariffs and the Chinese offensive: to manufacture more in Europe

by

The luxury products market is living a silent transformation marked by counterpoints such as fever by Hermès bags as an active financial, and the uncertainty of tariff policies imposed by the US. The French house has experienced such a high demand that, even with endless waiting lists, its bags remain desire on all continents. Given such success, Hermès has drawn her strategy for the coming years: to open four new workshops in France, increase your production of bags and transfer to the US client the cost of tariffs. The anti -barred shield: “Made in France”. Unlike other industries, the luxury industry has not considered transferring its workshops to the US to avoid tariffs. Far from that, Hermès maintains her commitment to “fact in France” and European artisanal manufacturing announcing the opening of four new factories in France in the next four years. With this decision, Hermès is positioned with other luxury brands such as Ferrari, which Does not contemplate In no scenario move its production outside Italy, or Rolls-Royce, which also You will expand Your Goodwood facilities. William Susman, managing director of the Cascadia Capital Investment Bank, assured to The New York Times That this same reaffirmation in its essence is common to many other European luxury brands: “In each conversation that I have had with customers during the last five to ten days, not a single person talked about building a factory in the United States.” Common Front: Money is not a problem. Both Hermès and Ferrari and Rolls-Royce have a client profile with high purchasing power and enormous appreciation for the quality of luxury products. That has made the three brands have adopted the same position on the scenario of uncertainty: maintain production in Europe and transfer the extra cost caused by tariffs to their customers. Assume that an increase of 10% or 20% in the final price will not be an obstacle to its millionaire customers. “The price increase that we are going to implement will be only for the US, since it aims to compensate for tariffs that only apply to the US market, so there will be no price increases in the other regions,” said Eric du Halgouët, Executive Vice President of Finance of Hermès, in statements collected by CNBC. Four factories and thousands of jobs. The new Hermès workshops will be located in different regions of France: Colombelles, isle d’Eguegnac, Loupes and Charleville-Mézières. Each of these workshops will have about 260 specialized artisans, which means the creation of more than 1,000 New jobs In the coming years. Hermès forms these artisans in their own school, the École Hermès des Savoir-Fairewhich qualifies them to manufacture their boring bags and products. According to The specialized medium Wwd, The Colombian workshop, the factory will be built on an old industrial land and is expected to be operational in 2028 and will be especially dedicated to producing its Kelly and Constance bags. The Isle d’Eguegnac plant will open its doors at the end of this year, while those of Loupes and Charleville-Mézières will do so in 2026 and 2027, respectively. The delicate balance of scarcity. Hermès’s sustained growth is reflected in her Financial results of the first quarter of 2025. The company billed 4,129 million euros, 8.5% more than the previous year and registered a 10% increase in sales of leather items compared to the previous year. This performance has allowed Hermès to overcome LVMH as The most valuable luxury company in the worldwith a capitalization of 276.3 billion dollars. The strategy of maintaining limited production, based on exclusivity, has proven profitable and sustainable in the luxury sector, which has used it in all its versions. For this reason, Hermès cannot simply manufacture its products and must very carefully monitor the increase in units that puts on the market to preserve the value of those that have already been sold. “We try to increase production at a fast pace, but we stay in the artisanal model, which in our opinion is synonymous with quality. We are not going to start looking for increases in productivity,” said Wwd Guillaume de Seynes, executive vice president of the manufacturing division and capital investments of Hermès. Deminting myths: production is not in China. If you have opened Tiktok or Instagram in recent weeks you will have seen any of the thousands of Chinese influencers videos They have risen to their profiles, ensuring that Hermès and LVMH bags are manufactured in China by $ 1,400, but these brands multiply their price by ten. This is an argument widely used by the imitations market and the “top blanket”, which is A whole industry in China. The reality is very different. The true added value of these brands lies in artisanal production in Europe. Hermès manufactures your leather bags and products in The 20 workshops that he has in France. LVMH, meanwhile, He does it in workshops located in France, Spain, Italy and the United States. Their watches are manufactured exclusively in watch workshops in Switzerland, while the jewelry lines of the signature of Bernard Arnault are created in France, Italy and Switzerland. In Xataka | Luxury brands hoped to land in the US after their fall in China: tariffs have cut their wings before taking off In Xataka | How Louis Vuitton makes money: of the unattainable luxury to mass luxury Image | Hermès (Alfred Piola, Kevin Scott)

The production of renewables in Europe is so strong that it is forcing nuclear power plants to work

by

In Europe there is a division around the closure of nuclear. Some countries have already disconnected them at all, such as Germanyor are in the process of doing so, like Spain. Meanwhile, France keeps them as a pillar of its electrical system. However, the arrival of spring has evidenced something that was suspected: the rise of renewables have forced nuclear plants to stop. A lot of light and little demand. The production of renewable energy has saturated the electrical networks in several European countries. According to Bloombergthe immediate consequence has been the fall in electricity prices, which on holidays (Easter and Easter) and with low demand have even become negative. In Spain, five of the seven nuclear reactors They stopped or reduced their burden And, in the case of France, its electric company, known by its acronym EDF, has cut its atomic production in an average of 4GW daily in March, double a year earlier. Negative prices When talking about negative price it may seem that electricity will be free, but it is not. This means that the electric market, based on time auctions, can yield negative prices when there is too much supply and very little demand. In those hours, producers or electrical companies have to pay to place their energy on the network. Renewables, which have legal priority of access, continue to function. On the other hand, nuclear cannot lower their power so quickly and operate in these conditions, especially in countries such as Spain where the tax burden has increased by 71% since 2019, According to PWC. The clean boom. The rise of renewables is promoting many countries to operate with energy 100% cleanrecently Spain He joined this new coverage. Yes, it is true that the increase in installed total capacity has grown vertiginously in a few years, reaching almost 700 GW According to the Global Energy Review 2025. In this commitment to clean generation systems, storage systems also enters batteries either Reservoirsin addition to creating A good electric structuredespite the fear of companies around The uncertainty of the closure of nuclear. What about nuclear energy? If the nuclear operate less hours and with low prices, they lose profitability. And if they also have to stop and restart due to demand variations, costs rise and technical risks increase. As has detailed The New York medium, France, with 70% of its electricity still of nuclear origin, is seeing how that technical rigidity collides with a system in transformation. EDF has warned that frequent variations hinder maintenance and routine tests. Spain already has put closing date To all its reactors between 2027 and 2035, and other countries follow that path. Forecasts According to Staffan Bergh, chief analyst of Bodecker Partners: “We will see many more hours with negative prices, and these will only increase during spring.” In this line the analyst explained that it is not necessary to install more renewable, but in knowing how to use them well, manage them better and complement them with intelligence. Image |Nuclear forum Xataka | A Tesla co -founder has done business with tariffs: it extracts rare land from old batteries without going through China

Vestager stopped the mergers but Ribera wants to bless them. Europe plays its last letter in telecos

by

Two months have passed since Financial Times He advanced, on the eve of MWC 2025the plan of the new European Competition Commissioner, Teresa Ribera, to rewrite the rules of the game. That short period has been enough to certify that Ribera does not look like much Margrethe Vestager. Or at least he wants to evolve his legacy not only to continue it. Where the Danish saw concentration, the Spanish sees competitive muscle. Vestager raised the low price dogma to legislative totem. Ribera, in his first three months in office, added three axes: Innovation. Reinvestment. And environmental and social criteria. He has also made it clear that the price will no longer be the only Lighthouse in Brussels. The underlying message: a company that breathes can think about the future. An asphyxiated, no. Why is it important. This year’s MWC was the one chosen by European telecos to close ranks and launch a joint proclamation: consolidation or inconsequence. Europe has 34 operators for 450 million citizens. The United States has 3 operators for 335 million. The stock market value of telecos in Europe has fallen 40% since 2015 with a slight recovery in recent months. Without scale it is difficult for investments to arrive for the 5g Stand-Alonethe universal fiber or the AI ​​at the network level. European digital sovereignty is settled on mud. And Ribera lands coinciding with the Clean Industrial Deal and the Draghi report claiming “continental champions” capable of standing face and Chinese. He Timing It couldn’t be better for those who want to move. The name. Marc Murtra, about to fulfill his symbolic first hundred days in front of Telefónica, has smelled the blood: Everything is ready to go to sign smaller fish if Brussels open the window. And Ribera is in it. What is cooked. Three keys: Domestic consolidation. Each country could go from four or five large networks to two or three. The reason: Relieve Capex duplicities. Cross -border mergers. The real objective. The union Telefónica-Vodafone He has put on the table again. AND Digi Figure as tactical piece. Repricing stock market. With a regulator predisposed to bless size and investment, telecos could sell a growth story, not just survival. Narrator’s voice: Investors love growth stories and flee from survival. Between the lines. Ribera speaks of “being able to reinvest” and “lead green standards.” Translated from Bruslense: Yes to the scale, but with environmental and social counterparts. The turn fits with the new Brussels compass: Geoeconomy over dogma Low Cost. And the clock runs: Nvidia, Openai or Tesla will not wait for Europe to decide how much their cables cost. The next. If Ribera converts the words into an official guide before summer, 2025 could close with the first large paneurpeo marriage of the decade. And with the definitive confirmation that the Vestager era – define the competition only for the price of the minute – already belongs to the history books. In Xataka | 100 years after his birth, Telefónica faces the greatest existential dilemma in its history: what wants to be older Outstanding image | European Commission, Xataka

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.