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Honda plans to source around 400,000 hybrid vehicle batteries from Toyota’s North Carolina plant to circumvent tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. Toyota’s $14 billion factory, its first battery plant outside Japan, will begin production next month. This move is part of a broader trend among Japanese automakers to restructure supply chains in response to US tariffs. Demand for efficient hybrids is rising in the US, while President Trump plans to scrap his predecessor’s initiative to promote electric vehicles. By 2030, hybrid vehicle sales in the US are projected to double last year’s figure to 4.12 million units, accounting for a quarter of new car sales. Honda aims to sell 1.3 million hybrids globally (excluding China) by 2030, a 50% increase from last year. However, Trump’s trade policies pose challenges, with a 20% tariff on Chinese imports and plans to raise tariffs on Japanese car imports from 2.5% to 25%. Japan exports 1.3 million cars to the US annually, and the tariff hike is expected to cost Japan’s six major automakers approximately $20 billion.

Tesla has launched the refreshed Model Y with two configurations: the Rear-Wheel Drive Launch Edition priced at 263,500 RMB and the Long Range All-Wheel-Drive Launch Edition at 303,500 RMB. The refreshed Model Y features significant updates in design, interior, rear seating, range, and suspension. The exterior includes a new front end with split headlights and a full-width taillight bar, reducing the drag coefficient to 0.22 for improved range. The interior offers two color options with increased Alcantara coverage and a 15-inch central touchscreen powered by an AMD Ryzen chip. The vehicle also introduces a new Glacier Blue color option.

Wuling has released official teasers of its new electric compact SUV, Bingsuo S. The vehicle features a sleek design with wing-like LED headlights and a pulsar ring tail light. It measures 4265/1785/1600mm in length, width and height with a 2610mm wheelbase. Equipped with a single motor of 75kW power and a phosphate iron lithium battery pack, the Bingsuo S is set to hit the market in Q3.

BMW’s Neue Klasse era will be kicked off by the all-new iX3, debuting at the IAA Mobility show in Munich next month. The first variant, the iX3 50 xDrive, features the new eDrive Gen6 system, offering a 40% reduction in energy loss, 20% in costs, and 10% in weight compared to the Gen5 model, with a 20% increase in overall efficiency. The eDrive Gen6 system is produced at BMW’s Steyr plant in Austria, with over one billion euros to be invested by 2030 for electric drive system development and production. The new iX3 is expected to achieve up to 800 km range (WLTP) and supports 400 kW DC fast charging, gaining over 350 km in just 10 minutes.

The Zeekr 009 Brilliance Edition will be available in Ice Jade White starting August 5th, with an official suggested retail price starting at 789,000 yuan, a free option. This new color, meticulously blended from 12 pigments, complements the handcrafted Silver front grille and features a natural Himalayan marble interior. The vehicle measures 5217 × 2024 × 1812 mm, with a 3205 mm wheelbase. It features an 800V platform, dual-motor all-wheel drive, 789 horsepower, and a 0-100 km/h acceleration of 3.9 seconds. Nationwide deliveries begin this month.

Jaguar launches two new XFL trims: Luxury at ¥239.8k and 90th Anniversary at ¥269.8k after discount. Both feature blackout styling on a 5102 mm body with 3100 mm wheelbase, Meridian audio, crystal shifter and 2.0T+8AT powertrains delivering 250 or 300 PS.