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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.

Mercedes-Benz has announced that its new fully electric GLC EQ will debut at the IAA Mobility show in Munich on September 7. The GLC EQ features a pixel-style grille with 942 illuminated points and dynamic animations, with a standard chrome grille option also available. The grille is larger than the conventional GLC, accompanied by narrow headlights and triangular air curtains for improved aerodynamics. The GLC EQ is based on an 800-volt platform, supporting 320 kW DC fast charging, with a capability to recharge 260 km in just 10 minutes. The vehicle’s wheelbase is increased by 80 mm to 2,888 mm, offering more rear passenger space and optional S-Class-derived air suspension and MBUX Hyperscreen digital cockpit.

Luxeed has released the official images of the new Luxeed S7, which will start pre-orders on August 8th with a focus on upgraded configurations. The new model features a new logo and a new Aurora Green paint option. It is equipped with 4D millimeter-wave radar, rear high-precision solid-state lidar, and an auxiliary driving prompt blue light. Positioned as a mid-large pure-electric sedan, the vehicle measures 4971/1963/1474mm in length, width, and height with a 2950mm wheelbase. It features the Huawei HarmonyOS cockpit and the Qiankun assisted driving system, with a zero-gravity passenger seat. Powertrain-wise, it comes with an 800V silicon carbide high-voltage platform, with a single motor max power of 215kW and dual motors max power of 365kW. The 0-100km/h acceleration time is as fast as 3.3 seconds, with a range of 705-855km. The vehicle also features the Tuling chassis.

Li Auto merges the i8 range into a single Max trim priced RMB 339.8k—RMB 10k lower than before and includes RMB 10k premium audio. Existing Ultra buyers can keep all features for RMB 349.8k; Pro buyers get dedicated support. The 6-seat full-size electric SUV offers a 3050 mm wheelbase, 544 hp dual-motor AWD, 720 km CLTC range, 5C fast-charging (500 km in 10 min), dual-chamber air suspension and MindVLA AD. Customers must finalise specs in the app by 10 Aug for unchanged delivery timing.