Detail

US President Trump announced on March 26 that a 25% permanent tariff will be imposed on all imported cars and certain key auto parts starting from April 3. The measure, based on Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, aims to protect US "national security". The new tariffs will increase the import tax on passenger cars to 27.5% and commercial vehicles to 50%. Parts that meet the USMCA standards will temporarily be exempt from the tariffs. This move is expected to significantly impact the global auto industry, especially Japanese automakers, which heavily rely on exports to the US and may see substantial profit losses.

Arcfox's new sedan test spy shots have been revealed, continuing the design style of Arcfox T1 and likely to be named Arcfox S1, targeting competitors like Qin PLUS EV and AION S. The new car features quadrilateral headlights, a Through-type light strip and a closed grille. The body side has a fastback shape with hidden door handles, and the tail is heavily disguised but expected to have similar taillights to Arcfox T1. The interior includes a large floating center console screen, digital instrument cluster, floating central console with wireless charging, and spacious rear seating. The powertrain is expected to feature a 70-kilowatt single motor.

Daimler Truck, Mitsubishi Fuso, Hino, and Toyota have announced a definitive agreement to merge Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino. The collaboration aims to enhance business efficiency in development, procurement, and production, thereby strengthening the competitiveness of Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturers. The new holding company will focus on addressing challenges such as carbon neutrality and logistics efficiency in the commercial vehicle sector while advancing global commercial vehicle operations through CASE technologies (Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric).

Avita has surpassed the 150,000 sales milestone with an average vehicle price exceeding 270,000 yuan. The brand plans to launch 17 new models by 2030, covering sedans, SUVs, coupes, and MPVs. Leveraging the support of Changan Automobile, CATL, and Huawei, Avita continuously optimizes hardware and software, completing 36 OTA upgrades. A major upgrade is imminent, focusing on enhancing user experience and intelligent driving functions. Its sales network exceeds 700 touchpoints, with an 82% coverage rate in prefecture-level cities, and it is accelerating its overseas market expansion.

On June 5th, 2025, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) expressed deep concern over the lack of progress on the revision of the Weights & Dimensions Directive, following a progress report in the Transport Council. With the EU’s 2030 CO2 reduction targets for heavy-duty vehicles approaching, ACEA urged member states to expedite the negotiations. The revision is crucial for enabling the mass market uptake of zero-emission trucks and buses across the EU. Updating vehicle weight, axle weight, and length limits is essential for battery-electric and hydrogen-powered trucks to compete fairly with conventional diesel models. Despite consensus among stakeholders, the Commission, and the Parliament, member states have failed to agree on meaningful reform. The deadlock in the Council seriously undermines the market adoption of zero-emission vehicles, which are required to make up at least one-third of new heavy-duty vehicles by 2030. ACEA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the green transition and is ready to work with all EU institutions and industry partners to bring the negotiations on the revised directive to a swift conclusion.

In May 2025, Argentina's vehicle production reached 48,109 units, up 5.8% month-on-month and 25.2% year-on-year. Vehicle exports amounted to 26,346 units, marking a 16.4% increase from April and a 14.7% rise from May 2024. In the first five months, total vehicle production reached 207,630 units, up 12.4% from the same period in 2024, while exports totaled 106,894 units, up 0.9%. The Association of Automobile Manufacturers (ADEFA) noted that despite a slowdown in export growth, the domestic market remains strong. Future efforts will focus on boosting production and exports, leveraging the growth opportunities in the Latin American market.