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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.

The new Buick GL8 Avenir PHEV has been officially unveiled, featuring the new “True Dragon” plug-in hybrid Pro system with a combined range of 1,450 km and a pure-electric range of 202 km, supporting 5C fast charging. The exterior adopts the Avenir luxury aesthetic design, with a large front grille, matrix chrome elements, and a star-ring 1.9-meter Through-type headlights. The vehicle introduces a new “Purple Qi” paint color. The body measures 5,219×1,878×1,807 mm with 18-inch wheels. The interior continues the GL8 family design, with soft materials, an integrated dual-screen, a new dual-spoke steering wheel, seat adjustment/memory functions, ambient lighting, and wireless charging. The new model is set to launch in late August.

On August 8th, the ARCFOX T1 was officially unveiled and has completed the MIIT declaration process, set to start pre-sales in late August. As a new compact model, it features the ARC-FLOW concept design language, with a more rounded and youthful appearance. The vehicle includes a star-ring Through-type light strip and C-shaped air intakes on the bumper for a sporty look. The side profile features hidden door handles and black trim, while the tail is designed with a narrow-top, wide-bottom shape and distinctive taillights. The interior has a flat dashboard with a dual-tone color scheme and features a 15.6-inch floating center console screen and an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster. The vehicle measures 4,337×1,860×1,572 mm with a wheelbase of 2,770 mm and is powered by a 70 kW motor with a phosphate iron lithium battery.

On August 8th, AITO Motors unveiled the interior of the new AITO M8 BEV. The vehicle features a triple-screen design, including a full digital instrument cluster, a central control screen, and a passenger entertainment screen, enhancing its tech appeal. As one of the first models to adopt Huawei's Kunlun ADS 4 and Huawei's Whale 800V high-voltage battery platform, it offers a CLTC range of 705 km. The interior includes air-cooled dual wireless charging slots for smartphones, dual cup holders, and a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel. The seating layout is a 2+2+2 six-seater configuration with small tables in front of the second-row seats. Externally, the vehicle retains the Kunpeng design language, with a honeycomb-style front bumper and a sleek rear design featuring a chrome-plated strip and rounded polygonal headlights for high recognizability. The vehicle will debut on August 9th and is set to go on sale within August.

BAOJUN Motors has launched the Yueyue PLUS 301km Coffee Entrepreneur Edition, a small pure-electric SUV priced at 116,800 yuan. The vehicle features a motor with a maximum power of 75 kW and a maximum torque of 180 Nm, paired with a 31.9 kWh battery offering a CLTC range of 301 km. The configuration is comparable to the 2026 BAOJUN Yueyue PLUS 301km Flagship Edition, but the new model is priced 40,000 yuan higher. This suggests that the target audience for the new model may not be typical C-end consumers.