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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.

On August 8th, JiKrypton released its product update plan for the second half of 2025. The JiKrypton 001 will be equipped with the Thor-U chip and a 900V high-voltage system, with minor adjustments to its interior and exterior details. The JiKrypton X will be updated between September and Q4, with the addition of a new variant featuring the BRICS battery and adjustments to the interior. The JiKrypton 007, 001, and 7X are expected to complete their updates in Q4, with the 007 focusing on interior and exterior detail adjustments, and the 001 and 7X featuring the Thor-U chip and 900V high-voltage system in some models. The company noted that specific configurations will be confirmed at the time of official launch, and no other current models are planned for updates this year.

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.

AITO Motors has revealed new configurations for the AITO M7, including upgrades to its intelligent driving assistance system with the addition of a 3-distributed 4D millimeter-wave radar matrix, 2 4D millimeter-wave corner radars, and 1 rear solid-state lidar. The vehicle will also feature semi-hidden door handles and offer optional 21-inch Xuan Yao sport wheels. The 4D radar, which adds a height detection dimension compared to traditional 3D radar, can detect object distance, relative speed, azimuth, and height, enhancing object classification accuracy. The new model is expected to be launched in September.

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.