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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, 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.

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.

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.