GM temporarily cuts shifts at Detroit electric vehicle plant

General Motors Co. is slowing production of two electric SUVs at Detroit's Factory Zero plant amid lower-than-expected U.S. interest in battery-powered vehicles. The automaker confirmed Thursday that it will shut down one shift each for the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Escalade IQ from Sept. 2 to Oct. 6; the move was first reported by the Detroit Free Press. Production of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV pickups at the Factory Zero Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center will be unchanged. "Factory ZERO is making temporary adjustments to production to align to market dynamics," spokesperson Kevin Kelly said in a statement.

Source: The Detroit News

Carmaker Shifts Focus to Big Crossovers From CX-30, Mazda3

Mazda saw production and exports from its home base in Japan plunge in July as the carmaker cut back on low-margin vehicles amid the U.S. tariff crunch. Output and shipments of the Mazda 3 small car as well as the CX-30 compact crossover fell as the company tries to prioritize larger, up-market models such as the CX-50, CX-70 and CX-90. The sudden slowdown in Japan underscores how tariffs are biting harder and forcing a strategy shift at export-dependent Mazda. CEO Masahiro Moro has pledged to restore profitability partly by focusing on higher-margin vehicles, as Mazda fights back from a quarterly loss in the April-June period.

Source: CBT News

Mercedes-Benz is reportedly in advanced discussions with BMW to source four-cylinder petrol engines for several upcoming models, a move that could reshape competition among German luxury automakers. The talks, first reported by the U.K.’s Autocar, come as Mercedes reevaluates its internal combustion engine strategy amid slower-than-expected electric vehicle adoption. According to industry reports, the potential agreement could be finalized before the end of 2025.

Source: CBT News

Nissan Motor Co. is overhauling its product pipeline for an electrified future. The automaker plans to deliver nearly 20 new and updated models to the U.S. and Canada by spring 2027. “We are laser-focused on product [and] we are just getting started,” Nissan Americas Chairman Christian Meunier said Aug. 20 at the brand’s national retailer meeting in Las Vegas. New platforms will support four to five vehicles with multiple powertrains, helping Nissan slash development and production costs. The next- generation Rogue will come in gasoline-engine and e-Power series hybrid flavors. In 2028, Nissan will reincarnate the quirky Xterra SUV.

Source: Automotive News

Volkswagen’s Audi is weighing a long-term annual sales target of 2 million vehicles, which would mark a record and a more aggressive growth strategy after recent setbacks, according to a person familiar with the matter. The new plan could be unveiled later this year as part of a broader strategy push under Chief Executive Gernot Döllner. The potential goal represents a roughly 20% increase from Audi’s 2025 target of 1.7 million to 1.8 million vehicles. The company delivered 1.67 million cars in 2024, down 11.8% from the year before, as launch delays and technology setbacks weighed on results. Much of the growth is expected to come from the U.S. market, where Audi aims to nearly double sales from its current 200,000 units annually.

Source: CBT News

As more U.S. auto consumers shop for new vehicles after the pandemic, more are switching brands, new data show. The S&P Global Mobility research shows a 4% increase in households returning to the auto-buying market during the first half of 2025 for the third straight year of gains. The increase has resulted in aggressive competition for those buyers, the data provider says. “Households are returning to market, but many are open to cross-shopping in ways we didn't see during the height of pre-pandemic loyalty,” said Vince Palomarez, who helps direct S&P Global Mobility’s loyalty product management.

Source: Auto Dealer Today

Mercedes-Benz and Geely’s joint venture micro-car brand, smart, announces it is developing a new A-segment 2-seat city car to be dubbed the smart #2. The battery-electric vehicle, expected to be launched by late 2026, will join the brand’s current lineup of #1, #3 and soon-to-be-launched SUV, the #5. The company says its #2 vehicle is in the final design and development phase and will be styled by a Mercedes-Benz design team and produced in China.

Source: WardsAuto

But there are a few caveats to this particular battery composition.

One could imagine that the first production EV with a semi-solid-state battery would be futuristic to the point that it features wedge surfacing sharp enough to give you a paper cut if you looked at it wrong. But in reality, it just looks like a surprisingly convincing take on the long-fantasized $25,000 Tesla Model 2 with an exterior design that's about 10 years out of date.
It's called the MG4. That's right—that MG, which has been owned by China's SAIC for about two decades. And it's expected to be priced somewhere near $10,000 when it goes on sale later this summer in various forms and battery versions.

Many Benefits, But Higher Cost, Too

Why is this a big deal? Solid-state batteries promise quicker charging times, greater thermal safety, better cold weather performance, higher energy density, and longer overall battery life, in addition to tolerating fuller charge/discharge cycles. This one, however, is a half-step toward these benefits, so it's still supposed to have better cold-weather performance, but energy density is about on par with traditional lithium-ion designs, and still contains 5% liquid electrolyte, which is more common in familiar lithium-ion compositions.

But it's still a big step forward, and frankly we're not surprised that it's happening in China.
Like we said—it's a half-step. The cost of this particular battery is unknown, but solid-state batteries are generally more expensive than lithium-ion batteries in today's EVs, which explains the slow rollout. Were this a completely solid-state design, it would have a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid or semi-liquid one, and it would lack an anode entirely, thereby saving quite a bit of weight and, uhh, the potential for thermal events. But MG's design is already reported to be much safer than traditional lithium-ion packs.

Battery Capacity, Range Still Unknown

It's also the liquid electrolyte in current lithium-ion designs that makes them heavy and rather easily combustible under the right conditions, as we've seen on countless YouTube videos of Teslas getting their batteries punctured by debris on the freeway.

There are still a few crucial unknowns: We won't know the battery capacity, range, or price for a few more weeks. Concrete details for the Chinese market are set to be revealed in September.
But don't expect over 160 hp in this single-motor hatch, as this will still be a commuter car with a length of 173 inches, aimed at a specific price point.

Still, it will have modern tech like a 15.6-inch infotainment screen dominating the dash.
It remains to be seen whether MG4's semi-solid-state design can be a meaningful technological step forward, but it's also hard to argue with any EV that starts near $10,000 with any battery pack, including cheaper LFP units.

MG isn't the only one working on solid-state batteries—pretty much all EV makers are. And it's definitely not the first one we'll see on the road stateside. Our money is on some European automaker, likely Mercedes-Benz or BMW. All the EV makers have been backing countless startups for the past decade, hoping they will arrive with the magic formula as well as the means to mass produce it.

That second part—mass production—might turn out to be more difficult than developing the correct and usable composition, and it's perhaps the main reason we haven't seen a solid-state battery in a production car here by now.

Source: Autoweek

U.S. light-vehicle sales in August 2025 rose for Toyota, Ford, Hyundai, Honda, and Subaru, driven by popular SUVs, electrified models, and ongoing promotions. Toyota and Hyundai both posted significant gains, while Honda and Subaru held relatively steady despite some declines in individual segments. Toyota brand sales increased 14% to 191,999 vehicles, with Lexus deliveries up 12% to 33,368. The RAV4 led Toyota’s growth, rising 20% to 42,311 units, while the Camry gained 14% to 28,523. Combined, Toyota Motor North America moved 225,367 vehicles in August, nearly 14% more than a year earlier. Ford reported a 5.3% rise in brand sales to 180,934 vehicles, although Lincoln deliveries slipped 15% to 8,379. Trucks and crossovers, including the Bronco, Expedition, and Explorer, drove gains. Electrified models contributed as well, with Mustang Mach-E deliveries up 35% to 7,226 units. However, the F-series pickups declined 3.4%.

Source: CBT News