BYD brings 1,008-km Dynasty to the line as Waymo abandons Uber for solo robotaxi service
Plus: Audi cuts its outlook as China sales stumble and U.S. tariffs bite, while Musk claims Tesla Semi autonomy is a year away.
TL;DR
- BYD Da Han flagship sedan claims 1,008 km range on China's optimistic CLTC cycle with 764 hp AWD and 102.3 kWh LFP battery.
- Waymo is ending exclusive Uber partnership and launching its own robotaxi app in Austin and Atlanta by January 2028.
- Audi cuts sales outlook as China market slides and U.S. tariffs squeeze recovery; Volkswagen CEO urges EU to raise tariffs on Chinese PHEVs.
- Elon Musk says Tesla Semi autonomous driving is coming "around the end of this year or early next year," though his track record on self-driving deadlines is poor.
New models and reveals
BYD's megawatt Dynasty, Honda's 2029 Accord SUV, Land Rover steps back
China's carmaker and two legacy makers reshape their lineups: BYD with a flagship EV, Honda with a hybrid wagon-SUV, Land Rover by cutting the Discovery Sport.
BYD unveiled the Da Han, the flagship Dynasty-series sedan, with a claimed 1,008 km of range on the CLTC cycle and up to 764 hp from its dual-motor AWD setup. The 102.3 kWh LFP battery supports flash charging; BYD quotes 10 to 97 percent in nine minutes. The sedan arrives alongside a plug-in hybrid variant that claims 470 km of electric-only range. (via CarNewsChina)
Honda is lifting the Accord. The Japanese brand will launch a raised, SUV-style Accord in 2029, targeting the Subaru Outback market with hybrid power and sedan pricing. Several Honda nameplates will go hybrid-only by 2031, including the CR-V, Accord, Pilot, Ridgeline and Odyssey. (via Automotive News)
Land Rover pulls the Discovery Sport. Production of the midsize SUV ends in December 2026, though the Evoque and Velar will continue. (via Autocar)
EV and battery tech
Tesla and Waymo both charge into Tampa as Musk eyes Semi autonomy
Autonomous services are racing to new markets while timelines slip and skeptics mount.
Tesla and Waymo are both rolling into Tampa, Florida, expanding their autonomous ride-hailing footprints. Tesla's robotaxi service launched unsupervised from day one—no safety driver—with pricing slightly below Uber, though the service zone covers only about 5 percent of the Tampa Bay area and demand already exceeds supply. Waymo is testing its new Ojai vehicle, made by Geely-owned Zeekr in China, though only with employees so far. (via CleanTechnica)
Musk: Tesla Semi self-driving "probably around the end of this year or early next year." The CEO's timeline claim comes as Tesla has logged 380,000 unsupervised robotaxi miles with zero notable incidents. However, Musk has a history of missing self-driving deadlines—roughly 10 promises since 2013, all overdue—making truckers' jobs safe through the 2030s at minimum. (via Electrek)
Industry and sales
Audi's China slide deepens as Waymo breaks free from Uber and VW demands tariff walls
Europe's giants face Chinese competition and American tariffs as autonomous vehicle markets reshape.
Audi, the Volkswagen Group's luxury division, cut its sales outlook as China market sales plummeted and U.S. tariffs squeeze the recovery. The carmaker is shifting night-shift workers to daytime operations at its Neckarsulm plant after A8 production ends, part of a cost-cutting drive that includes 7,500 job cuts by 2029. (via Automotive News)
Waymo exits exclusive Uber partnership. The autonomous-vehicle operator is ending its tie-up with the ride-hailing giant in Austin and Atlanta, launching its own robotaxi app by January 2028 instead. The split intensifies competition in autonomous vehicle markets as Waymo and other operators race to go independent. (via Automotive News)
VW CEO demands EU tariffs on Chinese plug-in hybrids. Oliver Blume pushed the European Union to impose tariffs on Chinese PHEVs, which now capture 28 percent of Europe's plug-in hybrid market—displacing the VW Tiguan as the best-seller. The move reflects alarm among European makers over Chinese competition that tariffs alone have failed to slow. (via Automotive News)