Japan earthquake halts Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi production

Hyundai's IONIQ 3 at €27,995 ($30k) sparked record pre-order interest with 213-308 mile range across five trims. China's MG 07 drew 21,000 reservations in 20 hours at $18,600—double the MG4 Urban's pace—with 650-845 km range and 800V architecture. (via Electrek, via CarNewsChina)

Zoox clears the regulatory finish line. Amazon's Zoox robotaxi operator became the first US-approved driverless service with no steering wheels or pedals, cleared to deploy up to 2,500 vehicles annually in Las Vegas for two years. NHTSA retains the ability to revoke the exemption if major safety issues arise. (via CleanTechnica)

Mercedes redesigns the GLA as a pure EV. The updated model spans 408 WLTP miles (350 EPA estimate), with an 85 kWh battery supporting up to 349 hp and 320 kW fast charging that adds 167 miles in 10 minutes. US launch expected H2 2027 starting around $45,000. (via Electrek)

Hyundai concepts a 7-seat minivan for Indonesia. The Neira concept debuted at GIIAS 2026 targeting families with up to 304-mile range and 42-51.4 kWh battery options. Production starts by end of 2026 in Indonesia, though tariff pressures make US availability unlikely. (via Electrek)

BYD Sealion 08 pairs SUV scale with autonomous driving. The full-size model offers up to 900 km of CLTC range in pure-electric form, or plug-in hybrid variants for longer trips. DiPilot 5.0 autonomous driving with steering, zero-gravity seating, and five or six-seat layouts complete the package. (via CarNewsChina)

Tesla reached its 10-millionth vehicle this week, but the milestone masks a troubling deceleration: 2025 deliveries fell 9% to 1.64 million, and Q2 2026 production hit just 451,758 against annual capacity of 2.375 million. The aging Model 3 and Model Y lineup leaves over 500,000 units of potential annual capacity sitting idle. (via Electrek)

Global EV sales surge 35% as 50 nations hit records. The IEA reports Q2 2026 saw massive momentum, with EVs now representing 29% of worldwide vehicle sales. Over 90 nations posted year-over-year gains; Australia, Brazil, India, Korea, and Vietnam roughly doubled sales versus 2025. (via Electrek)

Kia EV3 Mexico production launches August 4. The Korean brand is investing $649 million at its Pesquería facility, creating 500 jobs initially and 1,500 by 2030. The 2027 US launch starts around $35,000 with 220-320 EPA miles and native NACS fast charging. (via Electrek)

Two solid-state battery leaders join forces to scale. A partnership between solid-state cell pioneers aims to commercialize breakthrough battery chemistry faster, taking aim at LFP's grip on affordable EV cost curves. (via Electrek)

Volvo ditches LiDAR, compensates EX90 owners. The Swedish brand is shifting to camera-based autonomous driving on its EX90 and ES90, compensating previous buyers for the sensor removal as it bets on pure-vision systems. (via Electrek)

China measures EV charging in seconds, not minutes. Breakthrough charging speeds in the country are compressing refill times dramatically, signaling how fast Chinese EV infrastructure is accelerating ahead of global peers. (via Electrek)

A devastating earthquake struck southwestern Japan on July 28, forcing Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi to halt production as critical suppliers—Aisin, Astemo, and Renesas—grappled with infrastructure damage. Lexus also paused operations. The shutdown threatens to ripple across global supply chains within days. (via Automotive News)

Rivian Q2 earnings: revenue up 27%, gross profit arrives. The EV maker posted $1.658 billion in quarterly revenue and its first consolidated $179 million gross profit (11% margin), though net loss still reached $837 million. R2 deliveries began June 9, signaling successful entry into the affordable segment. (via Electrek)

Stellantis posts second consecutive quarterly profit. Ram brand surges drove profitability, with the company planning more Hemi V-8 pickups this summer despite EV headwinds impacting other divisions globally. (via Automotive News)

Trump tariffs hit 50% on Canadian goods, targeting autos. US-Canada tensions escalated in July as the administration considers steep trade restrictions that could disrupt cross-border vehicle and component flows, raising supply-chain costs across the industry. (via Automotive News)

Carvana turns profit on new-vehicle push. The online dealer posted Q2 earnings driven by expanded new-car sales and record used-vehicle volumes, marking a turnaround from prior-year losses as it diversifies beyond pure resale. (via Automotive News)

Waymo integrated Google's Gemini AI assistant into its Ojai robotaxi cabin, allowing riders to adjust climate control, query journey details, and ask general questions via voice commands—independently from the autonomous driving system. The operator now runs 3,000+ vehicles across multiple cities. (via Electrek)

Momenta tests robotaxis across Germany with Uber backing. The Chinese autonomous-driving startup is deploying test fleets in German cities, with Uber deepening its investment in the partnership as competition for driverless services intensifies. (via CleanTechnica)