Toyota has ordered a two-month delay in the launch of its next battery-electric vehicle, the Highlander EV, the 3-row model now pushed back until early next year. Headlight.News has the exclusive reason for the delay.
Manufacturing & Production
Tesla’s Sales Surge – But China’s BYD Set to Reclaim Global Lead
Tesla’s second-quarter sales surged by more than 20%, far exceeding Wall Street expectations. But China’s BYD handily maintained its global lead in EV sales. And that sent Tesla shares on a sharp decline.
VW May Cut 100k Jobs, Close Four Plants, in Biggest-Ever Restructuring
Volkswagen is preparing what may become the largest restructuring in its nearly 90-year history, a move that could see as many as 100,000 workers lose their jobs as four German plants close. The move is blamed on its weakening position against domestic Chinese brands like BYD and Geely, reports Headlight.News.
BMW’s Spartanburg Factory Is Becoming a Glimpse of the Auto Plant of the Future
The automobile factory of the future will not look like the one that built your grandfather’s car. In fact, BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina, plant is becoming a rolling experiment in what that future might look like.
Which Cars Are the Most American-Made?
Automakers are coming under increasing pressure to move production to the U.S. – with hefty tariffs penalizing not only products imported from abroad but those built in the States using foreign parts. Which products are the most “American-made”? A new study finds Tesla and Jeep at the top of the list, though Japanese brands make up six of the top 10 spots, reports Headlight.News.
UAW Ends Crippling Strike at Major GM Supplier
Members of the United Auto Workers Union ratified a new, four-year contract with the Dauch Corp. ending a strike at a plant in Three Rivers, Michigan. The agreement gives workers a big raise and ends the threat to General Motors truck production.
Dogfight Coming in the Midsize Truck Market
Once given up for dead, the midsize pickup segment is booming — but faces a real battle as more players get set to enter the game. Get the story at Headlight.News.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 5-26-26
This week on the podcast, we cover news from Stellantis, Volkswagen’s revival of the ID. Buzz, Ferrari finally building an EV, the Luce, and we review the 2026 Toyota Camry SE Nightshade. Check it out.
UAW Demands Quotas on Imports, Higher Wages in Next Canada/Mexico Trade Deal
The United Auto Workers says any new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada should include quotas on imports, while boosting wages of Mexican workers and providing American workers a chance at the American Dream. Read the story at Headlight.News.
Might Trump Open the Door to Chinese Autos to Ease Strained Relations?
President Donald Trump’s summit meeting with Chinese President Ji Xinping is expected to cover a broad range of topics straining relations between the two countries, from the future of Taiwan to trade. Few would be surprised if Xi doesn’t press his American counterpart to open the door to Chinese autos. And that has the U.S. automakers — and some key lawmakers worried. Get details at Headlight.News.
Hyundai’s Metaplant: Automation Station in the Age of AI
The city of Savannah is known for history — and, perhaps, ghosts — but low-slung, sleek industrial buildings that lay alongside a highway outside nearby Ellabell tell a more modern story. Those buildings make up Hyundai’s new Metaplant. The plant seems to represent the future of manufacturing — a future that’s even more automated than what we see now. Get the story at Headlight.News.