Tesla CEO Elon Musk earlier this year promised to bring to market a more affordable EV and, with federal tax credits having ended last week this may be the perfect time to roll it out. The automaker’s account on X teased what could be a new, lower-cost version of the Model Y expected to debut on Tuesday. Headlight.News has more.
Tariffs enacted by Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump effectively closed the door on auto imports from China – only a few products now entering the U.S. But, despite the current hefty tariffs, observers expect that the Trump administration will soon open the American market up to Chinese products, while also encouraging manufacturers like BYD and Geely to set up U.S. manufacturing operations. While American motorists would likely welcome vehicles like the $20,000 BYD Dolphin, this could pose an “existential threat” to traditional automakers, reports Headlight.News.
It’s been a long run but the Subaru Legacy has reached the end of the line. The last of the once-popular sedans has rolled off the assembly line at the Subaru plant in Indiana, a victim of the ongoing market shift from sedans and coupes to SUVs and CUVs. Headlight.News has the story.
Hyundai plans to locally produce 80% of the vehicles it sells in the U.S., the automaker announced Thursday. As part of a $55 billion global investment program it will spend $2.7 billion to expand the electrified vehicle plant near Savannah, Georgia hit by an ICE raid two weeks ago, boosting its production capacity to 500,000 vehicles annually. More from Headlight.News.
Japan reached a trade deal with the Trump administration that will lower tariffs on its auto imports to 15%. That’s nearly half what the president’s trade war initially imposed on Japanese-made vehicles – but its still six times more than the duties in place before the Trump trade war – which means thousands of dollars in potential price hikes should automakers pass the tariffs on to consumers. More from Headlight.News.
Toyota plans to introduce all-electric versions of two familiar SUVs, the RAV4 and Land Cruiser, according to a new report, with both set to be assembled at the automaker’s plant in Georgetown, Kentucky. More from Headlight.News.
Hundreds of South Korean workers detained by an ICE raid at a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia were returned home to cheers from family and government officials. But Korean companies are worried that more immigration raids will follow, throwing into chaos Korean-owned auto, shipbuilding, steel and electrical equipment operations across the U.S. Headlight.News has more.
South Korea’s foreign minister headed to the U.S. Monday morning to move forward with plans to release hundreds of South Korean nationals arrested last week while working on the construction of a $7.6 billion Hyundai battery plant in Georgia. The move came just days after the Korean carmaker upped investment plans for the U.S. to $26 billion — and threatens to chill relations between the U.S. and one of its staunchest allies. Headlight.News has more.
Hundreds of employees of LG Energy Solution, a South Korean battery maker, were taken into custody in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant being built outside Savannah, Georgia, officials from both ICE and the South Korea’s Foreign Ministry have confirmed.
Ford plans to scrap two of its more popular SUVs, the Escape and near-twin Lincoln Corsair, as it converts its plant in Louisville, Kentucky to produce a new generation of EVs. But that won’t leave a big gap in the line-up, various sources tell Headlight.News. Here’s what coming to replace the two SUVs.
Hyundai Motor Group will invest $26 billion in the U.S. market, the automaker announced, a $5 billion increase from the figure it announced earlier this year. The increased budget will be used to expand the groups presence in the steel and robotics industries, as well as to expand its automotive operations. More from Headlight.News.
Auto exports from the U.S. to its northern neighbor have plunged in the wake of the Trump tariff war, Canada now importing more vehicles from Mexico for the first time in three decades.