Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
New $7,500 EV Tax Credit Passes Senate, Requires Carmakers To End Reliance On Chinese Batteries
A revised EV tax credit will reinstate the incentives given to car makers that have sold more than 200,000 electric vehicles but will require supply chain changes to be put in place. This includes a new stipulation that requires vehicles not only to be built in North America but for the battery materials to be at least 40 percent American-sourced in 2024. The percentage will increase by 10 percent each year, until 100 percent American batteries are required. At present, China makes up some 76 percent of the lithium-ion battery market.
Lucid Air Goes To The Dark Side With New Stealth Look Appearance Package
The Lucid Air is getting its first appearance package, dubbed the “Stealth Look.” The option changes 35 different components on the car’s exterior to a gloss black or satin graphite finish, some of which include the mirror caps, roof cantrails, the headlight and taillight trim, front nose blade, C-pillar flags, and parts of the lower body trim. You also get the choice of a new wheel design in either 20- or 21-inches
MG7 Flagship Sedan Previewed In China As The First Member Of The Black Label Series
The MG7 is making a return, but this time as an all-new model (and not a mildly facelifted Rover). The MG7 will be part of the brand’s upmarket push, and is a member of the Black Label series, said to prioritize styling and premium features. There are hints from the MG Cyberster concept, while the overall design apes the fastback sedan shapes of cars like the Audi A7.
Tesla Driver Loses License For 5 Years, Blames Autopilot Despite Drunk Driving
We may one day live in a future where cars can whisk us home after a night on the town, but as one Tesla Model X owner in China found out, that day is still some way off. The driver in question has had his license revoked when, having been out drinking, he decided he’d sit in the passenger seat and let his Tesla drive him home. Unfortunately for him, the car proceeded to run off the road and crashed onto the top of a park bench.
Toyota C-HR Range Grows In Japan With Safety-Focused Variants
Toyota Japan is focusing on safety with its latest variants of the C-HR crossover. Customers will be able to select from the aptly-named G ‘Mode-Nero Safety Plus III’ and GT’ Mode-Nero Safety Plus III.’ On the active safety side, there’s a system that mitigates collisions when the accelerator is pressed too far, and the car detects a stationary object. Both cars also feature a radar system that detects vehicles coming from the left and right, as well as a panoramic view monitor.
Would The New 2023 Honda Civic Type R Make Sense In Sedan Form?
These independent and speculative illustrations from Theottle show what a sedan version of the Honda Civic Type R would look like. The last time we got a four-door three-box sedan Civic Type R was one of the all-time greats: the JDM-only FD2R.
Mercedes-AMG’s New $3.5k Office Chair Is Actually A Car Seat On Wheels
With “gaming chairs” all the rage, it’s a surprise we haven’t seen too many car manufacturers muscling in on the car-inspired office/computer chair market. But that’s precisely what Mercedes-AMG has done, taking the seat out of a GLA 45 S and adding wheels to it. At €3,500 ($3,569), it’s far from cheap but is still less expensive than the offerings from Porsche and Rolls-Royce.
What Else Is Making The News
Lewis Hamilton, The Cover Star Of Vanity Fair
View this post on Instagram
Lewis Hamilton is kicking off the summer break as the cover star of the latest issue of Vanity Fair. In a wide-ranging interview with the magazine, Hamilton discusses how he felt like an outsider at the beginning of his F1 career, how he regrets his comments made on his nephew’s dress, and how he came very close to playing a pilot in Top Gun: Maverick.
New Research Suggests That Spider Dream
View this post on Instagram
A new study published this week suggests that spiders could experience rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep. Video of jumping spiders sleeping shows the Arachnids twitching and curling their legs, with the components of their eyes shifting rapidly.