Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…

Toyota Investing $5.6 Billion Into U.S. And Japanese EV Battery Production

While there’s no arguing Toyota is on the backfoot when it comes to EV development, the company has just announced a sizeable investment in its U.S. and Japanese battery production. Of the 730 billion yen ($5.6 billion) investment, 325 billion yen ($2.34 billion) will be invested in Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina that’s 90 percent owned by Toyota Motor North America and 10 percent owned by the Toyota Tsusho Corporation.

2023 Honda Civic Type R Makes 315 HP, Goes On Sale This Fall In The U.S.

Honda has finally confirmed the 2023 Civic Type R’s performance specs, with its turbocharged inline-four-cylinder engine delivering 315 hp (235 kW/319 PS) at 6,500 rpm and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque between 2,600 and 4,000 rpm. Those figures will make the new Type R the most powerful Honda to be offered to U.S. customers from the factory when it arrives in dealerships this fall.

Buzzing Bye: Dodge Reveals Limited Edition 2023 Charger Super Bee That Comes With Drag Radials

As the combustion-powered Charger and Challenger exit stage left, Dodge is commemorating the model with a limited run of seven special edition models. The latest to be revealed is the 2023 Charger Super bee, which will be limited to just 500 examples. Aimed to be a drag strip special, the Super Bee will be offered in two flavors: 500 standard-width cars finished in B5 Blue and 500 widebody models in Plum Crazy. The Super Bee will be fitted with drag radials, a drag mode for the adaptive suspension, a functional scoop with hood pins, and four-piston Brembo brake calipers.

Tesla Customers In Norway Go On Hunger Strike To Protest Poor Vehicle Quality

A group of Norwegian Tesla owners who are unhappy with the company’s quality control took drastic measures to be heard. Hoping to catch the attention of CEO Elon Musk, the group of 17 Tesla owners went on a hunger strike for 24 hours between August 27 and 28. While it’s unclear if they actually did get Musk’s attention, the tech entrepreneur did make reference to his own intermittent fasting on Aug 28.

Jeep To Reveal Electrification Plans On September 8th

Jeep has announced that the brand will share more on its electrification plans during its 4xe day on September 8. The details so far are few, but the company confirmed that it is “accelerating toward Zero Emission Freedom and will make a series of announcements on its electrification plans.” The company also released a teaser video on social media that said they’ll “enter a new era of electrification” while also noting “freedom is electric.”

MG’s New Mulan Triumph Edition Is An Electric Hot Hatch With A Shocking 449 HP

The new MG Mulan, otherwise known as the MG4 outside of China, has gained a high-performance “Triumph Edition.” The new trim more than doubles the output of the existing models by offering up a combined 449 hp and 442 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque from a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain. MG says it will hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.8 seconds, while the 64 kWh ternary lithium battery pack will give it up to 285 miles (460 km) of range under the Chinese testing procedure. Pricing and availability of the Triumph are unknown, but it is likely to make an appearance in the UK market, aside from China.

What Else Is Making The News

Jeremy Clarkson Buys A Pub

Famed host of The Grand Tour and Clarkson’s Farm, Jeremy Clarkson, has bought a pub. However, while speaking to The Londoner, he apparently doesn’t know where it is or what it’s called. Clarkson has also launched his own brand of beer: Hawkstone Lager.

Snapchat Cuts 20 Percent Of Its Workforce

 

Social media company Snapchat has announced that it is cutting a fifth of its workforce following poor financial results. The company was worth $130 billion in 2021, but is now valued at less than $20 billion, reports the BBC. It will result in around 1,200 employees being left out of work.