Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
US Government Hints At Opening EV Tax Credit To Countries With Free Trade Agreements
America’s Inflation Reduction Act hasn’t landed so well with foreign automakers, with officials from Japan, South Korea, and the European Union pressuring the Biden Administration for changes. The act requires that production and sourcing of EVs be in and from North America to qualify for incentives. But a U.S. Department of Treasury whitepaper indicates that an expansion of tax credit eligibility may be made for nations with free-trade agreements.
Production Mengshi M-Terrain Looks Like The Lovechild Of A Hummer And An FJ Cruiser
Built for Dongfeng’s Mengshi brand, the new M-Terrain EV has been revealed in production guise, and first impressions show us a no-nonsense SUV designed to be taken off-road. Up front, a menacing front bumper will aid approach angles, while a skid plate is present for protection. The doors feature massive hinges, while the rest of the design has a sharp and aggressive edge to it. The Mengshi M-Terrain EV is expected to be offered in all-electric and range-extender guises, the first of which will pair a 140 kWh battery pack with four electric motors to deliver a total of 1,000 hp and travel up to 500 km (310 miles) on a charge.
Damd Shows Suzuki Jimny SUVs Styled After G-Class, A Defender Van And A Tuned Hustler
Tuning company Damd will be bringing several modified Suzukis to the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon. Three will be based on the Jimny, with all of them taking inspiration from various Mercedes G-Classes. Meanwhile, there’s also the Little D bodykit for the Suzuki Every van. It turns the van into a wannabe mini Defender, which includes front fenders, a tiny bonnet, a grille, an off-road bumper, headlights, a roof-mounted tent, PIAA LEDs, and mounts for tools and equipment. Finally, the Suzuki Hustler Country aims to add some adventure to the cutesy Kei car.
BAIC BJ90 Returns At Half Price, Retains Mercedes GL Bones And Jeep Face
Chinese automaker BAIC has reintroduced the BJ90. Dubbed the Shanhe Edition, the return of the BJ90 brings with it a much lower price than it was previously offered. Based on the 2012-2019 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class / GLS, it can be had for ¥478,000 – 498,000 ($68,649 – 71,521), much less than the ¥998,000 ($143,345) it was previously offered at.
Companies planning to test autonomous vehicles in Washington will have to pay a steep price for insurance thanks to new rules set out by the state legislature. Companies trying self-driving technology will be required to pay for a policy that covers it for no less than $5 million. The state minimum for liability insurance for regular drivers is just $25,000. That means that the requirement for companies testing autonomous vehicles is 200 times higher than it is for human drivers.
2023 Chrysler 300C Waiting List Is Full As 485 HP Sedan Sees ‘Overwhelming Demand’
The Chrysler 300C’s return has been nothing short of a success so far, with reservations filling up just 12 hours after it was launched at the North American International Auto Show. At the time, the automaker opened a waiting list for the 485 hp 6.4-liter HEMI V8 sedan, but it would seem that even that is now full. Chrysler will only offer 2,000 units in the United States, while the 300C will be even rarer in its home country of Canada where just 200 units will be available.
What Else Is Making The News
Andrew Tate Reportedly Arrested, Likely Thanks To Pizza Box Clapback To Greta Thunberg
It’s reported that online personality Andrew Tate has been arrested in Romania, along with his brother, over a rape and human trafficking investigation. The controversial celebrity had his house raided, while many speculated that a video Tate posted to Twitter in a row with Greta Thunberg may have tipped the police off. In the video, Tate is seen receiving Pizza box from a Romanian chain that may have revealed his location. Following the arrest, Thunberg tweeted, “this is what happens when you don’t recycle your pizza boxes,” referring to the online rumor.
Watchdog To Investigate Hacker’s Claim He Stole Details To 400 Million Twitter Accounts
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) will investigate a hacker’s claim that the details of 400 million Twitter accounts have been stolen. The hacker, “Ryushi,” is demanding $200,000 to hand over and delete the data, reports BBC News. Twitter has not responded to the claim.