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Proton's e.MAS sub-brand passed 31,504 electrified registrations as of 31 July, the fastest any brand has reached that mark in Malaysian history - 20 months after the e.MAS 7's December 2024 launch. e.MAS now holds 42.6% of Malaysia's EV market, led by the e.MAS 5 hatchback.

smart relaunched the second-generation #1 in China on August 6, moving the whole range onto an 800V silicon-carbide platform for the first time. The 61.52 kWh LFP battery gives 535 km CLTC range, with 10-80% DC charging in 12 minutes, from ¥149,900 ($22,080).

Brand CEO Gernot Döllner says the next Q8 had not been signed off when he took the job and the decision was reversed. The five-seat coupe format stays, with V6 and V8 petrol engines expected, including the 4.0 twin-turbo V8 from the new SQ9. No prototypes have been seen and the debut is expected around 2028.

General Motors and SAIC have run their joint venture out to 2047 and given it a new job: at least 30 new-energy models by 2030, built in China and shipped to the Middle East, Africa, South America, Mexico and Asia-Pacific. The Buick Electra E7 goes first, in October. Chevrolet, meanwhile, stops selling in China.

Korean sales of the eighth-generation Elantra, badged Avante at home, have opened at ₩23,980,000 ($17,300) for the 149 hp 2.0-litre petrol and ₩30,420,000 ($21,900) for the 157 hp hybrid. Both come with the Pleos Connect infotainment system and its Gleo AI voice assistant.

Dongfeng Nissan has published the first official images of the NX7, a compact SUV that sits below the NX8 in the China-developed N-series. A roof-mounted lidar and semi-flush door handles are visible; dimensions, interior and powertrain are not disclosed. Chinese sales are planned before the end of 2026.

Nissan posted a ¥3.8 billion ($24 million) net profit for the first quarter of its 2026 fiscal year, against a ¥115.8 billion loss a year earlier. Global sales still fell 6.7% in the first half of 2026, and the company trimmed its full-year volume forecast to 3.15 million cars.

BAIC and Huawei's second HIMA model is taking Chinese preorders at ¥439,800 to ¥559,800 ($64,200 to $81,700). The angular SUV runs an 800V architecture with all-wheel drive, air suspension and rear-wheel steering as standard, in EREV form with up to 405 km of electric CLTC range or as an EV with 728 km.

The 2027 C-HR arrives in the United States as an electric car only, with dual motors, all-wheel drive and 338 hp in both trims. A 74.7 kWh battery gives up to 287 miles, the charge port is NACS, and the SE opens at $37,080. Sales start in September.

The Dingcang Edition drops the U8L's third row for two armchairs that recline to 150 degrees, adds a 21.4-inch ceiling screen and two refrigerators, and costs ¥1,458,000 ($216,000). The range-extended powertrain is unchanged at 1,196 hp, with a slightly larger battery good for 230 km of electric CLTC range.

BMW has pushed a full-screen promo for Sony's Spider-Man: Brand New Day to the infotainment systems of cars already sold, three years after saying it would not sell screen space for advertising. The campaign runs 27 July to 10 August 2026 in more than 70 countries.

BYD has revealed the Sealion 08, a 5,115 mm flagship SUV for its Ocean sub-brand with a five- or six-seat cabin, a rear ceiling screen, and a built-in refrigerator. It comes as a DM-i plug-in hybrid or a battery-electric SUV with up to 796 hp. China sales are expected from August 2026.

Ford and Geely are forming a joint venture at Ford's Valencia, Spain plant, with Ford holding 66% and Geely 34%. One of the first projects could be a next-generation Ford Kuga, reportedly moving to Geely's GEA architecture around 2029.

Jetta, the FAW-Volkswagen budget brand for China, has revealed the M6, its first electric vehicle. The sedan is close in size to a Volkswagen Passat, front-wheel drive with 154 hp or 197 hp motor options, and is due in China before the end of 2026.

JLR has named 15-year company veteran Mark Cameron to lead its US and Canada business from September 1, 2026, succeeding Joe Eberhardt after nearly 13 years in the role. Cameron takes over as JLR wants to double North America's business within five years and prepares to launch the Range Rover Electric and the reborn Jaguar Type 01.

Mercedes-Benz has started returning physical controls to its interiors after customer complaints about touch surfaces. The new CLA Shooting Brake and electric GLC get a steering wheel with rollers, keys and switches, and that wheel becomes standard on future models.

Uber and Rivian will build a robotaxi fleet on the electric R2 crossover, with Uber investing up to $1.25 billion in Rivian through 2031 if autonomy milestones are met. The service starts in 2028 in San Francisco and Miami.

Xpeng has revealed the G9L, a five-seat SUV between the G9 and the six-seat flagship GX on the same 800V platform. It comes as an EREV or a battery-electric SUV, from 286 hp up to 585 hp on the top all-wheel- drive EV. China sales open before the end of 2026.

BMW is preparing its biggest lineup overhaul in years, with more than 40 launches promised across every segment as Neue Klasse design and technology spread from electric models to petrol, diesel, and hybrid cars. The electric iX3 and i3, an updated 7 Series, and the new X5 and iX5 are already underway, with a first electric M model and a BMW Alpina due in 2027.

A month after the global fifth-generation X5 launch, BMW revealed its long-wheelbase Chinese variant. The X5 L gets a dedicated G78 designator and a 130 mm longer wheelbase (3,165 mm), with nearly all the extra length going to rear-seat passengers.