ICYMI: Toyota’s $30B bid for Toyota Industries nears close after price raised to 20,600 yen. EV home-charging satisfaction declines as costs rise, JD Power study finds. Sony Honda Mobility halts Afeela EV development after Honda’s strategy shift. Stellantis faces backlash from the UAW after awarding bonuses to non-union U.S. employees. Infiniti unveils QX65 midsize SUV as U.S. sales decline continues.
Here’s a closer look at these top stories and more headlines to stay on top of this week’s automotive industry news.
Toyota’s $30B bid for Toyota Industries nears close after price raised to 20,600 yen
Toyota Motor Corp.’s tender offer to take Toyota Industries private at 20,600 yen per share was set to close Monday, with results expected at or after 3:30 p.m. Tuesday (06:30 GMT). The offer period was scheduled to expire at 3:30 p.m. Tokyo time on Monday. Earlier this month, Toyota raised its bid from 18,800 yen per share, valuing the deal at about $30 billion and ending a months-long standoff with activist investor Elliott Investment Management. Read More
EV home charging satisfaction declines as costs rise, JD Power study
Home charging continues to dominate the electric vehicle ownership experience, accounting for 86% of typical EV charging, but rising costs and limited owner education are weighing on satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Home Charging Study. Overall satisfaction among owners using Level 1 portable chargers fell to 569 on a 1,000-point scale, down 12 points year over year. Read More
Sony Honda Mobility halts Afeela EV development after Honda’s strategy shift
Sony Honda Mobility said Wednesday it will stop developing its Afeela electric vehicles, citing Honda’s reassessment of its EV strategy and the lack of a viable path to market for the models. The decision follows Honda’s broader overhaul of its electric vehicle business, for which the automaker earlier this month flagged a writedown of as much as 2.5 trillion yen ($15.7 billion). Read More
Stellantis faces UAW backlash after awarding bonuses to non-union U.S. employees
Stellantis is facing criticism from the United Auto Workers (UAW) after awarding bonuses to portions of its non-union U.S. workforce while union-represented employees received no profit-sharing payout following a difficult 2025. The bonuses applied to managers, salaried staff, and certain specialized fixed-salary employees under an incentive system tied to three factors. Read More
Infiniti unveils QX65 midsize SUV as U.S. sales decline continues
Infiniti on Thursday unveiled the 2027 QX65, a new midsize luxury SUV aimed at reviving the brand’s presence in the U.S. market after years of declining sales. The QX65 will be powered by a 268-horsepower VC-Turbo engine producing 286 foot-pounds of torque and will feature dual 12.3-inch displays. The model is expected to start at $53,990, below the average luxury midsize vehicle price of about $77,000, according to Cox Automotive. Read More
Next Week: Exclusive Interviews You Can’t Miss
Generic AI tools continue to fall short for dealers – Kerri Wise & Lance Schafer | Lotlinx
While many dealerships are experimenting with generative AI, most are only scratching the surface of what the technology can deliver. Joining us on today’s episode of Driving Solutions are Chief Marketing Officer at Lotlinx, Kerri Wise, and GM of Product and Technology at Lotlinx, Lance Schafer.
How Draiver is helping OEMs streamline vehicle logistics and reduce delays
Draiver is expanding its role with automakers by providing end-to-end logistics solutions to improve vehicle visibility, reduce delivery times, and support evolving fleet and autonomous-vehicle needs. Joining us on the latest episode of Driving Solutions, we’re joined by Draiver’s Senior Vice President of Sales, Peter Janczewski, who says OEMs are increasingly turning to unified platforms to manage complex vehicle movement across the supply chain.
