Car News from USA

American startup Slate added five Crayola-branded wraps for its electric pickup and SUV, sold as dealer-installed accessories rather than factory paint. The Blank Slate concept - an unpainted grey base built for post-purchase personalization - stays intact.

Ram and Roush Performance built the Ram 1500 Direct Connection by Roush, an off-road package around the naturally aspirated 5.7-liter HEMI V8 rather than the turbocharged Hurricane inline-six used in the Ram RHO.

Tesla tore down its Fremont, California Model S/X assembly line in just 46 days, closing out 14 years of production that began with the Model S in 2012. The freed floor space is being converted into an Optimus humanoid robot line that Tesla wants scaled to roughly a million units a year, with full-scale output targeted for late July or August 2026.

Ford expects to collect $1.3 billion back after the Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs. A proposed class action argues that the buyers who paid the tariff-inflated prices are owed a share, and that keeping both would be a windfall.

Slate's $24,950 electric pickup is real: a two-seater with 205 miles of range, unpainted body panels, hand-crank windows and no infotainment screen. The options catalogue is where the money goes, and a fully loaded build has been configured past $46,000. Here is the price ladder.

Slate Auto has confirmed it will not sell its sub-$25,000 electric pickup or SUV conversion in Canada. The company has not given an official reason, but a 25% retaliatory tariff on US-built cars would push the truck's Canadian price to roughly $44,500 CAD ($31,100 equivalent before conversion), undercutting the model's entire value pitch.

Toyota will invest $3.6 billion to expand its San Antonio, Texas plant and shift Tacoma pickup production there from Mexico, with the new line targeted for 2030.

After the Connected Vehicles Rule blocked future US sales, Polestar is discounting its remaining 2026 inventory - up to $25,000 off the Polestar 4 and $23,000 off the Polestar 3 for cash buyers, with 0% APR financing and leases from $399 a month.

General Motors is investing $275 million in its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant, with $150 million earmarked for a new gasoline-powered Cadillac, the clearest sign yet that the brand has stepped back from an all-electric future.

The recall covers the Ford F-150 (2021), Explorer (2020-2021) and Expedition (2018-2021), plus the Lincoln Aviator (2020-2021) and Navigator (2018-2021). A transmission fault can let the parking mechanism fail after the vehicle is shifted into P, allowing it to roll. Dealers will apply a free software update and replace damaged parts as needed.

Ford has brought back more than 300 human quality inspectors after replacing them with AI systems several years ago. The automaker found AI handles repetitive defect checks well but struggles with unusual production issues, and now runs a hybrid model where AI assists inspectors rather than replacing them.

Hyundai Motor America sold a record 450,568 vehicles in the first half of 2026, up 3%. Hybrids grew 67% year-to-date and now outpace EVs as the brand's main growth engine, echoing Toyota's playbook.

Kia's US-market 2027 Niro refresh cuts the lineup to a single hybrid variant, 139 hp combined from a 1.6 GDI engine and electric motor through a 6-speed DCT. The EV3 takes over as Kia's electric crossover in the US.

Kia sold 405,785 vehicles in the US in the first half of 2026, its best half ever, with June and Q2 also setting records. Hybrid versions of the Sportage, Sorento and Carnival drove the gain, while the EV6 was one of only two models to fall.

Ford tested its Ford Security Package on the F-150 using Tag, a trained 800-pound grizzly bear known from Yellowstone, who rocked, clawed at, and even opened a door on the truck. The system correctly flagged every intrusion attempt and notified the owner through Ford's mobile app.

Jeep has opened US orders for the Recon EV, its first fully electric, Trail Rated off-roader. Only the range-topping Moab trim is available so far, with 650 hp and a 357 km EPA range, starting at $66,995.

Ford's new Sinister package brings blacked-out ST badges, amber daytime running lights, and 21-inch gloss-black wheels to the 2027 Explorer ST for $1,695. It ships with any standard exterior color, not just black, and leaves the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6's 385 horsepower untouched.

Scout Motors, the Volkswagen Group subsidiary reviving the legendary International Harvester Scout name, has revealed the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup. Both are available in full electric or Harvester EREV form, start under $60,000, and are built in South Carolina from 2028.

The Commerce Department has denied Polestar authorization to sell its 2027 and later model-year cars in the United States, citing the Connected Vehicle Rule and Geely's controlling stake. The ban even covers the Polestar 3, which is built in South Carolina. Existing dealer stock can still be sold.

Slate Auto, the Jeff Bezos-backed startup, has unveiled its first vehicle: a stripped-back two-seat electric pickup from $24,950 that converts into a five-seat SUV with bolt-on kits. A 150 kW rear motor, 330 km EPA range and deliveries from Q4 2026.