AD #3967 – Tesla Unveils Refreshed Model Y; Hyundai Launches Low-Cost EV In Japan; Corvette ZR1 Starts At $175,000

This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.

TESLA UNVEILS REFRESHED MODEL Y
Tesla officially revealed the refreshed Model Y. Its front lighting is now more in line with the Cybercab and Cybertruck. The rear lighting has also been turned into a long light-bar and the front and rear bumpers see some tweaks as well. The interior remains mostly the same, but there’s now a turn signal stalk, new ambient lighting, a screen for rear seat passengers and changes that add more space and contribute to a quieter cabin. There’s also improvements under the skin. It adopts Tesla’s latest automated driving hardware. And since the refreshed Y was revealed on Tesla’s websites in China and the Asia-Pacific region, it could be an indication that FSD will be available in those areas soon. The upgraded Model Y sees about 20 more miles of range as well on the Chinese test cycle. And it’s faster. AWD versions will do 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, which is over a half second faster than before. However, a new Performance version hasn’t been announced yet. Deliveries of the new Model Y are first expected to start in China this March.

HYUNDAI LAUNCHES LOW-COST EV IN JAPAN
Foreign brands have never really had success selling vehicles in Japan but now they’re trying their luck with electric cars. Tesla started selling its vehicles in the country a decade ago, BYD followed in 2023 and now Hyundai has announced it will launch its low-cost Inster EV in Japan this May. It will have a starting price of $18,000, which is below the BYD Dolphin and slightly more expensive than the Nissan Sakura kei-car, the best-selling EV in the country. But EVs aren’t that popular in Japan, only 23,000 Sakura’s were sold last year, which was down 40%. BYD only sold just over 2,200 vehicles and Tesla doesn’t disclose its Japan sales. Hyundai only sold 607 vehicles in Japan last year but it’s aiming to increase its sales 10-fold over the next five years and it believes the Inster will be able to help it achieve that goal.

BILL FORD HAS “LONG” TALK WITH TRUMP
In his first term President Trump had a pretty rocky relationship with automakers. He especially went after Ford and GM’s Mary Barra when he didn’t think they were doing what he wanted. But maybe Trump’s second term will be different. Trump personally called Bill Ford last week to talk about the industry. Ford tells Bloomberg that he actually didn’t pick up the call the first two times, because his phone showed it was someone calling from Boca Raton, Florida. But when the call came in the third time he decided he better answer, and the voice on the other end of the line said, “Hey Bill, it’s Donald Trump.” Bill Ford said he and Trump talked for a “long, long time.” He says they especially talked about EV sales credits, and though Trump has promised to get rid of them, maybe there’s something else brewing here.

SAIC ADOPTS CATL BATTERY SWAP TECH
Chinese automaker SAIC is giving up on operating its own EV battery swap network in China. It announced that it is partnering with battery-maker CATL to use its swapping network instead. SAIC launched its network in 2022 for its Rising brand but is giving up on it due to poor sales. SAIC will produce 10 models across its brands that will be compatible with CATL’s Choco-SEB batteries. CATL says it takes 100 seconds to swap a battery at its stations, which can handle 822 swaps a day, more than Nio’s stations which can swap 480 batteries daily. In addition to SAIC, Changan, GAC, BAIC, FAW and GM have all signed up for CATL’s swapping technology.

 

GM USING AI TO FIND IDEAL CHARGING LOCATIONS
General Motors is using artificial intelligence to help it find the optimal spot for EV charging stations. The automaker has partnered with EVgo and Pilot Travel Centers to install thousands of fast-chargers across the U.S. So, the company is using AI tools to analyze traffic patterns, driving behavior and proximity to other chargers, in order to find the best location to install an EV station. There are many consumers who are reluctant to switch to an EV because of charging concerns, so GM hopes this approach will help make stations more visible and give them the confidence to buy an EV.

GM SETS UP SEPARATE COMPANY TO BUILD F1 ENGINES
Speaking of GM, it’s not just getting into Formula One with its own team and engine. It’s setting up a separate company to build those engines. It’s called GM Performance Power Units LLC and it will be run by Russ O’Blenes, who has 30 years of motorsports experience and has been running GM’s Motorsports Propulsion and Performance team. The new company will be based near GM’s racing technical center in Charlotte, North Carolina and opens next year. By creating a stand-alone engine company, it sure sounds like GM wants to lease engines to other F1 teams as well.

CORVETTE ZR1 STARTS AT $175,000
And in one last bit of GM news, Chevrolet announced pricing for the new ZR1 Corvette. The coupe starts at roughly $175,000, while the hardtop convertible is $10,000 more. The 3LZ trim line adds another $10,000 on top of those prices and the carbon fiber aero and ZTK Performance packages are another $10,000. That is a lot of money, but compared to other cars that perform about the same as the ZR1, it’s practically a steal. 

FORD REVEALS SPECIAL EDITION MUSTANG GTD
Speaking of, it would be fun to pit the ZR1 against the heavily modified and track-focused Mustang GTD, which should cost around $325,000. And to honor some of Mustang’s iconic past, Ford is launching a special edition of the Mustang GTD, called Spirit of America. Highlights include red and blue racing stripes, unique graphics, exposed carbon fiber aero elements and matching seats. 

FORD PARTNERS WITH VAUGHN GITTIN JR. TO LAUNCH MUSTANG RTR
But that’s not the only special Mustang that Ford has for us today. It announced a partnership with Vaughn Gittin Jr. to launch the Mustang RTR, which it says is “the most exciting, enthusiast focused EcoBoost Mustang ever.” Ford isn’t talking specifics yet, but says it will get a lot of enhancements and is ready for drifting, drag racing, back-road cruising, or ripping around an autocross track. The Mustang RTR will mark only the second time in the pony car’s history that Ford has sold a performance model co-created with an outside partner and offered it from the factory.

HONDA COULD USE NISSAN’S BODY-ON-FRAME TRUCKS
It looks like Honda could end up with some of Nissan’s body-on-frame trucks as part of the merger between the two companies. The Nissan Frontier mid-size pickup and the Armada SUV are both body-on-frame vehicles and are bigger than anything that Honda sells. We think that Honda’s North American dealers would love to have an entirely new class of vehicles on their showroom floors, and likely high profit vehicles, at that. And no doubt Nissan would love to get Honda’s hybrid powertrains into its vehicles as fast as it can.

RENAULT SHOWS OFF NEW TWINGO INTERIOR
The all-new electric Renault Twingo will go on sale in 2026, but now we’re getting a chance to see its interior. The upper part of the dash is kind of like a wide, elongated oval that also incorporates two digital screens and the air vents. Below that is four round dials for the HVAC controls. The rear seats also slide and have a 50/50 split fold. And a little nod to design, the seatback adjustment knob is inspired by skateboard wheels. Renault says it developed the new Twingo in just two years and it expects to have a starting price under 20,000 euros when it launches. 

If you want to see some of the wild new tech that debuted at CES this week, check out the videos we’ve been posting from the show.

But that brings us to the end of this weeks’ worth of Autoline Daily. Have a great weekend.