For 2027, the Toyota Highlander will be offered only as an EV, no gasoline of hybrid versions. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Two of China’s leading automakers, BYD and Geely, are bidding to purchase a Nissan-Mercedes-Benz plant in Mexico to gain a manufacturing foothold in North America. More at CNBC.
+ The Trump administration announced that the Environmental Protection Agency is rescinding its 2016 finding that greenhouse gases present a threat to public health. More at The Drive.
+ Ford is boosting its companywide bonuses for all employees as it resolves challenges pertaining to the quality of its vehicles that spurred a streak of recalls in 2025. More at MSN News.
+ Two-time and defending NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Larson has signed a five-year extension with Hendrick Motorsports, keeping the 33-year-old driver under contract through 2031. More at AP News.
+ The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce is advancing a bill that would require automakers to include accessible manual releases on vehicles with electric door handles. More at CBT News.
+ The Takata airbag saga continues, as Stellantis is issuing a “stop-drive” directive for around 225,000 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles that have gone unrepaired. More at the Detroit Free Press.
+ Honda Motor posted a 61 percent drop in third-quarter profit, attributed by the automaker to U.S. tariffs and restructuring costs tied to its electric vehicle business. More at World Auto Forum.
+ The state of Colorado seized a used car dealership in Fort Lufton when an investigation determined that 48 of 52 cars it sold lacked titles and could not be registered. More at Road & Track.
+ The 2027 Toyota Highlander three-row SUV will be offered as a battery electric only, no gasoline or hybrid models, and it will be available with up to a 96-kWh battery pack. More at Car and Driver.
+ Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has slammed the 2026 competition regulations, saying the race cars are “not fun to drive” and “Formula E on steroids.” More at Autosport.
Photo courtesy of Toyota.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from February 9 here.
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The Grand Highlander basically already replaced the gas-engine Highlander anyway.
FYI, over 67 million Takata air bags have been recalled so far. Even tho uprated airbag inflator prototypes studied by NHTSA R&D @ VRTC blasted plenty of metal fragments and shrapnel during testing before Y2K (it was no secret, I was an ODI/VRTC contractor at the time), the interns, lobbyists, PHD’s & ambulance chasers @ NHTSA decided to mandate the use of the uprated, more powerful & dangerous inflators anyway. Poor ol’ Takata (R.I.P) utilized a volatile propellant (ammonium nitrate) without proper moisture-stabilizing desiccants, combined with manufacturing flaws (stress risers, metallurgical voids, etc.), to meet NHTSA mandates for faster, smaller, and cheaper inflators. The resulting defects, exacerbated by heat & humidity, causes violent ruptures & metal shrapnel to be propelled into vehicle occupants during deployment, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries which led to the largest safety recall in U.S. history.
NHTSA says park ’em boys & girls, try a NHTSA-approved robo-cab instead…
In Ohio, if your auto insurance company can prove you received a recall notice and ignored it, they will likely argue you were “Modified Comparative Negligent”, if you are “found” to be more than 50% at fault for your own injuries—such as by knowingly driving with a “ticking time bomb” airbag—you will probably be barred from recovering damages. Any insurance underwriters, actuaries, data analysts, compliance attorneys, risk officers, technical consultants, claims adjusters, agents or other insurance experts please feel free correct this post if it’s in error…