Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Concise, engaging, and straightforward, TDS compiles the latest automotive news globally and presents it in one accessible location. Each story is summarized in a single sentence with a link for those wanting further details.
The first cup of coffee is being brewed, so let’s dive in.
🚘 What I’m driving: I’m spending this week with the 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid; the model being evaluated is the fully equipped Hybrid Calligraphy trim, priced at $60,625. It’s a new chapter for Hyundai, and I must say, this vehicle is impressively refined, rivaling more luxury brands.
💨 The EU has reversed its planned ban on new gas vehicles set for 2035, instead shifting to a goal of reducing car emissions by 90% by that year. This alteration in the EU’s EV strategy may benefit Chinese automakers down the line, although it still requires approval from EU governments and the European Parliament.
🧑⚖️ A coalition of 16 states plus the District of Columbia are suing the U.S. Government as the Trump Administration halted two grant programs for EV charging infrastructure, both of which were part of the $1 trillion infrastructure legislation passed by Congress in 2022.
🪛 California has pressed Tesla, granting the company 90 days to adjust its misleading Autopilot advertising or prove that its vehicles can operate without a human actively monitoring them.
🧾 Colorado has authorized Scout Motors to sell its vehicles directly to consumers, a decision likely to upset traditional dealerships.
🔑 Hyundai and Kia have committed to retrofitting 4 million vehicles in the U.S. to mitigate theft issues and to install preventative measures on all new models, as part of an investigation led by 35 attorney generals.
🐆 Jaguar has unveiled its upcoming EV, set to revive the brand in 2026, featuring a tri-motor 1,000-horsepower four-door hatchback with rear-wheel steering and an extended wheelbase; the company has also announced that this new vehicle will retail for around £120,000, which is approximately $160,000 at the current exchange rate.
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