Automakers, chips and rare earths shape industry headlines

Ford has joined Hyundai on Amazon Autos to sell certified pre-owned vehicles, expanding online retail partnerships as OEMs seek new retail channels.
Hyundai plans an $86 billion investment in South Korea, a move tied to trade shifts with the U.S., while Toyota doubles down with a $10 billion U.S. investment to bolster local production.
Cox Automotive’s Erin Keating assesses the EV market as federal tax credits wind down, suggesting incentives and residual values will reshape demand trajectories.
Supply-chain dynamics are shifting: China’s easing of export curbs on Nexperia chips is already relieving automakers coping with shortages, even as OEMs juggle component, software and lease-pricing challenges.
Industry strategy is active across brands — Nissan and Toyota ready major product and manufacturing launches in North America; Mitsubishi targets a U.S. rebound; Scout Motors picks Charlotte for its headquarters.
Corporate moves include executive departures at Tesla and large pay packages at Rivian, reflecting talent and compensation pressures in EV programs.
Cullen Hendrix of the Peterson Institute highlights persistent hurdles in building a domestic rare-earths supply chain, underscoring the geopolitical and technical gaps that still complicate U.S. resilience.
The week’s coverage ties production bets, retail experiments and resource security into a single industry pivot point.