EV Shift in Australia: June smashed Australia’s all-time new-car record at 140,058 units, with EVs at 23.3% share and Tesla Model Y taking the top spot again. Battery Supply Expansion: LG Energy Solution and Honda’s U.S. JV, L-H Battery, has started mass production of lithium-ion cells for energy storage in Ohio, shifting focus from EV cells to ESS growth. Hybrids Power U.S. Growth: Hyundai and Kia set first-half U.S. sales records (920,383 total) as hybrids surged 65.5% while EV sales fell. BaaS Goes Mainstream (India): Hyundai launched Battery-as-a-Service for the Creta Electric, cutting the entry price to Rs 10.99 lakh with per-km battery billing. Recalls Watch: Honda recalls 880,514 vehicles over rear suspension corrosion risk; Ford recalls ~420,000 for seat-belt retractor issues and issues do-not-drive orders for some Bronco Sport and Maverick models. Labor Tensions (Germany): IG Metall warns of a “hot summer” of protests as Mercedes workers plan rallies against job cuts. New Model Timing (South Africa): Mazda CX-5 replacement is set for early August, petrol-only for that market. EV Tech for Charging: Nissan’s UK-backed Project Suite targets integrated solar and smarter EV charging using AI and grid features.