EV Truck Push: Ford unveiled its budget electric pickup “Fathom,” targeting a sub-$30,000 entry point with a $28,350 base price (about $29,945 with delivery), BlueCruise, and pre-orders starting early 2027—an attempt to take on low-cost Chinese EVs. Manufacturing Investment: Toyota Material Handling North America opened a $100M, 295,000-square-foot electric forklift plant in Columbus, Indiana, adding 140 jobs and betting electric lift trucks will hit ~80% of the North American market by 2035. Product & Trim Updates: Hyundai Canada added a Night Package for the 2027 Palisade and Ioniq 9, while Volkswagen’s Jetta GLI gets fresh attention as shoppers hunt for value. Platform & Cost Moves: Honda outsourced a new vehicle program to Tata Technologies to build an end-to-end platform aimed at cutting costs. Partnerships & Brand Marketing: Mercedes-Benz India signed on with the Fuse India Padel Tour for 2026–27. Recalls: South Africa’s NCC flagged safety recalls covering Mercedes-Benz trucks and Alfa Romeo Tonale vehicles. Local Business: Automotive Excellence of Seal Beach expanded its technician team to meet rising repair demand.