Lotus Plans V8 Supercar, Ford Gets Into Energy Business, and Waymo’s Worried Its Robotaxis Will Drive Into Flood Waters

Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.

TDS is your daily one-stop shop for all the auto industry headlines from around the world fit to print. In the old days, before the internet, a kid on a bicycle would throw a rolled-up copy at your door, and you’d sit and read it at your breakfast nook with coffee in hand and get ink all over your fingers. The modern version’s a lot less romantic, but just as informative. Let’s get into it.

🎱 Lotus has doubled back from its all-EV business plan, as so many have, and now intends to launch a hybrid V8 sports car by 2028, tentatively called “Type 135.” The automaker is also planning an update to the current, gas-powered Emira that will make it both more powerful and lighter than ever before. [Autocar]

🔋 Ford has decided to use its excess battery production to prop up a new business, called Ford Energy, that will sell energy storage systems built in the U.S. to utilities, data centers, and industrial customers. [Barron’s]

🖥️ General Motors is laying off 500 to 600 workers in its IT department globally in an effort to trim costs and “better position the company for the future.” [Bloomberg]

🚙 Audi will unveil the new Q9, an SUV that is supposedly very much geared for the American market, on July 29, and it’s already showing off photos of the interior. [Audi]

🚕 Waymo is recalling 3,800 robotaxis due to a fault the company has identified that could result in the vehicles choosing to enter flooded roads that have higher speed limits. [Reuters]

🏁 As questions spiral around Max Verstappen and his future, Ford Performance director Mark Rushbrook has gone on record saying that the team has had conversations with the four-time world champion about him piloting its WEC hypercar down the stretch. Verstappen is notably interested in sports car and endurance racing, so the two would make a great match. [Motorsport.com]

⛺ Honda and Acura will start selling Thule active lifestyle accessories, like roof boxes and bike racks, directly through their dealerships. [Autoblog]

🏭 Tesla plans to invest $250 million into its battery plant outside Berlin to increase production capacity. [Reuters]

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