AD #4335 - Bigger Lexus ES Replaces Flagship LS; How Rivian is Reducing Its Complexity; 650 New Models Hit China This Year

AD #4335 - Bigger Lexus ES Replaces Flagship LS; How Rivian is Reducing Its Complexity; 650 New Models Hit China This Year Autoline Daily · Jul 16, 2026

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Company

BYD

BYD is a big car company from China that makes electric cars and batteries. Here, they’re saying people stop getting excited about a new car after a few months.

Term

rare earth

Rare earths are special minerals used in lots of modern technology. If a country restricts exports, it can make it harder and more expensive for carmakers to build EVs and other electronics.

Term

graphite

Graphite is a material inside many lithium-ion EV batteries. If supply is restricted, battery production can get delayed and make EVs harder to build.

Term

EV batteries

EV batteries are what store the electricity that drives an electric car. This matters because materials like graphite are used inside those batteries, so shortages can slow EV production.

Term

humanoid robots

Humanoid robots are robots that look and move more like people. The episode says they could be used at home for things like cleaning and helping older adults.

Company

Hyundai

Hyundai is a big car company. They’re also getting involved with robotics, and the episode connects that to worries about jobs being replaced by robots.

Company

SoftBank

SoftBank is an investment company. Here it’s mentioned because it still owns part of a robotics company, Boston Dynamics.

Company

Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics is a robotics company famous for building advanced robots. The episode mentions it because Hyundai wants to fully own it.

Company

Ubi Tech

Ubi Tech is a company that makes robots. In this story, it’s partnering with car dealers so the robots can be sold through dealership networks.

Term

digitalization

Digitalization is when more of the car and the factory work is run by software and data. It can mean smarter features in the car and more efficient production.

Term

electrification

Electrification means cars are moving away from gas and toward electricity. That can be fully electric cars or cars that use electricity along with another power source.

Car

The Honda Accord is a larger, everyday family car. In the podcast, it’s mentioned because some Accords will get Google Gemini, including a voice assistant feature. That means you can talk to the car to do certain tasks instead of only using buttons and menus.

Car

Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is a popular car that’s built for everyday driving. The podcast is saying some newer Civics will include Google Gemini, which is a voice assistant you can use through the car’s screen and microphones. It’s meant to make the car’s tech easier to use.

Car

Honda Prelude

The Honda Prelude is a Honda model that’s aimed at drivers who want a sportier feel. The podcast says some Preludes will add Google Gemini, including a voice assistant. This helps you use the car’s features by speaking instead of navigating through screens.

Term

generative AI

Generative AI is a type of AI that can “make up” responses, like talking back in a more natural way. In a car, it can help the voice assistant understand what you mean and respond more conversationally.

Brand

Google Gemini

Google Gemini is Google’s AI system. In this case, Honda is using it to make the car’s voice assistant sound more natural and respond better.

Car

Honda Passport

The Honda Passport is a midsize SUV meant for everyday family driving. The podcast says some Passports will include Google Gemini, which includes a voice assistant. It’s designed to let you control or ask for things using your voice.

Term

Gemini Voice assystem

This is Honda’s voice assistant that uses Gemini. The goal is for you to talk more naturally, without needing to use perfectly worded commands.

Person

Lance Wolfer

Lance Wolfer is a Honda executive focused on sales in the U.S. He’s joining the show to talk about Honda’s new AI features and how they fit into sales plans.

Company

S and P Global Mobility

S&P Global Mobility is a company that tracks and analyzes automotive data. They’re sending someone on the show to add context on what’s happening in the industry.

Car

Lexus LS

The Lexus LS is Lexus’s big, top-tier luxury sedan. The hosts say Lexus is ending it because sales have been dropping a lot in the U.S.

Car

Lexus ES

The Lexus ES is getting a major upgrade and is effectively taking over from the Lexus LS as the bigger Lexus sedan. They’re making it larger, and it will come as either an electric version or a hybrid, starting under $50,000 for the base electric model.

Term

BEEV

“BEEV” here means a BEV, or battery-electric vehicle. It’s the fully electric version that uses a battery instead of gas for driving.

Term

hybrid

A hybrid uses both a gas engine and an electric motor. It can save fuel by using electricity sometimes, but it can still drive like a normal gas car when needed.

Term

import tariffs

An import tariff is a tax on products shipped into a country. If Lexus builds the car in Japan and sells it in the U.S., that tax can raise the cost and influence the final price.

Brand

Rivian

Rivian is an electric-vehicle company. They’re being discussed in the context of how they’re organizing and simplifying their development and production.

Term

energy management module

In an EV, the energy management module is like the car’s power “traffic controller.” It helps manage how electricity moves between the battery and the rest of the car, and here Rivian is combining several separate power parts into one unit.

Term

DC to DC converter

An EV battery runs at one voltage, but many car systems need a different (usually lower) voltage. The DC-to-DC converter changes the battery’s voltage so the rest of the car can run correctly.

Term

battery management system

The battery management system is the EV’s “battery supervisor.” It watches the battery’s condition and helps keep it safe and working properly, and here it’s mentioned as part of a consolidated power package.

Term

on-board charger

The onboard charger is the part of the EV that turns charging-station electricity into the right kind of power to fill the battery. Here, it’s mentioned as one of the components being packaged into a more integrated unit.

Term

AC to DC converter

Charging equipment can provide electricity in AC form, but EV batteries need DC. The AC-to-DC converter does that conversion so the battery can charge.

Term

low voltage distribution box

Even though EVs have a high-voltage battery, many parts of the car run on lower voltage. The low-voltage distribution box is the part that sends that lower-voltage power to all the electronics that need it.

Term

telematics

Telematics is how the car stays connected to the internet and sends information out—like location and diagnostic data. In this segment, it’s mentioned as one of the functions that used to require separate high-power computing hardware.

Term

computer vision

Computer vision is the car’s ability to “see” using cameras and software. It helps the car understand what’s around it, and the segment says Rivian is consolidating the computing hardware that runs it.

Term

infotainment

Infotainment is the car’s touchscreen and systems for things like music, maps, and connectivity. The hosts point out it can be expensive to build, so Rivian is trying to reduce the cost by simplifying the electronics behind it.

Term

drive unit

In an EV, the drive unit is the main power system that turns electrical energy into motion for the wheels. The segment says Rivian’s new Maximus drive unit is designed to be simpler to build and more integrated.

Term

Maximus

Maximus is Rivian’s new name for a key EV propulsion component—the drive unit. The point being made is that it’s designed to be easier and cheaper to build by combining functions and reducing the number of separate parts.

Term

power density

Power density is basically “how much power you get for the space it takes.” A higher number usually means the motor or drive unit is more compact while still making strong power.

Term

Thunder

Thunder is Geely’s new electric drive unit design. The claim here is that it combines a lot of the drive’s functions into one package to improve efficiency and reduce complexity.

Term

comprehensive efficiency

Efficiency here means how much of the electricity actually turns into useful motion. “Comprehensive efficiency” is a more complete measure of losses across the whole system, and the host says Geely claims it’s extremely high.

Car

Ford Galaxy

The Ford Galaxy is a vehicle built to carry passengers, often for families. The podcast is saying a new version or setup is debuting in a Galaxy TT Sedan, and it’s expected to make around 200 horsepower at peak. That’s the main headline because it affects how strong the car feels when accelerating.

Term

peak power output

Peak power output is the highest power the electric system can produce at its best moment. The segment gives a number (245 kW) to show how strong the Thunder drive unit is.

LIVE

Speaker 1: This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry. Sales of new cars are down

sharply in China, yet automakers are flooding the market with new models and the situation is totally out of control.

In the first six months of this year, automakers introduced six one hundred and fifty newer refreshed models, which translates into four launches every day. That's according to a Chinese

automotive content platform called dong Chetty. And even if you

only count the all new models, not the refreshed ones.

Speaker 2: They're hitting showrooms at the rate of one a day.

Speaker 1: A BYD executive complained that they can't keep the buzz up about a new car for more than three months because then it goes cold.

Speaker 2: So here's our auto line insight.

Speaker 1: This is a key reason why most Chinese automakers and their dealers are not making money, and it shows why Chinese authorities have worn the industry of what it calls in or a hollowing out of the industry. Right now,

massive amounts of exports are propping the industry up, but if anything happens to slow those exports down, the Chinese auto industry will have a full blown crisis on its hands.

Last year, China started limiting exports of rare earth, but after a global blowback, it agreed to delay those restrictions for a year. Well, we're almost a year out from that,

and if China implements its full restrictions, it could have a massive impact on the auto industry. According to the

International Energy Agency, the IEA says that if the full controls go into effect, it will disrupt six and a half trillion dollars of production in the automotive, high tech, defense, and energy industries outside of China, and half of that would impact the.

Speaker 2: US and Europe.

Speaker 1: The IEA also warned that China's planned restrictions on graphite at XI Sports will impact three hundred billion dollars of production outside of China. That would be another blow to

the auto industry because graphite is a key material used in evy batteries. Meanwhile, short investors smell blood thanks to

production disruptions from the war in Iran and potential disruptions from China's rare earth and graphite restrictions. Hedge funds are

shorting stocks that have anything to do with manufacturing. According

to data from hazel Tree, Hedge funds bet against more manufacturing stocks than any other sector in June, and it was three times higher than in May. Humanoid robots are

one of the hottest investment areas these days, and Hyundai says it's going to take full ownership of Boston Dynamics.

The Japanese investment firm SoftBank still owns about ten percent of the robotics company, but Hyundai wants it all. And

we find the timing of this very interesting because at the same time, Hondai workers in South Korea are on strike over concerns of losing jobs to robotics. In related news, Bashi,

an auto dealer group in China, formed a partnership with robotics company Ubi Tech, and it's going to start selling humanoid robots at its Hyundai in Mercedes dealerships.

Speaker 2: These are not robots for manufacturing.

Speaker 1: They're for house cleaning, elderly care, and even emotional support.

But whoever thought we'd live to see the day when car dealers sold humanoid robots. Even so, it's actually a

pretty smart idea. There's a rule of thumb in the

industry that for every four people who walk into a dealership, one will end up buying a new car, and with Hyundai and Mercedes watching their sales plummet in China, this might be one of the best sales gimmicks of all time to generate more showroom traffic.

Speaker 3: The automotive and industrial sectors are undergoing an historic transformation electrification, digitalization, supply chain reinvention, regulatory shifts. The pace is accelerating and

the pressure to adapt is real. This is not a

time for hesitation. It's a time for bold decisions backed

by fast, effective execution. You need a partner who understands

complexity from factory floors to boardrooms and delivers measurable results.

That partner is Alex Partners when it really matters.

Speaker 1: Automakers love the idea of putting generative AI into their cars, and Honda's the latest. It's adding Google Gemini to select Civic, Accord, Prelude, CRV,

Passport and Pilot models. The Gemini Voice assystem is meant

to be more conversational, not relying on exact commands, and improving over time. Speaking of Honda, we have Lance Wolfer,

the vice president of sales for Honda America, coming on Autuline after hours this afternoon, we'll learn a lot more about this AI effort.

Speaker 2: And other things that Hanna is doing to boot sales.

Speaker 1: Stephanie Brinley from S and P Global Mobility will also be on the show, so joined John and Gary when it all goes live at three pm Eastern Time today.

Speaker 2: Toyota launched Lexus.

Speaker 1: In nineteen eighty nine with the LS, and for thirty six years it was the brand's flagship model, but sales started slumping a decade ago, and last year Lexis sold barely a thousand of them in the US market. So

Lexus is axing the LS and is coming out with a bigger, all new version of the ES that is awfully close in size to the LS. It's six and

a half inches longer, two point two inches wider, and four and a half inches taller than the old ES, and is actually taller and wider than the outgoing LS.

Speaker 2: The new ES is.

Speaker 1: Offered as a BEEV or a hybrid, and at just under forty eight thousand dollars for the base BEV, it's actually priced slightly lower than the base hybrid and alexis EV under fifty grand is a pretty aggressive price. Lexis

started developing this car several years ago in the middle of EV Mania. It originally thought the sales mix would

go eighty percent BEV in twenty percent hybrid. Now it's

switched that mix around. Back then, Lexus also thought it

would be a good idea to make the new es in Japan, but today that means Lexus has to eat the fifteen percent import terraff for everyone it sells in the US market. Yesterday, Rivian invited US out to its development,

prototyping and testing facility in Plymouth, Michigan for a deep dive into the new R two SUV. Two of the

big things I took away were that Rivian is bringing a lot more in house and it's trying to reduce complexity wherever it can. The vehicle's energy management module is

a good exact ample of this, combining five units into one for the R one, the DC to DC converter, the onboard charger, the AC to DC converter, the battery management system, and the low voltage distribution box are all separate units and are all supplied by suppliers. But now

that's all done in house and is packaged into a single unit that bolts to the battery pack. The company

took a similar approach with the R two's infotainment and connectivity controllers. The R one uses five expensive high power

chips on multiple circuit boards to control safety, computer vision, audio, infotainment, connectivity, and telematics, but those were consolidated to one even more powerful chip on a single circuit board. This reduces cost,

which is important because infotainment is the second most expensive electronic unit in the R two, right behind the eight S unit. For the same reason, Rivian says it will

also start making its own eight ASS chips in house.

And it's not just electronics. The all new drive unit,

called Maximus has two hundred and forty less welds, thirty percent fewer fasteners, features integrated electronics, multiple areas of parts consolidation, a lower profile, and a forty percent increase in power density.

While there's even more.

Speaker 2: We could go into.

Speaker 1: We'll be posting a video soon that takes a much deeper dive into the new R two. But in related news,

Gili is launching a new drive unit called Thunder that consolidate sixteen functions, twelve hardware, and four software into a single package. The company claims a comprehensive efficiency of nearly

ninety four percent, which would be a record for a production vehicle. The setup is making its debut in the

g Lely Galaxy TT Sedan and has a peak power output of two hundred and forty five kilowatts or nearly three hundred and thirty horse power.

Speaker 2: But that's a wrap for today's show. Thanks for tuning

in and I hope to see you later. For Autoline

after Hours.

Speaker 4: Auto Line Daily is brought to you by alex Partners.

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Gemini Voice assystem

BEEV

Thunder

About this episode

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