EV Policy & Trade: The US blocks Polestar’s future sales under the Connected Vehicle Rule, citing China-linked connectivity risk, while Polestar says it can’t secure a government agreement. Workforce & Cost Cuts: Tens of thousands of Mercedes-Benz workers protest planned job cuts in Germany, warning of a “hot summer” of industrial action. EV Charging Infrastructure: BYD says its Flash Charge network has topped 7,000 stations across 325 cities, targeting 20,000 by end-2026, after earlier 5,924 stations in May. Battery-as-a-Service: Hyundai rolls out BaaS for the Creta Electric in India, starting at ₹10.99 lakh with battery subscription pricing, aiming to cut upfront EV costs. Cabin Health Tech: Hyundai and Kia unveil Plasma Care UVC, using far-UVC to reduce cabin bacteria/viruses while passengers are inside. Manufacturing & Automation: SKF and Leaderdrive form a China JV to supply high-precision transmission components for robotic joints for humanoid-robot industrial use. Semiconductors: Infineon commissions its Dresden Smart Power Fab, doubling capacity for smart power and analog/mixed-signal chips ahead of schedule. Low-Carbon Strategy: Geely outlines lifecycle carbon cuts across usage, manufacturing, and supply, targeting full-chain neutrality by 2045.