This Week in Autos: ICE Slips Below 50%, GAC Eyes FAW-Toyota Stake, Nissan Pushes US-Built Lineup

The global auto industry crossed a symbolic threshold in the latest weekly industry roundup: internal combustion engine vehicles have, for the first time, accounted for less than half of all new vehicles sold worldwide. The milestone marks a turning point in the long-running shift toward electrified drivetrains, even as the pace of that transition continues to vary widely from region to region.

On the corporate side, GAC is moving to acquire FAW Group’s 50% stake in their joint venture with Toyota, a deal that would consolidate Toyota’s two Chinese manufacturing partnerships under a single local partner. If completed, the restructuring would reshape how the Japanese automaker operates in its most important overseas market.

Nissan, meanwhile, has set a target of building 80% of the vehicles it sells in the United States on American soil by the end of 2030. The goal reflects broader industry pressure to localize production in response to trade policy and supply chain considerations.

In battery news, China has reinstated a consumption tax on lithium-ion batteries, ending an exemption that had been in place for 11 years. Notably, sodium-ion and solid-state batteries remain exempt from the tax, a detail that could influence which chemistries manufacturers prioritize in the years ahead.

Taken together, these developments illustrate how regulatory, corporate, and technological forces are converging to shape the next phase of the automotive transition.