This week's roundup covers a production milestone that will reshape the hybrid repair mix, a forward-looking battery partnership, new body structure research, and a million-vehicle fire recall with a park-outside advisory.
All-hybrid RAV4 ramps up U.S. production, accelerating timeline for shops
Toyota began building the redesigned 2026 RAV4 at its Georgetown, Kentucky, plant this month, Automotive News reported. The plant is expected to add 40,000 units this year, with output increasing roughly 50% next year.
Demand has far outpaced supply. Damon Rose, vice president of sales for the Toyota division of Toyota Motor North America, said the turn rate hit 97.6% in May. On June 16, the nation's 1,237 Toyota dealers collectively had just 967 unsold RAV4 hybrids and 719 plug-in hybrids.
The 2026 RAV4 comes exclusively with a hybrid powertrain, and Toyota expanded the plug-in hybrid version to all 50 states with this generation. U.S. deliveries through May were down 40% year-over-year during the changeover, but as Georgetown output ramps, shops will see growing numbers of hybrid-only RAV4s with regenerative braking hardware, high-voltage disconnect procedures, and refreshed ADAS configurations arriving as standard equipment.
Honda-QuantumScape battery deal signals next-generation EV repair considerations
QuantumScape and Honda R&D Co. signed a multi-year joint research agreement to develop QuantumScape's solid-state lithium-metal battery platform, the companies announced June 19. The deal followed Honda's completion of a hands-on technical evaluation and competitive benchmarking. No timeline or specific vehicle applications were disclosed.
Solid-state batteries offer higher energy density and different thermal characteristics compared with conventional lithium-ion cells. The partnership signals the direction of Honda's next-generation EV battery architecture and the high-voltage repair and handling procedures shops will eventually need to follow.
GDIS 2026 presentations address body structure and front-end repairability
The 2026 Great Designs In Steel conference presentations are now available, covering body structure topics from OEM engineers and tier 1 suppliers, I-CAR Repairability Technical Support reported. A Rivian presentation detailed a bolt-on front crush structure significantly longer than many other crush caps, specifically designed to simplify common front-end collision repairs.
Other presentations addressed AHSS and UHSS steel front-end designs as alternatives to gigacasting, and supply chain strategies for replacing aluminum with steel. The full set is available on the Steel Market Development Institute's website. These material shifts carry direct implications for structural repair procedures, material identification, and welding equipment requirements.
Over 1 million Wranglers and Gladiators recalled for fire risk near front-end repair zones
Stellantis has recalled approximately 1,077,000 model year 2021–2025 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles under NHTSA campaign 26V363. The defect involves electric hydraulic power steering pump wiring that may overheat and cause a fire, even with the ignition off. NHTSA is aware of 51 fires and one injury. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until repairs are completed.
The power steering pump and its wiring sit in the immediate vicinity of front-end collision repair work. With more than a million affected units across two high-volume vehicles, shops should verify recall status on incoming Wranglers and Gladiators before beginning repairs.
