Volkswagen is teaming up with Uber to field what eventually could be thousands of fully driverless ID.Buzz microbuses. The first should show up on Los Angeles streets next year. Headlight.News has more.
Paul Eisenstein
Bye-Bye Buick? Trump Tariffs Could Kill this GM Brand
Carmakers are scrambling to adapt to the tariffs Pres. Donald Trump has enacted, U.S. new vehicle sales estimated to drop as much as 2 million this year due to higher prices. But no brand is as vulnerable as Buick. That’s because the vast majority of the General Motors brand’s products are imported from South Korea and China.
Slate’s New Pickup To Start at “Under $20,000” – But Are Americans Ready to Return to the Days of Hand-Cranked Windows?
A low-profile start-up quietly backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has suddenly burst into the headlines, Dubbed Slate Auto, the Michigan-based automaker rolled out an all-electric pickup Thursday night that, it said, will go on sale in late 2026 for “under $20,000.” But rather than delivering another high-tech wonder, the Slate pickup draws its inspiration from a low-tech past. Will Americans embrace an EV with crank-up windows and no infotainment screen? Headlight.News has more.
Backed By Amazon Money, the Era of the Affordable EV Has Arrived
Millions of American motorists have been priced out of the new vehicle market, all the more so when it comes to EVs which currently average about $55,000 apiece. But Slate Auto, a new start-up backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is determined to change that equation. On Thursday, it gave the world a first look at a flexible new, all-electric pickup set to go on sale in 2026. Designed to be extremely customizable, it’s expected to start under $20,000 when you factor in federal EV tax credits. Headlight.News was there for the big debut.
Tesla’s Entry EV Now Slated to Launch Production in June
Better late than never? Tesla has spent years debating whether to add a more affordable EV to its existing line-up. It’s finally moving forward and, despite yet another delay, will finally add the vehicle to its line-up in June. Details have yet to be released but it’s expected to be a stripped-down version of Model Y starting at less than $30,000 — with a low-priced take on the Model 3 likely to follow. But will this draw in entirely new buyers or cannibalize sales of Tesla’s existing line-up? More from Headlight.News.
First Drive: 2025 Lincoln Navigator – Back on Course
When it made its debut in 1998, the Lincoln Navigator changed the world. Well, at least the luxury automotive world. It was big, it was bold and it offered an alternative to the traditional full-size luxury sedan. Since then, SUVs have come to dominate every segment of the market – but Navigator lately has lost ground to the Cadillac Escalade. Now, Lincoln is determined to prove it won’t take a back seat to its crosstown rival. Does it deliver? Headlight.News has this review of the 2025 Lincoln Navigator.
Trump Signals U-Turn on Chinese Tariffs – Potentially Big News for Auto Industry
President Trump signaled tariffs on Chinese imports would “come down substantially,” though no specifics have yet been released by the White House. The news had stock markets rallying and automakers hoping this could reduce their own burden, analysts previously warning that tariffs could cost the U.S. industry up to 2 million sales this year. But manufacturers are still facing big hits from tariffs on Mexican and Canadian-made autos and auto parts, reports Headlight.News.
Optiq-V Will Be Cadillac’s Second High-Performance EV
Cadillac’s push into battery-electric power includes a new line of high-performance models and it has confirmed a second V-Series EV, a version of the new Caddy Optiq that, in standard form, just recently began rolling into U.S. showrooms. Here’s more from Headlight.News.
Motorists Becoming More Comfortable With EVs – Though Growth Has Slowed
Motorists around the world are becoming increasingly comfortable with purchasing and owning EVs, according to a new study, though Americans lag well behind their counterparts in Europe and, in particular, China. Credit the longer range, faster charging and lower costs of newer EV models, consumers told McKinsey & Co. Headlight.News has more.
First Look: Mercedes-Benz Vision V Reveals a New Take on the Luxury Limousine
Don’t think of the Mercedes-Benz Vision V as just another van. True, it has the tall roof and the sliding doors but the German automaker intends to create an entirely new segment with the all-electric concept vehicle – and the production model set to soon follow....
Tesla’s Affordable EV Once Again Delayed
Tesla has long promised to deliver an “affordable” battery-electric vehicle, but the project has yet again been delayed, according to a new report. With competition coming in the under-$30,000 segment, the delay could add to Tesla’s woes as sales continue to sag, driving down both Tesla’s earnings and stock price. Headlight.News has more.
Tesla Accused of Rigging Odometers to Minimize Warranty Claims
Tesla faces a new lawsuit accusing the company of intentionally inflating the mileage shown on its vehicles’ odometers in order to avoid warranty claims. The new class action suit filed in California could expose the automaker to potentially massive fines, penalties and other costs under both state and federal law if it were found to be rigging odometer readings. Separately, CEO Elon Musk signaled that Tesla will have to replace as many as 4 million onboard computers not capable of operating the latest version of the company’s Full Self-Driving system.