In this week’s episode of the podcast, we discuss Trump switching his view on EVs, the debut of several new vehicles, and we also go for a spin in the 2025 Ford Explorer We also make a detour to This Week in Automotive History to explore the past.
Tesla
Auto Industry Remains Central to Presidential Race
As the 2024 Presidential campaign moves into higher gear, the U.S. auto industry is once again at the center of the nation’s political conversation. There are numerous places where candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump conflict. But they suddenly seem to agree on one key issue – sort of – EVs.
GM Aims to Drive Down Prices, Drive Up Profits, as it Continues EV Roll-Out
The growth of the EV market has clearly slowed this year, General Motors President Mark Reuss said during a media confab, but sales are still on the rise and GM continues planning to gain ground, even as it delays some product launches. A critical step will be driving down prices, even as profitability improves, said Reuss, who oversees GM’s product development efforts.
Elon Musk Admits Cybertruck Is Too Expensive, Says it Needs to be More Affordable
Tesla’s Cybertruck is arguably one of the most polarizing models on the market today but while the truck has gathered plenty of publicity for the EV company, the truck has proven to be far from perfect with recalls and other issues giving Tesla and founder Elon Musk a growing headache. However, the CEO appears to have finally admitted that the truck is too expensive for its audience.
Headlight News Podcast For The Week of 8-5-24 – Ford Maverick Lobo, Car Sales Up – Polaris Slingshot Review & More
In this week’s episode of the podcast, we discuss possibly the increase in July car sales. We also highlight the 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo and review the Polaris Slingshot before making a detour to take a look at This Week in Automotive History. Click Here to listen to...
Quid Pro Quo? Musk Money in Hand, Trump is Now an EV Fan
Donald Trump has pulled a U-turn and now says he is now “totally” in favor of EVs. The Republican nominee for president said he had “no choice” but to rethink his position after previously bashing battery-electric vehicles now that Tesla CEO Elon Musk has become one of Trump’s biggest financial backers in an increasingly tough campaign.
Mercedes Takes Aim at Tesla’s Best-Seller with Electric CLA
Even as its sales start to slide, Tesla is coming under increasing fire from competitors who hope to chip away at its market share which still dominates the EV market. And Mercedes-Benz is taking aim at Tesla’s best-seller with an all-new, battery-powered version of its compact CLA model set to debut next year.
Tesla Recalls 1.85 Million Vehicles in the U.S.
EV maker Tesla Inc. announced plans to recall 1.85 million vehicles due to a problem with hood latch. The issue is software related so it will be resolved with an over-the-air update. To get more details, go to Headlight.News.
Tesla’s Trade Secret Lawsuit Against Rivian Heading to Court
It will be up to a California court to determine the outcome of a long-running suit pitting two EV manufacturers, Tesla and Rivian. The bigger of the two has accused its rival of stealing trade secrets and a judge has ruled the case will have to go to trial after Rivian filed to get it dismissed earlier this week.
Ford Earnings Fall Short – Sending Investors Scrambling
It wasn’t expected to be a good quarter for Ford Motor Co. Even then, the automaker’s second-quarter earnings managed to fall short of Wall Street’s expectations. That sent Ford shares tumbling by 11%, even though company leaders tried to assure investors they’re “on track” to deliver a full-year profit. More from Headlight.News.
Investors Unhappy with Tesla’s Results, Musk’s Explanation
Tesla’s second quarter results reflected the tough times the EV maker’s experiencing now that there is more competition and other issues impacting sales. While the company’s overall revenue rise slightly, its net income and automotive operations revenue took massive hits. Moreover, CEO Elon Musk doesn’t seem too bothered by the numbers. Get details at Headlight.News.
EVs Are Twice as Energy-Efficient as Gas Vehicles
Battery-electric vehicles use half as much energy to run a given distance as do vehicles powered by gasoline, according to a new study by Yale University. And the cleaner and more efficient the source of electricity used to charge a vehicle the better the equation gets.