On this week’s Headlight News podcast, we cover the big hit to Stellantis’ earnings, Toyota’s changes at the top as well as its new EV, plus the decline of new car sales last month. We also review the 2026 Honda Prelude and more. Give us a listen!
*Daily News*
EV Sales Fall, But EV Charger Installations Jump 30% in 2025
Electric vehicle sales continue to slide, but the need to charge the millions of EVs currently on the road — and the thousands more to come — still needs to be met, and new report reveals that public DC fast-charging port installations grew 30% last year. Get the details at Headlight.News.
New Toyota CEO “Loves Money” And Will Need it to Grow Hybrids, Software, Robotaxi Operations
Toyota has a new CEO set to take charge on April 1 and, unlike the man he’ll succeed, Kenta Kon is a finance guy determined to deliver some big numbers for the world’s largest automaker. He intends to build up Toyota’s war chest – and one way he’ll do that is with a planned 30% increase in hybrid sales by 2028. More from Headlight.News.
UAW Workers Get 20% Pay Hike at VW Chattanooga Plant
It’s taken two years, but workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee are set to get a big payoff after voting to approve union representation. The question is whether they will approve their tentative new contract, reports Headlight.News.
Honda Set to Roll S+ Shift Out Across its Hybrid Line-Up
Honda’s sixth-generation Prelude is just rolling into U.S. showrooms and one of its more intriguing features is the new S+ Shift which is designed to “simulate a performance transmission experience.” Expect to see the system start rolling out across the rest of the Honda line-up starting later this year.
Ford Getting Chatty with Chinese Automakers
Ford CEO Jim Farley’s recent positive comments about China’s growing EV fleet may have been the catalyst for talks with some Chinese automakers about potential production partnerships. Headlight.News has details.
January Vehicle Sales Held Strong Despite Winter Weather’s Worst
The severe winter weather blanketing the U.S from Texas to Maine failed to slow new vehicle sales in January, with Asian automakers, in particular, reporting gains for the month. More from Headlight.News.
Consumer Reports Names its Top 10 Picks – and They’re All Electrified
Consumer Reports released its annual Top 10 Picks in New Cars, Trucks and SUVs and potential buyers might notice a theme running through them, all of the choices either a hybrid – or available as one – or an EV. Separately, the non-profit announced its first-ever “Safety Verdict,” ranking 29 automotive brands on a variety of factors. Who came out on top? Some surprises here, as well, reports Headlight.News.
Toyota Drops 2nd Teaser for What is Likely to be an All-Electric Highlander
Something “big” is coming next week, Toyota confirmed with the release of a second teaser image showing the interior of what will be an all-electric 3-row EV set to debut on February 10. Is this the long-rumored Highlander EV? More from Headlight.News.
Minivans Make a Comeback
After years of falling off the shopping list for millions of American motorists, the minivan market is showing sudden signs of resurgence. Could buyers be growing tired of the SUVs and CUVs that had become the hipper alternative for those seeking family-haulers? Headlight.News has more.
Headlight.News Podcast for the Week of 2-2-26
This week’s Headlight News podcast chronicles the fall of GM and Tesla earnings, Toyota setting a new sales record, Mercedes showing its new S-Class, automakers not advertising during the Super Bowl this year. Give us a listen and tell us what you think.
Stellantis the Latest to Order Employees Back to Their Offices
Stellantis is ordering workers to report back to their offices five days a week. It’s the latest automaker to abandon the work-at-home practices that were put in place nearly six years ago as COVID lockdowns shook up the working world.