Nissan will close its flagship Oppama Plant by March 2028, the automaker announced Tuesday, as it begins the process of paring back production in a bid to survive. The Re:Nissan recovery plan eventually will see seven of 17 Nissan assembly plants shut down, with 20,000 jobs eliminated. More from Headlight.News.
Cadillac is ready to carry on without EVs without tax credits as it conquers new territory in the luxury segment with a rebuilt and re-tooled line-up. It’s expanding line-up of EVs is proving particularly appealing to younger buyers, says its brand boss. Headlight.News has more.
New vehicle prices are already rising an average $2,000 due to Trump tariffs. They could be hit with another big increase as the president readies a 50% tariff on the miles of copper found in today’s automobiles. Headlight.News has more.
The battle between Elon Musk and Pres. Donald Trump has rapidly escalated as the Tesla CEO lays out plans to launch a new political party. But the Texas-based automaker is already suffering collateral damage. Days after Tesla announced another sharp decline in sales for the second quarter, the automaker’s stock price is taking a sharp hit as investors race for the exit. More from Headlight.News.
After seemingly declaring a truce last month, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Pres. Donald Trump went after each other again on Monday, the president threatening to trash federal subsidies for Tesla and SpaceX. It didn’t help the automaker’s stock as analysts warned of a sharp downturn in sales when Tesla reveals its second-quarter results on Wednesday. More from Headlight.News.
Chinese domestic automakers are becoming a major threat as they gain acceptance around the world with new, low-cost products, Ford CEO Jim Farley warns. But that’s not the only challenge facing Ford and other traditional manufacturers – particularly those in the U.S. There are Trump’s tariffs, for one thing, as well as a shortage of the skilled workers automakers depend on. More from Headlight.News.
Yet again, Tesla sales stumbled by double-digits in May, marking the fifth monthly decline in a row. Meanwhile, the man appointed to run operations and sales in Europe and the U.S. has left the automaker, as has its head of human resources. Tesla has seen a flood of senior execs leave in recent months, including the head of its Optimus robot program. But it did manage to snag the former head of autonomy from GM’s now shuttered Cruise subsidiary.
Iran is threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, the critical Mideast waterway through which 20% of the world’s liquid petroleum passes through. That’s already led to a surge in gasoline prices in the U.S. and some analysts worry it could trigger the sort of global energy crisis not seen since the 1970s. Headlight.News has more.
Tesla’s first robotaxis took to the streets of Austin, Texas on Sunday, the start-up ride-sharing service picking up invite-only riders for a flat $4.20 a trip. The move was hailed by Tesla bulls who see the move as the first step in what could become an even bigger business than the company’s EV operations. But it’s yet to be seen if Tesla can stand up against competitors like Waymo and Uber — or whether the backlash facing Tesla EVs will cripple the robotaxi service, as well. More from Headlight.News.
The first Tesla robotaxi is “tentatively” set to roll out on June 22, according to CEO Elon Musk, though that date could be pushed back, he indicated in a tweet because he is being “super paranoid about safety.” With Tesla’s EV sales sliding fast in many key markets, analysts and investors believe fully self-driving vehicles will be critical to the brand’s future. More from Headlight.News.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk appeared to be waving a white flag early Wednesday morning, saying he “regret(s) some” of the criticism he aimed at Pres. Donald Trump last week. But it’s not clear whether that will be enough to deescalate the sudden feud between the two former allies. Trump and allies had warned Musk he could be putting billions of dollars in federal contract for his companies – including Tesla and SpaceX – at risk. Headlight.News has more.
Few automakers are making more of a commitment to battery-electric vehicles than General Motors – and, at least from a sales standpoint, it appears to be paying off. The automaker has more than doubled both its EV sales and market share this year in the U.S. – and it is now outselling Tesla in neighboring Canada. Headlight.News has the story.