President Joe Biden announces sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods as an ongoing trade war between China and the United States enters a key period with the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election potentially becoming important wild card play.
EVs and batteries
Jaguar Prepares for Bold EV Gamble, New EV Platform To Play Key Role
Jaguar is preparing to accelerate its push into the EV segment as British brand confirms that $125k Electric GT will spearhead the debut of new EV-dedicated architecture and three new electric vehicles.
Musk Appears to Reverse Course on Tesla Supercharger Cuts
Just days after firing the head of Tesla’s Supercharger operations – and dismissing her entire 500-person staff – CEO Elon Musk appeared to reverse course, announcing on his social media site X that the automaker still will invest “well over” $500 million on “new sites and expansions” of the public charging system. The apparent turnaround comes as Tesla comes under increasing pressure from Tesla investors, analysts, owners and other automakers who have done deals to gain access to the Supercharger network for their own EV customers.
Subaru Plans 8 EVs by 2028 – 4 From Partnership with Toyota
Subaru’s only EV, the Solterra, is a product of a joint venture with Toyota – and the Japanese automaker plans to take the same approach with its next three battery-electric vehicles, all due out by 2026. Then it plans to bring out four more, developed in-house, by 2028, its CEO said Monday.
Tesla Caps Off Rough Week With Hiring Freeze, Move Follows Massive Layoffs
Tesla embarks on company wide hiring freeze as the EV maker struggles with mounting investigations, slumping demand, and a decrease in profits.
Trump Vows to Reverse Biden EV, Auto Emissions Rules – for $1 Billion
President Donald Trump outlined a series of changes he’ll make to the Biden administration’s policies on EVs and other environmental rules if he wins reelection next November. But the changes he promised during a meeting with oil industry CEOs carries a $1 billion quid pro quo in campaign funds.
GM Wrapping Production of Malibu to Shift to Bolt EV
Although General Motors is slowing the cadence of its electric vehicle production, it’s not halting it altogether. That’s evidenced by the move to end production of the Chevy Malibu at its plant in Kansas to transition over to the next generation Bolt EV. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Lucid Model Y Rival Set to Launch in 2026
In desperate need of a more affordable product that can deliver a big boost in sales, Lucid is working up a new compact SUV taking aim at the Tesla Model Y. Expect it to enter production by 2026, with a base price of less than $50,000, said CEO Peter Rawlinson, earlier than previously expected.
Fed Probe of Tesla Autopilot, FSD Raises Securities, Wire Fraud Concerns
Tesla now faces a criminal probe, federal prosecutors raising questions about the way the automaker has promoted its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving technology which – despite what Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have implied to investors and consumers – are not capable of being driven hands-free.
Rivian Q1 Earnings Fail to Make Grade, CEO Declines Comment on Apple Talks
EV maker Rivian reported first quarter earnings that were slightly better than its year-ago results but ended up falling short of analysts’ expectations. The company generated more revenue, but increased costs chewed up profits. Find out more about what happened at Headlight.News.
Lucid Reports Mixed Results, Focusing on Growth Over Profit
Nascent EV maker Lucid Motors reported its first quarter results, exceeding expectations in some areas while falling short in others. CEO Peter Rawlinson brushed aside concerns about shortcomings, noting the company was focused on growth, specifically the company’s second vehicle, the Gravity SUV. Get details at Headlight.News.
Still More Layoffs at Tesla
Tesla launched yet another round of layoffs this week as CEO Elon Musk struggles to compensate for slowing sales and a 55% drop in first-quarter earnings. The latest cuts mean Tesla will see total U.S. employment drop as much as 20%, according to one report, with some departments, including its Supercharger operations, eliminated entirely.