Stellantis is backing away from its aggressive electrification plans. It’s already abandoned the all-electric Ram REV pickup and a plug-in hybrid version of the Jeep Gladiator. Now, it appears, the 900-hp Dodge Charger Banshee could be among other battery-based models set to be axed. Headlight.News has more.
Strong sales by the Jeep and Ram brands helped Stellantis reverse its long sales slide during the third quarter, even as Volkswagen faltered in the face of a challenging economy. While U.S. auto sales are running stronger than expected, analysts still worry about the impact of tariffs and the federal government shutdown in the months ahead.
U.S. auto sales took a sharp upturn in September, largely driven by charged-up demand for other electrified vehicles. General Motors and Ford were among the manufacturers reporting record EV numbers for the month, motorists racing to take advantage of federal tax credits before they expired at the end of the month. Headlight.News has more.
On this week’s podcast, we talk about the $2B hack of Jaguar Land Rover, the rise of new vehicle prices as automakers stop covering all the costs of the tariffs, the end of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, increasing road rage incidents and more. You can get a link at Headlight.News or go straight to Spotify.
Acura has canceled production of the all-electric ZDX, largely due to weak sales and concerns about the future of the EV market. But the Japanese luxury brand isn’t giving up on battery power entirely. It’s moving forward on plans to launch the new RSX EV sometime next year, reports Headlight.News.
When Toyota added a crossover-styled version of the long popular Corolla a few years back it made perfect sense in an SUV-centric market. The Toyota Corolla Cross gets a modest mid-cycle update for 2026. Headlight.News flew out to Napa Valley to check out the refreshed model and the drive quickly confirmed that, whether buyers are looking for increased fuel economy or improved performance, the Corolla Cross Hybrid is the best option.
No matter where you live in the U.S., EVs are cheaper to operate than comparable gas models but how does that compare with other countries? In some places, electricity is substantially cheaper and the advantage of owning an EV even greater. Not so in some other markets, like Ireland, where consumers pay nearly four times more for their current than in the U.S. Here’s a look at the places where it’s cheapest – and most expensive – to charge up a battery-electric vehicle.
Porsche may be known for speed but when it comes to its plan to go all-electric it’s suddenly decided to slow down a bit. There are still more EVs coming but it’s decided to put more emphasis on hybrids and PHEVs, notably with a new high-end crossover in the works. Headlight.News has more on this costly change of direction.
While Nissan is launching a third-generation Leaf for 2026, the Japanese automaker has decided to drop its other battery-electric vehicle, the Ariya, for the 2026 model year. More from Headlight. News.
Hyundai plans to locally produce 80% of the vehicles it sells in the U.S., the automaker announced Thursday. As part of a $55 billion global investment program it will spend $2.7 billion to expand the electrified vehicle plant near Savannah, Georgia hit by an ICE raid two weeks ago, boosting its production capacity to 500,000 vehicles annually. More from Headlight.News.
A total of 30 vehicles – six cars, five trucks and 19 utility vehicles – made the cut as NACTOY revealed the semifinalists chosen by its 50 U.S. and Canadian journalists. Here’s a look at the vehicles in the running for honors as North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year.
In this week’s Headlight News podcast, Hyundai’s South Korean workers return home, Ford issues more recalls, Toyota adds two U.S. EVs and we review the Nissan Leaf and more. Check it out at Headlight.News.