If you’re a Tesla shareholder you’re likely quite pleased to hear CEO Elon Musk promise to back away from his work in Washington to become “super-focused” on the automaker and his other companies. If you’re a buyer looking for an EV, however, that may not matter much, Tesla sales continuing to tumble in markets as diverse as Europe, China and the U.S. Headlight.News has more.
On the podcast this week we talk about Toyota revealing its new RAV4 as well as a few other surprises, plus Elon Musk’s return to running Tesla, the Wiener 500, a review of the 2026 Toyota bZ review and a trip through This Week in Automotive History.
A German court has convicted four former Volkswagen managers of fraud in connection with the “Dieselgate” scandal that saw the automaker pay out more than $33 billion in fines and other costs for rigging diesel emissions data. Two of the VW employees face prison time. More from Headlight.News.
Toyota may be one of the top-selling brands in the U.S. but the original bZ4X, its first serious foray into the battery-electric vehicle market, didn’t do much to charge up U.S. EV buyers. The good news is that Toyota appears to have learned from its mistakes. A mid-cycle update addresses the most notable buyer concerns, adding more range, better performance – and a shorter name. Headlight.News had an opportunity to test drive the new 2026 Toyota bZ and here’s what we learned.
EV sales remain constant, in some measure because consumers have more choices than ever. While Tesla remains the leader, plenty of automakers are making inroads into the segment, like Chevrolet with its 2025 Blazer EV RS with all-wheel drive. Check out our review at Headlight.News.
In a nod to Pres. Donald Trump, the U.S. Senate narrowly voted to block California’s ability to set unique emissions rules, a move critics say weakens the ability to address climate change. A court battle will likely determine whether the state will be blocked from mandating a switch to EVs by 2035.
Even as it scrapped production of the base Charger Daytona coupe, Dodge has launched production of the sedan version of the all-electric muscle car, hoping the added convenience will boost initially weak demand. More from Headlight.News.
Honda is cutting its planned investment in battery-electric vehicles by 30%, its CEO citing “the current market slowdown.” The automaker still plans to launch two all-new “0-Series models” next year but will slow down and stretch out development of other all-electric products. It’s not likely to be the last automaker to rethink EV spending, reports Headlight.News.
Sales of the all-electric Dodge Charger Daytona have been underwhelming. The Fratzonic exhaust hasn’t been music to the ears of muscle car mavens, but to bolster the numbers, a gas-powered version is coming. To make room, Dodge cut the R/T base model leaving only the all-electric Scat Pack available for 2026. Get details at Headlight.News.
With dozens of new models set to debut in the U.S. in the coming months, this should be a big year for Toyota. But the automaker’s plans have been put in a “wait and see mode,” as executives struggle to figure out how to respond to the new Trump import auto tariffs.The tariffs could bring more Toyota jobs to the U.S. – but they might also price some products out of reach, hammering sales. Headlight.News has more.
Elon Musk is cutting back on political activity as Tesla pushes into autonomous vehicles, announcing plans to stay with the automaker as CEO for the next five years. Musk also said autonomy is the key to Tesla’s future, with its new CyberCab ready to roll next month.
When you’ve got one of America’s best-selling product lines you can’t risk resting on your laurels. So, Toyota has pulled out the stops with the debut of the sixth-generation RAV4. The new SUV will introduce a variety of new packages, including GR Sport and off-road...