President-elect Donald Trump named Sean Duffy as his choice to lead the U.S. Department of Transportation. Duffy is a former U.S. Congressman from Wisconsin, and he is the second selection plucked from Fox News. Get details at Headlight.News.
Executives
Si, Pablo Di Si is Out as VW Group of America CEO
Pablo di Si unexpectedly stepped down as head of the Volkswagen Group of America and will be replaced by Rivian executive Kjell Gruner, the automaker announced Tuesday. The move comes at a critical time for VW which has been struggling to move its all-electric models in the U.S., even as it prepares to launch the all-new, all-electric Scout brand.
Trump and Republicans Ready to Pull Plug on EV Incentives
If anyone hoped that Tesla CEO Elon Musk being named to President-elect Donald Trump’s staff might mean a reprieve for the tax credits created during the Biden administration — guess again. Those credits are as good as gone. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Trump Election Crimps UAW Political Influence
The 2024 election cost organized labor — especially the UAW — influence in Washington, D.C. It also handed an old foe, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, more sway over industry and labor in the new administration. Get the story at Headlight.News.
Car Buyers At Risk as Trump Prepares to Roll Back Consumer Protection Rules
Bait-and-switch, hidden fees and other dealer scams could proliferate under the incoming administration of Donald Trump, experts warn, as the president-elect signals plans to eliminate or scale back various consumer protection rules.
Nissan Slashes 9K Jobs, Cuts Production 20% After Disastrous First Half of 2024
Nissan Motor Co.’s struggles not only continued in the first half of fiscal year 2024, they worsened. The results forced the automaker to make dramatic moves to shore up losses, including slashing 9,000 jobs worldwide and cutting production by 20%. Find out more what happened at Headlight.News.
Trump’s Second Term Presents Opportunities, Poses Risk to Auto Industry, Says Top Toyota Exec
After scoring a major win in the election this week, President-elect Donald Trump is widely expected to move quickly on a broad agenda when taking office next January. He has made it clear this will include a number of issues critical to the auto industry, including tariffs and EVs. That presents some significant opportunities for manufacturers, but also poses quite a few risks, said a senior Toyota executive who spoke to Headlight.News shortly after Trump’s victory was confirmed.
EV Start-Up Canoo Teeters Over the Edge
With its losses mounting and stock price tumbling, Canoo appears to be the latest EV start-up to face the threat of collapse. The company furloughed 30 employees at its factory in Oklahoma, even as two more of its top executives resigned.
Ford Posts Mixed Q3 Results, Revises Full-Year Earnings Downward
Ford Motor Co. reported third-quarter earnings that beat some analysts’ expectations while falling short in other areas. The company revised its full-year earnings forecast after it took a $1 billion charge and saw the impact of a pricing war on its bottom line. Get details at Headlight.News.
As Sales of the Original ID.4 Plummet, VW Again Delays U.S. Launch of Bigger ID.7
Volkswagen will “probably” not launch its next battery-electric vehicle, the ID.7 sedan, until sometime next year in the U.S., and some suspect it could be pushed back even further as it struggles to reverse plummeting sales of its original ID.4 SUV.
Consumers Showing a Bit More Confidence in Self-Driving Vehicles
A new study shows consumers expressing more confidence in fully automated self-driving vehicles. Good news for Tesla CEO Elon Musk and others expanding their autonomous vehicle testing and planning. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Roadster Delayed, Entry Model Dead – But How About a Flying Tesla?
After a rough start, Tesla appeared to get back on track during the third quarter, beating both sales and earnings estimates. But, buried amidst all the financial data, CEO Elon Musk said there won’t be a $25,000 Tesla and the EV maker’s potentially rocket-powered Roadster is delayed – again. But he may be working on a flying Tesla.