Officials from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen are reportedly in talks with the U.S. Department of Commerce to lessen the impact of the tariffs on European automakers shipping vehicles into the country. Get details at Headlight.News.
Government
Tesla Shares Soar as Musk Pledges to be “Super Focused” on the Company – But Sales Continue to Plunge
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.
A Decade Later; German Court Convicts 4 Former VW Managers in Diesel-Gate Scandal
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.
Senate Vote Could Kill California EV Rules
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.
Toyota Goes Into “Wait and See Mode”
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.
Musk Promises to Stay in Tesla Role for 5 Years, Cutting Back on Politics
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.
Over 25% of Cars Sold Globally in 2025 Will be EVs
While the Trump administration may be taking steps to slow EV adoption you wouldn’t know by the sales numbers which, in the U.S. are rising at a double-digit rate. Worldwide, demand is growing even more rapidly, with battery-electric models expected to account for more than one in four of the vehicles sold worldwide this year.
Ford Employee Stole Millions in Parts, Sold Them At Auto Shops and on eBay
Authorities have charged an ex-Ford employee and three others, alleging they stole millions of dollars worth of car parts from various Ford factories in the Detroit area. The goods then were reportedly sold to local auto shops or listed for sale on eBay. Headlight.News has more.
U.S. Lowers Tariffs on UK Autos, Steel After Reaching Trade Deal – But Agreement Doesn’t Bring Manufacturing to the States
Negotiators for the U.S. and UK reached what the two sides hailed as a “historic” trade deal Thursday, leading Pres. Donald Trump to slash tariffs on British steel, autos and auto parts. Final details still have to be worked out, according to several reports, but the deal puts a 100,000-vehicle cap on British auto exports to the U.S. which falls below the numbers reported in 2024 by the UK’s largest brands, Jaguar, Land Rover and Mini. The deal does not appear to meet a key Trump goal of shifting foreign manufacturing to the U.S. More from Headlight.News.
Ford Raising Prices on Mexican-Made Products
Ford Motor Co. plans to raise prices on three popular product lines assembled in Mexico, according to an advisory sent to dealers. The automaker put the blame on the new Trump auto tariffs which, it said earlier this week, will add about $2.5 billion to its costs this year. The automaker has yet to say whether it also will raise prices on products produced at Canadian and other foreign plants, as well as those assembled in the U.S. using foreign-made parts. Headlight.News looks at whether othr products could see price hikes,
Ford Posts Lower Profits, Predicts $1.5 Billion Hit Due to Tariffs
As expected, Ford Motor Co. reported a drop in earnings and profits for the first quarter of 2025. The company also suspended its earnings guidance for the rest of the year, but did estimate the new tariffs could cost the automaker about $1.5 billion. Get details at Headlight.News.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 5-5-25
This week on the Headlight News podcast, we talk about the strong April sales numbers, as well as President Trump implementing his tariffs on the auto industry, plus a review of the 2025 Lincoln Navigator and more.