Stellantis will reopen a now-shuttered assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois, the company’s U.S. chief operating officer told employees in an e-mail. The factory will produce a new midsize Ram pickup, however, rather than the EV originally planned for the facility....
Chinese auto sales hit record levels last year – both at home and abroad. Automakers like BYD and Geely saw exports grow 400% since the beginning of the decade, making major inroads in markets like Europe and Latin America. For now, only a handful of Chinese vehicles are sold in the U.S., the Biden administration quadrupling tariffs last year. But a new study shows many American buyers eagerly hoping to see the market open up, with younger motorists particularly interested in Chinese vehicles.
With its quirky rounded exterior, Canoo caught the attention of plenty of potential electric vehicle buyers. However, the looks weren’t enough to translate to sales and profits. Canoo filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Get details at Headlight.News.
As of noon on Monday, the United States has a new president – and Donald Trump is expected to move quickly to implement an agenda calling for major changes in America’s domestic and foreign policies. The auto industry, in particular, could feel the impact of Trump’s agenda in a variety of ways: from foreign trade to EV and emissions policies. Here’s a closer look at what that might means.
During his first term in office Pres. Donald Trump attempted to roll back federal fuel economy standards. He has signaled plans to take similar steps when he returns to office and may also issue orders that could reduce demand for highly efficient EVs. But that would fly in the face of what a new survey shows: improved fuel economy “at least somewhat important” to 96% of American drivers, crossing political boundaries.
After several weak years triggered by the COVID pandemic, Chinese auto sales surged to a new record nearly twice that of the U.S. market. And strong demand for EVs and hybrids played a critical role, according to industry data. Meanwhile, Chinese auto exports also surged to record levels. More from Headlight.News.
The UAW continues its aggressive plan to expand its ranks by converting existing non-union plants or, in this case, getting new plants to align with the union right away. The organization filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to hold an election at Ford Motor Co.’s JV battery plant in Kentucky. Find out more at Headlight.News.
In response to a complaint and three media reports, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation opened a probe into the 2.6 million vehicles equipped with Tesla’s Actually Smart Summon and Smart Summon technologies. Get details at Headlight.News.
The new year is likely to be a big year when it comes to the auto industry, especially with a new president coming into office who has signaled plans to scrap EV sales incentives and enact hefty new tariffs on imported auto parts and fully assembled vehicles. We’ve...
While EV sales growth has slowed down this past year, demand was still up by about 10% in 2024. And the numbers would have been even bigger were it not for Tesla. While still the market leader, it suffered a first-ever annual sales decline last year. A variety of factors were at play, including CEO Elon Musk’s increasingly polarizing politics. More from Headlight.News.
Oh, what a year it was. 2024 took saw a number of predictable stories top our coverage on Headlight.News, but the year also saw some surprising twists and turns — like the planned merger between Honda and Nissan – that no one likely would, or could, have predicted 12 months ago. There was some good news for consumers, and some bad. Some automakers made out like bandits, while others are now struggling with an uncertain future. Here are the 2024 stories that our editorial team found most compelling.
The U.S. Department of Energy finalized a $9.63 billion loan for Ford Motor Co. and South Korea’s SK On to help finance the construction of three new EV battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky. Get the final details at Headlight.News.