🚗 EV Credits on the Way Out?

TOGETHER WITH

Sun's Up, Fun's Up, Fam!

We've got some news from automakers, marketing's front line, and Wall Street's fascination with tech and a bit of virtual insanity. Sound cool? Good. Read on. 👇

• First, we've got one about the EV tax credits. They may not make it to 2026. What will happen to EV adoption after that? Nobody is sure, but everybody has a guess.

• Second, we took some notes on TikTok's new AI influencer option. This is why folks advised against "being photogenic on Instagram" as a career path, y'all.

• Third, Audi says they're keeping gas around for another 10 years (at least). Which reminds us of that show "Who's Line is it Anyway?" where the timelines are made up and the points don't matter.

Plenty more below, so check it out and send us a GIF. We’re looking to expand our list of favorites.

Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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THE NEWS

TikTok, 180 Days, Audi, and Self-Driving Tech

TikTok’s Latest Influencer

Just when you thought influencer marketing couldn’t get weirder, TikTok dropped Symphony AI—basically a vending machine for fake people doing product demos. Brands can now generate polished, human-like avatars to shill whatever you want, 24/7, no contracts, no lunch breaks.

Michael said it best:

“You’ll know it’s AI when David Spisak’s face shows up on 40-year-old Arnold Schwarzenegger’s body in a Speedo.”

Influencers are shook. And if you sell cars? It’s only a matter of time before a synthetic avatar starts walking around your lot explaining adaptive cruise control with perfect lighting and zero attitude.

A Ticking Clock on EV Tax Credits: What Dealers Need to Know

The Senate’s latest megabill includes a provision to end the $7,500 EV tax credit just 180 days after signing. That would also eliminate the $4,000 used EV credit and immediately close the leasing loophole, removing key incentives that often help win over price-conscious buyers.

While nothing is finalized, the implications are hard to ignore. If passed, the change would likely spark a short-term rush of shoppers trying to secure the credit before it disappears. After that, demand could drop off quickly, especially with EVs already averaging 12% more than their gas-powered counterparts.


Dealers should be preparing now. Update your sales teams. Rethink your talking points. Because if the credit disappears, the entire EV conversation is about to change.


Audi: “JK, We Love Gas After All”

Audi said it was going EV-only by 2033. Now they’re like, maaaybe 2035. Or, never? It depends.

Turns out EV sales aren’t exactly surging and gas is still very...gas. So, ICE cars are staying put and every Audi dealer just exhaled.

Wall Street ❤️ Autonomy

Applied Intuition just raised $600M, putting a $15B price tag on AV software. Investors are still betting big on robot drivers, even if your customers just want Bluetooth to work.

➕ More

We’ve got more on these and several other stories in our Daily Digest.

🥊 Quick Hits

• The U.S. and U.K. signed a previously revealed trade deal at the G7. It will reduce tariffs on agricultural products from the U.S. and British-made cars. ✍️ 

• Scientists have redesigned LSD to treat depression without the hallucinogenic effects. Cause seeing weird stuff is a real wild card when it comes to your mood. 💊 

• Microsoft’s CEO says AI is generating no value. Which is wild since we just made a pile of pictures of Microsoft’s CEO as a Viking and those are pretty valuable to us. 🪓 

TOGETHER WITH MIA

Transform Your Dealership with Conversational AI

When your team clocks out, Mia clocks in.

That was Luke Morris’s takeaway after Mia lined up forty test-drive appointments over one holiday weekend while the store was closed.

In our upcoming 30-minute ASOTU Edge webinar, Morris teams up with Mia’s VP of Sales, Scott Traylor, to show exactly how to weave AI into daily operations without fraying the culture.

Reserve your spot today!

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

In one of our most insightful Pitch Tank sessions to date, three startups tackled real challenges facing today’s dealerships.

If you're looking for ways to streamline communications, improve customer response time, and use date more effectively, this session is a must-watch!

🔁 Today in History

• 1873: Susan B. Anthony is fined $100 for attempting to vote in the 1872 presidential election. 🗳️ 

• 1923: The first Kalamazoo Checker is built. 🚕 

• 1948: Columbia Records introduces the long-playing record album in a public demonstration at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in NYC. 🎶