TOGETHER WITH:
Howdy Fam!
ASOTU CON 2026 is less than 60 days away, and we’ve got news! Zach Shefska of CarEdge will be the opening keynote for the Autoindustry.AI Summit!
Zach helped build the most recognizable auto-education brands on YouTube. Now, CarEdge has grown into a platform with more than a million followers across social media and other distribution channels.
“We’re officially beyond the era of the internet lead. We have fully entered the era of ‘AI-assisted leads,’ and dealers need to be ready for that,” -Shefska
His keynote will explore how AI-equipped consumers are reshaping negotiation dynamics, what operational adjustments may be required within dealerships, and where opportunities exist for stores that adapt early.
Check out the press release to get the full announcement!
See you in Hanover, Friend
Keep Pushing Back,
- Chris, Paul, Kyle & Kristi
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The Price is Right?
The clearest trend in retail auto today is simple: buyers are leaning toward options that feel practical, affordable, and easy to live with. That is showing up across new, used, and fuel-type demand, and it is forcing automakers to adjust fast.
Even the shoppers who want to buy may need a little low-pressure help getting there.
EV demand cools as hybrids and gas regain ground
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Buyers are choosing lower-risk ownership
U.S. EV registrations fell 41% in January from a year earlier, according to S&P Global Mobility data reported by Automotive News. EV share dropped from 8.3% to 5.1%, while gas vehicles and hybrids gained share.
That does not mean interest in electrification is gone. It means more buyers are putting affordability, incentives, charging convenience, and long-term ownership costs ahead of early-adoption appeal. For dealers, that is an important distinction. The opportunity is not to sell against EVs. It is to meet shoppers where they are right now.
Honda’s EV pullback shows how fast the market is shifting
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Product plans are changing to match retail reality
Honda’s decision to cancel three planned U.S. EVs and take up to $15.8 billion in write-downs is one of the clearest signs yet that automakers are recalibrating. The expected end of the Prologue after its current production run adds to that story.
Automakers are responding to the same things retailers are seeing in the showroom: softer EV demand, stronger hybrid interest, and customers who are paying close attention to payment, fuel savings, and everyday usability.
Train With AI. Execute With Confidence.
Most dealerships separate training from real performance.
Practice happens in meetings. Execution happens on live calls. The gap between the two is where revenue is lost.
HeyGreenlight’s Wingman closes that gap. It uses AI to simulate real dealership phone scenarios so your team can practice objection handling, appointment setting, and call flow in a controlled environment.
Then, when it’s time for a live customer conversation, the same platform provides real-time guidance inside the same system they train in. Your reps don’t just learn the process. They follow it when it counts.
That is how you build confidence and protect performance at scale.
Used inventory stays tight as value demand holds firm
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Affordable used vehicles remain a key pressure point
Cox Automotive reported used-vehicle inventory at 2.13 million units in February, down month over month, while used retail sales rose 5.5% year over year. Days’ supply fell to 42, and average listing price eased to $25,287.
The biggest constraint remains the lower end of the market. Used vehicles under $15,000 are still in short supply. That is where many payment-focused shoppers are looking, and it creates both a challenge and an opening for dealers who can source and market value effectively.
Rising gas prices add pressure and shape shopper behavior
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Cost of driving is back in focus
Higher gas prices are adding another layer of consumer pressure. That can push some buyers toward hybrids and efficient gas models, especially drivers who depend on their vehicles for work or who are already stretching to manage monthly costs.
Where rubber meets the road:
Some news seems actionable today at the table with your team, and other news feels like a bit of information you may never use. Try out this prompt to turn today’s news into a Monday Morning check-in with your social media community.
Check out more prompts in the AutoIndustry.AI email every Tuesday morning.
Write a short Monday morning social post for [DEALERSHIP NAME] based on the latest retail auto news. Focus on what car shoppers in [CITY / REGION] should know right now. Reference one or two timely trends such as [TREND: gas prices rising / hybrids gaining interest / EV demand cooling / used inventory tightening]. Keep the tone informed, calm, and human. Avoid sounding salesy. Write as a quick moment of insight from [DEALERSHIP NAME] to the local community. End with a simple question inviting conversation with drivers in [CITY / REGION].
Dealer Conferences and Industry Events
March 31: NY Auto Forum
May 12: AutoIndustry.AI Summit
May 13-15: ASOTU CON 2026—get ready for the Year of the Human
1958 – The 50,000,000th Ford
1926 – History of Rocketry: Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket, at Auburn, Massachusetts.
2020 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average falls by 2,997.10, the single largest point drop in history and the second-largest percentage drop ever at 12.93%, an even greater crash than Black Monday (1929). This follows the U.S. Federal Reserve announcing that it will cut its target interest rate to 0–0.25%.
Thanks for reading, Friend!
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