🚗 EVs: More Interest, Less Action?

Howdy Fam!

Our friends at NADA are hosting a webinar the whole dealer body should tune in for.

Deets:
On March 13, the FTC announced it was sending letters to 97 dealership groups warning them of potential violations of federal advertising laws. Join NADA and a senior FTC attorney for an informative webinar that will provide more information about the warning letters and the agency's views of dealer advertising. This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from a regulator to assist your compliance efforts going forward. 

Register here.

We’re paying close attention to this story as it unfolds, so you can bet the everything you’ll need to know about this and what you can do regarding it will be fully discussed at ASOTU CON in May, so be sure to get your ticket at ASOTUCON.com

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

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Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume says German automakers should pay closer attention to China’s disciplined industrial planning, pointing to its clear priorities, fast execution, and intense pace of innovation.

The comment lands at a tense moment for Europe’s carmakers, with VW restructuring aggressively, competition in China still fierce, and U.S. tariffs adding billions in cost across the sector. What once felt temporary is starting to look more permanent.

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Toyota is putting another $1 billion into its U.S. manufacturing footprint, including $800 million in Kentucky to raise Camry and RAV4 output and $200 million in Indiana for the Grand Highlander.

The move fits a broader long-term domestic investment plan and reflects how deeply automakers are reworking production around tariffs, trade policy, and political uncertainty. In a market shaped by shifting rules, building closer to the customer keeps looking like the safer bet.

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Nissan is bringing its e-Power hybrid system to the U.S. later this year in the Rogue, offering something that feels closer to an EV without requiring drivers to plug in. The gas engine does not drive the wheels directly.

Instead, it acts as a generator for the electric motors that do. With hybrid demand rising and EV growth cooling, Nissan is betting this setup can appeal to buyers who want electric smoothness without changing how they fuel up.

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A newly published Tesla patent describes a dual-battery system that could pair a vehicle’s main pack with an auxiliary battery, including one mounted in a trailer for towing or longer trips.

Around the same time, Michelin says its newest EV-focused tires can improve efficiency and extend driving range. Together, the stories point to a broader shift in electric vehicle development, where gains may come not just from the vehicle itself, but from the systems and components built around it.

Gas prices are climbing, and shoppers are paying attention. Edmunds data shows electrified vehicle searches moved from 20.7% to 22.4% in a single week. That’s a clear signal more consumers are taking a fresh look at EVs and hybrids.

Not at scale.

As Paul J Daly and Kyle Mount pointed out on yesterday’s Automotive State of the Union, this is not a clean demand story. It’s a reconsideration moment. Shoppers are looking, comparing, and asking new questions, but many are not ready to act yet.

OEMs and dealers are pushing hard. GM, Kia, Hyundai, and Toyota are all stacking incentives, creating standout deals on specific units. One example making the rounds: a 2026 Equinox EV reportedly sold for $23,991 on a $48,269 sticker after OEM support and dealer discounts.

Some are. Most are not.

Higher payments, rising APRs, and real-world charging limitations still shape decisions. Interest is rising faster than retail behavior.

This moment is best understood as an opening. More shoppers are willing to consider electrified options, but they are still asking the same core questions: Can I afford it, can I charge it, and does it fit my life?

That makes this a conversation opportunity, not a guaranteed shift in demand.