TOGETHER WITH:
Howdy, Fam!
Did you catch Paul and Kyle talking about ASOTU CON West on CBT Live yesterday? Check out the timestamped replay here, 200 dealers, one day in LA on November 18, no expo hall.
Also in today's email...
Nissan just launched its first mainstream hybrid, and the internet has strong, split opinions about whether it actually beats the RAV4
New EV registration data shows exactly why every automaker is racing toward hybrids right now
Three related reads: Nissan's manufacturing expansion, this week's market data from Cox, and how one Ford dealer group is solving its own technician shortage
Quick hits on VW's Porsche problem, Target's new associate wardrobe, and Stellantis's pricing crackdown
Keep Pushing Back,
—Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
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Nissan's New Hybrid Just Launched, and the Internet Is Already Arguing About It
The all-new 2027 Rogue Hybrid debuted Monday with Nissan's e-Power system, a series hybrid where the gas engine only ever charges a battery, never touches the wheels directly. No plug required. Pricing runs $35,490 to $43,490.
Does the Reaction Match the Hype?
Not entirely. Here's the split, straight from r/cars:
"The Rogue Hybrid starts at $35,490 and comes standard with AWD and heated front seats. I believe to get the same features on the RAV4 you'd have to get the SE and then pay up for AWD."
That's the optimistic read. But:
"The pricing is 'eeh.' ... A quick glance it looks like they more or less match RAV4."
Fuel economy tells a similar story. Nissan's estimated 38 mpg combined lands between Honda's CR-V (40 mpg) and Toyota's RAV4 (43 mpg), respectable, not a clear win.
What's Actually Novel Here
The e-Power system genuinely is unusual for a mainstream US hybrid. One commenter summed up the mechanical distinction cleanly:
"It's a generator on wheels with the sole purpose of powering electric motors... not really a traditional hybrid with a larger battery that powers the motors."
The pricing debate on Reddit is the exact debate your customers will have in the showroom. Know the RAV4 and CR-V trim-for-trim comparison cold before this hits your lot, because the "does it actually undercut Toyota" question is going to come up daily.
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EV Registrations Just Fell for the 10th Month in a Row. That's Why Every Hybrid Launch Makes Sense Right Now.
July was the tenth consecutive month of declining EV registrations since the federal tax credit expired last September.
Metric | July 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
EV registrations | 85,714 | Down 31% YoY |
EV share of light-vehicle market | 6.2% | Down from 8.9% |
Chevrolet EV rank | 6th | Down from 2nd |
Tesla's EV market share | 57.7% | Up 17.9 points |
"The death of the internal combustion engine has been greatly exaggerated," said iSeeCars analyst Karl Brauer. Hybrids, meanwhile, captured 15.6% of the market through July, up 3.1 points year over year, and jumped to 16.4% the week gas hit $4 a gallon.
Nissan launching a hybrid today isn't a coincidence, it's every automaker reading the exact same registration data you're looking at above. If your lot mix still skews toward EV inventory built for last year's demand curve, this is the data that justifies rebalancing it now.
Nissan Is Eyeing a Third Production Shift in Tennessee
Nissan Americas chairman Christian Meunier told CNBC the automaker is "maxing out" capacity at its Smyrna, Tennessee plant and could add a third shift soon, potentially pushing US output toward 1 million units annually, up from roughly 487,000 in 2025. The company's targeting 80% domestic production of US-sold vehicles by 2030.
Affordability Slipped Again in August, Per Cox's Latest Market Read
The average new-vehicle payment hit $770 a month, up 2.6% year over year, while Manheim wholesale values turned negative year-over-year for the first time in 2026. Diesel prices set records last week too, worth watching since diesel costs flow directly into what it takes to get inventory to your lot.
This Ford Dealer Group Solved Its Own Technician Shortage a Decade Ago
Yesterday we dug into Ricart Automotive's "development from within" program, now producing 75% of its Ford technicians in-house through a partnership with ASE and Columbus State Community College.
Worth a full read if today's Nissan and EV data has you thinking about where your next service hire actually comes from.
🦖 Stuff
VW's Porsche stake just got downgraded again, a $6.9B write-down, as the once-reliable profit driver struggles in China and analysts start calling Skoda "the new Porsche" internally.
Target's new associate fashion line, Collection186, expands with a 16-piece October drop, though employees still foot the bill themselves, discounted, not free.
Stellantis is banning phrases like "unlock additional price" from dealer ads starting with 2027 models, part of a broader industry shift toward pricing floors.
1846: German astronomer Johann Galle discovers the planet Neptune, the first planet ever found through mathematical prediction rather than direct observation.
1889: Nintendo is founded in Kyoto, Japan, originally as a maker of hanafuda playing cards.
1916: GM's first West Coast assembly plant, in Oakland, California, begins production of the Chevrolet Series 490.
Thanks for reading, Friend! See you in LA!
