TOGETHER WITH

Welcome to Monday, Fam.

Friday at NADA in Vegas, Cox Automotive presented Rita Case with the 2026 Barbara Cox Woman of the Year award.

Rita’s resume stands tall as president, CEO, and owner of Rick Case Automotive Group, widely recognized as the nation’s largest auto group owned and led by a woman. Cox also highlighted the scale behind that leadership: 12 rooftops across South Florida and Atlanta, more than $2B in annual sales, and a long track record of community giving.

It’s a good moment to celebrate one of our own, and a reminder that change doesn’t stop the best from leading forward.

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

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At the DC Auto Show during Public Policy Day 2026, Paul and Kyle sit down with Saferide founder Will Bright to talk about what drivers actually want from autonomy: safer, less stressful trips in the cars they already own.

Will explains how Saferide works with dealers to retrofit everyday vehicles, where Level 2 is having real impact, and why easing driver fatigue matters just as much as preventing crashes.

This is a clear look at where autonomy fits today—watch the full episode now.

Stellantis just put a number on what the industry has been learning the hard way: the EV transition did not move on the schedule many automakers planned for.

On Feb. 6, Stellantis disclosed about €22.2 billion ($26.5 billion) in charges tied to a strategic reset, including scaling back parts of its electrification push and reshaping its lineup around customer demand. The announcement hit shares hard and underscored a broader point: legacy automakers are now paying for optimistic assumptions about the pace of the shift.

Stellantis is the biggest example this week, but it’s part of a wider pattern.

Reuters reports global automakers have booked roughly $55 billion in writedowns tied to EV rollbacks and product overhauls over the past year.

Different companies have different reasons, but the shared theme is the same: EV investment is being re-scored against demand, pricing pressure, and changing policy conditions.

In the U.S., the EV demand curve has softened sharply after a strong run earlier in 2025.

Cox Automotive reported U.S. EV share peaked in September 2025 and fell materially in the fourth quarter as incentives shifted and buyers leaned back toward familiar powertrains. That drop is now echoing through product plans, launch timing, and capital spending across the industry.

At the same time, China continues to expand its advantage in EV scale, batteries, and speed-to-market.

China has become the world’s largest vehicle exporter and has been pushing electric models into markets across Europe, South America, and beyond. Industry analysts point to the same structural drivers: vertically integrated supply chains, sustained government support, and fast execution. U.S. automakers and trade groups have been warning policymakers that this is not just a pricing fight, but a long-term competitiveness fight.

Read more on this from CNBC.

Toyota announced Feb. 6 that finance veteran Kenta Kon will become CEO on April 1. The message is direct: protect profitability so Toyota can keep funding software, services, autonomy, and electrified powertrains without betting the company on a single timeline.

Ford is leaning into a practical theme: more affordable products and a wider powertrain mix. The company has discussed a pipeline of vehicles priced under $40,000 spanning multiple segments and “multi-energy” configurations.

At the same time, the industry is watching reports of potential discussions with China’s Geely around manufacturing and technology frameworks. Whether or not those talks lead anywhere, the pressure behind them is clear: cost, speed, and affordability are becoming non-negotiable.

Thanks for reading and spending last week with us. Every time we go to a gathering like NADA, we come home ready to push where you’re pushing. Let’s move this world, Friend.