TOGETHER WITH:
Howdy, Fam!
I scroll past a lot of hard headlines every week, but I also get to enjoy some of the best stories the news can offer.
On Saturday's show, we talked about one of those out of Norfolk, Virginia. Before a Norfolk Tides game, childhood cancer survivors pressed colorful handprints onto a car, a young survivor named Angelo Sumner threw out the first pitch, and local Hyundai dealers and Hyundai Hope On Wheels were honored for giving $200,000 to the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
Great story from an industry truly worth fighting to get into.
Also in today's email...
New fuel economy rules are expected today, landing in the middle of a gas-price spike
Diesel is squeezing working truck buyers first, and Tesla picked this exact moment to launch the Semi
Akio Toyoda's call to row together, the Trump-Xi summit's automotive silence, and Hyundai's run at Ford
Keep Pushing Back,
—Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
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What to Expect From Today's Fuel Economy Announcement
The Transportation Department is expected to finalize lower fuel economy standards through 2031 today, officials said over the weekend, rolling back the steeper targets set under the Biden administration. President Trump said the new standards will lower new-vehicle prices, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the coming rule "a major victory for America's auto workers."
The final details aren't out yet. Here's what the administration proposed last December, which is the best indicator of what's coming:
Current rule | December proposal | |
|---|---|---|
2031 fleetwide target | 50.4 mpg | 34.5 mpg |
Annual increase through 2031 | 2% | 0.25% to 0.5% |
The department estimated that proposal would cut average new-vehicle costs by $930, while raising fuel consumption by about 100 billion gallons and fuel spending by $185 billion through 2050.
What does this mean when customers are paying $4.48 a gallon?
The timing lands as gasoline hits its highest-ever September level and diesel sets a record. Lower requirements give automakers more room to keep building bigger engines, and GM, Ford, and Stellantis have already renewed their focus on V8s. Meanwhile, buyers walking onto lots right now are asking about fuel efficiency more than they have in years.
A lower sticker price and a pricier fill-up can land on the same customer, sometimes in the same conversation. Be ready to walk them through both.
Save the Risk-Taking for the Roller Coasters
NADA Show 2027 will pack Orlando with dealers, OEMs, vendors, education sessions, Main Stage speakers, and an expo floor full of dealership solutions.
Early bird pricing ends October 2, and official NADA hotels are already filling fast. Booking now gives you the best available selection of official hotels at exclusive rates, so your team can stay closer, plan smarter and spend less time sorting out transportation.
The longer you wait, the fewer good options remain.
Diesel Is Squeezing the Working Truck Buyer First
On Friday's show, we followed diesel prices from the pump to the grocery shelf. The national average hit $6.51 a gallon, just off a record, and diesel-powered inventory climbed to a 114-day supply, the highest of any powertrain.
The people feeling it most are working buyers: the farmer, the contractor, the hauler who needs a three-quarter-ton to do the job.
"Trucks, for my company, are everything... we already had an affordability issue, and this just exacerbates it."
Stephen Gilchrist, whose 21 stores span Texas and Oklahoma
Why is Tesla launching the Semi right now?
Tesla opened its Semi factory in Nevada Thursday, with capacity for up to 50,000 trucks a year. Its pitch leans on the fuel gap: about 80 cents a mile for diesel versus 20 to 30 cents for electricity, per Tesla.
Know which of your truck buyers are working buyers. Their fuel math changed faster than anyone else's.
Akio Toyoda asked the industry to row together.
At his Automotive Hall of Fame induction, the third Toyoda generation to receive the honor told more than 800 industry leaders he wants "all of us to win." Our read: rowing crews once survived on shared rhythm, and Toyota's track record of sharing hybrid tech with Subaru and Mazda suggests he means every word.
Trump and Xi talked for two days, and automotive trade never came up.
The summit extended the trade truce by two months, to Jan. 10, and sent two giant pandas to Atlanta. Nothing on the record addressed vehicles, parts, or Chinese automaker access to the US market, leaving the industry still waiting on a concrete answer.
Hyundai is on track to outsell Ford for the first time ever.
Cox projects Hyundai's Q3 sales rising 6.5% to 511,421, while Ford's fall 7.1% to 504,172. Ford notes it still leads through August and points to the cost advantages of building in Korea. Cox analysts point to the gap in hybrid offerings.
Ford's F-150 line in Dearborn is dark through Tuesday. All production crews at Dearborn Truck Plant were canceled through Sept. 29 because of a supply problem, while Kentucky Truck Plant picks up the slack.
Your service drive may start getting calls from robots. Google's new "Call for Me" feature lets Gemini phone businesses to make reservations, reschedule appointments, or check stock, with a live transcript and the option to take over.
Oil gains over 1% as Trump rejects Iranian proposal to reopen Hormuz Strait
1892: The first-ever night football game kicks off in Mansfield, Pa. It was called at halftime because the lights were too dim, and it didn't help that a light pole stood in the middle of the field.
1924: Two U.S. Army Air Service planes complete the first flight around the world, landing in Seattle after a nearly six-month trip covering more than 26,000 miles.
1960: Nissan Motor Corporation USA is formed in Gardena, Calif., as a then-unknown Japanese company sets out to sell small Datsun cars to American buyers.
Thanks for reading, Friend! One Day. Dealer. Innovation. Summit! Get your ticket now, fam.
