TOGETHER WITH :
Howdy Fam!
The ASOTU CON 2026 speaker list grows a bit each day. It’s worth a look today, and a check every so often.
I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say once we get on the ground in Hanover, MD, this May.
Keep Pushing Back,
- Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
Reading time: 4 mins
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Used EV Supply Is Rising Fast and Dealers Have a Pricing Opportunity
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Automotive News is reporting that off-lease EV volume is set to rise fast, which could give dealers a fresh affordability play in used inventory.
Axios shows why the timing matters: gas prices are climbing as conflict around the Strait of Hormuz disrupts energy markets.
Electrek connects the broader trend, arguing EV growth is already reducing oil demand and softening some of that long-term exposure.
The pressure lands first on budget-conscious drivers and high-mileage households. The opening lands with dealers. Stores that can price used EVs well, answer battery and ownership questions clearly, and tie the value back to rising fuel costs have a real story to tell.
GM and LG Shift Battery Production as Energy Storage Demand Surges
GM and LG are repurposing their Tennessee battery plant from EV cells to energy storage batteries and bringing back 700 laid-off workers.
Reuters frames it as a response to softer EV demand and surging demand from grid storage and AI data centers.
For dealers, this is a reminder that battery investment is not slowing, but it is shifting. The EV story is still moving forward, just with a different mix of urgency, volume, and timing.
Paul and Kyle talked about it on yesterday’s morning show. In light of the moves at GM, they asked dealers: “How can we reinvest and retool for what the demand is right now?”
What do you think?
Washington Direct Sales Shift Puts Dealers on Notice
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Washington just handed Rivian and Lucid a direct-sales win, and that should get every dealer’s attention.
The deeper point: dealers helped shape a narrow compromise after Rivian threatened a broader ballot fight. Today, it only applies to Rivian and Lucid in Washington.
Tomorrow, other EV brands may try the same playbook in other states. For dealers, this is less about two brands and more about what is coming next: more pressure to prove value in sales, service, transparency, and customer experience as the legal and political ground under direct sales keeps shifting.
Long Pauses Are Killing Your Calls
Four seconds doesn’t sound like a long time. But in a conversation, it’s a long pause.
That pause can be the difference between a booked service appointment and a missed opportunity. That’s why latency matters.
It’s also where Mia stands out.
Mia’s average response time is under two seconds – roughly twice as fast as competing platforms – keeping conversations smooth and turning more calls into booked appointments.
Want to hear the difference? Book a demo today.
Strong Used Demand, Softer Consumer Confidence
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The market is still moving, but your customers are thinking harder before they do.
Demand Is Still Here. Confidence Is Not.
Here is the clearest read right now: demand has not disappeared, it has just become more cautious.
On the dealer side, the signals are strong. Wholesale values are rising, conversion rates are healthy, and inventory is still turning at a steady pace. That tells us dealers expect buyers to show up. And they are, especially in the used market where value matters most. Older, more affordable vehicles are seeing the biggest lift, while trucks and SUVs are still solid but not accelerating the same way.
Affordability Improved, But It Still Feels Tight
On the customer side, it is more complicated. Affordability has improved slightly, but not enough to change how people feel. Prices are still high. Payments are still stretched. Even with more incentives showing up, buyers are doing more math before saying yes.
Credit Is Carrying More of the Weight
Credit is helping keep deals alive. Lenders are approving more buyers, even stretching into longer terms and higher risk. That keeps the market moving, but it also means many customers are focused almost entirely on monthly payment.
Hesitation Is the Real Headwind
And then there is confidence. It is slipping. Rising gas prices and broader uncertainty are making people hesitate. Not stop. Just slow down.
That is the opportunity.
If You Don’t Say It, They’ll Assume It
When buyers feel unsure, silence kills deals. If you are not clearly explaining value, options, and timing, they will fill in the gaps themselves and usually assume the worst.
Customers Can’t Hear What You Don’t Say
Turn this market moment into something your customers can actually use.
Start with what they are feeling. Acknowledge the hesitation. Then explain, in plain language, what is actually happening and where the opportunities are.
Show them:
where value exists (especially in used)
how incentives or financing can help
what waiting might cost them
Keep it human. Keep it local. Speak like a guide, not a salesperson.
Because right now, the dealers who win are the ones who say the things their customers are quietly wondering.
Check out the full market snapshot and a prompt to bring it home to your customers here.
March 31: NY Auto Forum
May 12: AutoIndustry.AI Summit
May 13-15: ASOTU CON 2026—get ready for the Year of the Human
🤖 AI: A company is using AI to resurrect Val Kilmer for a movie role.
🛒 Retail: Amazon is getting into more marketplace platforming for sellers who want to use the site, but not the service.
💰 Economy: Iran is clouding the Fed’s ability to predict anything.
👽 Weird: Young folks’ memories are getting worse.
1931 – Governor Fred B. Balzar signs a bill legalizing gambling in Nevada.
1999 - Ford launched Premier Automotive Group, uniting luxury brands to expand globally, then later dismantled it amid poor performance and restructuring.
2003 – U.S. President George W. Bush addresses the nation, announcing the invasion of Iraq.
Thanks for reading, Friend!
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