ASOTU Recap: April 22nd - April 26th

The ASOTU Daily Pushback email is a one-stop digest of the day's big automotive, economic, and cultural news aimed at keeping our community equipped with knowledge, connected to the industry, and encouraged to keep on moving the needle forward on remaining the best method for meeting consumer mobility needs.

As we cover the stories, we keep our finger on the pulse of retail auto by asking our readers their thoughts, opinions, or predictions regarding today's news and its impact on tomorrow.

RECAP WEEK: APRIL 22ND – APRIL 26TH

Some big stories: 

• The UAW wins over the workers at Volkswagen in Tennessee.  
• Google decides to kick cookies to the curb.
• Tesla implements some unique pricing.

Monday, we talked about everything from hydrogen fuel cells to infrastructure woes to fluctuating EV market trends highlighted by Ford and GM. Meanwhile, Polestar and Kia spiced up the SUV sector, each with distinctive tech upgrades and market plays. 📈

Tuesday, we revealed some automakers banking on SUV hybrids such as Mercedes’s G-Wagen, Lamborghini’s Urus, and Subaru’s Solterra. ⚡

Wednesday, Tesla’s pricing tactics stirred up debate, GM hiked its profit forecast amid strong gas-vehicle demand, and Honda geared up Ohio for an EV revolution. Plus, a robot arm in Manhattan hints at a future where tech meets tacos. 🌮

Every dealer we know was a-buzz over Tesla’s “creative” new pricing strategy filled with hefty disclaimers.

The vehicle prices advertised on Tesla’s homepage include calculated fuel savings based on an assumption of use and preselecting up to $14,000 in savings that consumers may not be able to achieve.

We asked if you had thoughts on the situation, and oh boy, our community spoke up:

Do you have thoughts on Tesla's pricing method? 

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Yes! (Please share a comment) 

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Not my decision to make

Here are a few of the responses:

• “Completely illegal. If Toyota said a Prius was free and then subtracted potential fuel savings compared to driving 200,000 miles in a Ford F-150, it would be ridiculous. You still have to pay Toyota for the cost of the vehicle! Also, Tesla does not know how people will drive their cars or the price of gas in the future. Speculative savings are not savings - and if they do happen, they belong to the customer. Elon is flaunting the law.”
• “With CARS going into effect? No way a dealer could get away with this.”
• “Using trickery and deception is NOT what retail automotive needs today. Those practices must be buried and forgotten...forever. ”

We couldn’t agree more. 💯

Thursday was heavy with industry moves as VW workers unionized in Tennessee, Tesla hustled out pedal fixes, and EVs eyed electricity bill profits. 🛠️

Friday’s roundup saw Google punting its cookie phase-out into the future, Toyota smashing sales records, and the economy performing its usual rollercoaster routine. As markets wobble under the weight of various global pressures, Nissan introduces a backseat buddy to watch over your kids, and Hawaii charges ahead with its EV boom. 💥

In light of all the electric vehicle hype, we wanted your thoughts:

EVs were 16% of global light vehicle sales in 2023. Where do you see it by 2030? 

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🔋 100%

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ 💪 90%

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ 🔥 80%

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤠 70%

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤔 60%

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ 🌗 50%

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ 😎 40%

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨 👍 30%

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ 😬 20%

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 📉 10%

Our community was definitely divided, but the majority seem to think EVs are the future.

🎧🎙️ As always, we released plenty of new episodes of our podcasts, too. Check them out here: In The Dirt, The Automotive Troublemaker, Auto Collabs, and The ASOTU Wheelhouse. 🎙️🎧

Want to hear more? Or, better yet, want to add your voice to the conversation?!

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