Are we still convinced that electric vehicles are the best way forward?

[teamzr1]

Procedure particulars

The vote Thursday was not technically on the California rules themselves, which were scheduled to phase in between 2026 and 2035, but rather a Biden-era waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allowing the Golden State to enact its newest set of emissions standards for light-duty vehicles. Lawmakers also voted to cancel the waiver allowing California's standards for heavy-duty vehicles.

The Senate canceled the waivers using the CRA, a law that gives Congress the power to cancel rules set by outgoing presidents, so long as the rules were finalized within the last 60 legislative days of a given year. Proponents of the waiver have argued that it is not a rule and therefore not subject to the CRA.

"This is not a narrow assertion of congressional authority, as the other side claims," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said on the Senate floor Wednesday evening ahead of procedural votes teeing up the measure's final passage. "This is an aggressive new precedent."

"Today, it's all about California emissions waivers," he said. "But tomorrow, the CRA could now be used to erase any policy from an agency that the Trump administration doesn't like at a simple majority threshold."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, downplayed those concerns while also condemning the California policy. He said EPA waivers for California are "clearly rules in substance, given their nationwide impact and scope."

"I would love to believe the Democrats have suddenly come to the realization of the importance of the legislative filibuster, no matter how misplaced their concerns would be in this particular instance," Thune said, responding to Schumer.

The Republican added: "I think a lot of Democrats support an electric vehicle mandate and are perfectly happy to allow California to set an EV mandate for the whole country. In fact, I think they're somewhat frantic at the prospect of losing this Green New Deal policy."

Former Democratic President Joe Biden, notably, could have skirted the issue by issuing the waiver earlier in his presidency. But Biden's wait until the final days of his term left the waiver vulnerable to a CRA challenge.

Crucially, all CRA measures require only a simple majority in both the House and Senate. That gave the California waiver vote an easier pathway to success in the Senate, where most actions require 60 votes and Republicans hold a 53-47 majority.

The U.S. House voted 246-164 earlier in May to pass a CRA measure to overturn the California waiver. Three Michigan House lawmakers were among 35 Democrats who voted for the measure: U.S. Reps. Shri Thanedar of Detroit, Hillary Scholten of Grand Rapids and Kristen McDonald Rivet of Bay City.

Republican U.S. Rep. John James of Shelby Township was a leader in that effort. "I have nothing against EVs. I would love to build every EV in Michigan, but my problem is with top-down, comply-or-die regulations dictated by the federal government," he told The Detroit News in a September interview.

Michigan's senior Democratic U.S. Sen Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township opposed the measure Thursday.

"People should be able to buy the car that best meets their own needs, whether it’s electric or gas-powered," Peters said Tuesday after Republicans announced plans for the vote. "But in this case, Republicans are just using this issue as a trojan horse to blow up the Senate’s rules and make it easier to ram through the Trump administration’s harmful agenda and overturn policies they oppose, like protections for workers and Americans’ access to health care.”

California's next move

California and environmental groups are likely to mount legal challenges. The head of the state's emissions regulator, the California Air Resources Board, forcefully spoke against the congressional action Thursday and signaled the agency would fight back.

CARB Chair Liane Randolph said in a statement: "California profoundly disagrees with today's unconstitutional, illegal and foolish vote attempting to undermine critical clean air protections. It’s an assault on states’ rights the federal administration claims to support that puts national air quality standards out of reach and will have devastating effects for the 150 million Americans who breathe unhealthy air every day.

"These actions are contrary to the text of the Congressional Review Act, as recognized by the nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office and the Senate Parliamentarian. California will pursue every available remedy to challenge these actions and defend our right to protect the public from dangerous air pollution. Turning the clock back on both cleaner combustion engine requirements and zero-emission technology is an attack on clean air."

"This short-sighted political move is another strike against the long-term competitiveness of the U.S. auto industry in a global market that is rapidly advancing toward cleaner combustion technology as well as zero-emission vehicles," Randolph said. "These actions throw uncertainty into the middle of an ongoing vehicle certification process. Despite the market disruption brought on by the federal government, California remains steadfast in our commitment to work with manufacturers to keep moving toward a cleaner transportation system, and we will have more guidance in the coming days."

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom convened a special state legislative session in November to focus on "bolstering California legal resources" related to environmental issues, among others, against actions from the incoming Trump administration.

"The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won’t sit idle. California has faced this challenge before, and we know how to respond," he said in a press release at the time.

Michael Buschbacher, a partner at the law firm Boyden Gray PLLC, said California is "pretty limited" in its options for legal recourse. "The CRA has a provision that says that, basically, anything Congress does under the CRA is not subject to judicial review,” he said in a phone interview ahead of the vote.

Buschbacher, who represents clients seeking to block pro-EV regulations, also questioned California's ability to get a waiver for similar rules later on, if or when Democrats return to power in Washington.

“The CRA also says that federal agencies cannot do something substantially similar to a rule that gets CRA’ed. That phrase has not really been tested in court," the attorney said. "The way I would interpret it would be: California can't get a waiver from the EPA for electric vehicle mandates."

He also predicted that the "notoriously retaliatory" state of California might use regulatory strategies, like certifications for compliance with highly complicated national on-board diagnostic standards, to "make companies miserable" if automakers do not adhere to its preferred emissions standards.

"If that kind of thing happens," Buschbacher said, "I would fully expect industry and probably the federal government to sue to stop that."

 

[teamzr1]

I thought Barra, head of GM kept saying she only wanted electric engine and gas ones were bad but now

General Motors Co. is pouring $888 million into a plant near Buffalo, New York, to make V-8 engines used in full-size SUVs and trucks, the company said Tuesday.

The capital infusion into Tonawanda Propulsion will pay for new machinery, equipment, tools and renovations as the plant gears up to start making the next generation of V-8 engines in 2027.
The announcement comes as GM grapples with pressure from President Donald Trump to increase U.S. manufacturing or pay hefty import taxes it has imposed on vehicles and auto parts made outside the United States.

“Our significant investments in GM’s Tonawanda Propulsion plant show our commitment to strengthening American manufacturing and supporting jobs in the U.S.,” CEO Mary Barra said in a statement.
“GM's Buffalo plant has been in operation for 87 years and is continuing to innovate the engines we build there to make them more fuel efficient and higher performing, which will help us deliver world-class trucks and SUVs to our customers for years to come.”

The company invested $70 million in the plant in 2020 as part of an effort to ramp up production of Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.

Tonawanda is the second GM propulsion plant to make sixth generation V-8 engines.
The automaker in 2023 spent another $500 million to get its Flint Engine plant ready to make engines that the company says will be "stronger performance than today's engines while benefiting fuel economy and reducing emissions," citing new combustion and thermal management innovations.

“This investment marks an exciting new chapter for our plant,” said Tara Wasik, plant director at Tonawanda. “For generations, our team has demonstrated its commitment to manufacturing excellence. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue supporting the Western New York community and steadfast in our mission to deliver world-class propulsion systems to our customers.”

UAW Local 774 President Teddy Maldonado told The Detroit News that local workers are relieved GM committed to more investments in the plant.
"Our workforce speaks for itself," Maldonado said. "They put pride in their work, and it’s paying off.”

 

[teamzr1]

Bank of America's annual "Car Wars" report forecasts a "rough ride" for the U.S. industry in the next couple of years because of low model replacement rates and struggling electric vehicle growth.

The annual study led by analyst John Murphy predicts automaker performance in the U.S. market by looking at product launches over the next few years, with the premise that automakers with higher showroom replacement rates will perform better.
The report predicts those rates in the next couple of years will be historically low ahead of major truck launches from the Detroit Three later this decade, and because of cutbacks in electric vehicle products from low demand.

"What's wild this year is that we expect 159 models to be launched over the next four years," Murphy said before the Automotive Press Association. "Last year, it was over 200. Traditionally, it's over 200" over a four-year stretch.
He added: "This year, at 159, is a dramatic decline from above 200 last year. We have never seen this kind of change before."

Murphy noted there are 29 new model launches this year, the lowest in decades. He attributed the declines to a pullback in EV investment. Adoption of vehicles with all-electric powertrains has failed to meet industry expectations, with them comprising about 8% of annual U.S. sales. Limited access to charging stations, higher prices of EVs compared to gas-powered alternatives, range anxiety and more have limited adoption.

Car Wars is predicting 71 EV nameplates being offered over the next four years.
That's about half of what the forecast had expected two years ago.
"There are a lot of tough decisions that are going to be made," Murphy said.
"Based on the study, I think we're going to see multi-million dollar write-downs that are flooding the headlines for the next few years."

Ford Motor Co. last year wrote off nearly $2 billion when it canceled plans for a three-row all-electric SUV, saying it wasn't going to be profitable within the first year.

Murphy underscored that automakers will best serve their shareholders by emphasizing their core business, which is gas- and diesel-powered SUVs and trucks, and leveraging connectivity to get customers returning to smaller, strengthened dealer franchises. From those revenues, then, it can invest in future technologies like EVs, autonomy and other software applications and brave threats like tariffs and Chinese competition.

"I do think, as we look at this, although we've said lower product intros, that these core products that generate a lot of profit for the companies, including the D3, will likely create a pretty profitable next few years for the industry," Murphy said. "So although it looks a bit scary at the moment, I do think we're looking at a pretty good upside to earnings, and potentially stocks over the coming years."

Traditionally, replacement rates average about 15% in the industry. Car Wars predicts rates at about 11% in 2026 and 2027.
"It's going to be a little bit of a rough ride for these two years," Murphy said.
The report predicts the Detroit Three's replacement rate from model year 2026 to 2029 will fall around the industry average of 16%, indicating a likely stagnant market share. Ford's was at 16.1%, General Motors Co.'s was 15.7% and Chrysler parent Stellantis NV's was at 15.4%.

Ford Motor Co. spokesperson Mike Levine emphasized the Dearborn automaker has new product in the marketplace today, including the full-size Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs that recently went on sale.
"Ford is committed to offering our customers vehicles that they love and can’t live without," he said in a statement. "We are investing in all-new ICE, hybrid and electric vehicles to provide customers with freedom of choice to find the best vehicle to meet their needs."

Representatives for GM and Stellantis declined to remark on the report.

On the upper end of replacement rate, meanwhile, is Tesla Inc. It has a 22.4% replacement rate, indicating the Texas EV maker could grow its market share in the coming years. But the rate is also a bit "dubious," Murphy declared, noting Tesla has postponed launches and favors more frequent updates to its vehicles versus total redesigns.

"That's questionable whether that all will happen," Murphy said, "given their track record of not really introducing new-generation models."
On the lower end is Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. with a 12.3% replacement, indicating it could lose market share.
The automaker is under financial stress, has cut jobs and is losing market share in the United States with aging product.

"Nissan remains a mess," Murphy said. "It's just unclear what their commitment is, in their current form, to the U.S. market."

 

[teamzr1]

Barra is sure changing her tune real fast, her world of only EVs is shrinking greatly

General Motors Co. plans to invest $4 billion to move production from Mexico to three plants in the United States, including its shuttered Orion Assembly plant in suburban Detroit and target making more vehicles with ICE and not EVs

Full-size SUVs and light-duty pickups are coming to Orion, which was being retooled to build electric trucks before market demand waned.
The gas-powered Equinox compact SUV is slated for Fairfax, Kansas. And the gas-powered Blazer, controversial when it was launched at a GM plant in Mexico, will be produced in Spring Hill, Tennessee, the sources confirmed.

The automaker posted details on its website.

“We believe the future of transportation will be driven by American innovation and manufacturing expertise,” GM CEO Mary Barra said in a statement. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to build vehicles in the U.S. and to support American jobs. We're focused on giving customers choice and offering a broad range of vehicles they love.”

The move is partly driven by increased demand for high-profit SUVs and partly an effort to limit exposure to pricey import tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump.
His goal: to force a manufacturing renaissance in the industrial heartland and beyond.
When GM announced plans in 2022 to retool Orion for EV truck production, the state estimated the project would create 2,300 jobs and retain 1,000.

“No president has taken a stronger interest in reviving America’s once-great auto industry than President Trump, and GM’s investment announcement builds on trillions of dollars in other historic investment commitments to Make in America,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement.

GM's manufacturing reshoring is likely to be considered a major victory for Trump's trade-and-tariffs policy and could be a harbinger of additional moves by manufacturers foreign and domestic. The move likely ranks among the largest if not the largest reshoring of U.S. auto manufacturing since Trump took office for a second term.

"GM and Michigan have a long, rich history, and today’s massive investment in Lake Orion is just the latest chapter," Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “I am grateful to GM for bringing more auto manufacturing back home to Michigan, protecting thousands of good-paying, union auto jobs."

Members of Michigan's congressional delegation also praised the automaker's move.

"This investment is a game-changer for our district and a big win for hard-working Michiganders,” Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Bruce Township, said in a statement. “For months, we have said the President’s efforts would pay off and more companies would invest in America again.

“This is good news for Michigan’s workers and our role as a leader in the global auto industry," Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, said in a statement. "In order to remain a leader, we must be producing a robust product line that consumers want, including electric vehicles."

Reshoring American auto jobs has been a longstanding promise from Trump, on the campaign trail in Michigan and during his two stints in the Oval Office. Since returning to Washington in January, Trump has used tariff policies to put pressure on automakers to locate more of their production in the United States.

“We give them a little bit of time before we slaughter them if they don’t do this," Trump said during an April visit to Macomb County to mark the first 100 days of his second term.

That evening, Trump also announced that he planned to offer "partial tariff rebates" for about two years to companies that assemble cars in the United States.
He had previously planned to impose a 25% tariff on foreign auto parts to take effect in May. He said the new rebates would provide a "little bit of a flexibility."

The Republican president, separately, has also enacted a 25% tariff on all imported vehicles and auto parts from Canada and Mexico that do not comply with the countries' U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement.

He granted the USMCA exemption after intense lobbying and direct conversations with leaders of the Detroit Three automakers. The companies warned of dire consequences from disrupting North America's highly interconnected automotive supply chain, with Michigan likely to suffer the most.

Last month, GM announced an $888 million investment in V-8 propulsion engines at the company's Tonawanda Propulsion plant near Buffalo, New York. At the time, CEO Mary Barra said the massive capital infusion shows "our commitment to strengthening American manufacturing and supporting jobs in the U.S."

GM last month amended its guidance for the year to include tariff exposure of $4 billion to $5 billion, although that was before Trump offered some relief to automakers.

Barra had said the company expected to offset tariff costs by about 30% in part by tightening budgeting and moving more supplies and manufacturing to the United States. The Mexico-to-United States shift in production, expected to take effect in 2027, marks a large step toward fulfilling that promise.

GM has said it's increasing full-size, light-duty truck volume at its Fort Wayne Assembly plant in Indiana. And it cited Trump's tariffs in its decision to cut a shift at its Oshawa Assembly plant in Ontario that produces light- and heavy-duty pickups.

GM previously planned to retool Orion Assembly to make electric trucks beginning in mid-2026 after repeatedly delaying production. Orion Assembly, which previously built the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt, was originally supposed to have EV truck production launch there in late 2024.

GM’s Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, production facility makes the Chevy Equinox EV, Blazer and Blazer EV, plus the Cadillac Optiq EV. San Luis Potosi Assembly makes the Equinox and GMC Terrain, and Silao Assembly produces the light-duty Silverado and Sierra trucks.

The Blazer’s return to the United States comes after a contested hiatus in Mexico. The old full-size model was last built in the United States in a now-shuttered plant in Janesville, Wisconsin. In 2018, GM announced plans to bring back the crossover SUV for production in Ramos Arizpe, much to the disappointment and anger of the United Auto Workers.

When GM tried to show off the Blazer at the Tigers’ ballpark fountain briefly in 2019, a local television station published a poll asking if viewers agreed with it being highlighted despite being built in Mexico. GM responded by replacing the Blazer with a Michigan-built Chevrolet Traverse.

“We’ve said for months that the auto industry could utilize excess capacity at U.S. auto plants and invest billions into our factories, our communities, and American autoworkers," UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement. "While other companies drag their feet, GM is showing that strategic auto tariffs work with a massive $4 billion investment that will create thousands of good-paying union jobs."

Stellantis NV has not announced any production moves to the United States because of tariffs. But early this year, within days of Trump taking office, the automaker did recommit to several major U.S. plant investments, including reopening an assembly plant in Illinois, building the next-generation Dodge Durango in Detroit, and making improvements at key Ohio and Indiana facilities.

Those announcements allayed concerns by the UAW that the automaker was ready to move some of that work outside the country. But union officials are pushing for more U.S. plant investment, and have pointed out that Stellantis has available capacity at many of its major facilities.

Stellantis Chief Financial Officer Doug Ostermann said late last month that the automaker wants to reduce its tariff costs by shifting more of its parts suppliers stateside. In the longer term, he said the company will also explore moving some of its own production.

The automaker imports more than 40% of its annual U.S. sales, and some of its big foreign plants — including in Mexico and Canada — have temporarily paused or cut production due to the tariffs in recent months.

 

[teamzr1]

From GM :

General Motors today announced plans to invest about $4 billion over the next two years in its domestic manufacturing plants to increase U.S. production of both gas and electric vehicles.

The new investment will give GM the ability to assemble more than two million vehicles per year in the U.S. This announcement comes on the heels of the company’s recently announced plan to invest $888 million in the Tonawanda Propulsion plant near Buffalo, New York to support GM’s next-generation V-8 engine.

Plants in Michigan, Kansas, and Tennessee will expand finished vehicle production of several of GM’s most popular vehicles:

• Orion Assembly, Orion Township, Michigan: GM will begin production of gas-powered full-size SUVs and light duty pickup trucks at Orion in early 2027 to help meet continued strong demand. As a result, GM’s Factory ZERO in Detroit-Hamtramck, Michigan will be the dedicated assembly location for the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Cadillac ESCALADE IQ, and GMC HUMMER EV pickup and SUV.
• Fairfax Assembly, Kansas City, Kansas: Fairfax Assembly will support production of the gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox beginning in mid-2027. Sales of the recently redesigned Equinox were up more than 30% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2025. Fairfax remains on track to begin building the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV by the end of this year. GM expects to make new future investments in Fairfax for GM’s next generation of affordable EVs.
• Spring Hill Manufacturing, Spring Hill, Tennessee: GM will add production of the gas-powered Chevrolet Blazer at Spring Hill starting in 2027, alongside the Cadillac LYRIQ and VISTIQ EVs, and the Cadillac XT5.

“We believe the future of transportation will be driven by American innovation and manufacturing expertise,” said Mary Barra, Chair and CEO. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to build vehicles in the U.S and to support American jobs. We're focused on giving customers choice and offering a broad range of vehicles they love.”

GM has a network of 50 U.S. manufacturing plants and parts facilities in 19 states, including 11 vehicle assembly plants. Nearly one million people in the U.S. depend on GM for their livelihood, including employees, suppliers, and dealers.

“Today’s news goes well beyond the investment numbers this is about hardworking Americans making vehicles they are proud to build and that customers are proud to own," said GM President Mark Reuss. "As you travel the country, you can see firsthand the scale of our manufacturing footprint and the positive economic impact on our communities and our country.”

GM continues to post strong U.S. sales, gaining market share in both gas and electric vehicles. The company is on track to deliver its sixth consecutive year as the U.S. full-size pickup sales leader, and its 51st straight year leading in full-size SUVs. In the second half of 2024, GM became the #2 seller of electric vehicles in the U.S. market, thanks to its diverse portfolio of 13 EV models from Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC. Chevrolet is now the fastest-growing EV brand and #2 among all EV brands in sales.

GM’s 2025 capital spending guidance is unchanged at between $10 billion and $11 billion. Going forward, GM expects its annual capital spending will be in a range of $10 billion to $12 billion through 2027, reflecting increased investment in the U.S., the prioritization of key programs, and efficiency offsets.

 

[teamzr1]

Americans are not as interested in purchasing electric vehicles (EVs) as they once were, according to an AAA poll.
Back in 2022, the same survey found that 25 percent of those asked said they “were either likely or very likely to buy a fully electric vehicle as their next car.”

Today, that number sits at just 14 percent.

Over the past four years, those who said they “would be unlikely or very unlikely to purchase an EV rose from 51% in 2022 to 63% in 2025.”
“Taking a longer view, the percentage of U.S. drivers who believe that most cars will be electric within the next 10 years has declined from 40% in 2022 to 23% this year,”

And this is not the first poll to show declining enthusiasm for the EV. A Gallup poll in April 2024 showed a “decline in the percentage saying they are seriously considering buying [an EV], from 12% to 9%.”
Those considering buying an EV dipped from 43 percent in 2023 to 35 percent.

The technology is simply not there for Normal People. You have to charge your EV every few hundred miles and 1) charging stations are not readily available,
2) charging takes a lot longer than gassing up,
3) charging stations are not uniform for every brand of EV, and 4) if there’s a line at the charging station, you are in for a long wait.

No one wants to drive around with that kind of stress and worry.

If you have an EV for routine work life, that can make sense. You go to work, you run some errands, you take the kids wherever they need to go, and then you park in your garage and charge the car. That’s a beautiful thing. But you will still want the old gas-powered vehicle for long trips or anything outside that routine.

EVs are also expensive to purchase, expensive to repair, and don’t really help the environment.
The electricity required to charge them is almost always generated by burning fossil fuels, and the elements needed to make the EV batteries are an environmental nightmare at both the production and disposal stages.

The Biden administration’s push for EVs created a little stir a few years ago, but reality is still reality.

 

[Roscobbc]

Much the same logic will apply to the UK market for electric cars......on a lesser scale. The very recent introduction of smaller electric hatchbacks with supposed 150 mile ranges will work for many people (if the 150 miles is realistic on a 'bad' day). Here in outer London within Londons orbital M25 motorway and close to the north/south QE2 bridge/tunnel river Thames crossing grid-lock is not just a solitary daily event......there are all too often several such 'events' every day. What happens if using an electric vehicle and you are caught-up for several hours in a hold-up on a low battery (and in the height of winter at night) and perhaps for health reason its essential to keep the car warm? - what happens if several cars have the same issue and can't move. Police will possibly look for a way to prosecute drivers who allow that to happen (as they can already if you run out of fuel in an ICE powered car)?

 

[teamzr1]

President Donald Trump, with significant fanfare, declared victory Thursday morning over "electric vehicle mandates" favored by his predecessor and regulators in California.

"Previous administration gave left-wing radicals dictatorial powers to control the entire car industry," he said in the White House East Room to a crowd including auto lobbyists and fossil fuel executives, plus Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

"Today we're saving California from a disaster and our entire country from a disaster," Trump said.
"We're doing a product that works, that's much more efficient, that's better," he said.

The president's comments came during a bill-signing ceremony for legislation blocking a federal waiver from the EPA that allowed California to set influential, nation-leading emissions policies for the auto industry. Its latest rules would have required a ramp-up to 100% electrified new vehicle sales by 2035 in participating states.

Though Michigan was not among those states, it would have experienced ripple effects from the new rules, which were set to cover about one-third of the U.S. car and truck market. The Detroit Three automakers and their suppliers would have needed to quickly ramp up EV production and sales well beyond current levels.

California and 10 other states filed a lawsuit immediately after Trump signed three pieces of legislation canceling the Golden State's power to enforce its newest regulations.

This is what leadership looks like,” Congressman James said in a statement. “Washington Elites said it couldn’t be done, but with President Trump’s signature we’ve made good on our promise to protect our jobs, lower prices, defend our supply chains, and keep Democrats' radical Green New Deal agenda out of the driver’s seat.”

"... This is huge a win for the men and women who don’t get days off, who get behind the wheel before sunrise and keep this country running," James continued. "America’s workers don’t need coastal elites from California to Washington, D.C. telling them how to do their jobs they need the freedom to compete, the infrastructure to deliver, and the respect they’ve earned. I’m proud that my legislation can deliver just that.”

James was among the lawmakers Trump praised for supporting the waiver overturn. He also noted that some Democrats joined overwhelming Republican support in Congress for the effort.

"One Democrat in the Senate," Trump said. "Who was the one?"
"Slotkin," someone in the audience called out, referring to Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly.
"Well ... I shouldn't have asked," the president said.

Trump also denounced California regulations for heavy-duty vehicles that would have pushed a transition to EVs in the trucking industry. Less than 1% of Class 8 semi trucks registered in the United States last year were electric, according to data from the American Trucking Association. The industry would have had to reach 75% for new sales in that class by 2035 in participating states.

He signed legislation canceling California’s ability to set those standards too.

The auto industry and oil and gas groups lobbied fiercely to cancel the light-vehicle regulations, while environmental groups held out hope for their survival as perhaps the most ambitious Biden-era effort to curb emissions from the United States' top contributor to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

"Ripping away California’s clean air protections is Trump’s latest betrayal of democracy,” said Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Safe Climate Transport Campaign.

He added: “Signing this bill is a flagrant abuse of the law to reward Big Oil and Big Auto corporations at the expense of everyday people’s health and their wallets. Big Oil CEOs who ponied up on Trump’s billion-dollar campaign demand are now getting the big payoff with gutted environmental health protections."

General Motors Co. cheered Trump and lawmakers for approving the measures.

“GM appreciates Congress’ action to align emissions standards with today’s market realities," said company spokesperson Bill Grotz. "We have long advocated for one national standard that will allow us to stay competitive, continue to invest in U.S. innovation, and offer customer choice across the broadest lineup of gas-powered and electric vehicles.”

Toyota Motor Corp., the second-largest automaker by sales in the United States last year, also praised the action.

"We applaud President Trump, the House and Senate for rejecting (California's) unrealistic battery electric vehicle mandate," the company said in a statement. The Japanese automaker has been a purposeful laggard on EVs while the market develops, instead relying on its massive gas-powered hybrid portfolio to power profits.

The statement continued: "Toyota believes providing consumers with affordable vehicles and a variety of powertrain options is the best and quickest path forward for reducing emissions. A consumer-driven market with one national emissions standard will bring more stability and healthy competition to the auto industry, steady employment for workers and dealers, and more options for American families.”

John Bozzella, president and CEO Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents most automakers in the United States, said: “Everyone agreed these EV sales mandates were never achievable and wildly unrealistic. Worse than unachievable – these EV mandates were going to be harmful. Harmful to auto affordability, to consumer choice, to industry competitiveness and to economic activity."

In his remarks, Trump pointed to investments by automakers in U.S. plants, citing them as evidence his tariffs are working to increase industrial production in the United States. Among them, he said, is Stellantis NV's plans to reopen its Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois.

California, thanks to longstanding provisions of the federal Clean Air Act, is able to set its own tailpipe emissions regulations, provided it first gets approval from the EPA. Its latest set of rules would have phased in beginning with the 2026 model year. Companies were facing a 35% electrified sales requirement, which included a partial allowance for gas-electric plug-in hybrid models.

Thirteen states and the District of Columbia had at one point pledged to adopt California's rules, but five later canceled or delayed their commitments as the regulations' start date drew closer.

Virginia canceled its commitment last year under the directive of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Maryland and Vermont pulled back in the weeks leading up to congressional action on the matter, and New York and Massachusetts did the same one day after a key Senate vote on the regulations.

No state, including California, is yet at the 35% benchmark outlined in the rules. Most were not halfway there in 2024, according to sales data compiled by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

 

[teamzr1]

Ram is bringing back a rumbling, gas-guzzling V-8 engine. Bye bye EVs

Months after phasing out the iconic HEMI V-8 from the 2025 Ram 1500 lineup,
the automaker now says the big-bodied motor will return in 2026.
The brand's top boss apologized for killing the grunting 5.7-liter powerhouse.

'We own it. We got it wrong. And we're fixing it,' Tim Kuniskis, the CEO of the Ram brand, said in an advertisement, showing the executive driving the truck around a racetrack.
Kuniskis spoke over the thunderous growl of the truck's iconic firing cylinders.

'You hear that? That's our HEMI. And it's saying, "We're back."'
For years, Ram raked in huge profits with the HEMI-powered full-size pickup trucks.
The brand, which spun out of Detroit-based Dodge in 2009, was praised by loyal customers for its throaty, high-octane motors

Ram announced Sunday that its brand will return to NASCAR competition, scheduling a Craftsman Truck Series campaign beginning in 2026.

The move came accompanied by a marketing splash before Sunday’s Cup Series event at Michigan International Speedway. The choice of venue was intentional, marking the anticipated end of its 13-year absence in the backyard of Chevrolet and Ford — two fellow Detroit-area marques and current NASCAR manufacturers.

That blitz billed as “Ram-Demption” included the public debut of a Ram 1500 concept race truck, wearing a livery in Gloss Black and Molten Red. Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis drove the truck during a recent promotional shoot at Darlington Raceway, and he hinted that the brand’s NASCAR comeback foreshadowed its intent to eventually return to Cup Series competition with another manufacturer under the global Stellantis banner.

“We’ll be on track in Daytona in eight months,” Kuniskis said during a midweek press briefing, “and the way we’re going to do it is unlike anyone else.”

Ram will become the first new OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in NASCAR’s national-series ranks since Toyota brought its Tundra model to the track in 2004. John Probst, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, indicated that the process for Ram’s return gained momentum at the end of the third quarter of fiscal year 2024.

“I know that this is something that we have been talking about for a long time, and it’s something that we don’t get to do very often,” Probst said. “I think the last time we did this was over 20 years ago when Toyota entered our sport, so this is something that is a big moment for our entire sport and our existing competitors, potential new competitors, our OEMs.”

The news is part of what’s been a busy week for Ram, which announced Thursday that the classic 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 would return to its production lineup. Kuniskis acknowledged the company had erred in dropping the Hemi powerplant “Ram screwed up when we dropped the Hemi. We own it and we fixed it,” he said and that customer feedback was key to bringing it back. The engine returns with a new “Symbol of Protest” badge a ram’s head emerging from a V-8 block to the revived branding, and the company’s NASCAR return is the next phase of its focus on automotive muscle.

Kuniskis said Ram would ideally have at least four trucks on the grid for next year’s season opener at Daytona International Speedway. But he added that he’s in need of one or more team partnerships to bring those efforts to life.

“We’re looking for a date to the prom right now,” Kuniskis said. “So how am I going to get to Cup?
That’s going to depend on how I get to truck. So however we get to Truck is going to obviously weigh heavily on ‘do I have a path to Cup ?’ Our intention is not to do a one-hit wonder and go to Truck and not to Cup. That’s not our plan.”

Ram spun off as a separate brand from Dodge in 2010. Dodge last competed with factory support in NASCAR’s Cup Series in 2012. That run concluded with Brad Keselowski claiming the Cup championship for Team Penske that year in a Dodge Charger. Dodge Ram celebrated three manufacturer titles in the Craftsman Truck Series (2001, 2003-04) during its first stint, which ended after the 2013 campaign. Bobby Hamilton (2004) and Ted Musgrave (2005) drove Dodge Rams in their championship campaigns.

Probst did not speculate when asked about Ram’s prospects for aligning with an existing Truck Series organization, but he said he imagined the pursuit of a team partnership would be spirited.

“I want him to have a date that he wants to have his picture taken with,” Probst said, riffing on Kuniskis’ prom analogy. “That is completely a Ram competition-related thing. We know they are wanting to be very competitive, so I would anticipate them being pretty aggressive in getting a good team lined up in their camp to go run their banner.”

Probst said the runway for any prospective automakers to launch a Cup Series venture would be based on an 18-month timetable to allow for proper engine development and the submission of a competition-ready body. As for any other manufacturers who might be willing to follow Ram’s lead, Probst said those prospects were encouraging.

“I don’t want to jinx ourselves, but I would say that we are very close with one other,” Probst said. “Can’t speak for them. Obviously, it’s their decision to make. We would love for them to decide to come into NASCAR, and even with that, there’s one or two others that we’re a little bit earlier in the discussions, but also looking pretty positive.

But we all know that an OEM deciding to come into NASCAR, it’s a big commitment for them. It’s not something that they take lightly. It requires a lot of research and approval at the highest levels. We’re confident right now. We like the position we’re in, and think that we’re a pretty good investment for an OEM.”