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Analysts weigh in on Trump presidency’s effects to U.S. auto sector

Ivan Radic, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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5 months ago

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Analysts have weighed in on the potential effects of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s second term on the United States auto sector. As per the analysts, Detroit automakers would actually benefit from a Trump presidency, especially if the president-elect steps back from the Biden administration’s pro-EV policies. 

Regardless of the Biden administration’s apparent feud with Elon Musk and Tesla, it did adopt a very pro-EV stance overall. Trump is the opposite, as he has adopted a critical stance on electric vehicles while openly praising EVs from Tesla. As noted in a USA Today report, auto analysts noted that it would likely be difficult for Trump to completely slash Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), though he could limit some EV subsidies included there.

Cox Automotive has predicted that U.S. auto sales would likely hold up and finish the year up 2% with 15.7 million new vehicles this year. In a newsletter on Wednesday, Mark Schirmer, director of Industry Insights & Corporate Communications at Cox Automotive, noted that “Presidents come and go, but the auto industry motors on.” 

The Biden administration’s push towards electric cars was part of the reason why automakers like Ford and General Motors have invested heavily in their respective EV initiatives. Trump, for his part, has hinted at scaling back or possibly even eliminating the Environmental Protection Agency’s emissions standards and incentives that promote the production and adoption of EVs. Experts have noted that fewer EV regulations would benefit veteran automakers. 

Michael Ward, managing director of research for Freedom Capital Markets, noted to the Detroit Free Press that automakers might be the biggest beneficiaries of Trump’s second term. “I think autos are among the biggest beneficiaries — not sure why more people aren’t talking about it. Five things I looked at: Lower fuel is always good news for the autos, less inflation from the lower fuel prices leading to lower interest rates … autos (are) among the most capital-intensive industries and lower rates benefit the consumer.” 

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The Detroit Big Three has responded to Trump’s presidential win. Ford spokesperson Robyn Jackson noted that the automaker congratulates the president-elect, while stating that Ford will remain “steadfast in our strategy to provide customers choice of gas, electric and hybrid vehicles.” She also noted that “We look forward to working with the new administration and Congress on policies that strengthen the U.S. automotive industry, which supports 9.7 million American jobs and drives more than $1 trillion into the economy each year.” 

General Motors spokesperson Liz Winter, for her part, noted that “We congratulate and look forward to working with the president-elect, Congress, and all elected officials to ensure that the U.S. continues to lead the world in technology and innovation, to the benefit of American workers and consumers alike.” 

Stellantis spokesperson echoed similar sentiments. “Stellantis congratulates former President Donald J. Trump on being elected the 47th President of the United States. We look forward to working with President-elect Trump and the new Congress on policies that support a strong and competitive manufacturing base in the U.S,” the spokesperson noted.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla Model Y seen testing under wraps in India ahead of launch

Tesla appears to be getting closer to launching vehicle sales in India, as a few wrapped Model Y units have recently been spotted.

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12 hours ago

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April 20, 2025

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Following years of back and forth between Tesla and the Indian government, the automaker is finally expected to launch sales in the country in the coming months, and one of the company’s vehicles was spotted testing over the weekend.

On Sunday, a privacy-wrapped Model Y was seen driving in India and was posted on Reddit, as Tesla prepares to debut vehicle sales in the country for the first time. The news comes a little over a month after Tesla began certifying the Model Y and Model 3 for sale in the country, and as the U.S. manufacturer gets ready to launch the nation’s first store in Mumbai.

The appearance of the refreshed Model Y comes just a few days after another recent sighting in the country, in which a wrapped unit was seen driving on the Mumbai Pune Express Way.

Credit: shameelck | Reddit

READ MORE ON TESLA INDIA: Elon Musk, President Trump share interesting dialogue regarding Tesla Gigafactory India

Tesla’s vehicles can regularly be seen under privacy wraps such as this one ahead of their launch, often with the company’s vehicles before they’re officially unveiled. As such, many have speculated following the sighting that Tesla could either be preparing to launch the RWD variant launched in some markets in recent weeks, or the Performance version of the SUV, which is widely expected to debut sometime this year.

According to local reports, Tesla also signed a five-year lease on Mumbai store at the Bandra Kurla Complex, while a second store is expected to open near the New Delhi airport at Aerocity. Meanwhile, Tesla has also been hiring for the stores in recent months, along with holding a recruitment day in Mumbai last month.

Much of the delay on Tesla’s entry into India came from the country’s high import tariffs on vehicles and other products, while one of the government’s conditions for the country selling cars there was to utilize local suppliers. Last month, a rumor started circulating suggesting that Tesla was partnering with automotive company Tata Group for the local production of components such as castings, forgings, electronics, and more.

Tesla India: Thousands of cars set to hit Mumbai in coming months, claims report

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Tesla doubles down on Robotaxi launch date, putting a big bet on its timeline

Tesla continues to double down on its June goal to launch the Robotaxi ride-hailing platform.

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2 days ago

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April 18, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has doubled down on its potential launch date for the Robotaxi ride-hailing platform, which will utilize the Cybercab and other vehicles in its lineup to offer driverless rides in Austin, Texas.

Tesla said earlier this year that it was in talks with the City of Austin to launch its first Robotaxi rides, and it planned to launch the platform in June.

This has been a widely discussed timeline in the community, with some confident in the company’s ability to offer it based on the progress of the Full Self-Driving suite.

However, others are skeptical of it based on Tesla’s history of meeting timelines, especially regarding its rollout of FSD.

Nevertheless, Tesla was asked when it would be able to offer Robotaxi rides and where, and it clearly is not backing down from that June date:

It is getting to a point where Tesla is showing incredible confidence regarding the rollout of the Robotaxi in June. We have not seen this kind of reiteration regarding the rollout of something regarding autonomy from Tesla at any point in the past.

CEO Elon Musk has even been increasingly confident that Tesla will meet its target. Earlier this week, he said the vehicles will be able to roll off production lines and drive themselves straight to a customer’s house:

Elon Musk continues to push optimistic goal for Tesla Full Self-Driving

There could be some discussion of an acceptable grace period, as the timeline for the Robotaxi rollout could still be considered a success, even if it were a month or two late. However, if it were pushed back further into 2025 or even 2026, skepticism regarding these timelines would continue to persist.

As of right now, it seems Tesla is extremely confident it will meet its goal.

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Tesla Semi fleet from Frito-Lay gets more charging at Bakersfield factory

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2 days ago

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April 18, 2025

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Tesla Semis showcased at Frito-Lay plant in Modesto, CA
Frito-Lay transformed its Modesto, Calif., site by replacing diesel fleet assets with ZE and NZE alternatives and installing fueling and charging infrastructure for the new fleet as well as on-site renewable energy generation and storage.

Among the several companies that have had the opportunity to add Tesla Semi all-electric Class 8 trucks to their fleets earlier than others, the most notable is arguably Frito-Lay, which has utilized the vehicle for a couple of years now.

However, as their fleet is making more local runs and there are undoubtedly plans to expand to more Semi units, the company has recognized it needs additional Megachargers to give juice to their trucks.

As a result, Frit-Lay decided to build more chargers at their Bakersfield, California facility, according to new permits filed by Tesla:

There are already chargers at the company’s Modesto, California, factory, but Bakersfield is roughly three hours south of Modesto.

Interestingly, Tesla is calling the chargers “Semi Chargers” in the filing, potentially hinting that it is no longer referring to them as “Megachargers,” as they have been in the past. This is a relatively minor detail, but it is worth taking note of.

In 2022, Frito-Lay began installing these chargers in preparation for the Semi to become one of the company’s main logistics tools for deliveries in California and surrounding states.

Frito-Lay is not the only company that has chosen to utilize the Tesla Semi for these early “pilot” runs. PepsiCo has also been a company that has used the Semi very publicly over the past two years.

Additionally, the Tesla Semi participated in the Run on Less EV trucking study back in late 2023, where it managed to complete a 1,000-mile run in a single day:

Tesla Semi logs 1,000-mile day in Run on Less EV trucking study

Tesla is planning to ramp production of the Semi late this year. On the Q4 2024 Earnings Call, VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy said the company would be focusing on the first builds of the Semi’s high-volume design late this year before ramping production in the early portion of 2026:

“We just closed out the Semi factory roof and walls last week in Reno, a schedule which is great with the weather. In Reno, you never know what’s going to happen. But we’re prepping for mechanical installation of all the equipment in the coming months. The first builds of the high-volume Semi design will come late this year in 2025 and begin ramping early in 2026.”

Tesla will build these units at a new Semi production facility located in Reno near its Gigafactory. The company is getting closer to finishing construction, as a drone video from this morning showed the facility is coming along at a good pace:

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