The news: Tesla stock rebounded about 5% Friday after a 14.3% crash during a public social media feud between President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk over the “Big Beautiful Bill.” The EV giant lost $152.4 billion in market value Thursday—its biggest one-day decline ever, per The Wall Street Journal. Our take: The Musk-Trump quarrel could drag on or it could end as abruptly as it started. Its effects on Tesla’s stock are a reminder that Musk is the company’s de facto spokesperson and that his persona is inseparable from Tesla’s brand. The Big Beautiful Bill, paired with cautious US consumer spending and economic uncertainty, could slow Tesla’s EV adoption just when the company can least afford it.
The average vehicle age keeps climbing in the US: Advance Auto Parts is banking on maintenance and repair to help it steer clear of macroeconomic speed bumps.
Meta pays creators for traffic, Spotify wins in-app freedom post-Epic ruling, and Amazon’s Zoox expands robotaxi testing despite software recalls.
US-UK trade deal eases barriers across key sectors: Our FAQ explains how the pact may benefit exporters and affect economic growth.
Tech’s new bet—low-cost EVs, ultra-thin phones, and vibe-driven music: Slate, Samsung, and Spotify each chase novelty—via price, design, and personalization—to win over convenience-hungry consumers.
Tariffs are a heavy burden for foreign automakers: Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda are among the companies that stand to be hit hard by punishing US auto duties.
US tariffs could stall Germany’s economy this year: GDP is forecast to grow just 0.1% as the duties on autos and other imports curb companies’ access to an important growth market.
Q4 revenues grew 2% YoY to $25.7 billion but fell short of expectations. Surging R&D costs threaten Musk’s ambitious 2025 production goals.
Auto brands will largely be absent from the Super Bowl: Once a stalwart of TV ad spending, carmakers are prioritizing cheaper ad channels.
EV sales set a volume record in Q4: While sales jumped 15.2% YoY, momentum may slow this year if Republicans keep their pledge to repeal or scale back incentives.
The economy is trending in a positive direction: US consumer prices rose in December by less than forecast. We expect the Fed will stick with a wait-and-see approach.
President-elect Trump’s plans to cut EV incentives and expand oil production could drive up vehicle costs, undermining Biden’s clean-energy policies.
The auto industry ended 2024 on a high: Sales accelerated in Q4 as consumers rushed to take advantage of EV tax credits and avoid tariffs.
Vehicles rented via the app were used in New Year’s attacks, exposing flaws in its risk-scoring algorithm and challenging tech’s reliance on automated safety measures.
A massive data leak, including German politicians’ car locations, amplifies concerns over automakers’ ability to secure data in their race for connected car dominance.
Strategic alliances expanded EV capabilities this year, but high prices, limited infrastructure, and possible tax credit cuts could challenge growth.
Amazon is officially in the online car sales business: The retailer launched Amazon Autos, which lets shoppers find, order, and buy new vehicles from dealerships.
There will be 180.9 million connected car drivers in the US by 2028, reaching over 70% of licensed drivers, according to a September 2024 ĢAV forecast.
With Waymo and Uber scaling operations via partnerships, robotaxis could become a competitive force in global transportation markets.
Trump’s tariffs on key trade partners may drive up prices for semiconductors, EVs, and phones, threatening global supply chains and inflating costs for consumers.