Autoline Daily Mar 23, 2026

AD #4259 - Stellantis Insists Chrysler Brand Is Alive and Well; Tariffs Cost European Automakers Billions; GM Launches New Plan for China Co

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Concept

Chinese automakers take more global market share

Chinese car brands are selling more cars around the world. That makes it harder for other countries’ automakers to keep up and stay profitable.

Company

JAMA

JAMA is the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association, an industry group that coordinates among Japan’s automakers. In the segment, it’s described as pushing collaboration and urgency to respond to competitive pressure.

Concept

standardizing a single ashtray

This is an example of how automakers may only agree on very small, low-impact shared components. It highlights the difficulty of deeper cost-sharing because companies still need differentiation and control over key parts.

Concept

return trips

Return trips refer to using logistics routes efficiently by having trucks carry loads on the way back, not drive empty. In automotive supply chains, this can reduce transportation cost and emissions while improving fleet utilization.

Company

Oliver Bluma

Oliver Blume is the top executive at Volkswagen. In this segment, he’s explaining why Volkswagen thinks it needs to cut jobs and how he views competition and planning.

Brand

Volkswagen

Volkswagen is one of Germany’s biggest car companies. The episode says it’s worried about costs and tariffs, and that it plans major changes to stay profitable.

Concept

five-year plans

A five-year plan is a government-style roadmap that sets goals for industry over several years. The speaker is saying China’s approach is organized and easier to execute.

Concept

cut 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030

Volkswagen says it plans to reduce a large number of jobs in Germany by 2030. That usually happens when companies need to lower costs and reorganize for big market changes.

Concept

U.S. tariffs

Tariffs are extra taxes on imported products. If cars or car parts are affected, companies can pay more and make less money.

Brand

Porsche

Porsche is the German sports-car brand. The episode says tariffs are costing money for Porsche too, not just for the more mainstream brands.

Brand

Audi

Audi is another big German car brand. The episode says tariffs are hurting profits not just for Volkswagen, but also for Audi.

Concept

Automotive news estimates

The segment relies on an industry publication’s estimate to quantify tariff costs for European automakers. It also notes uncertainty because not all companies disclose the full impact, which is common in corporate reporting.

Concept

reshaped their product portfolios

Companies often change what they sell and build when the market gets tough. They may focus on parts or industries that pay better instead of struggling in low-profit areas.

Company

CSP

CSP is referenced as working with OEM engineers to develop lighter, safer, and more eco-friendly vehicles. In this context, it sounds like a specialized engineering or services partner supporting vehicle development.

Term

kilowatts

Kilowatts are a way to measure how much power a vehicle can produce. It’s like horsepower, just a different unit—so the numbers can be converted.

Concept

new powertrains

A powertrain is what makes the car move—like the battery and electric motors in an EV. The podcast is saying new versions of that tech are enabling big performance improvements.

Company

SAIC

SAIC is a big Chinese automaker. The podcast says GM teams up with SAIC in China, and that partnership affects what vehicles GM can sell there.

Concept

electric and hydrogen-powered heavy trucks

Heavy trucks can run on diesel, but some are switching to electric or hydrogen. The episode says those options may make the job more attractive for new drivers.

Concept

HD EV truck drivers

“HD EV” means big electric trucks used for hauling. The episode says drivers feel the ride is calmer and less tiring than in diesel trucks.

Concept

truck driver shortage

There aren’t enough truck drivers to meet demand. The episode suggests that newer truck technologies might make the job more appealing to younger people.

Concept

investor day presentation

An investor day is when a company updates investors on what it plans to do next. The episode says Chrysler’s future product plans will be discussed there.

Concept

finding white spaces

“White spaces” means there are opportunities in the market where customers aren’t getting what they want yet. It’s a way of saying they’re looking for an opening to build something new.

Concept

multi-power train SUV

A “multi-power train” SUV means it could come with more than one type of power system. The goal is to offer different versions depending on what customers and regulations need.

Concept

$5 a day

They’re talking about how much Ford paid workers back in 1914. The point is that the pay increase was mainly to keep workers from quitting, not to make it easy for them to buy the cars.

Brand

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is the automaker behind the early wage policy discussed in the episode. The segment uses Ford’s history to challenge a popular narrative about why wages were raised.

Concept

employee turnover

Employee turnover is how often workers leave a company and need to be replaced. The episode argues Ford had to raise wages because turnover at its factory was so high that retention costs became unavoidable.

Brand

Japanese automakers

“Japanese automakers” refers to major Japanese brands collectively, and the episode uses them to illustrate current labor-market pressure. The key point is that wage increases are happening repeatedly due to staffing challenges.

Concept

factory workers

The episode connects wage growth to labor shortages in auto manufacturing. It frames pay raises as a response to difficulty finding workers willing to work in factories.

Concept

total compensation

Total compensation means not just salary, but also benefits and other pay. They’re using it to make a fairer comparison of what workers earn.

Concept

decarbonize timber logistics

They’re trying to make the process of moving timber use less pollution. The hydrogen trucks are part of that plan.

Concept

Class 8 trucks

Class 8 is the U.S. (and North American) heavy-duty truck category for the largest commercial trucks, typically used for long-haul freight. The episode uses Class 8 to clarify the size and duty cycle of the hydrogen trucks being deployed.

Company

Intrepid

Intrepid is presented as a company providing vehicle-focused network hardware and software solutions. The segment specifically highlights its Neovie Cloud Platform for identifying diagnostic trouble codes and defects tied to software versions.

Company

Neovie Cloud Platform

Neovie is a software platform that helps car makers track problems in vehicles. It uses the car’s error codes and software info to find which vehicles don’t meet requirements.

Concept

diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs)

DTCs are like the car’s error messages stored in its computer. They help identify what’s wrong so engineers can fix or prevent problems.

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This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.

And we start off this week with automakers in Germany and Japan deeply worried about the future of their auto industries,

as Chinese automakers take more global market share.

JAMA, the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association, held a meeting with all Japanese automakers to instill a sense of urgency and collaboration.

It wants to leverage the strength of the entire Japanese auto industry working together, but it's not going to be easy.

For example, Suzuki tried to get them all to share parts to cut costs, but in the end, they could only agree on standardizing a single ashtray.

One suggestion is for automakers to collaborate with their separate truck fleets that deliver cars to dealerships.

After dropping off, those trucks drive back empty, which is very inefficient.

By collaborating, those trucks could use return trips to bring cars from another automaker to its dealers.

There's a lot more to JAMA's plan, and we've got a link in today's transcript and description box if you'd like to dive deeper into it.

Volkswagen CEO Oliver Bluma says Germany's auto industry can learn a lot from China's industrial planning.

Bluma told Germany's Bill newspaper, the five-year plans are, quote, optimally structured and that there is, quote, a high level of discipline and willingness to implement these initiatives.

Bluma also reiterated the automaker's plan to cut 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030.

He defended the decision because of higher production costs in the country and, quote, too much regulation.

At the same time, U.S. tariffs are also eating into Volkswagen's profits.

The automaker says tariffs cost it, Audi and Porsche $3.3 billion last year.

Automotive news estimates that tariffs cost European automakers, including Volkswagen, which was hit the hardest, at least $6 billion.

And it's likely much higher than that because many automakers haven't fully disclosed exactly how much they've been impacted by the tariffs.

And suppliers in Europe expect a rough year.

According to a survey from Kleppa, a group that represents 3,000 auto suppliers in Europe, nearly a quarter of them expect to post losses this year because of rising costs and deep structural change.

And three-quarters of suppliers expect margins below 5%, which is a level insufficient to sustain investment.

Suppliers in Europe have cut more than 100,000 jobs over the last two years.

And to avoid further cuts, three-quarters of suppliers have reshaped their product portfolios and 40% of companies are expanding into non-automotive sectors like defense.

At CSP, we work with OEM engineers across the country on their journeys to lighter, safer and more eco-friendly vehicles.

Learn more at thecsp.com

And we'll do 0 to 100 kilometers an hour in two seconds, thanks to new powertrains that make up to 850 kilowatts or well over 1100 horsepower.

Cadillac will also see models upgraded with new technology, and the Vistik will go on sale in China for the first time in April.

GM and its joint venture partner SAIC have posted a profit in five straight quarters.

So it seems like they have finally bottomed out and that previous restructuring plans have helped.

But it's also an important time because neither company has said anything about renewing their joint venture contract, which expires next year.

While most trucking fleets still run on diesel, early signs show one big benefit to electric and hydrogen-powered heavy trucks.

They help attract and retain younger drivers.

Logistics company Benor says it's seen a clear shift in interest for its sustainable fleet and is the reason some younger drivers are applying.

Sustainability and newer tech are part of the equation, but existing HD EV truck drivers also report quieter operation, a smoother ride and even less fatigue compared to diesel trucks.

An aging workforce was part of the reason the U.S. had an estimated shortage of 60 to 80,000 truck drivers last year.

So if electrified trucks can attract new talent, then that could be a big boost to the industry.

We were wondering if the Chrysler brand was headed for extinction.

Chris Fewell, who was CEO of the brand, abruptly left the company this month.

Chrysler's EV program was put on hold last year and it only has the Pacifica and Voyager minivans in its lineup.

But Scott Kruger, the head of design for Stellantis in North America, told reporters last week that quote,

Chrysler is alive and well and there's a lot going on behind the walls.

He says they'll have a lot more to say about Chrysler's future products at an investor day presentation in May.

He also said there are three themes they're hammering home at the design staff, finding white spaces, developing seamless technology and affordability.

The brand was supposed to get a new multi-power train SUV similar to the Jeep Wagoneer S,

and maybe this new design strategy is also a hint of what we'll see from Chrysler in a couple of months.

In 1914, the Ford Motor Company started paying workers $5 a day, which was good money back then.

The myth that's been repeated for well over a century is that Henry Ford did this so his workers could afford to buy the cars that they made.

But the truth is that Ford had to do it because the employee turnover at his factory was so bad that they needed to pay them so much that they couldn't afford to quit.

Fast forward to today and Japanese automakers just agreed to give their factory workers over a 5% pay raise,

and this is the third year in a row that they've raised wages more than 5% because they're finding it difficult to get people who are willing to work in their factories.

According to the website Salary Expert, Japanese auto workers earn about $30,000 a year in total compensation.

Doesn't sound like much, but it's now about what the average worker in Japan earns.

Hyundai just introduced a fleet of fuel cell heavy-duty trucks in South America,

which is the first deployment of hydrogen-powered semi-trucks for actual operation on the continent.

Hyundai is providing eight of its excellent Class 8 trucks to support an effort in Uruguay to decarbonize timber logistics by tapping into the green hydrogen infrastructure.

Operations are planned to begin in November, and a main fleet of six trucks is expected to cover nearly a million kilometers every year or more than 620,000 miles.

Two additional trucks will serve as backups and for potential expansion.

But that brings us to the end of today's show. Thanks for tuning in.

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About this episode

Japanese and German automakers are sounding alarms as Chinese brands keep taking share, with JAMA pushing industry-wide collaboration—though past cost-cutting efforts barely went beyond trivial standardization. Germany’s VW faces tariff pain (billions in profit hit) while European suppliers brace for losses and shrinking margins. GM and SAIC report steady profits, but the JV contract renewal is still unanswered. Chrysler’s future is questioned after leadership changes, yet Stellantis insists the brand is “alive and well.” The show also covers EV/hydrogen heavy trucks, rising factory wages, and Hyundai’s first South American hydrogen semi deployment.

Audi Automotive news estimates Chinese automakers take more global market share Class 8 trucks CSP cut 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030 decarbonize timber logistics diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) electric and hydrogen-powered heavy trucks employee turnover

Original notes

- Japanese Automakers Unite Against Rising Chinese Competition - Volkswagen CEO Praises Chinese Planning - U.S. Tariffs Cost European Automakers Billions - European Suppliers Eye Non-Auto Sectors to Survive - GM Launches Three-Year Plan for China Comeback - Electric Trucks Help Fleets Attract Younger Drivers - Stellantis Insists Chrysler Brand Is Alive and Well - Japan Auto Wages Rise to Combat Labor Shortage - Hyundai Launches Hydrogen Semi-Truck Fleet in South America

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