June 24th, 2026 | Honda Element returns; Kearney's Kushal Fernandes on the DRAM chip crunch
About this episode
Honda is bringing the Element back as a hybrid, with production planned at its Ohio plant in 2029—plus a look at why the original became a cult favorite thanks to its clam shell rear doors and no B-pillar design. The show also covers NHTSA’s special investigation into a Tesla Model 3 crash near Houston, where the driver reportedly used driver assist. Then Carney’s Kushal Fernandez breaks down the “structural” DRAM chip crunch tied to AI infrastructure, HBM demand, and long lead times.
Honda plans to revive the Element as a hybrid crossover, targeting nearly 100,000 sales in its first full year. An industry group says California could see vehicle sales halt as soon as next week. Plus, Kearney partner Kushal Fernandes explains why the DRAM chip shortage hitting automakers isn’t a typical boom-and-bust cycle — and why relief is still years away.
Ford Bronco Sport
"...y utility vehicle is expected to take aim at Ford Bronco Sport Buyers. We'll have more on this story in a minute..."
The Ford Bronco Sport is a compact SUV that’s designed to feel more adventure-focused than a typical city SUV. The podcast mentions it because a new vehicle is expected to compete for the same kind of buyers. That’s why Bronco Sport comes up in the story.
The Ford Bronco Sport is a compact SUV aimed at buyers who want a more rugged, outdoors-oriented look and capability within a smaller footprint. The podcast context says a new boxy utility vehicle is expected to take aim at Bronco Sport buyers, which highlights Bronco Sport as a key target in that segment. It’s discussed because new product launches often focus on stealing customers from specific existing models.
driver assist technology
"And federal regulators are once again taking a closer look at Tesla's driver assist technology. NHTSA has opened a special crash investigation into a June 19 incident near Houston..."
Driver-assist technology is a set of features that helps the driver, like warning you or helping with steering/braking. It’s not the same as a fully self-driving car, and investigators want to understand whether it was active.
Driver assist technology refers to automated safety features that help with tasks like steering, braking, or maintaining speed, but are not fully autonomous driving. The key point in this segment is that regulators are scrutinizing how such systems behaved or were used during a crash.
NHTSA
"NHTSA has opened a special crash investigation into a June 19 incident near Houston, where a Tesla Model 3 slammed into a brick home at high speed..."
NHTSA is the U.S. government agency responsible for vehicle safety. In this story, it’s investigating a crash to understand what happened with the car’s driver-assist features.
NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) is the U.S. federal agency that oversees vehicle safety and can investigate crashes and vehicle systems. Here, NHTSA is opening a special crash investigation tied to Tesla’s driver-assist technology.
Houston
"NHTSA has opened a special crash investigation into a June 19 incident near Houston, where a Tesla Model 3 slammed into a brick home at high speed..."
Houston is a city in Texas. The crash being investigated happened near there, which helps identify where the incident occurred and who reported it.
Houston is a major city in Texas, and it’s used here as the geographic reference point for the crash under investigation. The mention matters because it anchors the incident to a specific local jurisdiction and reporting sources.
Tesla Model
"into a June 19 incident near Houston, where a Tesla Model 3 slammed into a brick home at high speed, killin..."
The Tesla Model Y is an electric SUV that runs on electricity instead of gasoline. The podcast brings it up because there was an accident involving a Tesla in the Houston area. That’s why the specific model matters in the story.
The Tesla Model Y is an all-electric compact SUV from Tesla, designed for daily commuting with an electric powertrain. The podcast context references an incident involving a Tesla near Houston, which is why the Model Y is mentioned—electric vehicles are often discussed in relation to safety and real-world crash events. It’s a high-volume model, so incidents can quickly become part of broader public discussion.
Tesla Model 3
"NHTSA has opened a special crash investigation into a June 19 incident near Houston, where a Tesla Model 3 slammed into a brick home at high speed, killing a woman inside."
The Tesla Model 3 is an electric car. Here, it’s brought up because investigators are looking at whether a driver-assist feature was being used during a serious crash.
The Tesla Model 3 is an electric sedan that’s become a key reference point in discussions about driver-assistance systems. In this segment, it’s mentioned in connection with a crash investigation involving alleged use of driver assist at the time of the incident.
X
"But Tesla's head of AI said in a post on X that the system wasn't engaged without providing evidence."
X is a social media site. The Tesla executive posted there about whether the driver-assist feature was actually turned on during the crash.
X is the social media platform where Tesla’s head of AI made a public statement about whether the driver-assist system was engaged. In investigations like this, such posts can influence public understanding, but they’re not the same as official evidence.
Honda element
"Joining me now to talk more about the revived Honda element ... So the Honda element had a cult following, but it wasn't a big volume driver. ... even though it technically had four doors, it was really a two door vehicle because of its clam shell rear doors."
The Honda Element is a quirky, practical Honda that’s famous for being easy to live with. Here they’re saying it didn’t sell in huge numbers because the rear doors were designed in a way that made getting to the back seat more awkward.
The Honda Element is a boxy, utilitarian compact SUV/crossover that became known for its practical, easy-to-clean interior and unusual access features. In this segment, they explain why it stayed niche: despite having four doors, the rear “clam shell” design effectively made it feel like a two-door setup with awkward access.
clam shell rear doors
"And the reason for that primarily was, even though it technically had four doors, it was really a two door vehicle because of its clam shell rear doors."
“Clam shell” rear doors are doors that open outward in a way that exposes the back area. In the Honda Element, that door design makes it harder to get to the back seats compared with normal doors.
“Clam shell” rear doors open like two hinged panels, swinging outward to expose the cargo area. On the Honda Element, this design changes how the rear seat is accessed, making it feel less convenient than typical rear doors.
suicide style
"So it basically, the two rear doors opened up suicide style. And so that kind of made for an awkward door configuration."
“Suicide style” is a nickname for a door opening setup where the door swings out in a less typical way. They’re using it here to explain why the Honda Element’s rear doors made getting in and out of the back seat feel awkward.
“Suicide style” refers to doors that open from the opposite side of the usual front-door hinge arrangement, typically swinging outward and sometimes without a conventional latch feel. In this context, it’s describing how the Honda Element’s rear door opening behavior can make entry and exit awkward.
removable rear seats
"the removable rear seats, all those things were very practical. And it kind of made it a great car for younger buyers."
Removable rear seats can be taken out so the back of the car becomes more like an open cargo area. On the Honda Element, that helps with hauling bulky items and setting up easier access for things like wheelchairs.
Removable rear seats are seats that can be taken out of the vehicle to transform the cabin into a more flexible cargo space. On the Honda Element, that flexibility supports the “utility” concept—turning the rear area into a platform for bulky items and accessibility setups like ramps.
B-pillar
"because they loved those clam shell rear doors. There was no B-pillar. So for them, it was easier for them to get in and out of the car."
A B-pillar is the vertical metal post between the front and rear doors. If there’s no B-pillar, the side opening is wider and easier to use for getting in and out or moving a wheelchair.
The B-pillar is the vertical structural post between the front and rear doors on most cars. The Honda Element’s “no B-pillar” layout reduces the doorway obstruction, which can make it easier to enter, exit, and maneuver mobility equipment.
cargo bed
"And in the rear, the vehicle had a cargo bed, which again, allowed for a ramp to be placed, and that allowed easier access to sort of roll down a wheelchair"
A cargo bed is the open storage area in the back of the vehicle where you put items. In this case, it’s described as part of a setup that lets you place a ramp for wheelchair access.
A cargo bed is a dedicated, open storage area designed for carrying items, often with a flat load surface. In the Honda Element’s layout described here, the cargo bed is used to support placing a ramp for wheelchair access.
CR-V
"It cannot be much more than the CR-V, so this is positioned between the HR-V and the CR-V... They'll be sharing the same platform as the CR-V."
The Honda CR-V is one of Honda’s most common family crossovers. In this discussion, it’s the reference point for how much the Element should cost, and they also mention the two could be built on similar underpinnings—so Honda would need to make the Element feel meaningfully different.
The Honda CR-V is Honda’s mainstream compact crossover, and it’s being used here as the pricing and product benchmark. The host also says the revived Element would share the same platform as the CR-V, which is why they’d need clear body/trim differentiation to avoid customers “cross-shopping” the two too easily.
HR-V
"It cannot be much more than the CR-V, so this is positioned between the HR-V and the CR-V."
The Honda HR-V is positioned as the smaller step in Honda’s crossover lineup, and the host is describing where a revived Element would sit in the range. The idea is that the Element would be priced above the HR-V but below the CR-V.
platform
"Essentially, they're the same car. They'll be sharing the same platform as the CR-V."
A “platform” is the main underlying structure a car is built on. If two models share the same platform, they can be made more efficiently—but the company has to make the cars feel different so people don’t see them as basically the same.
In car development, a “platform” is the shared set of core engineering pieces—like the chassis structure and major mounting points—that multiple models use. Sharing the CR-V platform would let Honda reduce development costs, but it also increases the risk that the two models feel too similar to buyers.
body cladding
"the element will be, but the body cladding needs to be distinct enough so that there's less cannibalization."
Body cladding is the outer trim pieces on a car’s body. They can change the look and also help protect the body, and here they’re being discussed as a way to make the Element feel different from the CR-V.
Body cladding is the exterior trim panels—often plastic or composite—that cover parts of the bodywork and can protect surfaces. In this context, the host is saying Honda would use distinct cladding on the Element to make it visually different from the CR-V despite sharing the same underlying platform.
cannibalization
"the body cladding needs to be distinct enough so that there's less cannibalization."
Cannibalization means one model starts taking sales from another model in the same brand. Here, Honda would want the Element to look and feel different enough that it doesn’t just replace CR-V sales.
Cannibalization is when one product in a company’s lineup steals sales from another, instead of expanding the overall market. The host says Honda would need distinct body cladding so the revived Element doesn’t take too many buyers away from the CR-V.
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