Automotive News Daily Drive
Automotive News
Updated about 17 hours agoDaily Drive is a daily podcast series hosted by Automotive News Executive Editor Jamie Butters and Kellen Walker. We speak with industry experts, insiders and Automotive News reporters about events and trends impacting and reshaping the automotive industry.Automotive News is the leading source of news, data and understanding for the auto industry's decision-makers. Learn more at autonews.com.
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Episodes (1012)
Aug. 6, 2025 | California emissions rules stick with six automakers; Honda profits tumble
Alix Partners’ Shea Burns talks about the six automakers that have legal agreements with California to keep emissions low and what President Donald Trump’s environmental policy changes mean for them. Honda’s profits plunge. Plus, Infiniti hopes new concepts will provide some badly needed buzz around the brand.
Aug. 5, 2025 | Mazda blames tariffs for loss; automakers pull back hydrogen plans
Mazda tumbles to a loss in the latest quarter as the import-dependent Japanese automaker grapples with U.S. tariffs. Rivian sues Ohio over its direct-sales ban that exempts Tesla. Plus, Automotive News’ Jerry Hirsch talks about why hydrogen technology is losing steam among automakers.
Aug. 4, 2025 | Amazon Autos starts used-vehicle sales; Plus CEO David Liu
Amazon is expanding its online car-shopping platform to include used and certified pre-owned vehicles. Tesla CEO Elon Musk gets his payday. Plus, David Liu, CEO of self-driving company Plus, talks about the decision to take his company public.
Aug. 3, 2025 | Bonus Episode: Impact of trade deals; angry customer takes dealership’s name
Sam Fiorani of AutoForecast Solutions talks with Automotive News’ Hannah Lutz about the impact of new U.S. trade deals on the automotive market. Plus, a look at how one woman in Ohio tried to reclaim a dealership’s name after it repossessed her car.
Aug. 2, 2025 | Weekend Drive: Sales gains under unusual conditions; trade deals
Daily Drive Host Kellen Walker and Automotive News Staff Reporter Larry P. Vellequette discuss strong sales gains in June amid unusual market conditions, a string of new U.S. trade deals, and more.
Aug. 1, 2025 | Canada to see 35 percent tariffs; how lenders can gain from auto refinancing
President Donald Trump enacts 35 percent tariffs on Canada while giving Mexico a reprieve. Unusual market conditions drive higher July sales for several automakers. Plus, TransUnion’s Satyan Merchant talks about how millions of customers could save money on their monthly bills by refinancing their auto loans.
July 31, 2025 | GM CEO Mary Barra’s leadership through change; Ford posts loss
Automotive News Staff Reporter Lindsay VanHulle talks about her profile of General Motors CEO Mary Barra, who will receive a Centennial Award as part of Automotive News’ 100th anniversary. Ford swings to a loss in the second quarter. Plus, Hyundai praises the U.S. trade deal with South Korea.
July 30, 2025 | Toyota shrugs off tariffs; the engine’s impact on U.S. car culture
Despite steep tariffs, Toyota’s auto exports to the U.S. keep climbing and have helped drive record sales for the world’s biggest automaker. Mercedes pauses EV orders in the U.S. Plus, Automotive News Staff Reporter Richard Truett talks about the impact of the gasoline engine on U.S. car culture and the people who have shaped the auto industry.
July 29, 2025 | Stellantis braces for $1.4 billion tariff hit; stop-start technology under fire
Stellantis expects tariffs to take a $1.4 billion bite out of profits in the second half. Ford opens a $3 billion credit line ahead of its earnings report. Plus, Automotive News Staff Reporter Molly Boigon talks about the growing criticism of stop-start technology from customers and regulators.
July 28, 2025 | U.S., EU reach trade deal; GM’s Kurt Kelty on EV transition
The U.S. and the European Union reach a trade deal. Tesla signs a chip deal with Samsung. Plus, Kurt Kelty, General Motors’ vice president of battery, propulsion and sustainability, talks about why the company believes the EV era is inevitable despite sluggish demand and policy challenges.
July 27, 2025 | Bonus Episode: Bill Ford’s children on father’s “heart and humanity”
In these excerpts from Automotive News Staff Reporter Michael Martinez’s interviews with Ford Motor Co. Executive Chair Bill Ford’s children, Will Ford and Alexandra Ford English discuss their father’s leadership through crises, such as the 2023 UAW strike.
July 26, 2025 | Weekend Drive: Tariffs hit Q2 earnings; EPA looks to ditch CAFE
Automotive News staff reporters Larry P. Vellequette and Michael Martinez discuss this week’s automakers’ earnings results and the impact of tariffs. Plus, they talk about what it would mean if the EPA eliminates tailpipe emissions standards.
July 25, 2025 | Kia reshapes U.S. sales strategy; warranty work headaches
Kia will adjust its business operations in the U.S. and cut incentives amid tariffs and policy changes. LG Energy Solution warns of slowing electric vehicle battery demand. Plus, service technician trainer Joshua Taylor and Jeff Daniel, service director for Maple Hill Auto Group, talk about how warranty reimbursement processes are hurting dealerships.
July 24, 2025 | Tesla earnings fall; how auto loan tax deduction could affect retail market
Tesla’s earnings fall further in the second quarter. Hyundai warns of growing costs from U.S. tariffs in the second half. Plus, Automotive News Staff Reporter Paige Hodder talks about what a new tax deduction for auto loan borrowers will mean for the overall retail market.
July 23, 2025 | Bill Ford’s children share insights, memories; Japan deal worries Detroit 3
Alexandra Ford English, Nick Ford and Will Ford talk about their father’s career leading Ford Motor Co., his values and who he is inside and outside of work. The Detroit 3 have concerns about the deal President Donald Trump says he has reached with Japan. Plus, a key driver of Tesla’s profits is drying up.
July 22, 2025 | 2025 future product pipeline; Tariffs cost GM $1.1 billion
Automotive News Staff Reporter Lindsay VanHulle talks about this year’s Future Product Pipeline series and how General Motors looks to plan for an uncertain future. Meanwhile, tariffs cost GM more than $1 billion in the second quarter. Plus, Nissan plans to shrink its industrial footprint in Mexico by ending production at two assembly plants.
July 21, 2025 | Stellantis’ $2.7 billion loss; Factorial Energy’s Siyu Huang
Stellantis expects a $2.7 billion loss in the first half. A new report says franchised dealerships saw double-digit profit gains in the second quarter. Plus, Siyu Huang, founder and CEO of Factorial Energy, talks about the solid-state battery maker’s business in 2025.
July 20, 2025 | Bonus Episode: Flavio Volpe; trade group showdown
Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association President Flavio Volpe talks about the idea of an all-Canadian automaker and why North American production has not shut down as predicted with new U.S. tariffs. Plus, Automotive News Staff Reporter Molly Boigon breaks down rising tensions between two of the leading U.S. auto industry trade groups.
July 19, 2025 | Weekend Drive: Farewell to Jamie Butters
Automotive News Executive Editor Jamie Butters is moving to the next stage of his career. He and Daily Drive Host Kellen Walker talk about his time with the publication and his future.
July 18, 2025 | Latest tariffs threaten battery makers; PayNearMe’s Dawn Fretwell
The U.S. is set to impose more than 90 percent tariffs on a key EV battery material. NHTSA is shedding more than a quarter of its employees. Plus, Dawn Fretwell of PayNearMe talks about the growing demand for more convenient repayment options for auto loans.
July 17, 2025 | CAFE defanged; solving the service tech shortage with Faulkner’s Mike Rocchi
Automakers are off the hook for fuel efficiency penalties for the last three years. Volvo swings to a $1 billion loss. Plus, Faulkner Automotive's Mike Rocchi talks about how the 25-store dealership group has staffed up its service drive despite the nationwide tech shortage.
July 16, 2025 | NADA, alliance clash over franchise laws; Redwood Materials’ Cal Lankton
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation is provoking a battle with NADA over state dealership franchise laws. Canadian auto companies see double-digit revenue declines amid tariffs. Plus, Cal Lankton, Redwood Materials chief commercial officer, talks about the company’s efforts to reuse electric vehicle batteries to store energy for power-hungry sites such as data centers.
July 15, 2025 | Renault names interim CEO; FTC FAQ on Safeguards Rule
Renault has named an interim CEO to lead the group while it searches for a permanent replacement for Luca de Meo. Tesla’s North America sales chief exits. Plus, the FTC has a new tool to help dealerships navigate the Safeguards Rule.
July 14, 2025 | Bergstrom Automotive’s John Bergstrom interview; EU, Mexico tariffs
Bergstrom Automotive Chairman John Bergstrom talks about his decades-long career as a dealer and how his company has grown to about $2 billion in sales. President Donald Trump announces 30 percent tariffs on the EU and Mexico. Plus, Stellantis Chairman John Elkann settles a $200 million tax case in Italy.
July 13, 2025 | Bonus Episode: Nissan’s Christian Meunier on tariffs; Ford’s new deals
Nissan Americas Chairperson Christian Meunier talks about tariffs and changing regulations in the U.S. and Canada. Plus, Automotive News Staff Reporter Michael Martinez discusses Ford’s new incentive strategy as it ends popular employee-pricing-for-all deals.