Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Concise, informative, and precise, TDS consolidates the latest car news from around the world and presents it in one location. News articles are condensed into a single sentence along with a link for those wanting further details.
🚨 You might have seen that we unveiled a new homepage design yesterday. It’s a refreshed version of The Drive that positions more content above the fold, uses negative space more effectively, and provides a more high-end magazine-like experience. As our Editor-in-Chief Kyle Cheromcha stated yesterday, “Desktop homepages may seem less significant in an era of feed-driven discovery and mobile users, but they remain a declaration of intent that characterizes a brand, and refining them is a vital service to loyal, everyday readers.” That’s our pledge, to bring news, original reporting, features, and narratives to you, our dedicated audience. This redesign is just Mk I, with enhancements for Mk II on the horizon as we improve and adjust the setup. Your input is completely welcome and encouraged. Reach out to us at [email protected].
The first cup of coffee has disappeared, and it’s certainly time for another, so let’s dive in.
🔋 Even after investing billions in developing a next-generation V8 engine series and allocating resources to truck innovations, GM CEO Mary Barra indicated that electric vehicles represent “the end game;” this comment came after Barra noted that due to the Trump administration undoing the EPA regulations and relaxing fuel-economy rules, the automaker “had to implement some rather substantial modifications,” which led to cutting billions of dollars’ worth of EV funding.
🔌 Although battery-electric vehicles might be the end game, GM CEO Mary Barra mentioned that the automotive powerhouse still intends to market plug-in hybrids in the U.S. and is analyzing which market segments and vehicles will adopt the technology.
📈 Even with the Trump administration eliminating the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, Kia’s dealer council head expressed that the demand for the three-row electric EV9 is anticipated to remain strong.
📉 Mercedes-Benz has fallen further behind BMW in the race for electric-vehicle sales.
💰 California Governor Gavin Newsom intends to bridge the gap left by the removal of the federal EV tax credit with $200 million in rebates for electric vehicles.
⚙️ The updated 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class will feature a flat-plane crank V8 engine.
🚕 Hyundai is preparing to introduce its own robotaxi service to rival Waymo and aims to succeed where GM struggled with Cruise.
🪲 Lucid’s interim CEO Marc Winterhoff acknowledged that the Gravity SUV was released with software challenges, resulting in the replacement of the software team.
🪑 The seven-seat Tesla Model Y has made a comeback with a set of seats in the trunk for passengers that are particularly short.
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