COUNTDOWN TO THE TARIFF DISASTER

EV Channels Review

This episode of Autoline After Hours delves into the potential economic fallout of President Trump's threatened 25% tariffs on vehicles and components from Canada and Mexico. The panel, featuring industry experts Paul Eichenberg, Perry Stern, Gary Vasilash, and John McElroy, largely agrees that these tariffs would be disastrous, leading to significant price increases for consumers (estimated at $10,000 per vehicle) and severe disruption to the highly integrated North American automotive supply chain. Suppliers are unlikely to absorb the costs, forcing OEMs to pass them on. The discussion also touches on the historical evolution of Mazda, Tesla's recent financial performance and future ambitions in AI and robotics, and the challenges and opportunities in the EV market, including the slow adoption of commercial EVs and the complexities of autonomous driving technology. The segment concludes with an examination of GM's buyouts of anti-EV Buick dealers and dealer sentiment towards EVs.