Consumer Corner
America is falling behind in the global EV race – that’s going to cost the US auto industry
Hengrui Liu, Tufts University and Kelly Sims Gallagher, Tufts University
At the 2026 Detroit Auto Show, the spotlight quietly shifted. Electric vehicles, once framed as the inevitable future of the industry, were no longer the centerpiece. Instead, automakers emphasized hybrids, updated gasoline models and incremental efficiency improvements.
The show, held in January, reflected an industry recalibration happening in real time: Ford and General Motors had recently announced US$19.5 billion and $6 billion in EV-related write-downs, respectively, reflecting the losses they expect as they unwind or delay parts of their electric vehicle plans.
The message from Detroit was unmistakable: The United States is pulling back from a transition that much of the world is accelerating. https://www.youtube.com/embed/VPMEgNAY60o?wmode=transparent&start=0 Highlights from the Detroit Auto Show, starting with V-8 trucks, by the Detroit Free Press’ auto writer.
That retreat carries consequences far beyond showroom floors.
In China, Europe and a growing number of emerging markets, including Vietnam and Indonesia, electric vehicles now make up a higher share of new passenger vehicle sales than in the United States.
That means the U.S. pullback on EV production is not simply a climate problem – gasoline-powered vehicles are a major contributor to climate change – it is also an industrial competitiveness problem, with direct implications for the future of U.S. automakers, suppliers and autoworkers. Slower EV production and slower adoption in the U.S. can keep prices higher, delay improvements in batteries and software, and increase the risk that the next generation of automotive value creation will happen elsewhere.
Where EVs are taking over
In 2025, global EV registrations rose 20% to 20.7 million. Analysts with Benchmark Mineral Intelligence reported that China reached 12.9 million EV registrations, up 17% from the previous year; Europe recorded 4.3 million, up 33%; and the rest of the world added 1.7 million, up 48%.
By contrast, U.S. EV sales growth was essentially flat in 2025, at about 1%. U.S. automaker Tesla experienced declines in both scale and profitability – its vehicle deliveries fell 9% compared to 2024, the company’s net profit was down 46%, and CEO Elon Musk said it would put more of its focus on artificial intelligence and robotics.
Market share tells a similar story and also challenges the assumption that vehicle electrification would take time to expand from wealthy countries to emerging markets.
In 39 countries, EVs now exceed 10% of new car sales, including in Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, which reached 38%, 21% and 15%, respectively, in 2025, energy analysts at Ember report.
In the U.S., EVs accounted for less than 10% of new vehicle sales, by Ember’s estimates.
https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/yDCZF/3
U.S. President Donald Trump came back into office in 2025 promising to end policies that supported EV production and sales and boost fossil fuels. But while the U.S. was curtailing federal consumer incentives, governments elsewhere largely continued a transition to electric vehicles.
Europe softened its goal for all vehicles to have zero emissions by 2035 at the urging of automakers, but its new target is still a 90% cut in automobiles’ carbon dioxide emissions by 2035.
Germany launched a program offering subsidies worth 1,500 to 6,000 euros per electric vehicle, aimed at small- and medium-income households.
In developing economies, EV policy has largely been sustained through industrial policies. In Brazil, the MOVER program offers tax credits explicitly linked to domestic EV production, research and development, and efficiency targets. South Africa is introducing a 150% investment allowance for EV and battery manufacturing, giving them a tax break starting in March 2026. Thailand has implemented subsidies and reduced excise tax tied to mandatory local production and export commitments.
In China, the EV industry has entered a phase of regulatory maturity. After a decade of subsidies and state-led investment that helped domestic firms undercut global competitors, the government’s focus is no longer on explosive growth at home.
With their domestic market saturated and competition fierce, Chinese automakers are pushing aggressively into global markets. Beijing has reinforced this shift by ending its full tax exemption for EV purchases and replacing it with a tapered 5% tax on EV buyers.
Consequences for US automakers
EV manufacturing is governed by steep learning curves and scale economies, meaning the more vehicles a company builds, the better it gets at making them faster and cheaper. Low domestic production and sales can mean higher costs for parts and weaker bargaining power for automakers in global supply chains.
The competitive landscape is already changing. In 2025, China exported 2.65 million EVs, doubling its 2024 exports, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. And BYD surpassed Tesla as the world’s largest EV maker in 2025.
https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/erFIJ/1
The U.S. risks becoming a follower in the industry it once defined.
Some people argue that American consumers simply prefer trucks and hybrids. Others point to Chinese subsidies and overcapacity as distortions that justify U.S. industry caution. These concerns deserve consideration, but they do not outweigh the fundamental fact that, globally, the EV share of auto sales continues to rise.
What can the US do?
For U.S. automakers and workers to compete in this market, the government, in our view, will have to stop treating EVs as an ideological matter and start governing it like an industrial transition.
That starts with restoring regulatory credibility, something that seems unlikely right now as the Trump administration moves to roll back vehicle emissions standards. Performance standards are the quiet engine of industrial investment. When standards are predictable and enforced, manufacturers can plan, suppliers can invest in new businesses, and workers can train for reliable demand.
Governments at state and local levels and industry can also take important steps.
Focus on affordability and equity: The federal clean-vehicle tax credit that effectively gave EV buyers a discount expired in September 2025. An alternative is targeted, point-of-sale support for lower- and middle-income buyers. By moving away from blanket credits in favor of targeted incentives – a model already used in California and Pennsylvania – governments can ensure public funds are directed toward people who are currently priced out of the EV market. Additionally, interest-rate buydowns that allow buyers to reduce their loan payments and “green loan” programs can help, typically funded through state and local governments, utility companies or federal grants.
Keep building out the charging network: A federal judge ruled on Jan. 23, 2026, that the Trump administration violated the law when it suspended a $5 billion program for expanding the nation’s EV charger network. That expansion effort can be improved by shifting the focus from the number of ports installed to the number of working chargers, as California did in 2025. Enforcing reliability and clearing bottlenecks, such as electricity connections and payment systems, could help boost the number of functioning sites.
Use fleet procurement as a stabilizer for U.S. sales: When states, cities and companies provide a predictable volume of vehicle purchases, that helps manufacturers plan future investments. For example, Amazon’s 2019 order of 100,000 Rivian electric delivery vehicles to be delivered over the following decade gave the startup automaker the boost it needed.
Treat workforce transition as core infrastructure: This means giving workers skills they can carry from job to job, helping suppliers retool instead of shutting down, and coordinating training with employers’ needs. Done right, these investments turn economic change into a source of stable jobs and broad public support. Done poorly, they risk a political backlash.
The scene at the Detroit Auto Show should be a warning, not a verdict. The global auto industry is accelerating its EV transition. The question for the United States is whether it will shape that future – and ensure the technologies and jobs of the next automotive era are in the U.S. – or import it.
Hengrui Liu, Postdoctoral Scholar in Economics and Public Policy, The Fletcher School, Tufts University and Kelly Sims Gallagher, Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy, Director of the Climate Policy Lab and Center for International Environment and Resource Policy, The Fletcher School, Tufts University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
📰 Enjoying STM Daily News? Join the conversation!
💬 Leave a comment, share your thoughts, and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest stories, updates, and “News You Can Use This Moment!” delivered to your inbox.
Stay connected with STM Daily News!
Automotive
Slate Truck Gets Real: First Experience Center Opens Ahead of Planned Deliveries
Slate Auto’s first permanent Experience Center gives consumers an up-close look at its customizable electric truck ahead of planned customer deliveries.
Slate Auto’s new Chicago location gives prospective buyers a permanent place to see the minimalist electric pickup, explore customization options and learn about demo opportunities—but it is not yet proof that customer deliveries have begun.
CHICAGO — October 20, 2026 — The Slate Truck is moving out of computer renderings and temporary roadshow stops and into a permanent retail setting. Slate Auto opened its first Experience Center on October 15 at 1053 W. Grand Avenue in Chicago, giving consumers a year-round location to get an up-close look at the company’s highly anticipated electric pickup.
The Near West Side facility occupies a former Tesla location and includes showroom, retail and garage space, along with electric-vehicle charging infrastructure. For Slate, the opening represents an important step in turning strong online interest into a more tangible buying experience as the startup works toward launching its first vehicle.
Visitors can examine the truck’s compact dimensions, deliberately simple cabin and accessory-driven design in person. The center also showcases Slate’s personalization strategy, including exterior wraps, add-on accessories and digital design tools intended to let owners configure the truck around their needs.
Slate has also promoted demonstration opportunities connected with the location, although availability may be limited or appointment-based as the company continues to prepare its fleet. Early media access included passenger rides rather than unrestricted customer test drives, so prospective visitors should confirm current availability before making a special trip.
Why the Chicago opening matters
Until now, most consumers have encountered the Slate Truck through online reservations, media coverage or temporary appearances. A permanent showroom gives buyers a chance to judge details that are difficult to evaluate on a screen, including seating position, bed access, cabin materials and the overall size of the vehicle.
That is especially important for a product built around an unconventional value proposition. Slate is promoting a basic two-seat, two-door electric truck with manual crank windows and no factory-installed infotainment screen or stereo. The company’s strategy is to keep the starting price low and let buyers add features later through accessories and conversion kits.
The physical location also gives Slate a place to explain that approach directly. Rather than presenting the truck as an unfinished vehicle, the company can demonstrate how its modular accessories, wraps and planned SUV-style conversion components are meant to expand the vehicle’s usefulness over time.
Chicago is a logical first market for that effort. The city offers access to a large Midwestern customer base and is within the broader region of Slate’s planned manufacturing operation in Warsaw, Indiana. Reusing a former Tesla store also gives the startup a space already suited to displaying and servicing electric vehicles.
The roadshow continues beyond Chicago
The Experience Center is opening as Slate expands its public demonstration schedule. The company’s events calendar lists a Boston-area demo ride event from October 21 through October 25 at The Shops at Chestnut Hill, followed by an appearance at RADwood in Alameda, California, on October 24 and a New Jersey demo ride event in Freehold from October 28 through October 31.
Slate also lists future stops in Washington, D.C., Raleigh, Atlanta, Miami and Orlando. Together, the permanent Chicago center and the traveling events suggest the company is moving into a broader customer-education phase ahead of planned deliveries.
What has—and has not—changed
The showroom opening does not change Slate’s headline pricing or range claims. The truck is still advertised with a base price of $24,950 before taxes, registration and destination charges. With the currently listed $1,450 destination fee, the entry price would be approximately $26,400 before other costs or optional equipment.
Slate also continues to advertise an estimated range of up to 205 miles. That figure remains an estimate rather than a final EPA-certified rating.
Most importantly, Slate has not publicly confirmed that regular customer production has started or that the first retail deliveries have occurred. Limited deliveries have been reported as possible before the end of December 2026, while many reservation holders may receive later delivery windows in 2027. The Chicago opening is therefore a commercialization milestone, not a manufacturing milestone.
For customers and industry observers, the next major signals will be the start of production at the Warsaw factory, final specifications and EPA range ratings, and confirmed handoffs to paying buyers.
The bottom line
Slate Auto now has a permanent place where consumers can see and evaluate its unusually simple electric truck. That makes the product feel more real and gives the company a platform to explain a customization-heavy business model that may be unfamiliar to traditional truck buyers.
Still, the biggest questions remain unanswered. Opening a showroom demonstrates progress in marketing and customer engagement; producing vehicles at scale, holding the promised price and delivering a 205-mile truck to reservation holders will determine whether Slate can convert enthusiasm into a viable automotive business.
Sources and more information
- Slate Auto events and demo schedule
- Electrek: Slate opens its first Experience Center in Chicago
- Autoblog: Slate opens its first U.S. showroom
- Slate Auto
Category: Consumer Corner / Automotive
Automotive
The New Tire-Buying Playbook: AI Insights Meet Human Advice
New Tire-Buying Playbook: A tire purchase can start with a familiar moment: a dashboard warning light, a repair shop visit, worn tread or realizing the current set is nearing a mileage milestone. When it’s time to replace tires, drivers have more ways than ever to research options, including classic search engines and AI chatbots.
The New Tire-Buying Playbook: AI Insights Meet Human Advice
(Feature Impact) A tire purchase can start with a familiar moment: a dashboard warning light, a repair shop visit, worn tread or realizing the current set is nearing a mileage milestone. When it’s time to replace tires, drivers have more ways than ever to research options.
New research from Hankook Tire’s Gauge Index Survey found drivers are utilizing multiple methods for research, from search engines and AI assistants to asking someone they trust for advice. Two-thirds of respondents said they always or often research multiple sources before buying tires, suggesting many shoppers want to weigh several opinions before deciding to buy a new set, including turning to fellow drivers.
As tools like classic search engines and AI chatbots continue to evolve, the most useful strategy for tire shopping may be less about choosing between technology and human expertise, and more about knowing how each fits into the research process. Here are a few ways drivers can confidently conduct tire research.
Start broad then narrow the search.
For many drivers, the process begins online. One-quarter of respondents said they typically begin their tire research with a search engine, the most common starting point reported in the survey. Retailer or dealer websites are the next at 16%, followed by recommendations from a mechanic at 15%.
That range of starting points reflects how personal a tire purchase can be. A search engine can help a driver organize initial questions and identify the types of information they want to compare. Retailer and dealer sites offer another place to review available options – and reviews from other drivers. A mechanic can help put the vehicle and driver’s specific needs into context.
Drivers can also use their initial search to create a short list of requirements, such as tire size, type and available warranties.
Use AI as one research tool – but not the only one.
AI is a growing part of any research. About 4 in 10 drivers (42%) said they have used an AI tool to research or compare tires more than once. Another 11% said they have not used one yet but plan to the next time they buy tires.
Conversely, just 5% of respondents said an AI assistant or chatbot would be their typical first stop when researching tires, suggesting many drivers may add AI later in the process to help sort through information or frame comparisons.
AI can help turn a general concern into a clearer list of questions. A driver might use it to identify terms to research, compare categories of information or prepare for a conversation with a retailer, dealer or repair professional.
Keep trusted people in the research loop.
Despite drivers’ increased reliance on digital tools, trusted advice is still important. More than one-quarter of drivers said they would typically begin tire research with a recommendation from a mechanic (15%) or from friends or family (12%).
Friends and family may share firsthand experiences, while a mechanic may help a driver better understand the questions that matter for their vehicle. More than 1 in 5 respondents (21%) list advice from a repair shop among the top three reasons that would prompt them to buy new tires, showing the role professional guidance can play when a purchase becomes necessary.
Find the full survey and approach your next tire research process with clearer questions, more confidence and a better sense of what matters most for the road ahead at HankookTire.com.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
6 Ways to Create a More Sustainable Bathroom
(Feature Impact) Conserving water, energy and resources is key to running an environmentally friendly household, and one of the best places to start is your bathroom. As one of the most frequently used rooms in the house, it’s a small space that makes a big difference. Every flush, shower, twist of the tap and restock of restroom essentials is an opportunity to manage your ecological footprint.
The good news is you don’t need a full-scale remodel to make your bathroom more efficient. Small changes to daily habits, routine maintenance and upgraded plumbing fixtures can all have a valuable impact. By making thoughtful choices at home now, you can protect your community’s freshwater supplies, consume less energy and help create a more sustainable future.
For useful ways to save water, conserve energy and reduce waste, consider these tips from the bathroom design and sustainability experts at TOTO.
Fix Leaks Before They Waste More Water
From dripping faucets to worn toilet flappers, small leaks can quickly add up. In fact, according to the EPA, the average household wastes approximately 9,400 gallons of water each year due to leaks. That can mean money going down the drain, too: If you notice your water bill is increasing and can’t figure out why, a hidden leak could be responsible.
To test whether your toilet has a silent leak, try adding a dye tablet or a few drops of food coloring to the tank. If color seeps into the bowl before you’ve flushed (usually within 10 minutes), it likely means an issue with the flapper. Many leaks are easy fixes, but a trained plumbing professional can give you more specific guidance.
Choose Water-Efficient Fixtures
Upgrading your plumbing fixtures can make an immediate difference, particularly when you choose EPA WaterSense-labeled models designed to save water without sacrificing performance. The water-efficiency specialists at TOTO helped shape the product-performance standards for the program, which turns 20 this year.
Its toilets pair elegant design with water-saving performance and no compromises on power. They are designed to use either 1.0 or 1.28 gallons per flush (GPF), representing water savings of 37.5% or 20%, respectively, compared with the federal standard of 1.6 GPF. Whether you’re looking for the Aurora’s elegant sculptural design, the Redington’s clean architectural lines or the Glaston’s timeless two-piece look, each model features powerful, gravity-driven flush performance and an ultrasmooth ceramic bowl glaze for easy cleaning, all while using less water.
Cut Paper and Single-Use Waste
Next time you’re ready to restock your bathroom cabinets, consider some simple eco-friendly product swaps. Look for toilet tissue made with recycled or sustainable materials or consider adding a bidet to reduce paper use – and never flush anything except toilet paper, even wipes labeled “flushable.” Instead of buying soap and personal care products in single-use packaging, you can lower your plastic consumption by choosing refillable containers. When possible, opt for a stash of washable cloths for cleaning rather than relying on disposable wipes and paper towels.
Take Shorter Showers and Make Every Gallon Count
Spending less time in the shower is one of the most impactful things one person can do to save water. Showering accounts for nearly 17% of residential indoor water use, according to the EPA, and if you prefer warm showers, that also means using energy to heat the water.
Make a habit of staying in the shower long enough to complete your routine but not lingering beyond that. To make each minute more water-efficient, consider upgrading to TOTO’s 2-Mode Showerhead, available in stylish round and square designs. Its efficient 1.75 GPM flow is paired with Comfort Wave for a stimulating experience and Warm Spa for soothing, enveloping warmth. You can also save water by turning off the tap while you lather with soap and shampoo, a technique sometimes referred to as a “Navy shower.”
Ventilate Efficiently to Control Moisture
Keeping your bathroom and the rest of your home in good condition relies in large part on controlling moisture and humidity. Use exhaust fans to vent moist air outside – not just into an attic or another enclosed space where it can cause damage, rot or mold. You can also use smart home features like humidity sensors and timers to control ventilation without running the fan longer than necessary.
Maintain Fixtures for a Longer Life
By taking good care of your bathroom fixtures, you can extend their longevity, thereby saving resources compared to replacing them more frequently. Follow manufacturers’ care instructions for cleaning and maintenance, avoiding abrasive cleaners that may wear away finishes. Aim to proactively remove any mineral buildup on faucets and showerheads, since it can reduce water flow and prematurely age your fixtures.
Keep an eye on serviceable components that tend to wear out – such as seals, faucet cartridges and toilet fill components – and see if you can fix or replace them individually first. When the time comes to upgrade toilets, sinks and showers, choose high-quality options you’ll be happy to have in your home for years to come.
Learn more about sustainable bathroom fixtures at TotoUSA.com.
SOURCE:
