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Episode #1196: Today we’re talking about Mazda finally going all-in on EVs, Impel investing in the next wave of auto-tech innovation, and Chery’s viral stair-climb stunt that went downhill…literally.

We’ll be at Automobility LA at the LA Auto Show next Thursday, November 20 hosting the LA Auto Show Sessions. Thanks to our friends at Cars Commerce and Curbee for making it possible. 25% off registration with code MoreThanCars. https://laautoshow.com/me

Show Notes with links:

• After years of hesitation and a short-lived MX-30, Mazda is officially moving its EV plans forward with its first dedicated electric vehicle now in testing in California. This marks a pivotal shift in strategy as the automaker works to electrify its global lineup.
  • A prototype midsize electric crossover, resembling a smaller CX-90, was recently spotted near Mazda’s Irvine R&D center.
  • Built on the new Skyactiv EV Scalable Architecture, it’s Mazda’s first EV designed specifically for the U.S. market.
  • Production is slated for 2027, with U.S. sales expected in 2028.
  • Mazda is investing nearly $11 billion in electrification, but it has scaled back its EV sales target from 100% to 45% to 25% by 2030.
• Impel is putting its money where its vision is by investing in Automotive Ventures’ Mobility Fund II, signaling a strong commitment to driving innovation in the auto retail space through early-stage tech.
  • The fund focus areas include AI, robotics, mobility, and industrial tech aimed at transforming how vehicles are sold and serviced.
  • The investment highlights Impel’s strategy to back technologies that boost dealership productivity and experience as they Impel bring their AI tools and vast dealership network to support startups within the fund.
  • Impel joins a group of forward-looking investors aiming to accelerate innovation that benefits dealers, OEMs, and consumers alike.
  • Michael Quigley (Impel): “Our investment... reflects our belief that meaningful transformation in automotive retail will be powered by early-stage innovation... We’re helping to accelerate progress across the entire industry.”
• Chinese automaker Chery attempted to recreate Land Rover’s legendary 999-step climb at Heaven’s Gate—but instead of a viral triumph, the stunt turned into a viral fail that forced a public apology.
  • Heaven’s Gate is a famous natural rock arch on Tianmen Mountain in China, reached by a steep staircase with 999 steps and often used in extreme stunts and marketing spectacles.
  • The Fulwin X3L SUV lost power mid-stunt, hit a railing, and rolled back into a fence.
  • A detached safety rope entangled the right wheel, causing the mishap.
  • Chery admitted to poor risk assessments and promised to compensate for damages and repair the area.
  • The X3L boasts a 422 hp range-extended powertrain and is marketed as off-road capable.

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

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Episode #1195: Toyota doubles down on hybrids with a $14B battery bet. Waymo hits the freeway ahead of Tesla in the autonomy race. And OpenAI unveils a “warmer” GPT-5.1 with customizable personalities and smarter responses.

We’ll be at Automobility LA at the LA Auto Show next Thursday, November 20 hosting the LA Auto Show Sessions. Thanks to our friends at Cars Commerce and Curbee for making it possible. 25% off registration with code MoreThanCars. https://laautoshow.com/me

Show Notes with links:

• As U.S. EV momentum slows, Toyota is increasing its already big bet that hybrids, not full electrics, are the future of American green driving, anchored by a massive new battery plant in North Carolina.
  • Toyota’s new $14B plant in Liberty, NC is its largest U.S. battery investment yet.
  • The facility will power hybrid production in Kentucky and Alabama, with plans for EV and plug-in hybrid output.
  • Roughly half of Toyota’s U.S. sales are already hybrids or EVs, led by hybrid-only Camry and Sienna models.
  • The RAV4 will become 100% hybrid in 2026, with plug-in sales expected to quadruple.
  • “Regardless of where the regulation goes, we will have the capacity to support our compliance needs,” said David Christ, Toyota North America brand chief.
• Waymo has a commanding lead in the autonomous vehicle race now launching the first-ever robotaxi service on highways across three major U.S. cities. The move distances it even further from rivals like Tesla and Zoox.
  • New highway service rolls out in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, initially for limited riders.
  • This milestone extends Waymo’s reach to San Jose and introduces airport pickups at San Jose International.
  • The Waymo Driver has shown 91% fewer serious-injury crashes compared to human drivers.
  • Waymo now operates over 2,500 vehicles and has logged more than 100 million driverless miles.
  • “The Waymo Driver does not get tired, does not lose focus and does not make emotional decisions behind the wheel,” said project manager Jacopo Sannazzaro.
• OpenAI has rolled out GPT-5.1, calling it a smarter, more engaging upgrade to its August release of GPT-5—complete with expanded personality settings and model matching enhancements.
  • GPT-5.1 includes “Instant” and “Thinking” variants, optimized for speed, clarity, and task persistence.
  • New personality presets include Candid, Quirky, Nerdy, Cynical, and more, adding tone flexibility.
  • Users will begin to see model auto-matching and personalization tools in settings.
  • The upgrade follows user backlash to GPT-5 and competition from Anthropic powering Microsoft tools.
  • “We’re well past the point of one-size-fits-all,” said Fidji Simo, OpenAI's CEO of Applications.

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

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Episode #1194: Today we’re talking about the next generation of car buyers shaking up the F&I office, Jim Farley’s humbling EV teardown that’s reshaping Ford’s strategy, and BYD’s jaw-dropping megafactory in China that’s literally larger than San Francisco.

Show Notes with links:

• Born digital and raised on instant access, Gen Z is reshaping how dealerships sell protection, financing, and paperwork. CDK’s 2025 F&I Shopper Study shows this generation demands transparency, security, and flexibility at every step.
  • Gen Z buyers are twice as likely to purchase six or more F&I products compared to older generations.
  • They’re especially drawn to security and theft protection, with 29% selecting theft protection versus a 23% average.
  • 69% finance outside the dealership, often coming pre-approved with online or bank-based loans.
  • Surprisingly, 53% still prefer paper signatures, though a quarter favor a hybrid process.
  • “Dealers who adapt with flexibility, transparency, and security-focused offerings will capture Gen Z’s loyalty — and their $12 trillion in future buying power,” the report concludes.

• Ford CEO Jim Farley says tearing apart Teslas and Chinese EVs was a “shocking” wake-up call that exposed how far traditional automakers must go to stay competitive — and why Ford can’t afford to back down from electric vehicles.
  • Teardowns of Tesla’s Model 3 showed 1.6 km less wiring than Ford’s Mach-E, proving how much efficiency Ford needed to gain.
  • The discovery led Farley to create Ford’s Model E division, which lost $5 billion in 2024 — but he stands by the decision: “I knew it was going to be brutal business-wise. But it was important for Ford’s EV operations to be accountable to investors.”
  • He’s pushing for a culture shift at Ford: “My ethos is, take on the hardest problems as fast as you can and do it sometimes in public because you’ll solve them quicker that way.”
• In a move that redefines the meaning of “mass production,” Chinese automaker BYD is building an EV complex in Zhengzhou so massive it will literally be bigger than the entire city of San Francisco.
  • The Zhengzhou site will cover 50 square miles, surpassing San Francisco’s 46.9, and include high-rises, sports facilities, and even housing — a “factory with a city attached to it.”
  • The site will serve as a manufacturing and R&D hub, capable of producing hundreds of thousands of vehicles and components annually.
  • BYD recently overtook Tesla in European EV sales and is aggressively targeting the UK and Japan next, with full European lineup availability by 2028.
  • The project highlights China’s strategy to scale vertically and geographically, blending manufacturing, housing, and logist

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/