This episode asks a simple question: With low sales, dealers in financial trouble, and an aging product line, how will Mitsubishi Motors turn things around in the United States? Although Mitsubishi has history, a path forward is possible only if its products, pricing, and partnerships align. A credible sub-$25K entry, a modern compact SUV, and a smart plug-in strategy could reintroduce the brand to buyers who barely know it’s here.

In this episode, we explore why GM’s multi-nameplate EV strategy shows that scale matters: costs fall, ranges rise, and the lineup stays credible as others pull back. Ford’s pause on a pure EV truck might save cash now, but it risks long-term leadership among innovation-first buyers. And quietly, Foxconn is assembling the most intriguing play in the room—homologating a U.S.-bound EV, standardizing battery plants on four-year timelines, and offering turnkey platforms that legacy brands can badge and sell. That’s the smartphone supply chain model coming to the auto industry.

This week, I get behind the wheel of the Polestar 3 EV. It’s quick, planted, and comfortable on long drives, with one-pedal grace and a minimalist cabin that feels genuinely premium. Yet living with it isn’t as effortless as the badge suggests: start-up quirks, menu-heavy controls, uneven speed-limit data, and no spare tire undercut daily confidence. The good news is meaningful price cuts, a strong range for the class, serious towing for an EV SUV, and over-the-air updates that can smooth the edges. If Polestar streamlines the human interface, this vehicle could become a segment benchmark.

Volkswagen teased us for years with hints that a modern version of its VW Bus would come to the marketplace. Finally, the automaker introduced the motoring public to the ID BUZZ, a pure-electric take on its iconic vehicle. However, with a sticker price starting over $60K, it quickly became a cult icon priced out of reach—a luxury EV that thrills and frustrates, and a contract manufacturer betting big on batteries—this one threads the real story of where electric mobility stands right now. The Volkswagen ID Buzz should have owned family EV nostalgia, but ran into U.S. pricing, tariffs, and demand headwinds. Skipping the 2026 model year isn’t surrender; it’s a hard reset that only works if VW aligns content and cost with the $40–50K sweet spot and clears dealer inventory without draining brand heat.

In this episode, I question Infiniti’s plan to compete with Mercedes-Benz's AMG and BMW M performance subbrands through low-volume power upgrades. True halo models work best when the base cars already command respect and the dealer network can support complex hardware. A stronger reset calls for a new hero model with standout design, chassis tuning, and a clear identity that re-engages enthusiasts.

AI for the automotive consumer. In this episode, I evaluate the consumer advantage of CarEdge an AI-powered car-buying tool. The promise: real prices, data-driven targets, and someone else handling the back-and-forth. The nuance: dealers want transparency that shortens deals, not slogans that paint the entire industry as the problem. My take offers a practical middle path—how to leverage data, protect your time, and still win by being prepared to walk when offers fall short.

For this episode, I review the energy horizon and its implications for product planning. The latest projections show oil and gas demand growing through 2050, even as solar leads the renewables sector, China and Europe push EVs, and U.S. buyers flirt with hybrids and gasoline-powered vehicles. That split reality forces automakers to hedge without losing relevance. Tooling, batteries, and service networks aren’t quarterly decisions; they’re decade-long commitments. Walk away too early, and you concede markets to faster, bolder rivals.

A single decision can shape a decade. I examine General Motors’ abrupt exit from BrightDrop and argue that electric work vans still deliver real value: quiet, clean food trucks for dense cities, flexible upfits for utilities, and premium RV builds that thrive on low floors, instant torque, and all-weather electric drivetrains. With tooling paid for and demand abroad still rising, scrapping a platform designed for jobs the market needs feels less like strategy and more like a missed compounding bet.