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Runtime: 9:40
0:00 European 1st: BEVs Outsell Gas Cars
0:31 BYD & SAIC Outpace European Rivals
0:59 Cupra Outsells Seat
1:12 GM Stock Up Despite Profit Drop
2:15 Trump Threatens Higher Korea Tariffs
2:50 American Axle Becomes Dauch Corp.
3:47 China Expands EREVs to Commercial Vehicles
4:33 Pickup Sales Hit 5-Year High in China
5:36 Far-Right Union Challenges Germany’s IG Metall
6:26 Production Details for Ford’s UEV Platform
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This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
HISTORICAL SHIFT: EVs OVERTAKE GAS CARS IN EUROPE FOR THE FIRST TIME
We’ve hit another historical milestone in the auto industry. In the 4th quarter last year, pure electric vehicles outsold gasoline powered cars in Europe for the first time ever. Automakers sold about 309,000 EVs across the continent, compared to about 254,000 gas cars. And we think that from here on out that gap will only grow.
BYD AND SAIC OUTPACE LEGACY RIVALS IN EUROPE
For the year, automakers sold 13.2 million new vehicles in Europe, up 2.4%. And several Chinese automakers made significant gains. SAIC was up 25%. It sold more than 305,000 vehicles, which was more than Nissan and Tesla. And BYD sold 187,000 vehicles, up 268%, which was more than Suzuki, Mazda, Honda and Mitsubishi.
CUPRA OUTSELLS SEAT
One other tidbit from the sales numbers. Cupra now outsells Seat. What was once a sport oriented trim level, is now outselling its parent company.
WHY GM STOCK JUMPED DESPITE A 77% PROFIT DROP
General Motors posted its financial earnings for last year, and the numbers look dismal thanks to a massive write-off of its EV operations and the impact of President Trump’s tariffs. Let’s look at the numbers. GM sold 6.1 million vehicles last year, up 3%. But despite selling more vehicles, its revenue dropped almost 2.5% to $185 billion. Its operating profit dropped 77% to just under $3 billion. And its net profit fell 53% to only $2.8 billion. And yet GM’s stock was up nearly 4% in pre-market trading this morning. That’s because GM raised its 2026 guidance for its EPS, or earnings per share. It also raised its dividend by 20% and announced a $6 billion share buy-back program. GM investors saw a 54% return last year, and they clearly believe the good times will keep rolling.
TARIFF TIGHTROPE: TRUMP THREATENS 25% DUTY ON SOUTH KOREAN AUTOS
President Trump is raising tariffs on South Korean imports, including automobiles, from 15% to 25%. Last July, the U.S. and South Korea, reached an agreement to lower tariffs to the 15% rate and South Korea also agreed to $350 billion in U.S. investments. But Korea’s parliament still hasn’t approved the deal, so Trump is threatening the new tariffs to try and get it finalized. South Korea says it’s sending diplomats to Washington DC to discuss implementing the original agreement.
AMERICAN AXLE BECOMES DAUCH CORP
Auto supplier American Axle changed its name. The Detroit-based supplier is now the Dauch Corporation, named after its founding family. The company will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange next week with the new ticker symbol “DCH.” The change coincides with Dauch’s acquisition of British-based automotive metallurgy company, the Dowlais Group. Once the deal is complete, which is expected to close in the coming days, it will create a company with $12 billion in annual revenue and 50,000 employees globally, making it one of the largest auto suppliers in the world.
ROLLS-ROYCE & YUCHAI DEVELOP RANGE EXTENDER FOR COMMERCIAL TRUCKS
Vehicles with range extenders have been one of the fastest growing segments in China and now they’re making their way to commercial vehicles. Yuchai, which is a joint venture with Rolls-Royce Power Systems, is launching what it calls a Flywheel Range Extender System that can be paired with a wide range of power sources, including ICE and diesel. It claims it’s different from traditional setups because the engine and power generation components are structurally unified, which requires less parts and helps simplify the system. The Flywheel Range Extender can generate anywhere from 15- to 600-kW and is being deployed in commercial vehicles and non-road equipment from companies like FAW, Dongfeng and Caterpillar.
CHINA PICKUP SALES HIT 5-YEAR HIGH
With municipalities rolling back or removing restrictions on pickup trucks, sales are starting to ]increase in China. Automakers sold just under 590,000 pickups in the country last year, a 5-year high and an increase of nearly 12% compared to 2024. And with volume increasing, more players are getting into the game. Rely, which is a brand under Chinese automaker Chery, is launching its first all-electric truck, a model called the R08, which is about the size of Toyota Hilux. It looks like a fairly basic body-on-frame setup with either a single 200 horsepower motor driving the rear wheels or an AWD setup with 400 horsepower. There’s two battery sizes available; 66.5- or 88-kWh, which provides up to 510 kilometers or about 315 miles of range. Depending on the setup, pricing ranges from roughly $18,000 – $22,000.
FAR-RIGHT UNION CHALLENGES IG METALL AT VW AND AUDI
Germany’s auto industry is struggling. The country produced just over 4 million vehicles last year, which is 1.5 million fewer cars than it built a decade ago. Since 2019, the German auto industry has laid off a quarter-million workers and the industry is planning to cut another 100,000 jobs by the end of the decade. IG Metall, the largest labor union in Germany, is warning that it will increase pressure on automakers if they continue pushing cost cuts and moving production out of the country. But because of those losses, IG Metall is now facing pressure from a fast-growing right-wing union in Germany called Zentrum. Workers at several automakers will vote on new labor representation this spring and Zentrum is expected to make strong gains.
MAVERICK EV IS COMING: FORD’S CE1 PLATFORM ROADMAP REVEALED
We’ve got some good intel on Ford’s UEV, the universal EV platform, known as CE1. Autoforecast Solutions reports that the first model built on that platform, with the code name P833, will be called the Maverick EV. It will start rolling down the line at Ford’s Louisville, Kentucky plant in June of 2027. Then, in August of 2028, the next model, with the code name U833, will roll down the line and is scheduled to stay in production until 2035. It will be called the Escape. Ford has indicated that several other models will be built off the CE1 platform in Louisville. We think that’s a smart strategy. That plant is tooled to make 200,000 EVs a year. And by building multiple models off the same platform, Ford could more easily sell out that plant and make those cars at a profit.
But that’s a wrap for today’s show. Thanks for tuning in.
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The data on EU car fuel sources seems a little misleading, regarding hybrids. It counts mild hybrids as hybrids, meaning that cars like BMW 330i would be included as hybrid, even though it is a 48 v mild hybrid with minimal advantage over over non-hybrids. It is closer to an ICE car than it is to a Camry hybrid. If cars like 330i and many current mild hybrid Benzes were counted as petrol rather than hybrid, petrol would still dominate, at least for now.
Funny how the comments against Trumps tariffs seem to contradict the shareholders pleasure on seeing higher returns, tariffs are doing exactly what they were intended to do. I’m from Canada and I see the positives in tariffs
Yeah, you see the positives in tariffs in that you will get to sample Chinese EVs.
American Axle, interesting the scale of that operation.
Isn’t American Axle part of what used to be GM powertrain or something?
Just wait until the Chinese start building vehicles in the USA (Trump endorsed), if they keep their pricing pretty consistent with what they have now the Big Three (is that still a thing?) will all of sudden find religion and you’ll see the price of most vehicles come down, especially trucks, which are so over priced as to be almost criminal, and if you have any doubt about the truck pricing just look at the $12-15k rebates on full size trucks this time of year.
I guess we see why Ford is bringing Escape production to an end! What I never understood was why Ford never did a Lincoln version of the Mach-E? I would been easier for people to except the price of a $60+ Lincoln SUV EV, but I guess that would put it in the same neighborhood of a nicely equipped Nautilis and Aviator. That said, I would think that Ford might want to put a Corsair EV out before an Escape, for though the starting price might be a few thousand higher, it could still start while below $40K and undercut the Volvo EX30 and like models. While the Escape could mirror the Maverick EV, with a $30K base price. IMHO, it might be easier to spot Big Foot and the rest of the Sasquatch family, before one ever finds a Maverick EV at $30K!
It was only a matter of time before BEV sells over took ICE in the EU, but this is very much a cautionary tale, because of what has lead to them to this moment: dieselgate! Once customers lost faith in those “trusted” (the Big German Three) all European automakers saw drastically declining sells of diesel ICE vehicles! As BEV sells grow in those countries, let’s hope that the automakers responsible have learned this painful lesson and be as honest and transparent as they possibly can, on the efficiency and quoted range of their EV produces!
Kit lots of other people are realizing the effects of tariffs too regardless of what the media would like you to think. “As of January 2026, the US stock market is at record highs, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) crossing 49,000 for the first time, reaching a record high close of 49,590.20 on January 12, 2026. The New York Stock Exchange remains the world’s largest exchange by market capitalization, followed closely by Nasdaq.” As for Chinese EVs I honestly don’t care how cheap they are I have no interest in them. However if they rent to bring overall vehicle pricing down that could be a good thing.
Lambo, the stock market is about gambling and speculation, not reality. GM goes up after a big drop in profits. Tesla has a market cap of 1.4T. Enron has market cap of 70B in August 2000 before going to zero less than two years later. Trump is doing what he can to hurt economies around the world, but most of what that does is turn the U.S. into a pariah state.
I would not buy a Chinese EV, but being a car buff, I’d like to see what they are like. Also, while not a prospect for an ICE CUV, I’d consider a Kansas Envision over a Chinese one, even though the quality of the Chinese one might be better.