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Runtime: 9:47
0:00 Tesla Developing All-New Compact CUV
0:55 China New Car Sales Fall, But Exports Surge
1:58 Ford F-150 May Return to Steel After Tariff Denial
2:31 BYD Plans to Have 20 Canadian Dealerships
2:54 Cooper Standard Stock Jumps on Positive Guidance
4:24 Kia Entering Busy U.S. Mid-Size Pickup Segment
6:03 China’s Windrose Delivers 1st EV Semi in the U.S.
6:55 GM to Auction 1st Military Vehicle to the Public
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This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
TESLA DEVELOPING ALL-NEW COMPACT CUV
Tesla is working on an all-new entry-level EV, according to Reuters. It says the automaker started contacting suppliers about the manufacturing process and specifications of various components for a new compact CUV. The model won’t be based on the current Model Y. It’s 1-feet 7-inches or half a meter shorter, the battery pack is smaller and it will only have a single motor drive unit. While there’s no word on when this new EV might launch, Tesla is likely contacting suppliers now because it’s reportedly designing the model to have both controls for humans and no controls at all for robotaxis. Sources say production will first kick off in China with the plan to expand to the U.S. and Europe.
CHINA NEW CAR SALES PLUMMET AS EXPORTS SURGE 74%
New car sales in China continue to fall compared to last year. Automakers sold 1.6 million vehicles in March, down a significant 15%, according to the China Passenger Car Association. Even New Energy Vehicles were down 14%. Yet, exports continued their amazing surge, going up 74% to 695,000 vehicles. Here’s our Autoline Insight. China’s home passenger car market has stopped growing, and could even start shrinking in the years ahead. The country has an aging and declining population. A vicious price war has hurt profitability, especially for car dealers. And, as they’re forced to cut back on their spending spree, automakers only introduced 18 new models in the first quarter, down from 28 a year ago. That makes exports a critical relief valve, where automakers can boost sales and charge more for their cars than they can in China.
FORD F-150 MAY RETURN TO STEEL AFTER TARIFF RELIEF DENIAL
Yesterday we noted that the Trump Administration turned down Ford’s request for tariff relief on aluminum. A fire at Ford’s main aluminum supplier last year crippled production of the F-150, costing the automaker $2 billion. It also needs to import $1 billion worth of aluminum this year. Those are horrific costs, but with no tariff relief in sight, we would not be surprised at all to see the next generation of the F-150 go back to using steel.
BYD TO LAUNCH 20 CANADIAN DEALERS AMID REDUCED TARIFF DEAL
Earlier this year, Canada and China reached a deal that will allow up to 49,000 Chinese-made vehicles a year to be shipped to Canada at a reduced tariff rate. And BYD is planning to take full advantage of that. The automaker expects to open 20 dealerships in the country this year and is also considering building a plant in Canada.
COOPER STANDARD STOCK JUMPS 12% ON POSITIVE EARNINGS GUIDANCE
The supplier Cooper Standard topped the Autoline Stock of the Day, gaining 12% to close at $30.88 a share yesterday. The company makes sealing systems, fluid handling systems like brake lines, and anti-vibration components. Investors seem to have focused on management’s guidance to hit double digit EBITDA earnings this year as well and several other technical market factors.
KIA INVESTOR DAY: NEW EV TARGETS, HYBRIDS & U.S. PICKUP TRUCK
Kia held its 2026 Investor Day and while the company expects sales to go from about 3.35 million this year to over 4.1 million by 2030, that’s actually down from its previous forecast. That’s partly due to slower than expected EV growth, so Kia says it needs to invest more money in new projects. Between now and 2029 it expects to spend about $28 billion, roughly a 30% increase. One reason for the big jump is that Kia is pushing back the launch of its first Software Defined Vehicle by a year. It now expects to complete development in late 2027 and then roll out models in 2028. A good chunk of the remaining money will be invested in new products like hybrids, vans and even mid-size pickup trucks. By the end of the decade Kia wants to have 13 hybrid models and have sales reach about 1.1 million units. It wants to sell 232,000 of its new PV vans by the same time as well. And it’s also bringing a mid-size pickup to the U.S., which we think will share a platform with Hyundai. That segment already seems pretty full with the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier, Jeep Gladiator, Honda Ridgeline and Hyundai Santa Cruz. Not to mention that Ram and Hyundai are also working on mid-size pickups. But Kia still expects sales to reach 90,000 units by 2034.
CHINESE TRUCK MAKER WINDROSE DELIVERS FIRST E700 HEAVY-DUTY EV IN U.S.
Chinese electric truck maker Windrose delivered its first heavy-duty truck in the United States, which has a very similar design to Tesla’s Semi. The truck, called the E700, was delivered to Texas logistics firm Allogic and its charging partner Greenspace E-Mobility. The truck costs $285,000 and features a 705-kWh LFP battery, a 1,400-horsepower electric motor and it has a range of 416 miles with a full load. Windrose says the truck is certified in Asia, Europe, North America and South America. And it will have approval in the Oceania region in the second half of this year. The company plans to begin mass deliveries of the truck in the third quarter.
GM TO AUCTION 1st MILITARY VEHICLE TO PUBLIC
General Motors is partnering with the Medal of Honor Foundation to auction off one of its military vehicles to the public for the first time. The Infantry Squad Vehicle will be auctioned at Barrett-Jackson next week and 100% of the sale will support the Medal of Honor Foundation. The truck is built on the same platform as the Chevy Colorado and is powered by a 2.8L diesel that’s paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The model available for auction has a custom livery honoring the Medal of Honor, recognizing America’s 250th anniversary, and acknowledging the U.S. Army units actively using this vehicle in service today. And if you were wondering, no this can’t be driven on public roads.
For all of you in the industry struggling with this whole concept of Software Defined Vehicles, have we got a show for you. We’ve got Himanshu Khandelwal from AlixPartners coming on Autoline After Hours later today. And AlixPartners just completed a global survey of automakers and suppliers on how they’re using Software Defined Vehicles and components and what it found is alarming. Chinese automakers and suppliers are leaving everyone else in the dust. Alix says this is a major threat, and we’ll be talking about what it’s going to take for the West to catch up. Frank Markus from Motor Trend will also be on the show, so join John and Gary when the action gets going at 3 pm eastern time today.
But that brings us to the end of this show. Thanks for tuning in and I hope to see you later.
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There are all of these mid-size pickups, but all of them, except Taco, are “lifestyle” vehicles with no longer than 5 foot beds. You can get a 6 foot bed with a Taco. Maybe Kia will branch out, with a two door truck with a 7.5 or 8 foot bed, which would set them apart.
From CR’s chart, the F-150 is only 50 pounds lighter than a similar configuration Silverado, so it might make sense for Ford to go back to steel, even without Trump’s tariffs. I suspect steel is cheaper to make vehicles from, or there would be more aluminum body vehicles. Isn’t the next F-150 probably already deep in the design stage, though, with aluminum body? If they wanted to revert to steel, they could extend the life of the current one a year, if need be.
Is the new Tesla just a cybercab with a steering wheel [several] that was spotted on Joe Tegtmeyer’s Youtube channel yesterday?
In Canada 2025 longwheelbase Frontier in stock new with 6 foot bed alas no 2026 available of any Frontier.
Ford is trapped. They used aluminum as an expensive band aid to address their inherent weight inefficiency. Then, they used the presumed weight savings to over size and over spec their trucks. Reverting to steel will expose the weight inefficiency and render most of their engines as underpowered.
Kit, I believe you can get a 6 foot bed with the Nissan Frontier also since it can be optioned with the extended cab and isn’t stuck with the 4 full size doors like the others. And the Frontier still comes with jump seats in it’s second row when you get the extended cab and mini suicide doors, unlike the Taco that only has storage bins in the second row and no mini doors. Makes the Frontier probably the most useful of the bunch. And no, I am not affiliated with Nissan in the least :).
Dave, Ziggy, yep, you’re right about 6 foot bed in Frontier. I neglected to search that one.
Ford was pushed into aluminum F-150 by Alan Mullaly, based on his experience at Boeing with aluminum. GM and Stella have shown that a multi-material approach can be almost as light but at much lower cost.
The Silverado has aluminum doors, hood and tailgate. The rest of the truck is steel, so that could explain the smaller than expected weight difference. Is GM also complaining about the aluminum tariffs?
From what I find, an F150 has about 450-500 pounds more aluminum than a Silverado. None of the car companies like the tariffs, but moderate what they say, or Trump might work to screw them even worse.