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Episode 1058: It's the last day of the month and today Kyle is joined by Head Writer Chris Reeves to talk about how Baxter Subaru of Omaha, Nebraska reduced its trash output from 96 yards a week to 8. They’re now recycling over 90% of their waste.

It started with a full-blown trash audit (sounds gross but was actually genius), followed by smart signage, training videos, peer accountability, and leadership that wasn’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and sort through the junk themselves.

Thanks to Mandy Wood for sharing that story with us!

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.

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Episode #1057: Nissan eyes a fire sale to survive, Trump’s tariff plan hits legal trouble, and GM claims Canada’s EV crown from Tesla—at least for now.

Show Notes with links:

• As CEO Ivan Espinosa wraps up his first quarter in charge, Nissan’s financial stability hangs in the balance, with a massive debt wall looming and rumors of a fire sale to raise cash.
  • Nissan has $5.12 billion in debt due in 2026 and plans to refinance up to $4.15 billion of that.
  • Espinosa’s turnaround strategy involves slashing 20,000 jobs, closing seven global factories, and cutting $3.46 billion in costs by 2028.
  • To free up capital, Nissan may liquidate high-value assets—including its stake in Renault, prime real estate in Japan, and even its iconic Yokohama headquarters, which could be sold and leased back.
  • With nearly half of its U.S. sales coming from imports, Nissan Americas Chairman Christian Meunier is leading a $2B cost-cutting push focused on boosting retail sales, margins, and managing tariff risk.
  • “We are not yet at the stage where we have to do something desperate,” said a board source.

• A federal court ruled Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs was illegal—but for now, those tariffs remain while the legal battle unfolds.
  • The U.S. Court of International Trade said Trump exceeded authority under the IEEPA, targeting tariffs not tied to a valid national emergency.
  • IEEPA-based tariffs targeted a wide range of imported consumer goods not tied to national security—covering electronics, clothing, and some vehicle accessories.
  • The ruling gave the government 10 days to unwind the tariffs, but an appeals court temporarily paused that order.
  • Tariffs under Section 232—covering cars, parts, steel, and aluminum—remain, keeping vehicle prices elevated.
  • Retailers like Walmart warn prices may rise further, though Trump has publicly told them to “eat the tariffs.”

• GM claimed the top EV spot in Canada after more than doubling its electric vehicle sales in Q1, driven by fresh model launches and Tesla’s sharp drop.
  • GM sold 5,750 EVs in Q1, led by the Chevy Equinox EV and new Cadillac OPTIQ, outpacing Tesla’s volume.
  • Silverado EV and Hummer EV variants also contributed, with Hummer Pickup sales up 232%.
  • Tesla’s registrations in Quebec plunged 87%, impacted by paused EV rebates at both federal and provincial levels.
  • Despite year-over-year gains, GM’s Q1 total is well off the 15,000 units sold in Q4 2024.

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.

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

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Episode #1056: Today we’re talking about Elon Musk’s dramatic exit from government, the rising appeal of extended-range EVs as a hybrid-EV mashup, and how Amazon wants to talk you into your next purchase—literally—with AI-generated audio highlights.

Show Notes with links:

• Elon Musk has exited his role as a special government employee under the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), after a controversial 130-day crusade to slash federal spending.
  • Musk's off-boarding began suddenly, without a direct talk with Trump.
  • His DOGE plan aimed to cut $2 trillion but claimed only $175B in savings—an unverifiable figure.
  • He aggressively targeted federal telework policies and agency redundancies, prompting both voluntary exits and court challenges.
  • Clashes with cabinet members and critiques of Trump’s tax plan sped his exit.
  • Musk, reflecting on the challenge: “The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized.”

• With hybrids on the rise and EV momentum cooling, automakers are revisiting a once-overlooked technology: the extended-range electric vehicle (EREV). Acting like an EV with backup, EREVs offer consumers a new kind of compromise.
  • EREVs run on electric motors exclusively; the gas engine charges the battery, not the wheels.
  • Sales in China are up, and new models are coming stateside from Ram, Nissan, Ford, and Scout.
  • Ram’s 2025 Ramcharger boasts 145 miles of electric range and a total of 690 with the gas engine.
  • ZF and other suppliers are betting big on smaller, smarter range-extender systems launching globally.
  • “EREVs...provide the benefits of an EV with the flexibility of a hybrid, at a relatively lower cost,” said AlixPartners’ Dan Hearsch.

• Amazon is rolling out a new AI-powered audio feature designed to make product research less of a chore. “Hear the highlights” offers short audio summaries of key product info—ideal for the multitasking shopper.
  • The feature pulls from product pages, reviews, and web data to generate brief, conversational scripts that are read by AI
  • It’s currently being tested on select products like a Ninja Blender and Keurig coffee maker.
  • Amazon VP Rajiv Mehta says it’s “like having helpful friends” talk through your shopping choices.
  • It may soon integrate with Alexa+, Amazon’s upgraded AI voice assistant, to power hands-free buying.
  • CEO Andy Jassy revealed Amazon is developing 1,000+ generative AI tools, calling AI the “reinvention” of customer experience.

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/