Nutson's Weekly Auto News WrapUp - April 20-27, 2025
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 Larry Nutson |
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Complete versions of today's news nuggets, along with hundreds of thousands of pages of relevant news, information and opinions are stored in a million-page library published and indexed on The Auto Channel during the past 30 years. Complete information can be found by copying a headline and inserting it into any Site Search Box.
Here are Larry's top story picks from this past week's important to you, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions, and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted, easy-to-understand automotive news nuggets.
- EV charger needs. US electric vehicle charging infrastructure varies significantly by region, per a report from charging data company Paren. While cities like Las Vegas and Miami have high utilization rates, areas such as Columbus, Ohio, and San Antonio have much lower rates. The industry is seeing growth with new players like convenience stores and automakers entering the market, but rural areas still lack sufficient charging stations. To be sure, large swathes of rural America are still sorely in need of more charging stations. Details are HERE.
- Speed limiters for the reckless. Virginia has enacted a law allowing judges to require reckless drivers to install aftermarket speed limiters on their vehicles, making it the first state to do so. This measure aims to curb speeding and reckless driving behavior by limiting the maximum speed a vehicle can reach. The law, which takes effect in July 2026, gives judges the option of requiring a speed limiter as an alternative to license suspension or other penalties for repeat reckless driving offenses. New York, Maryland, Washington, DC, and other states are considering implementing this law. The speed limiters are designed to automatically restrict the vehicle's speed, preventing it from exceeding a certain threshold utilizing GPS technology and mapping data to determine the posted speed limit and limit the vehicle's speed accordingly.
- New CARFAX "Recall Tracker." Over a decade since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a nationwide recall due to the potentially life-threatening risks posed by Takata airbags, 5.7 million vehicles across the U.S. still carry these defective airbags, according to new data from CARFAX. In a sign of progress, CARFAX data shows the number of cars on the road with Takata airbags has dropped by nearly 750,000 over the last year. Millions of cars still need repair. Is your car one of them? Read details HERE.
- NYC Congestion toll. New York's $9 congestion toll on most drivers entering the busiest part of Manhattan remained in effect Sunday, despite an
Easter deadline from the Trump administration to halt the first-in-the-nation fee.
Gov. Kathy Hochul's office and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency overseeing the tolls, confirmed that its system of traffic cameras continues to collect the fee assessed on most cars entering the borough below Central Park.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, rescinded federal approval for the program in February, calling it "a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small-business owners," and initially gave New York until March 21 to comply. The MTA challenged Duffy's decision in Federal Court, and Duffy subsequently pushed the deadline back by a month, to April 20. The fee, which began Jan. 5, is meant to reduce traffic jams and raise billions of dollars in revenue for New York's subways, commuter trains, and public buses.
- China Tariffs. Ford Motor has stopped exporting select vehicles to China, including the F-150 Raptor and Mustang, due to tariffs from the Chinese government, which it says were placed in response to the Trump Administration's levies various Chinese goods, the Wall Street Journal reports. The tariffs on these vehicles could reach as high as 150%, but Ford will continue to export engines and transmissions.
- Shanghai Auto Show. Reuters reports that more than 70 Chinese and international automotive brands are showing off 100 new or refreshed models throughout the Auto Shanghai 2025 show this week. A long consumer price war has taken its toll in China, where most major foreign brands have taken a beating in sales over the last few years. Next-generation automated-driving features have now become the latest front in the battle for vehicle sales and profits. But automakers' plans to tout next-generation driver-assistance systems in Shanghai have been upended by a government crackdown on marketing claims using terms such as "smart" or "autonomous" to describe their technology after a fatal crash involving a Xiaomi SU7 in March. The resulting government scrutiny has Chinese automakers like BYD and Zeekr scrambling to overhaul their marketing presentations, dropping boasts about automated-driving capabilities and instead emphasising driver caution.
- More from Shanghai. Buick is again proving that sedans still matter in the world's largest auto market with the unveiling of the Electra GS concept. This conceptual EV was designed locally by the GM China Advanced Design Center. And, the all-new 2026 Lexus ES was unveiled, introducing an eighth generation of the global luxury sedan. Both the hybrid and the first ES battery electric vehicle (BEVs) models will be offered in a line-up that will also include front- and all-wheel drive options.
- Buick problems. Buick has fallen foul of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, which have dented the brand's prospects just when things were starting to go well. Sales for the once-stodgy brand were up 39% in the first quarter with a refreshed lineup of compact SUVs including the Envision, Encore GX, and the Envista, its top-selling SUV for under $30,000. But Reuters' Kalea Hall reports, Buick's three most popular models are made outside the United States - the Envista and Encore GX are built in South Korea and the Envision SUV is made in China. Tariffs could add thousands of dollars to the price tag of those vehicles. Analysts say this could stall Buick's momentum and possibly threaten its survival.
- Possible U.S. pickup from VW. Volkswagen is exploring entering the U.S. pickup market with an electric model with a range-extender. "The potential pickup could use unibody construction," says Kjell Gruner, president and CEO of VW Group of America. The automaker also plans to introduce hybrid versions of the Atlas and Tiguan, with production in North America. More HERE.
- Tesla class action. Tesla faces a proposed class action claiming it speeds up odometers on its electric vehicles so they fall out of warranty faster, saving Elon Musk's company from having to pay for repairs. The plaintiff, Nyree Hinton, alleged that Tesla odometer readings reflect energy consumption, driver behavior, and "predictive algorithms" rather than actual mileage driven. He said the odometer on the 2020 Model Y he bought in December 2022 with 36,772 miles on the clock ran at least 15% fast, based on his other vehicles and driving history, and for a while said he drove 72 miles a day when at most he drove 20. More details HERE.
- Personal transportation increase. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), docked bike share programs saw an increase in ridership between March 2024 and March 2025. Many cities across the US had large increases. New York, NY (CitiBike): 3,155,620 (up 19.0%), Washington, DC Metro (Capital Bikeshare): 397,512 (up 19.7%), San Francisco, CA (Bay Wheels): 299,585 (up 37.9%). Chicago, IL (Divvy): 207,436 (down 8.0%), Boston Metro, MA (Blue Bikes): 270,615 (up 5.2%) and Jersey City, NJ (CitiBike): 73,047 (up 14.4%). Despite skeptics, major global cities have a bike share program.
- Dodge and Alfa Romeo recall. Stellantis is recalling certain 2023 to 2025 Alfa Romeo Tonale and Dodge Hornet vehicles as they may have rear-view camera displays that may not show the feed from the camera. A total of 48,494 vehicles are affected.
- GM recall. GM is recalling certain 2021-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, and Escalade ESV models equipped with 6.2L L87 engines to resolve manufacturing issues affecting some engines. This comes after widespread owner reports of complete engine failure. The recall impacts as many as 877,710 vehicles.
- Art and the Automobile in St. Louis. "Roaring: Art, Fashion, and the Automobile in France,1918-1939" now at the
St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM) explores the transformative role of the automobile in pre-World War II France and highlights
innovations across art and industry by those who embraced it as a provocative expression of the modern age.
There are over 100 art and fashion elements in "Roaring..." in addition to the 12 very cool and highly significant historic automobiles. The exhibit runs through July 27, 2025. More details here.
- Rare & Luxurious in Tacoma. Through the first decades of the 20th century, automobile manufacturers carved out their own vision, giving mobility to the general population like never before, while others focused on opulence and sophistication. In the 1920s, it became clear that the automobile was here to stay , and it fit into the lives of many, not the few. While Ford churned out Model Ts, luxury automakers like Pierce-Arrow, Rolls-Royce, Cadillac, Packard, and Duesenberg built cars nearly 20 times the value of a Tin Lizzy. Rare & Luxurious at LeMay - America's Car Museum is an intimate exhibition that highlights those exceptional and expensive cars. Learn more HERE.
- Under the sea. A 1940-41 Ford Super Deluxe "Woody" wagon was discovered on the wreckage of the USS Yorktown in the Pacific Ocean. The car was
found during an underwater excavation of the shipwreck. NOAA Ocean Exploration is attempting to identify the car. The Ford Super Deluxe wagon is a popular officer
transport vehicle, leading to speculation that it belonged to Rear Admiral Fletcher, who used the Yorktown as his flagship during the war. The U.S.S. Yorktown has a
particularly heroic part in the Battle of Midway. After sustaining significant damage, the ship was in tow by a fleet tug but was eventually torpedoed by a Japanese
submarine, and the order was finally given for evacuation.
Stay safe. Be Well.