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Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup June 1-7, 2025

* May Sales. May new vehicle sales in the US cooled off from the strong pace seen in March and April, likely due to the normalization of tariff-driven demand and rising affordability concerns. The seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of sales dropped to 15.6 million, down from April's 17.3 million, although the monthly sales volume of 1.50 million units was still up 3.2% from May 2024. Light-truck sales continued to be strong, accounting for a significant share of the total sales volume, with sales up 5.1% year-over-year. Affordability is a growing concern, and higher prices may impact future sales. 

* High prices and high interest rates. The personal-finance website WalletHub reports, with vehicles having become progressively less affordable in recent years, many consumers have unfortunately been forced to take out auto loans that are too large relative to their incomes. Borrowing too much for cars has led to many people having trouble paying back their debts as a result. This is evident in the fact that the states where the average auto loan debt is the highest relative to the median income are also among the states with the highest auto loan delinquency rates. See the report here.

* Rough road ahead. Bank of America's annual industry "Car Wars" report forecasts a "rough ride" for the U.S. industry in the next couple of years because of low model replacement rates and struggling electric vehicle growth.
The report noted there are 29 new model launches this year, the lowest in decades. He attributed the declines to a pullback in EV investment. Adoption of vehicles with all-electric powertrains has failed to meet industry expectations, with them comprising about 8% of annual U.S. sales. More details here.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/2025/06/04/car-wars-bank-of-america-john-murphy-ford-gm-stellantis-ev/84030594007/

* EV public charging is getting better. Public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in the US has long been criticized for its slow pace of development compared to the rapid increase in EV sales. However, there are new signs of improvement. According to the latest US Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study from JD Power, overall satisfaction with public EV charging has increased for the second consecutive quarter, signaling positive momentum in an area critical to the broader adoption of electric vehicles. More details here.
https://www.jdpower.com/business/electric-vehicle-experience-evx-public-charging-study

* Interest in EVs at a low. Consumer interest in purchasing EVs has fallen to its lowest level since 2019, according to an AAA survey. Only 16% of U.S. adults report being “very likely” or “likely” to purchase a fully electric vehicle (EV) as their next car. High battery repair costs (62%) and purchase price (59%) are cited as key barriers to go fully electric. Other top concerns identified in this year’s survey were the perceived unsuitability of EVs for long-distance travel (57%), a lack of convenient public charging stations (56%), and fear of running out of charge while driving (55%). Full story here. https://newsroom.aaa.com/2025/06/aaa-ev-surve

* Renew your registration. According to CARFAX nearly 17 million vehicles on U.S. roads have expired registration tags. Driving with outdated tags can lead to serious consequences, including costly fees and fines, and in some cases, having the vehicle towed or impounded. In instances with either repeat offenses or significantly overdue registrations, drivers can even face jail time. More information here. https://www.carfax.com/press/expired-registrations

* China stranglehold. A group representing auto suppliers in the U.S. called for immediate action to address China’s restricted exports of rare earths, minerals and magnets, warning the issue could quickly disrupt auto parts production. Many components use rare earth minerals and many of those are coming from China. Auto firms consider shifting parts manufacturing to China to bypass export controls on rare-earth magnets. Or, carmakers are weighing alternatives such as older tech or removing the feature, such as power seats or high-end audio systems, altogether. Read the details here.
https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/car-companies-production-rare-earth-shortage-aaf87ad2?st=AYNTeq&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

* A better plug. As SAE standard J3400 (also known as NACS) is being adopted by automakers and deployed on the latest EVs, the standard itself is still evolving. That latest evolution is SAE J3400/2. That extra 2 will make charging quicker, thanks to hardware updates to the port and inlet. Hardware adjustments to the plug allow for the higher charging rates and correspondingly quicker charging.

* Smile for the camera. Autotrader in the UK came up with it and Autoweek passed it along. Which car brands make you smile? A computer survey in the UK analyzed selfies people took with their cars, determined whether those people were smiling, and used the data to come up with the top 25 cars that make people smile. Have a look here.
https://www.autoweek.com/news/a64962535/car-brands-make-you-smile-list/?source=nl&utm_source=nl_aut&utm_medium=email&date=060425&utm_campaign=nl01_060425_AUT40150017&oo=&user_email=0772a559171620dd91144ce91040c1038ebe9b06d319962dd486e57a37ab1df7&GID=0772a559171620dd91144ce91040c1038ebe9b06d319962dd486e57a37ab1df7&utm_term=TEST-%20NEW%20TEST%20-%20Sending%20List%20-%20AM%20180D%20Clicks%2C%20NON%20AM%2090D%20Opens%2C%20Both%20Subbed%20Last%2030D

* Your mileage will vary. Unlike gas-powered cars, EVs tend to be less efficient on highways than in cities. Also unlike the mileage estimates for conventional cars and hybrids, which indicate separate city and highway ranges, EV range estimates combine laboratory-simulated city and highway driving, based on now-outdated standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Consumer Reports testing shows that this estimate might not accurately reflect the range you can expect on the highway, where every mile counts. Of the 30 EVs Consumer Reports has tested so far, more than half fell short of their EPA-estimated ranges when driven at highway speeds. Some EVs are good but some not so good. Have a look here.
https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hybrids-evs/real-world-ev-range-tests-models-that-beat-epa-estimates-a1103288135/

 * Happy Birthday Chrysler. It’s Chrysler’s birthday week. Chrysler marked 100 years on June 6, 2025. To celebrate Chrysler’s Century of Innovation a historical vehicle drive was held on Detroit’s Belle Isle. More than 20 historic Chrysler concept and production vehicles were on hand to mark the occasion, with iconic cars including 1934 Chrysler Airflow, 1948 Town & Country, 1955 Chrysler 300 and 1963 Chrysler Turbine. Eleven of these rare, historical vehicles were available for invited media to either drive or go for a ride around scenic Belle Isle. Additionally, the Chrysler brand introduced a new 2026 Chrysler Pacifica 100th Anniversary Edition. Go to link to see photos.
* Greenwich Concours. Tom Maoli’s 1932 Duesenberg Model J took Best in Show honors at the 2025 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, surpassing two gorgeous runners-up: a black 1937 Chrysler Imperial C-15 and a silver 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Speciale. More from Hagery Media here:
https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/1932-duesenberg-model-j-crowned-2025-greenwich-concours-delegance-best-in-show/?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_content=MED_UN_NA_EML_UN_UN_DailyDriver_Monday_v2&hashed_email=0772a559171620dd91144ce91040c1038ebe9b06d319962dd486e57a37ab1df7&dtm_em=0772a559171620dd91144ce91040c1038ebe9b06d319962dd486e57a37ab1df7

* Ship carrying EVs burns. A ship carrying about 3,000 cars from several Chinese automakers to Mexico was abandoned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after catching fire Tuesday. The ship named Morning Midas departed the Chinese port of Yantai on May 26. Smoke was first seen coming from a deck carrying some of the 800 electric vehicles on board, the ship’s manager Zodiac Maritime said in a statement. The crew initiated firefighting procedures but the blaze could not be brought under control, it added.  The US Coast Guard evacuated all 22 crew members from the Morning Midas, transferring them to a nearby merchant ship. More details here.

* Ford recall. Ford is recalling certain 2024 and 2025 F-150 Lightning electric pickups over a faulty suspension that could cause a loss of control. The recall impacts 20,528 2024 and 8,973 2025 model years. Ford stated that certain Lightning models may have an improperly torqued nut on the ball joint of the front upper control arm. Due to this, the arm can separate from the knuckle assembly, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

* Mazda recall. Mazda Motor Corp. is recalling 171,412 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada because a sensor may deactivate airbags because of a low battery. The recall affects 2024-2025 Mazda3 and 2024-2025 CX-30 vehicles.

 
Stay safe. Be Well.

Kind regards, 
Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy