Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup December 14-20, 2025
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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.
Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup December 14-20, 2025
* It's not what he said. Trump says CAFE changes will save drivers money. The fine print says they’ll actually pay more. The Trump administration pitched its changes to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards as a vehicle affordability play, but the fine print shows that NHTSA expects consumers to pay more for fuel, an expense that will top the predicted savings on transaction price. The Trump administration assumes that relaxed mpg regulations will allow automakers to spend less on components that improve fuel economy and pass an average $925 in purchase savings to buyers. But if the proposal becomes official, companies will ditch fuel-saving technologies and consumers will pay at least $187 more over the lifetime of the vehicle, even with the expected price savings upfront, according to an appendix to NHTSA’s proposal. The net cost of passenger car and light truck ownership will increase by between $187 and $506 over the vehicle lifetime, driven by a total increase in fuel costs of $1,112 to $1,431 for the 2031 model year, NHTSA said.
* And, there's this. The EPA has trashed stop-start technology. But, NHTSA’s proposed rule for loosening fuel economy standards projects the continued use of stop-start technology, an emissions-reduction tool that has been a target of the Trump administration’s EPA. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) predicts that stop-start engine technology will continue to be used in vehicles, despite efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to phase it out. NHTSA's fuel economy proposals anticipate that about 30.7% of 2031 model year vehicles will still be equipped with the system. This technology is a point of contention between the two agencies: The NHTSA has included the continued use of stop-start systems as a building block for manufacturers to meet proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. The EPA, in contrast, has criticized the technology and is in the process of eliminating the fuel economy credits that incentivize automakers to install the feature, referring to it as an "annoying" and "hated" nuisance to many drivers.
* EVs and the US market.Jim Motavilli writing for Autoweek nicely summarizes Strategic Vision’s president Alexander Edwards thoughts on EVs in the US market. Read it HERE
* EV fast charging growth. The US has surpassed 64,000 electric vehicle fast-charging ports across more than 12,000 stations, with Tesla accounting for nearly 45% of new ports in the third quarter, according to Paren. Every state added at least one charging station last quarter, although the overall rate of new stations slowed, which Paren attributes to seasonal trends. The EV charging platform Paren released a report detailing these numbers, which represent a slight slowdown from previous quarters. More info HERE
* Meanwhile. A federal lawsuit filed in Seattle is the latest legal battle that Democratic-led states are pursuing over funding for EV charging infrastructure that they say was obligated to them by Congress under former President Joe Biden, but that the Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration are “impounding.” Sixteen states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration for what they say is the unlawful withholding of over $2 billion in funding for two electric vehicle charging programs. More details HERE
* A Reckoning at Ford. Ford Motor Company is retrenching to the tune of $19.5 billion to sharpen its Ford+ plan. The decisive redeployment of capital is aimed to meet customer demand and drive profitable growth. The battery-powered Ford F-150 Lightning is dead. Ford’s next-generation F-150 Lightning will shift to an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) architecture. By 2030, Ford expects approximately 50% of its global volume will be hybrids, extended-range EVs and fully electric vehicles, up from 17% in 2025.
* IIHS Top Picks Sixteen 2025 and 2026 models from 12 different brands earn TOP SAFETY PICK or TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards in the latest round of vehicle ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. See the list HERE
* Scout Motors direct sale. Scout Motors has been granted a dealer license in Colorado, a notable victory for the Volkswagen Group-backed brand as it pursues direct-to-consumer sales in the U.S. despite intense pushback by dealers nationwide. On December 16, 2025, Colorado's Motor Vehicle Dealer Board voted to grant Scout Motors a license, a first for the company's direct-sales strategy. This license allows Scout to sell vehicles directly to buyers, similar to Tesla and Rivian, challenging existing dealer franchise laws. Scout plans to invest in the state, create jobs, and offer a new buying experience for Colorado customers.
* EU reversal. The EU will allow some ICE-powered cars to be sold after 2035, reversing a planned ban on gasoline and diesel models. The bloc’s new auto package — which faces months of negotiations before final approval — also includes help for small EVs. The EU dropped its gas-powered new-car sales ban that was set for 2035 and replaced it with a target reduction of 90% of car-emitted C02 by the same year. The change would mean plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, range extenders and internal combustion engines can still be sold in the EU after 2035, in addition to fully electric and hydrogen vehicles, it said. There will be incentives for corporate fleets to go electric. More HERE
* And this on small electric cars. There's a new "M1E" vehicle category. The EU is creating a separate regulatory category for electric cars up to 4.2 meters (165 inches) in length. This category will have simplified technical standards to reduce manufacturing costs, aiming for market prices between €15,000 and €20,000.
* 10 Best. Car and Driver has selected their choices for the cream of the automotive crop. The 10 Best cars, trucks, and SUVs for 2026 have been chosen from over 100 contenders. The testers at CandD also posed their top picks in front of many of their favorite on-the-road meal stops. See it all HERE
* Disappearing miles. Odometer fraud is a serious and growing concern for used car buyers across the country. New CARFAX data shows roughly 2.45 million cars on the road are suspected to have had their odometers rolled back, a sharp 14% increase from just last year. States that saw the largest increase in vehicles suspected of an odometer rollback compared to last year include Montana at 33%, Tennessee at 30%, Arkansas at 28%, Oklahoma at 25%, Kansas at 24%, New Jersey at 21%, and Florida at 20%. See the full report HERE
* Hyundai and Kia anti-theft settlement. Automakers Hyundai and Kia must offer free repairs to millions of models under a settlement announced by Minnesota’s attorney general, who led an effort by dozens of states that argued the vehicles weren’t equipped with proper anti-theft technology, leaving them vulnerable to thefts. The settlement was reached by 35 states, including California, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The vehicles eligible for fixes date as far back as 2011 and as recently as 2022. About 9 million eligible vehicles were sold nationwide. Full story HERE
* Dodge and Alfa Romeo recall. Stellantis is expanding a recall for brake pedals that could collapse. Dodge and Alfa Romeo are recalling nearly 6,000 plug-in hybrid crossovers sold in the United States because their brake pedals could collapse under hard braking. The recall affects 3,286 units of the 2024 Dodge Hornet PHEV and 2,688 units of the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV.
* Ford recall. Ford is recalling more than 270,000 electric and hybrid vehicles in the United States because of a parking function problem that could lead to them rolling away. The recall includes certain 2022-2026 F-150 Lightning BEV, 2024-2026 Mustang Mach-E, and 2025-2026 Maverick vehicles.
* Route 66 is 100. The Route 66’s centennial year will bring an epic cross-country drive called The Drive Home. In anticipation of the upcoming Drive Home, opening this week is a refreshed Route 66 exhibition at LeMay – America's Car Museum in Tacoma, WA. The exhibition, which is a longstanding favorite of Museum visitors, received an aesthetic refresh, featuring centennial-themed additions and vehicles that pay homage to the 100th birthday of America’s most famous highway. The drive starts on Jan 3, 2026 from Santa Monica. More about it HERE
* China and global motorsports. Chinese state-owned automaker Chery will join the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in five years with its Exeed high-end brand. It will compete in the well-known motorsport racing system as a manufacturer’s team alongside Porsche, Toyota, Aston Martin, Cadillac, BMW, and other automakers. Read more HERE
* Audi and F1. The Audi Revolut F1 Team has unveiled its official name, logo, and announced that its global launch will take place in Berlin on January 20, 2026. This milestone marks a significant step for the Audi Revolut F1 Team toward joining the Formula One World Championship in 2026. The team name and logo unite Audi F1 and global fintech Revolut, following the confirmation of the title sponsorship in July 2025.
* RIP. Greg Biffle, one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, and his wife and two children were among seven people killed in a plane crash Thursday at an airport about an hour north of Charlotte, NASCAR and the victims’ families said in separate statements. Biffle was 55. Biffle, his wife Cristina, his 14-year-old daughter Emma, and their 5-year-old son Ryder were all among the victims, the statements said, along with Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth. Biffle was the 2002 NASCAR Busch Series champion, the 2000 Craftsman Truck Series champion and was named as one of the sport's 75 greatest drivers in 2023 due to his 19 wins at the highest level from 2002 through sporadic starts this decade.
We wish you all safe and happy holidays!
Kind regards,
Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy
The Auto Channel
Chicago Car Guy