Automotive News Daily Drive

Automotive News

Daily Drive is a daily podcast series hosted by Kellen Walker. We speak with industry experts, insiders and Automotive News reporters about events and trends impacting and reshaping the automotive industry. Automotive News is the leading source of news, data and understanding for the auto industry's decision-makers. Learn more at autonews.com.

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1,022 episodes
Updated Yesterday

Episodes1022

Newest first

June 17 · 27 min
June 17th, 2026 | Mitsubishi walks the talk on new products; AlixPartners’ Mark Wakefield
Mitsubishi previews a wave of new models for U.S. dealers. Chevrolet pulls the wraps off a redesigned Silverado 1500. Plus, AlixPartners Global Automotive Market Lead Mark Wakefield joins Automotive News from the Center for Automotive Research’s Management Briefing Seminars to discuss how China is redefining the artificial intelligence-powered vehicle and what a renegotiated USMCA could mean for North America’s competitiveness.
June 16 · 17 min
June 16th, 2026 | Ford's $30K EV pickup breaks cover; Nicole Lacy on F&I trends
Camouflaged prototypes of Ford’s $30,000 electric pickup are turning heads in California: Automotive News’ Michael Martinez breaks down what the footage tells us about Ford’s EV ambitions. A peace deal with Iran may be in the works, but don’t expect relief at the service counter anytime soon. Plus, RC Lacy Ford-Subaru Business Manager Nicole Lacy talks finance and insurance trends from the dealership floor.
June 15 · 16 min
June 15th, 2026 | EV registrations stabilizing; Factorial Energy CEO on solid-state batteries
U.S. electric vehicle registrations are showing signs of stabilization, but the recovery is uneven. The Dauch strike is officially over. Plus, Factorial Energy CEO Siyu Huang explains how geopolitical tensions are complicating the path to market.
June 14 · 13 min
June 14, 2026 | Bonus Episode: Porsche builds Toy Story 911s for the Toy Story 5 premiere
Porsche rolled out three custom 911s themed after Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie for the red carpet premiere of Toy Story 5. Automotive News Staff Reporter Jack Walsworth joins Executive Producer Jake Neher to break down how the Porsche-Pixar relationship started, what went into building the cars and what it means for Porsche’s brand and bespoke business.
June 13 · 23 min
June 13, 2026 | Weekend Drive: UAW strikes Dauch; Ford moves Escape buyers to Explorer
The UAW and Dauch Corp. reach a tentative deal after a 10-day strike that threatened General Motors’ most profitable trucks, and our panel breaks down what’s in it. Japan’s automakers are absorbing a historic tariff hit. Plus, Ford hopes orphaned Escape and Edge buyers are willing to step up to the Explorer.
June 12 · 19 min
June 12th, 2026 | Japan's automakers absorb $28B tariff hit; dealerships losing service share
An Automotive News analysis finds Japan’s automakers have absorbed $28 billion in combined costs from tariffs, electric vehicle write-downs and policy reversals — with more pain ahead. Two major auto suppliers are merging. Plus, Ducker Carlisle analyst Nate Chenenko breaks down data showing dealerships have been steadily losing service business to quick lubes and independent shops since 2022.
June 11 · 12 min
June 11th, 2026 | UAW, Dauch reach deal; Honda targets Toyota with Accord, Passport updates
The UAW and Dauch Corp. have a tentative deal, likely ending a 10-day strike that threatened General Motors’ most profitable trucks. Volvo’s top U.S. manufacturing chief is out just months before the launch of its best-selling model on American soil. Plus, Automotive News Atlanta Bureau Chief Urvaksh Karkaria breaks down Honda’s strategy to take market share from Toyota with a heavily refreshed Accord and a more rugged Passport.
June 10 · 19 min
June 10th, 2026 | Magna CEO on tariffs and uncertainty; GM bets on grid batteries
Swamy Kotagiri, CEO of Magna International, says uncertainty is the single biggest challenge complicating manufacturing decisions right now. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel for Ford’s aluminum supply problem. Plus, General Motors is pivoting its battery business toward the electrical grid as artificial intelligence data centers strain power supply.
June 9 · 21 min
June 9th, 2026 | Edmunds' Jessica Caldwell on auto sales vs. economic headwinds; Stellantis quality concerns
Edmunds Head of Insights Jessica Caldwell breaks down why auto sales are holding steady even as inflation hits a three-year high and consumer confidence slides. A major Jeep recall raises fresh questions about Stellantis’ quality trajectory. Plus, Honda’s CEO survives a revolt by retired executives.
June 8 · 14 min
June 8th, 2026 | Honda refreshes key models; Loren McDonald on why EV trucks flopped
Honda is refreshing the Accord and Passport, and American Honda’s product planning chief says customers will feel like they’re seeing new models. Auto executives met with President Donald Trump to discuss the right-to-repair bill. Plus, Chargenomics CEO Loren McDonald breaks down why the F-150 Lightning, Silverado electric vehicle and Cybertruck all underperformed.
June 7 · 14 min
June 5, 2026 | Bonus Episode: USMCA’s hidden players: China, the Gordie Howe Bridge and where tariffs land
The USMCA renegotiation has some players that aren’t at the table and a bridge that isn’t open yet. A panel of North American auto industry experts digs into how Chinese parts in the supply chain could reshape the new deal, whether the Gordie Howe Bridge is being used as a bargaining chip and where automotive tariffs realistically land if zero-tariff trade doesn’t survive the review.
June 6 · 25 min
June 6, 2026 | Weekend Drive: UAW strikes again; trade proposals set tone for USMCA talks
The UAW’s strike against Dauch Corp. threatens General Motors’ best-selling pickups. The Trump administration floats a trade carve-out for the auto industry ahead of the USMCA review starting next month. Plus, Ford launches a premium Bronco with outdoor brand Filson, and the panel weighs in on what it could mean for Lincoln.
June 5 · 20 min
June 5th, 2026 | PayNearMe's Steve Kramer on ‘abandoned carts’; VW Golf's U.S. future
Auto loan delinquencies are ticking up and PayNearMe’s Steve Kramer says lenders are leaving money on the table by ignoring a strategy that e-commerce has used for years. Volkswagen could expand its Golf lineup in the U.S. if tariffs cooperate. Plus, Canada’s largest auto workers union is heading into contract talks with a message for the Detroit Three: don’t even think about concessions.
June 4 · 24 min
June 4th, 2026 | How USMCA review could hurt affordability; Nexperia coming to the U.S.
A new white paper warns that tariffs and renegotiations of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement could gut the supply of affordable vehicles in the U.S. A new study finds dealerships flagged by the Federal Trade Commission had twice the customer complaints about bait-and-switch behavior than the industry overall. Plus, Dutch chipmaker Nexperia is coming to the U.S. amid a messy ownership battle.
June 3 · 19 min
June 3rd, 2026 | Chrysler getting new SUVs from Fiat; how dealers can counter AI advice
Fiat unveils two new small SUVs, and Stellantis is planning to badge them as Chryslers in the U.S. General Motors has a new way of building cars starting with its revived Chevy Bolt EV. Plus, a Georgia Toyota dealership is developing a free white paper to help retailers respond when customers bring ChatGPT into the negotiation.
June 2 · 19 min
June 2nd, 2026 | Experts talk auto trade, USMCA; Waymo's spring turbulence
Automotive News wraps its three-week series on the state of auto trade with a panel of industry experts breaking down the USMCA review from all sides. A look at the setbacks hitting Waymo this spring. Plus, the new-vehicle market may finally be turning a corner in the U.S.
June 1 · 21 min
June 1st, 2026 | New UAW strike threatens GM truck production; who owns vehicle data?
The UAW has walked off the job at a key supplier, threatening production of General Motors’ best-selling pickups. New USMCA content rules could sideline Canada entirely. Plus, Richard Ward of the American Vehicle Owners Alliance talks about legislation that would change the rules around who owns personal vehicle data.
May 30 · 18 min
May 30, 2026 | Weekend Drive: Motor oil warning light flashes as trade tensions heat up
Lindsay VanHulle and Molly Boigon of Automotive News join host Kellen Walker to break down the looming synthetic motor oil shortage, the biggest trade and tariff issues ahead of USMCA negotiations and how automakers are adapting to the U.S. ban on Chinese hardware and software.
May 29 · 19 min
May 29, 2026 | Mitsubishi gets into midsize pickups; how dealers should prepare for motor oil shortage
Mitsubishi will come out with a U.S.-built midsize pickup with help from Nissan. CDK’s declining debt value raises concerns about future dealership tech investments. Plus, Ducker Carlisle analyst Nate Chenenko breaks down the impending synthetic motor oil shortage and what dealerships need to know.
May 28 · 21 min
May 28th, 2026 | APMA’s Flavio Volpe talks Gordie Howe Bridge delay; motor oil shortage imminent
Flavio Volpe of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association talks about what the Gordie Howe Bridge means for the auto industry. Honda is leaning hard into hybrids to hold onto its double-digit share. Plus, a motor oil shortage is imminent and could last until at least mid-2027.

Automotive News Daily Drive

June 17th, 2026 | Mitsubishi walks the talk on new products; AlixPartners’ Mark Wakefield

June 16th, 2026 | Ford's $30K EV pickup breaks cover; Nicole Lacy on F&I trends

June 15th, 2026 | EV registrations stabilizing; Factorial Energy CEO on solid-state batteries

June 14, 2026 | Bonus Episode: Porsche builds Toy Story 911s for the Toy Story 5 premiere

June 13, 2026 | Weekend Drive: UAW strikes Dauch; Ford moves Escape buyers to Explorer

June 12th, 2026 | Japan's automakers absorb $28B tariff hit; dealerships losing service share

June 11th, 2026 | UAW, Dauch reach deal; Honda targets Toyota with Accord, Passport updates

June 10th, 2026 | Magna CEO on tariffs and uncertainty; GM bets on grid batteries

June 9th, 2026 | Edmunds' Jessica Caldwell on auto sales vs. economic headwinds; Stellantis quality concerns

June 8th, 2026 | Honda refreshes key models; Loren McDonald on why EV trucks flopped

June 5, 2026 | Bonus Episode: USMCA’s hidden players: China, the Gordie Howe Bridge and where tariffs land

June 6, 2026 | Weekend Drive: UAW strikes again; trade proposals set tone for USMCA talks

June 5th, 2026 | PayNearMe's Steve Kramer on ‘abandoned carts’; VW Golf's U.S. future

June 4th, 2026 | How USMCA review could hurt affordability; Nexperia coming to the U.S.

June 3rd, 2026 | Chrysler getting new SUVs from Fiat; how dealers can counter AI advice

June 2nd, 2026 | Experts talk auto trade, USMCA; Waymo's spring turbulence

June 1st, 2026 | New UAW strike threatens GM truck production; who owns vehicle data?

May 30, 2026 | Weekend Drive: Motor oil warning light flashes as trade tensions heat up

May 29, 2026 | Mitsubishi gets into midsize pickups; how dealers should prepare for motor oil shortage

May 28th, 2026 | APMA’s Flavio Volpe talks Gordie Howe Bridge delay; motor oil shortage imminent