Tesla Is a Mess
Tesla CEO Elon Musk spent the first part of the year as Trump’s “first buddy” and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It meant his attention was not on Tesla. Even after the messy breakup with Trump and the end of his political duties, Musk is not interested in carmaking per se. His eye is on autonomous vehicles and robots. Between those he ticked off politically and the lack of exciting new products, Tesla sales and profitability took a dive. But read here for how Musk secured for himself a $1 trillion pay package.
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Stumbling Stellantis Gets New CEO
Stellantis, whose American brands include Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and Chrysler, was imploding with its storied brands losing sales, dealers, and supplier support, morale tanking, and customers balking at high prices. Ultimately, CEO Carlos Tavares stepped down, and Stellantis entered 2025 in search of a new leader. Read how the suspense ended with the appointment of Antonio Filosa, the North American chief, taking over and working to fix the mess. That includes bringing the Hemi V-8 back.
Nissan’s New Plans After Honda Merger Talks Broke Down
Another company in dire need of help is Nissan, which sought a merger with Honda in a deal that would have changed the automotive landscape. But the plans fell apart, leading to the resignation of the CEO. Veteran Ivan Espinosa was tapped to take over in April, and he’s convinced he can restore the Nissan brand with help from a revived Infiniti. Here is what was on Espinosa’s plate on day one.
Hyundai Immigration Raid
Hyundai thought it had curried favor with the Trump administration when it announced billions in increased investment in the U.S. Just over a week after yet another such promise, federal and state law enforcement agencies raided the construction site of the joint-venture battery plant in Georgia, arresting 475 workers, mostly Korean nationals, for alleged immigration violations. Read about the headline-making raid here.