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Episode #1182: Today we’re talking about Slate Auto’s bold move to use independent repair shops instead of dealers, China pulling back EV subsidies to let the market decide, and PayPal teaming up with OpenAI to turn ChatGPT into a next-gen shopping hub.

Show Notes with links:

• Electric startup Slate Auto is flipping the traditional service model by partnering with independent repair shops instead of building dealerships or factory-run service centers. The company aims to launch its first vehicles with a fully certified third-party network next year.
  • Slate will use RepairPal’s 4,000-shop network, owned by Yelp, to handle warranty work, maintenance, and accessory installs.
  • Shops certified through RepairPal will receive training for Slate-specific EV systems, including high-voltage repairs.
  • “Being able to give that opportunity to the majority of our customers to service vehicles close to where they live is very important to us,” said Jeremy Snyder, Slate’s chief commercial officer.

• After more than a decade of heavy government support, China is officially stepping back from its electric vehicle subsidies, signaling that the industry is now strong enough to compete without government help.
  • EVs were excluded from China’s 2026–2030 five-year strategic plan for the first time in over a decade.
  • China ended its national EV purchase subsidies in late 2022 and plans to phase out remaining purchase tax rebates by 2027.
  • The decision comes amid massive overcapacity—93 of 169 automakers in China hold less than 0.1% market share.
  • “Electric vehicle subsidies will fade... the market will play a bigger role in deciding who survives,” said Dan Wang, China director at Eurasia Group.

• In a major fintech and AI crossover, PayPal has struck a deal with OpenAI to embed its digital wallet directly into ChatGPT, allowing users to shop and pay without ever leaving the platform.
  • Starting next year, PayPal users can “Buy with PayPal” directly in ChatGPT, while merchants can list and sell their products inside the app.
  • The partnership positions PayPal as the payment backbone for AI-driven ‘agentic commerce’, following similar ChatGPT integrations with Shopify, Etsy, and Walmart.
  • PayPal CEO Alex Chriss, “It’s not just that a transaction can happen. It’s a whole new paradigm for shopping… with the largest set of verified consumers in a consumer wallet.”

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1181: Today we’re talking about an EV market hitting the brakes post–tax credit, why most electric drivers are just fine charging at home, and Amazon’s billion-dollar bet on future jobs—while cutting tens of thousands of its own.

Show Notes with links:

• The EV market is undergoing a “recalibration” following the end of the federal $7,500 tax credit. J.D. Power says October electric vehicle deliveries are expected to drop 43% from last year, taking EV market share from 8.5% down to just 5.2%.
  • The September “last call” for the credit pushed EV share to nearly 13%, creating a hangover in October sales.
  • Gasoline models now account for nearly 80% of retail sales, while hybrids jumped two full points to 14%
  • J.D. Power’s Tyson Jominy. “The recent EV market correction underscores a critical lesson: Consumers prefer having access to a range of powertrain options.”
• Do you imagine EV drivers are circling parking lots hunting for chargers? Think again. About 80% of all EV charging happens right at home — quietly, conveniently, and far cheaper than fueling up at a gas pump.
  • The International Energy Agency reports 83% of EV charging in the U.S. and 80% in Canada happens at home.
  • J.D. Power’s EV Experience Study shows drivers rate home charging satisfaction at 85/100 versus just 50/100 for public chargers.
  • “Home charging remains the single biggest advantage of owning an EV,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of EV practice at J.D. Power.

• Amazon is sending a mixed message to the labor market this week. The tech giant is investing billions to train millions for the “future of work” — while preparing to lay off tens of thousands of its own.
  • The company launched Future Ready 2030, a $2.5 billion initiative aimed at training 50 million employees, students, and job seekers worldwide.
  • At the same time, Amazon is reportedly cutting up to 30,000 corporate jobs, about 10% of its white-collar workforce — its largest round of layoffs since 2022.
  • “Whether someone dreams of working at Amazon, works here now, or has moved on to their next chapter, our goal is the same: helping them have access to the education and training needed to thrive in whatever comes next,” said Beth Galetti, Amazon’s SVP of People Experience and Technology.

0:00 Intro with Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier

0:15 Paul's hat from Kazakhstan

2:05 Upcoming ASOTU Edge Webinar with foureyes on Nov. 5

3:00 EV Market Hits Recalibration in October

6:17 83% of American EV Drivers Charge At Home

9:42 Amazon Invests $2.5B In Training, Cuts 30K White-Collar Jobs

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1180: Fresh off a global adventure, Paul and Kyle return with stories from Kazakhstan, a look at why destination fees are climbing faster than car prices, and how Rivian and GM are tightening up their EV operations as the market cools.

• Destination fees — the unavoidable “shipping” charges tacked onto every new vehicle — are climbing faster than sticker prices. Once a minor line item, these fees have ballooned across brands, marking the steepest industrywide increase in at least a decade as automakers quietly offset rising costs and tariffs.
  • Average destination fees jumped 8.5% for 2025 models, the biggest one-year spike in 10 years, according to Edmunds.
  • Fees have risen 27% since 2021, now averaging $1,549, up from $1,220 just four years ago.
  • Some models saw even sharper hikes — Porsche up 48%, Ford up 39%, Stellantis up 35%.
  • Analysts point to inflation, heavier vehicles, and new tariffs as key cost drivers.
  • “It’s another place where they can increase the price without increasing the price,” said Sam Fiorani of AutoForecast Solutions.

• As the EV market cools and cost pressures rise, both Rivian and GM are trimming teams to stay efficient. Rivian’s cutting hundreds after the loss of key EV tax credits, while GM is reducing salaried positions tied to design and development as part of a broader restructuring.
  • Rivian is laying off 4.5% of its workforce — about 600 employees — as it consolidates operations in sales, service, and marketing.
  • CEO RJ Scaringe said the move reflects a “changing operating backdrop” as demand softens following the expiration of the $7,500 EV credit.
  • Rivian will continue investing in its next-gen R2 platform to reach a broader market beyond its luxury R1 lineup.
  • GM confirmed more than 200 white-collar job cuts in Detroit, mostly in its design engineering and CAD teams.
  • The automaker is also managing $1.6 billion in EV-related write-downs and tariff costs as it shifts strategy to protect margins amid a slower adoption curve.

0:00 Intro with Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
1:25 More Than Cars just got back from Kazakhstan
7:42 Destination Fees Skyrocket On 2025 Models
10:33 Rivian Lays Off 600, GM Cuts 200

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1179: We close out Q4 Strategy Week with Ryan Rohrman, CEO of the Rohrman Auto Group. He breaks down how cleaner data, connected systems, and smarter marketing decisions can save you money, sharpen your efficiency, and help you finish the year with momentum.

Show Notes:

• The goal is frictionless customer access — tech that talks and data that actually works.
• Rohrman Auto Group discovered 40% of their data was “dirty” just six months post-cleanup — now they scrub it monthly.
• Dirty data = wasted spend. Even a 30% error rate means 30% of your marketing dollars miss the mark.
• Ryan’s team built a single “source of truth” (Snowflake) to unify CDP, DMS, and CRM data.
• Exploring tech outside automotive has proven faster, cheaper, and more adaptable than legacy systems.
• “It’s not about spending less — it’s about spending smarter. Efficiency is king.” — Ryan Rohrman

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1178: We dive into Q4 service strategy with Joe Castelino, VP of Fixed Ops at American Motors Group. From holiday PTO and campus ebb-and-flow to tech-enabled check-ins and bay visibility, Joe shows how disciplined processes and smart tools keep throughput high and customers happy into year-end.

Show Notes with links:

• Plan for dual PTO: your team and your customers. College-town stores see sharp holiday rushes from parents and students—staff and stock accordingly.
• Stick with what works: sub-hour cycle times, ~30-minute LOFs, and rigorous FRFT targets keep lanes moving when volume spikes.
• Streamline write-up: mobile/electronic check-in, photos/video, and voice-to-text (or customer noise recordings!) reduce ambiguity and speed technician diagnosis.
• See the bottlenecks: SkaiVision plate recognition flags unattended vehicles, long waits, and even surface sales opportunities from the lane.
• “Q4 tends to be a little more strategic—we hunker down and execute what we’ve practiced all year.” — Joe Castelino

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1177: Q4 Strategy Week rolls on with EV operator-extraordinaire Andy Guelcher. We dig into life after federal credits, the coming surge of affordable used EVs, New York’s eye-popping BrightDrop incentives, and why dealers must become “energy experts” to win the next phase of EV adoption.

Show Notes:

• Post-credit reality check: EVs must stand on their own. Falling MSRPs (hello, $29K Bolt) + better charging infrastructure are easing range anxiety and widening the addressable market.
• Get ready: a flood of off-lease EVs in 18–24 months could reset used-car affordability and pull younger, tech-open buyers into payments that actually pencil.
• New profit centers: vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid will let customers power homes and sell back to the utility—turning EVs into assets that can offset car payments.
• Commercial play: New York’s BrightDrop program (big per-vehicle incentives; 3-year EIN, 5-year use/5K mi/yr, 80% in-state) makes fleet vans “nearly free” for qualified businesses—move fast.
• “We’re making our team the energy experts—training with GM Energy—so we can explain the whole ecosystem, not just the car.” — Andy Guelcher

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1176: Day two of Q4 Strategy Week brings social media powerhouse Russell Richardson — aka Russ Flips Whips — to talk about how dealers can turn content into car deals. He shares real-world results, easy-to-start strategies, and why empowering your people might be your best Q4 move yet.

Show Notes:

• Q4 is the best time to make an ask — if you’ve spent the year giving value through social media, now’s when it pays off.
• One trained team created 4M+ impressions and over 60 car sales with one incentive-based video campaign.
• Empowering every team member to post multiplies reach faster than paid ads ever could.
• “Older” sales pros are thriving on TikTok — customers connect with people who look and sound like them.
• If you’re just starting: post one video per workday on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. Consistency beats perfection.
• Even if it doesn’t generate leads, it builds communication skills and confidence on the floor.
• Concerned about brand control? Russ says it best: “Why wouldn’t you think of all the things that could go right?”

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1175: It’s Q4 Strategy Week on The Automotive State of the Union! Paul and Kyle sit down with Patrick Abad of Beaver Toyota and Mazda to talk about leading your team through the holidays — when emotions run high, sales run hotter, and leadership matters most.

Show Notes:

• The holiday season brings both family time and the busiest sales stretch of the year — and great leaders have to balance both.
• Involve your people in event planning (like Black Friday or end-of-year sales) so they feel ownership, not obligation.
• Find the influencers in each department — not necessarily the managers — and include them in decision-making.
• When you go for a holiday event or promotion, go all-in. Half-efforts kill momentum and trust.
• Give your team breathing room earlier in the month so they can give their all when it counts.
• “You can’t ask your people to give everything at the end of the year if you haven’t given them anything along the way.” — Patrick Abad

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1174: Gov. Newsom vetoes a dealer doc fee hike, Tesla unleashes “Mad Max” mode amid mounting scrutiny, and Home Depot opens free training lanes to fuel America’s next generation of skilled pros.

Show Notes with links:

• California dealers were ready for a long-overdue bump to their doc fee cap, but Gov. Gavin Newsom hit the veto button — just a week after tightening dealership disclosure rules with the new CARS Act.
  • The proposed bill would’ve raised the $85 doc fee cap to 1% of the sale price, up to $260.
  • Newsom said “no,” citing affordability for consumers in an already pricey state.
  • Dealers argue new transparency rules in the CARS Act will increase their workload — not lighten it.
  • The CNCDA’s Brian Maas called out the contradiction, saying the new law “imposes substantial advertising and disclosure burdens on dealers.”
  • Newsom fired back that dealers shouldn’t charge “hundreds more for only minutes of data entry.”
• While under multiple investigations for its driver-assist tech, Tesla has decided to lean into chaos — literally — by reintroducing “Mad Max” mode in its latest Full Self-Driving (Supervised) update.
  • The FSD v14.1.2 update lets cars drive faster and change lanes more aggressively than the previous “Hurry” mode.
  • The feature revives Tesla’s 2018 “Mad Max” driving style, which Elon Musk once described as ideal for navigating Los Angeles traffic.
  • Early users have already reported cars rolling stop signs and speeding up to 15 mph over posted limits.
  • This comes as NHTSA runs four separate probes into Tesla’s FSD and the California DMV sues over its name.
• As the skilled labor gap keeps growing, The Home Depot is rolling up its sleeves with Path to Pro — a nationwide program offering free training and connections to jobs in construction and the trades.
  • PathToPro.com lays out career paths and resources for anyone interested in the skilled trades.
  • The free, on-demand Skills Program offers virtual training in English and Spanish — no cap on enrollment.
  • The Path to Pro Network connects jobseekers with hiring Home Depot Pros, who can post and review candidates for free.
  • It’s designed for anyone 18+ who wants to learn, upskill, or transition into construction.
  • “We aim to help build the next generation of trades professionals,” said Jenna Arca, Home Depot’s Director of Workforce Development.

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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Episode #1173: Scott Painter steers TrueCar back to private ownership, CarGurus says buyers are going older to stay on budget, and freelancers navigate the double-edged sword of AI—faster work, smaller paychecks, and a whole lot of “good enough.”

Show Notes with links:

• TrueCar’s founder and former CEO, Scott Painter, is back. Nearly a decade after his controversial exit, Painter is leading a $227 million investor group to take the publicly traded company private — a bold move aimed at restoring TrueCar’s dealer relationships and market relevance.
  • Painter’s syndicate, Fair Holdings Inc., includes investors from dealer, data, fintech, and mobility sectors.
  • He’ll return as CEO once the all-cash transaction closes in late 2025, pending shareholder and regulatory approval.
  • The deal follows a year-long strategic review by TrueCar’s board, seeking a sustainable path forward after layoffs and leadership turnover.
  • TrueCar’s stock surged 62% on the announcement, closing at $2.40.
  • Painter emphasized collaboration: “Partnerships and brand alignment are central to creating value for both dealers and customers.”
• CarGurus’ Q3 2025 Quarterly Review shows that when it comes to cars, “old is in.” Despite economic pressure, auto sales are holding steady — but buyers are opting for older, cheaper vehicles to keep monthly payments manageable.
  • Used vehicles under $30K drove 72% of used retail growth over the past year. Nearly half of listings in that range were 7+ years old, averaging $13,600.
  • Director Kevin Roberts says shoppers are split between value-seekers buying older cars and wealthier consumers driving luxury growth.
  • Dealers may need to lean on older inventory and fixed ops to meet demand and keep aging cars running.
  • California, Florida, Texas, and Virginia lead the nation in used cars under $20K, each with 30% or more of listings.
  • “Buyers are increasingly accepting six-figure-mile cars to keep payments within reach,” Roberts noted.
• AI is reshaping the freelance economy, creating both opportunity and uncertainty for side hustlers. While tools like ChatGPT help freelancers work faster, they’re also undercutting pay, originality, and client perception of value.
  • Freelancers say AI boosts efficiency but drives down earnings—writing jobs fell 2%, and income dropped 5% on Upwork after ChatGPT’s release.
  • AI lowers the barrier to entry, flooding the market with cheaper “good enough” work that makes it harder for top-tier talent to stand out.
  • Clients increasingly expect AI-level output for less, with some even replacing human contractors with automation tools.
  • “High quality doesn’t really protect freelancers,” said Washington University professor Xiang Hui, noting that AI hits experienced workers hardest.

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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