Glad Monday! It is July 7, 2025, and that is The Morning Shift — your each day roundup of the highest automotive headlines from all over the world, in a single place. That is the place you will discover a very powerful tales which might be shaping the best way Individuals drive and get round.
On this morning’s version, we’re how Elon Musk’s new political occasion is affecting Tesla inventory, in addition to the most recent updates on tariff talks between the EU and the USA. We’ll additionally look into a brand new NHTSA investigation into Ram vans, and the potential of Nissan letting Foxconn run considered one of its factories.
Elon Musk has a political occasion now, and Tesla buyers aren’t joyful
Tesla inventory has been buying and selling comparatively flat just lately, largely buoyed by Elon Musk’s promise to step away from his efforts to kneecap the federal authorities and return his focus to constructing automobiles. In fact, now that Musk has introduced that he is utilizing that free time away from DOGE to easily try a distinct methodology of kneecapping the federal authorities, it appears the buyers are none too joyful. From Reuters:
Tesla shares fell practically 7% in premarket buying and selling on Monday after CEO Elon Musk’s plans to launch a brand new U.S. political occasion reignited considerations about his dedication to the corporate’s future because it struggles with declining gross sales.
Musk unveiled the ‘America Social gathering’ on Saturday after brazenly sparring with Donald Trump over the U.S. president’s tax-cut and spending invoice.
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Musk’s political transfer comes days after Tesla posted a second straight drop in quarterly deliveries, piling strain on its inventory as the corporate grapples with fierce competitors and an getting older car line-up.
As of this writing, Tesla inventory is sitting at $292.10 — already working its manner again up from the as we speak’s low of $290.63. That is nonetheless practically a 7.5% drop, however evidently the premarket merchants are extra pessimistic on Musk than the regular-hours people. Absolutely that has nothing to do with premarket merchants largely being skilled day-traders and large-scale buyers on the lookout for returns, whereas enterprise hours merchants usually tend to be bizarre nerds knowingly and deliberately buoying Musk’s eccentricities with their very own wallets.
The EU is scrambling to place collectively a U.S. commerce deal
The US wants cash, and President Donald Trump has determined that it is time for America’s allies and buying and selling companions to pay up. That features the European Union, which faces the specter of large “reciprocal” tariffs when the pause ends on Wednesday. Different nations have sorted out their very own offers with the States, however the EU block does not have ink on paper but — and its automakers are getting apprehensive. From Automotive Information:
Some European Union automakers and capitals are pushing for an settlement with President Donald Trump that might enable for tariff aid in return for rising funding within the U.S., in accordance with individuals acquainted with the matter.
Member states had been briefed on the standing of commerce negotiations on July 4 after a spherical of talks in Washington this week and had been informed {that a} technical settlement in precept was shut, mentioned the individuals, who spoke on the situation of anonymity.
The EU has till July 9 to clinch a commerce association with Trump earlier than tariffs on practically all of its exports to the U.S. soar to 50 %. Trump has imposed tariffs on nearly all U.S. buying and selling companions, saying he needed to convey again home manufacturing, wanted to pay for a tax-cut extension and cease different nations from benefiting from the U.S.
Discover that little tidbit, snuck into the final sentence of the third paragraph, buried in the course of an inventory of three? Let me lower out the remainder of the sentence for readability: “Trump has imposed tariffs on nearly all U.S. buying and selling companions, saying he … wanted to pay for a tax-cut extension.” You do not assume that is your taxes being lower, do you? No, no, that is a tax lower for the individuals who might purchase each Miata on Fb Market with out blinking an eye fixed.
NHTSA is investigating 1.2 million Ram vans after 6 deaths
In a break from the group’s normal Ford investigations, the Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration is trying into another person for a change: Stellantis, and 1.2 million of its Ram vans. From Reuters:
The U.S. Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration mentioned on Monday it opened a recall question masking about 1.2 million Stellantis’ Ram vans over considerations associated to the transmission.
The auto security regulator mentioned impacted automobiles displayed points associated to the brake transmission shift interlock, which can result in them rolling away.
The investigation itself, NHTSA motion quantity RQ25003, has a bit extra data. The investigation impacts 2013-2018 Ram vans, all the best way from 1500 to 5500. It is particular to vans with a column-mounted shifter, which can have a difficulty the place the truck might be shifted out of Park while not having a foot on the brake pedal. That is not nice, and NHTSA says the problem underneath investigation is tied to 14 incident studies and 6 deaths. If you happen to’ve acquired an affected Ram, simply watch out — and be certain that you retain your foot on the brake.
Nissan’s retreat presents a manufacturing facility as much as Foxconn
Nissan has been seeking to slash prices, and that features scaling again its manufacturing capability. Ivan Espinosa, the corporate’s shiny new CEO, has promised to shutter seven crops globally — a plan that apparently consists of the Oppama plant, proper close to Nissan’s Yokohama base of operations. Now, although, there could also be hope for the plant’s continued survival: Foxconn. From Automotive Information:
Below the discussions, Foxconn would use Nissan’s Oppama meeting plant in Japan, a key manufacturing facility that’s seen as a main goal for shutdown, Japan’s Nikkei and different native media reported July 6.
The partnership could be a part of a wider cooperation in EVs and probably incorporate a three way partnership, the Nikkei mentioned, citing a Nissan supply it did not establish. The aim could be to switch a few of Oppama’s unused capability to Foxconn, thereby avoiding the necessity to shut it.
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In an announcement, Nissan mentioned the report was “not based mostly on an official announcement from Nissan.” One particular person acquainted with Nissan’s administration plans mentioned a tie-up, just like the one reported by the Japanese media, does little to handle Nissan’s short-term challenges, which incorporates large overcapacity in Japan, an impending earnings blow from U.S. tariffs, money burn and debt.
Yikes, particular person acquainted with Nissan’s administration plans. Not mincing phrases, are we? Hopefully Nissan can get its home so as, nevertheless it appears solely time will inform.
Reverse: The Megatron analysis facility begins
Keep in mind when the primary Michael Bay “Transformers” film simply casually dropped that your entire Hoover Dam was a coverup to cover the existence of Megatron? And that solely by reverse-engineering Megatron had been we in a position to develop microchips? These motion pictures had been wild for extra causes than simply sophisticated CGI.
On The Radio: Ginger Root — ‘No Issues’
I used to be so tempted to place all of “SHINBANGUMI” in right here — and you need to watch all of it when you’ve got the time — however “No Issues” is nearly as good a begin as any. Ginger Root is only a good time.
