The TechMobility Podcast
Welcome to The TechMobility Podcast, your ultimate source for authentic insights, news, and perspectives at the nexus of mobility and technology. We're all about REAL FACTS, REAL OPINIONS, and REAL TALK! From personal privacy to space hotels, if it moves or moves you, we're discussing it! Our weekly episodes venture beyond the conventional, offering a unique, unfiltered take on the topics that matter. We're not afraid to color outside the lines, and we believe you'll appreciate our bold approach!
The TechMobility Podcast
Slate Auto Ramps Up; GMC Sierra Denali EV Review; AI is Rewriting Your Org chart; Chinese Cars, Brazil Style
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The electric vehicle revolution isn't taking the path many expected. Instead of a uniform march toward high-tech luxury EVs, we're seeing fascinating divergence at both ends of the market.
Slate Motors has captured my attention with their radical approach to affordability. Backed by Jeff Bezos and $700 million in venture capital, they're building a $20,000, bare-bones electric pickup truck. No power windows. No radio. Not even paint. Just a "clean slate" for owners to customize. What fascinates me most about their strategy is their independence from government subsidies—they built their business model without relying on EV tax credits, which gives them remarkable stability despite shifting political winds. With 100,000 pre-orders already secured, they've clearly struck a chord with budget-conscious consumers yearning for simpler transportation.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, my test drive of the GMC Sierra EV Denali revealed how electric power is transforming the luxury truck segment. With 760 horsepower, 785 ft-lb of torque, and range exceeding 460 miles, this $90,000+ pickup delivers sports car acceleration with genuine utility. Innovations like crab walk mode, four-wheel steering, and the 19.2-kilowatt onboard power system demonstrate how electrification enables features impossible in traditional trucks. Though I found the user interface quirky—tiny dashboard displays despite the massive center screen and unusual control placement—the driving experience was sublime.
Meanwhile, AI is reshaping the corporate landscape in ways that threaten traditional career paths. As entry-level positions vanish, young professionals face a paradox: employers want experience, but the traditional paths to gaining that experience are disappearing. To thrive in this environment, workers must orchestrate with AI rather than fight it, develop uniquely human skills, and position themselves where human creativity meets machine efficiency.
The global competitive landscape adds another dimension to these changes. Chinese automakers are rapidly expanding worldwide, demonstrating remarkable adaptability to local markets like Brazil. Their strategy of bringing tailored solutions to each region—hybrid vehicles designed for Brazil's ethanol-heavy fuel system, for instance—has traditional manufacturers worried. As Ford CEO Jim Farley starkly put it: "We are in a global competition with China, and if we lose this, we do not have a future at Ford."
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Speaker 2:I'm Ken Chester On the docket my impressions and review of the 2025 GMC Sierra EV, denali, max range pickup truck, how AI is rewriting your org chart and Chinese cars Brazilian style. To join a conversation, call or text the Tech Mobility hotline, that number, 872-222-9793, or you can email the show directly. Talk at techmobilityshow. Also, be sure to subscribe, like and follow us on social media, our YouTube channel and our two podcasts the Tech Mobility Podcast and Tech Mobility Topics. For those of you on Substack, my handle there is Ken C Iowa. That's K-E-N-C-I-O-W-A From the Tech Mobility News Desk.
Speaker 2:A few weeks ago, I introduced you to Slate Motors. It's a Jeff Bezos, washington Post, amazon, jeff Bezos backed company that is building a bare bones pickup truck that can be converted to a small SUV. The magic is that their target price is $20,000. But here's the thing no power windows, no radio, just very, very bare bones. No infotainment system. You use your cell phone for all of that. It's not even painted. You can get a wrap to wrap it however you want to decorate it, but basically the company calls it a clean slate for owners to customize and they believe that this small EV has a market and with the average price of a vehicle now right around 50 grand. I say they may be onto something here. Here's the best part this new vehicle is actually going to be built in the United States in a converted printing plant in Wausau, indiana, and that's just outside of Fort Wayne. So I'm really excited about that, because if you go back about 40 years, when the Japanese got serious about coming in the United States, they flooded our shores with small pickup trucks brand new pickup trucks.
Speaker 2:You could buy a Mazda, you could buy a Toyota for little or nothing. Around 7,500 new suckers were bulletproof. Even the big three automakers imported Japanese pickup trucks. Dodge imported a Mitsubishi-built pickup truck, the D50. Ford imported the Courier. I believe Isuzu made it for them. No, I'm sorry, isuzu was Chevy love and the Ford courier Ooh. I want to say it was not going to say I want to say it was Kia, but I'm not a hundred percent on that. But they imported. Their truck was imported too because they realized there was a market there and all of these trucks bulletproof, durable, easy to keep sold in dro droves for little or nothing.
Speaker 2:We're at another inflection point right now and they really think they've got something here. And I think they do, even though here's something that blows my mind, and this is excellent planning, by the way and this is excellent planning, by the way they contend that the lack of EV credits doesn't make or break them at all, because in their business plan they never planned for it. They never assumed that their price point needed to be subsidized by the availability or not of government subsidies. So they're not going to get hurt. That's still $20,000. So if you start with $20,000 and you can customize for $5,000, you now have a brand new $25,000 EV Brand new, way less than what you would expect to pay for anything else. And it's got capabilities. And that's the beautiful part. And I'm excited because they're building it in Indiana and I really want to see them do well.
Speaker 2:But, as you know, as a regular listener to this program, we've chronicled a number of EV manufacturers that attempted to make a go of it in the United States of America Lucid Rivian, tesla they're the most successful ones. Then you hear about Faraday Future and you hear about Lordstown Motors and you hear about Nikola. Those are the ones that aren't, and then there's a whole bevy that never made the news. So perhaps they've got something, because right now there's nobody else in that space offering what they offer. The closest that anybody came was Chevrolet, and Chevrolet took the tack of basically going back to their roots and provide and giving consumers a choice of different price points, and they made it their business to offer at least one brand new SUV that was handsome and fairly decently equipped for less than $22,000. And that was the redesigned Chevy Trax. And if you look out in a row there's a lot of them, which means Chevy didn't miss it and Chevy's got something there.
Speaker 2:But that was the whole premise of General Motors was stair-stepping. Chevy did it with a plumb. They started with you could buy the tracks. That's the first one. Then the next thing you could go into the Trailblazer and then after that you can ease in to the Equinox and from there then you go into the Blazer and then from there you go to Traverse and then from there you go to Tahoe and from there you go to Suburban. Price point for everybody, and that was how GM was built.
Speaker 2:The biggest challenge most manufacturers have, ev or otherwise and it's something that I recently lamented with Ford and I'll get back to that in a moment is that when they do hit the price point, when they do get the product right, when price, equipment and availability all come together in the perfect world and work. They can't resist either adding equipment or hiking prices. They can't resist it. They can't resist it. Case in point Ford Maverick. When I reviewed the Ford Maverick in 2020, it was a brilliant idea from Ford. Ford gave you a unibody, small EV hybrid pickup truck that gets excellent fuel economy, gives you flexibility that an SUV or a car does not, looks handsome and will at least tow upwards between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds, depending on how you configure it.
Speaker 2:And I drove one. And what amazed me is I drove down in the interstate near Nashville, tennessee, and as I was increasing in my speed, I was watching in real time as my fuel economy actually improved, blew my mind, and it was a great little ride. And the thing was they had a price at $19,995 plus freight. It was pretty straightforward and Ford was sold out for the next two to three years with their trim level and, by the way, the base vehicle was a hybrid. The gasoline version cost you more. Today that same vehicle I just had one went for $30,000 from the factory.
Speaker 2:An XLT hybrid Ford Maverick pickup with not a whole lot of fancy stuff Broke my heart. How can you go up $10,000 in five bottle years for it, the very people that you were going towards you just alienated Because that $10,000 is a lot of money. I could see $2,000 or $3,000 because of cost labor etc. But $10,000, $10,000. There are a lot of naysayers out there saying, ah, slade ain't going to do it, nobody's going to pay for this, because you know you don't have power, anything. Well, guess what? They've raised $700 million in venture capital for this project. They're sitting on 100,000 orders at 50 bucks a piece right now. That's enough to run a typical factory about a half a year right now. That ain't shabby. Even if you lose three-fourths of that, that's still 20 to 25,000 orders ready to go. And I said they're building it in Indiana. They've got 250 people employed right now in Michigan in research, development, marketing and they're getting ready to hire 90 more. They're getting ready to launch production.
Speaker 2:I hope I get a chance to drive this truck. I'm looking forward to it. Radically simple truck, stripped to its. This truck, I'm looking forward to it. Radically simple truck, stripped to its bare bones. Hmm, yep, knobs and buttons as opposed to touchscreens. I'm ready, I'm down. I think it's got potential and if you're trying to save money and you want to make a statement actually might turn out to be one of the better ideas in recent times in the auto industry. A luxury drive and an electric pickup truck. My impressions of the GMC Sierra EV Denali are. Next, you are listening to the Tech Mobility Show.
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Speaker 2:Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate. Social media is the main place to be these days, and we are no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Facebook videos, from my latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary of a variety of mobility and technology related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight you Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Facebook. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to our Facebook page. Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos, From the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight you Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.
Speaker 2:For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have just the one for you. Hi, I'm Ken Chester. Tech Mobility Topics is a podcast where I upload topic-specific videos each week Shorter than a full show. These bite-sized programs are just the thing, particularly if you're interested in a particular topic covered on the weekly radio show. From Apple Podcasts to iHeartRadio and many podcast platforms in between, we got you covered. Just enter Tech Mobility Topics in the search bar wherever you listen to podcasts.
Speaker 2:It's the only vehicle of its kind with full-time all-wheel drive and a 325 horsepower V8. Is it possible? The ultimate performance and control machine isn't German, isn't Italian and isn't a car Introducing the GMC Sierra C3. That commercial is from 2001. And I remember the Sierra C3. It was supposed to be the ultimate pickup truck and even then they had positioned it as a cut above, a little bit of luxury, maybe even a performance pickup truck. Performance pickup truck Long before anybody really figured out what that meant. And no, pickup trucks had not reached that level of sophistication yet. They were on the way, they were a little bit more than just commercial. They kind of were in the prosumer mode at that point, but they hadn't got to the level of sophistication that pickup trucks are now. But the C3 was all that. It had quadrasteer steering which the rear wheels turned a little bit to facilitate the maneuvering of whatever you were towing when you backed up, or for better stability. Just real, sophisticated truck for its time, just like now.
Speaker 2:So let me ask you when you think of luxury transportation, what comes to mind? Limo Business, first class in a commercial airliner, a private car service? Surely all those venues have a certain gravitas when it comes to each experience. Now, what do you think of when it comes to personal luxury transportation? Depending on how old you are or, as we like to say, if you're a person of a certain age, you may refer to the luxury European sedans of the past or, if you're younger, luxury SUV nameplates currently in the marketplace. Okay, so a show of hands. How many of you all said a truck, or a pickup truck to be exact? Would you consider a pickup truck to be a luxury vehicle?
Speaker 2:It is against this backdrop that GMC introduced the GMC Sierra EV Denali pickup last year, a first for the Sierra model. Built at the Automaker's storied Factory Zero manufacturing plant in the Hamtramck part of Detroit, the Sierra EV rides on a truck-based EV platform that is shared with the likes of the Chevy Silverado EV and the Hummer EV by GMC. To bring customers the best EV truck experience possible, gmc's engineers used both state-of-the-art virtual techniques as well as decades of real-world experience, kind of like the C3. General Motors' electric pickup program, which did include the EV Denali, was developed and tested for 17.5 million virtual miles and the equivalent of nearly a million real-world miles. The Sierra EV gets a GMC-exclusive crab walk mode, which it also shares with the Hummer and four-wheel steering, as well as the multi-probe mid-gate and expandable bed that offers room for hauling items longer than 11 feet in length, while still leaving room for a rear seat passenger. In the place of a traditional internal combustion engine, gmc has what they call an e-trunk, what we call unofficially a frunk, which increases the cargo room capacity with a lockable, weatherproof compartment at the front of the vehicle. Currently available in extended and max range models.
Speaker 2:Power for the GMC Sierra EV Denali is delivered by an E four-wheel drive system that consists of two electric drive units, one on each axle, that deliver a combined 760 horsepower and 785 foot-pounds of torque. 160 horsepower and 785 foot-pounds of torque. By comparison, the Dodge Challenger and Charger Hellcat produced 707 horsepower. That's for you internal combustion folks out there. No need to charge for that Economy numbers in lieu of the EPA fuel economy numbers and you know I like to share these because I really believe that this is a better measurement of how economic or how efficient the electric motors are using electricity. Think of it as the same thing as burning gasoline 2.29 miles per kilowatt hour for the extended range and 2.24 miles per kilowatt hour for the max range. What that translates into is both of these batteries, these battery packs, these Ultium battery packs, are huge For the extended range. You are looking at 179 kilowatt hour battery pack. That is huge and probably and I would argue for the max range, probably the largest that I've seen in the industry, at 203 kilowatt hours. That's how you get in your 460 miles range, while the extended was giving you 390 miles. You've got these ginormous battery packs. Towing capacity is 10,500 pounds, payload capacity is 1,350 miles for extended range, 1,500 miles for the max range, and the e-trunk gives you 11 cubic feet of capacity.
Speaker 2:One major advantage of the current crop of EVs is the ability to serve as an energy storage system, ideal for flowing power back into a home in the event of an extended power outage or natural disaster. The GM EV Denali is no exception. The standard onboard Power Station Pro turns the Sierra EV Denali into a mobile power source with up to 19.2 kilowatts of off-board power that can be used in variety situations as the need arises. Bet your internal combustion engine truck can't do that. So here's what I like about the Sierra Denali EV.
Speaker 2:Pretty much like every EV I've ever driven over the last few years, the Sierra EV Denali is impressively fast, with a smooth, liquid and immediate response to driver demands that will put a smile on your face and keep it there Back road twisties or interstate campaigner. The Sierra EV Denali is up for the task. Although the Sierra EV Denali has a curb weight of just over 4 tons, I found the truck to be very easy to drive. The driver enjoys an expansive outward view, a larger-than-life entertainment display and comfortable seating. There are four drive modes available for the motorist to tailor vehicle response to taste and or conditions. A standard panoramic sunroof adds a level of airiness to an otherwise large passenger cabin.
Speaker 2:Here's what I didn't like about the Sierra EV Denali Despite the large infotainment screen and I mean it's huge in the center console, operational displays for the dashboard in front of the driver were very small. Fiume has this funky steering column mounted windshield wiper and gear selection levers that I do not like, and they're spreading it out for 2025, so you'll find it in other models and it's going to take you a while to get used to. And while there are hand grips for three of the four doors, ironically the driver's door doesn't have one. The drive modes are buried in the vehicle app menu on the infotainment screen, and that's not conducive to spontaneous driving. I found that surprised me. And there's no head-up display. Again, I think it's more of a shortcoming and for me and this is a weird one for me, seriously weird there's no start button or ignition key. The FOB in your hand is for vehicle recognition only.
Speaker 2:What could possibly go wrong? First and foremost, the GMC Sierra EV Denali is a luxury pickup truck that happens to be electric, smooth, fast, quiet, responsive and sophisticated. You can take this one anywhere, although I think it shines most in the open road. Take one for a spin and judge for yourself. The manufacturer suggested retail price for the 2025 GM Sierra EV Denali pickup truck starts from $89,900 for the extended range and $98,400 for the max range model. Destination charges add $2,095. And if you think that's the price, you need to take it for a ride. I'm telling you it's definitely about half the price of the new Cadillac Escalade IQ. Something to think about. Ai isn't just coming for your job, it's coming for your whole org chart.
Speaker 2:This is the Tech Mobility Show. Do you listen to podcasts? Seems that most people do. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. If you've missed any of our weekly episodes on the radio, our podcast is a great way to listen. You can find the Tech Mobility podcast just about anywhere. You can enjoy podcasts. Be sure to follow us from Apple Podcasts, iheart Radio and many platforms in between. We are there. Just enter the Tech Mobility podcast in the search bar. Wherever you listen to podcasts Social media it's the place to be. We no exception. Hi, I'm ken chester, host the tech mobility show. Several times a week, I post to tiktok several of the topics that I cover on my weekly radio show. It's another way to keep up on mobility, technology news and information. I've built quite a library of short videos for your viewing pleasure, so be sure to watch, like and subscribe. That's the tech mobility show on tiktok. Check it out.
Speaker 2:When it comes to job security, for a number of office workers, ai is not an opaque future concept. It is a hard business reality right now. Let me give you some numbers. Ai has already eliminated over 76,000 jobs this year, with 41% of global employers planning to reduce their workforces in the next five years due to AI automation. But it's more than that. This impacts more than your job. It affects your entire corporate ladder. This is topic B.
Speaker 2:Let me give you a paradox. You just graduated college, you did your internships, you've got a major, maybe accounting. You've got a major in marketing, you've got an MBA, maybe, and you're looking to go to work for a Fortune 500 company or a major company that, in the past, would be actively recruiting young people like yourself, except now these same companies. Now, when they come to recruiting, they're asking for three to five years experience. And you go wait a minute, wait a minute. How can I, fresh out of college, with the book, learning, ready to go to work, ready to pay my dues, ready to work up that corporate ladder, but there's no entry point because they replaced the lower rungs with AI. Now what? You can't get into the industry and you can't get up. Or what's even worse, okay, you made it and maybe you're a couple rungs up now and you turn around and you look and the jobs that you had before have now been replaced with AI. But yet, for you to go forward. You're looking for more experience than you currently have. That you would have gotten in the next three to five years just following the path.
Speaker 2:Ai we've talked a lot about AI on this show, but let me break this down to you the risk of being repetitive. Ai is an amazing tool. It is an opportunity for individuals and companies to be oh so much more effective. Here's the rub, though If everybody is using AI, it no longer gives you an edge. It is the cost of entry that, if you're not into AI, you got a problem. Now I love talking to these folk and people oh, I would never use AI, don't use AI. Oh, no, oh, I don't. Oh, I don't like it, I don't use it. Do you use Grammarly? Have you sent an email lately via Google Gmail? If you have, you have already run into AI. Have you used Gemini? That's AI. Microsoft Word has an AI piece. Chances are you've been using AI and not really realizing it. The challenge is, you've used AI as integrated into tools you are already familiar with, and that's the point. That's totally the point, while the career ladder is coming apart at the seams.
Speaker 2:This article in Fast Company Magazine, which is a business magazine for young and evolving businesses laments the fact that how can you pay your dues, learn and build your career when there are no entry-level positions to be had? This is getting worse and worse. It's like a small business starting out. Small business starting out is going to bid on a job. Well, the company that put out the RFP, the request for bid, says okay. Or request for proposal I'm sorry. Rfp says okay. Or request for proposal I'm sorry. Rfp says okay. We want a list of the last three clients that you did that are pertaining to our line of business and how you help them. And you go.
Speaker 2:I'm just starting out. I don't have that. Here's what I do have, and that's a paradox. How do you break in if nobody gives you the chance to break in? Everybody wants folks to show up with years of experience already, but they're tearing up the very path that gives you the opportunity to get that experience. Not okay. So what do you do? What do you do? There are things you can do, so let's talk about them real quick. The good news in this article is says that there's plenty of professionals are thriving during the days of upheaval and transmission transition.
Speaker 2:For the most part, these people are taking three common approaches to find ways to use AI to your advantage. You want to write these down, or, at the very least, I hope you're recording this, because you're going use AI to your advantage. You want to write these down, or, at the very least, I hope you're recording this, because you're going to want to listen to this again. There are three things. I'm going to read them to you. I'm going to talk to you about them. Number one keyword they orchestrate with AI. The keyword there is orchestrate.
Speaker 2:Successful people, I know, don't fight AI. They teach themselves how to direct it and use it to their benefit. Ai is a tool, not a replacement, no matter what management tells you. Uncurated AI is not okay. It's dangerous, and a number of companies have had their hands slapped because they thought they could go one for one. It ain't there. Yet they understand that humans will always be. Because they thought they could go one for one. It ain't there. Yet they understand that humans will always be in charge of technology and with that knowledge, they can position themselves as the conductor, with an orchestra of AI at their command. Right now, there are companies that provide what they call multimodal AI agents. They are companies that guide based on your command, based on what you're looking for, they automatically and seamlessly direct your request to the right AI model to optimize results. There are companies there are at least three, probably more that do that right now for large companies. There's that many AI models out there that that requires.
Speaker 2:Number two they focus on uniquely human skills. Develop and hone skills that AI amplifies. Humans will be free to create problem-solving, strategic thinking and relationship-building processes and guidelines when AI is deployed to do all the mundane, repetitive tasks. These are skills where humans must thrive. Auto industry perfect example. You will not go into an auto assembly plant now and find human beings welding. In fact, you won't even find them. Painting Painting was toxic 40 years ago. You did. I've seen them. Now you won't. Automation the computers are better, more accurate and it's safer, because welding and the way it was done heavy, dangerous work all done now by computers and in the better factories than GM, for example AI-guided computers. Number three they position themselves at the intersection. The future will be written and commanded by individuals who bridge the unique, creative minds of humans with the efficiency, accuracy and speed of AI. What's the common thread of these three points? Let me give you the three points again because it's important to you. They orchestrate with AI, they focus on uniquely human skills and then they position themselves at the intersection.
Speaker 2:How do you use AI to your advantage? You can curse the darkness, but unless you turn a light on and walk out into it, you are not going to make any progress. And if you can think that you can, will it that you can ignore it and AI will go away. I'm here to tell you. It's taken three years for us to get here and, if anything, ai will become way more pervasive than it is now and is pretty pervasive right now. Take a minute, take the time, learn there's a lot of free models out there and start dabbling. That is how you're going to get a handle on it and actually provide value and improve the value as a human being. Mastering AI and coming to grips with it rather than trying to fight it Because you're not going to win. You're not. It's economics, pure and simple. As Chinese automakers go global, they are learning to adapt to local markets like Brazil.
Speaker 2:We are the Tech Mobility Show. To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings of the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow. You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow. You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow. Did you know that Tech Mobility has a YouTube channel? Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Each week I upload a few short videos of some of the hot topics that I cover during my weekly radio program. I've designed these videos to be informative and entertaining. It's another way to keep up on current mobility and technology news and information. Be sure to watch, like and subscribe to my channel. That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube Check it out.
Speaker 1:Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and platforms for meetings, webinars and staying connected? Look no further than AONmeetingscom, the all-in-one browser-based platform that does it all. With AONmeetings, you can effortlessly communicate with clients, host virtual meetings and webinars and stay in touch with family and friends all in one place and for one price. Here's the best part you can endure a 30-day free trial. It's time to simplify your life and boost your productivity. Aonmeetingscom, where innovation meets connection. Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate.
Speaker 2:Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos From the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight you. Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.
Speaker 2:Brazil, latin America's largest economy and sixth largest car market in the world. For years, american companies have manufactured and sold cars here. Some have even exported cars to the United States from here. Over For years, american companies have manufactured and sold cars here. Some have even exported cars to the United States from here over the years and engines too, by the way. But there's a change of foot, as Chinese car companies are eyeing markets outside of China for future growth and in doing so, are learning how to adapt to survive. This has impact for domestic manufacturers. I'm going to explain it in a moment. This is topic C. Let me read this to you. This is from the New York Times and I quote Toyota, general Motors, volkswagen and Western peers have struggled to master electric vehicles.
Speaker 2:But for China, the disruption is a gift. Beijing has lavished support on car makers whose names Great Wall Motor, byd, saic may not be familiar to Americans, but whose vehicles are flooding much of the rest of the world. They have become potent symbols of China's economic and technological ascendance. Western auto giants are alarmed. This next thing is a quote. We are in a global competition with China. That was said by Jim Farley, the chief executive of the Ford Motor Company. It's not just EVs, and if we lose this, we do not have a future at Ford, a company that's been around since 1903. The head of a major American automaker said we are in a global competition with China and if we lose it, we don't have a future.
Speaker 2:Here's what you need to know. The auto industry is global, don't care what you think about Chinese, german, vietnamese does not matter. The auto industry is global. It has become global over the last 40 years as automakers have looked to juggle the demands of the markets they sell in with the cost of materials, the availability of labor, designs, plants, requirements, rules, laws, guidelines. All of that Because every single automaker that's doing business in the world right now is global, including the big three. They're global now is global, including the big three. They're global. What you've read about the federal government recently ditching EV rules and ditching carb rules and tanking the EPA. Bad news why? Because the rest of the world isn't going to that beat and not following that drummer.
Speaker 2:There are 335 million people in the United States of America. There are over 7 billion people in the rest of the world. Where do you think the money is? United States is no longer the number one car market in the world. Hasn't been for a while.
Speaker 2:China is, and yes, you can't buy a Chinese car in America, at least not directly, not from a Chinese dealer or a Chinese company. There are Chinese cars in America. The Buick Envision is one of them, just so you know. And in fact there was a model Cadillac a while back that was made in China. Ironically, do you know where the most successful market is for Buick? It's not the United States, it's China.
Speaker 2:So what's going on here? These companies pledge billions of dollars over hundreds of plants and thousands of employees. They have to look at the big picture, which is global. China is saying you know what, where the United States isn't, we will be. And if the United States can't figure it out, because they're shooting themselves in the foot. That's okay, we got this. And they're building plants all over the world.
Speaker 2:Brazil is an example. All over the world. Brazil is an example. Brazil saw this stuff coming and Brazil did what America did back in 1982. Back in 1982, they threatened Japan with voluntary import quotas. Basically, what Congress told Japan was if you want to sell here, you got to build here. Honda, toyota, nissan. They did Major investments with other companies. That followed major investments. Brazil did the same thing, but with a twist.
Speaker 2:Right now, china is exporting their EV technology and the thing is their EVs are really good. They are selling world-class EVs with Tesla performance at Chevy track prices or less. Byd sells luxury sedans overseas. You can't get them here. As a result, these companies are growing and they're developing and they're getting better and they're getting more and more and more competitive. Because here's the thing who controls the rare earth minerals that go into EV batteries? Right now, china does. We're trying to make a change and get that here. Who controls the processing of that material? That's China. Who controls the other materials that go into making batteries? That's China. So, with China controlling that and, by the way, it only given the United States a six-month reprieve.
Speaker 2:You might have read that in the news. We're playing catch-up, walking away from EVs. Regardless of how you feel about it, it's a bad idea, and it's not just me saying this. This is what the market is saying around the world, not just the United States. And let's be clear, okay Internal combustion engine vehicles are not totally going away anytime soon. Not in five years, not 10, not 20.
Speaker 2:There will be a different mix and, as I've talked about earlier, what we need is diversity and energy sources to power our vehicles. Being wedded to gasoline and diesel is a bad idea, just from a national security standpoint. You need diversity in order to be able to move, no matter what happens to the rest of the world. Brazil gets this. Brazil has this incredible ethanol industry. Their ethanol industry from sugarcane and what they make is so strong that if you buy gasoline in Brazil, it has to be mixed at 25% ethanol. It's 25% ethanol in Brazil for everything. That's the law.
Speaker 2:So what did China do? Instead of trying to sell pure EVs in Brazil, they brought over hybrids that are designed to run on the ethanol and their hybrid technology. They're adapting, they're selling in Mexico, canada, around the world, they're growing and they're going to be able to flex their muscles to the point where they don't need the United States because they will sell more vehicles around the world than ours do. And, just like Jim Farley says, if we don't get it together, there will be no more domestic industry, ford being an example. Sometimes competition is good because it forces you to buckle down and get serious. I believe American cars are better because the Japanese came here, force everybody else to rethink everything and get with the program, and they did. Domestic vehicles are way better than they were 30 years ago. It's time to let them in. We've got to get a handle on this and if you don't, there won't be an American auto industry to worry about. Pure and simple, brazil is canary in the coal mine. Thank you.
