Shoot us a Text.

Episode #1247: Canada slashes EV tariffs in a controversial China deal, OpenAI kicks off its ad-supported ChatGPT Go plan, and Recurrent CEO Scott Case calls out the real EV story: a booming used market dealers can’t afford to miss.

Show Notes with links:

• In a surprise move, Canada struck a deal with China to allow 49,000 Chinese-made EVs into the country annually at a dramatically lower tariff—down from 106% to just 6.1%—in exchange for agricultural trade concessions. The move has stirred both optimism and outrage across the automotive industry.
  • The deal drew sharp criticism from Unifor and industry leaders, who say it rewards unfair labor practices.
  • Critics say it could hurt Canadian auto jobs and complicate USMCA negotiations with the U.S.
  • One of the qualifications is that the vehicles be priced around $30k CAD (25K USD)
  • 
    
    
• Don’t call it a slow down says , Scott Case, CEO of Recurrent in is Automotive News Op Ed. Despite media headlines suggesting electric vehicle demand is cooling, Case says the narrative is missing the real story and it is that used EVs are booming as he urges dealers to ignore short-term noise and prepare for a long-term shift.
  • Case argues that demand isn’t falling, it’s shifting to lower-cost used EVs as new prices soar.
  • The used EV market is set to grow 5x, driven by a wave of off-lease EVs hitting the market in 2026.
  • “Winning in the EV market means selling $30K vehicles with 300-mile range and Tesla charging access. In 2026, that means used EVs.” —Scott Case, Recurrent CEO

• OpenAI just opened the ad door inside ChatGPT as it launches its lowest-cost plan worldwide. That’s right, ads are coming to the AI assistant for free and Go users in the U.S., marking a major monetization pivot ahead of a planned IPO.
  • ChatGPT Go is now available globally at $8/month and includes GPT‑5.2 Instant access.
  • Ads will appear as “Sponsored Recommendations” under responses for Go and free users.
  • Sam Altman once called ads a “last resort,” but now says he’s okay with them “if it doesn’t violate user trust.”
• “Ads support our commitment to making AI accessible… by helping us keep ChatGPT available at free and affordable price points.” —OpenAI blog

This episode of the Automotive State of the Union is brought to you by Amazon Autos: Meet customers where they shop: reach high-intent buyers shopping for their next car on the #1 online retailer.

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.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

Shoot us a Text.

Today, Head Writer Chris Reeves joins the show to share how the Super Chevy Dealers of Baton Rouge and Our Lady of the Lake came together to honor Vietnam veteran and former police officer Michael King with a new 2026 Chevy Equinox RS—proof that when a community shows up, the impact goes far beyond the driveway.

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.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

Shoot us a Text.

Episode #1245: Honda unveils a brand-wide logo reboot, Tesla brings its massive Texas lithium refinery online, and U.S. workers pump the brakes on job-hopping—opting for stability and side hustles instead.

Show Notes with links:

• Honda is officially going all-in on its new, wider “H” badge. What started as an EV-only identifier will now represent Honda’s entire automotive business—from gas and hybrid vehicles to dealerships and motorsports—blending retro roots with a future-facing look.
  • Honda’s new badge, inspired by its 1960s-era logo, is wider, frameless, and intentionally more modern.
  • Originally reserved for the upcoming 0 Series EVs, the logo will now appear across all Honda vehicles, including ICE and hybrids.
  • The brand says the move unifies Honda’s identity as electrification and internal combustion will coexist longer than once expected.
  • Unlike many “flattened” rebrands, this logo leans on heritage while still fitting next-gen EV design language.
  • Honda says the badge will “represent [the] Honda automobile business as a whole, including… dealership locations, communication initiatives, and automobile motorsports activities.”

• Tesla just flipped the switch on its Texas lithium refinery, bringing battery-grade lithium hydroxide production fully online. The company says it’s the first refinery of its kind in North America—and a big step toward controlling more of its EV supply chain at home.
  • The Corpus Christi-area facility converts raw spodumene ore directly into battery-grade lithium hydroxide, skipping common intermediate steps.
  • Tesla says the simplified process is cheaper, faster, and more sustainable than traditional lithium refining methods.
  • From groundbreaking in 2023 to operation in 2026, Tesla fast-tracked the project by running design, studies, and construction in parallel.
  • Elon Musk called it “the largest lithium refinery in America” and added that it’s “the most advanced lithium refinery in the world” and “very clean.”

• After years of churn, the job market has slammed the brakes. New data shows workers are far less likely to job hunt in 2026, choosing stability and side hustles instead as hiring slows and confidence drops across the U.S. workforce.
  • Only 43% of workers plan to job search in 2026, down sharply from 93% last year, according to Monster.
  • Economists are calling 2025 a “hiring recession,” with the weakest job gains outside a recession since 2003.
  • About 75% of employees say they plan to stay put until at least 2027, a trend known as “job hugging.”
  • Instead of switching jobs, nearly two-thirds of workers are turning to side hustles or extra income streams.
  • Monster’s Vicki Salemi says workers aren’t disengaged, just cautious: “They’re basically playing the

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.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/