The EV Slowdown Is Over? LG Energy Solution’s Big Battery Bet | At The Wheel #22

GM Makes the Money. Tesla Steals the Show. Joe White and Tu Le on Tesla’s spectacle, GM’s profits, and China’s growing foothold in Europe. GM is generating billions in cash. Tesla just reminded everyone that Elon Musk can still command the world’s attention. And in Paris, Chinese automakers weren’t merely showing off new vehicles—they were showing Europe where they intend to build them. Three stories. One uncomfortable question: Are the companies making the most money today necessarily the ones best positioned for tomorrow? In Episode #29 of At The Wheel, Joe White and Tu Le compare notes on a global automotive industry increasingly divided by geography, technology, and corporate priorities. Fresh from the Paris Motor Show, Tu describes the growing ambitions of XPeng, Geely, Leapmotor and other Chinese automakers, including their plans to manufacture vehicles inside Europe. Joe draws parallels with the arrival of Japanese and Korean automakers in America—and questions whether Europe’s established brands are helping create their next generation of competitors. Back in Detroit, GM is delivering substantial profits and rewarding shareholders. But are stock buybacks, North American trucks, and a measured approach to new technologies enough to secure its future? Then there’s Tesla. The flying Roadster may never become a meaningful production vehicle, but Elon Musk has once again demonstrated something the rest of the industry struggles to replicate: the ability to make millions of people stop and pay attention. We debate whether that is showmanship, strategic brilliance, or both—and why it matters in a world increasingly shaped by AI, autonomous driving, and technology platforms. Watch the episode, challenge our assumptions, and tell us what you think. Subscribe free to At The Wheel at atthewheel.co for candid conversations about the forces reshaping the global auto industry. For deeper analysis between episodes, follow Tu’s Sino Auto Insights and Joe’s High Speed Rodeo newsletters. Two perspectives. Plenty of opinions. No corporate talking points. Tags Automotive Industry, Tesla, General Motors, Future of Mobility, Automotive Strategy, Autonomous Driving, Chinese Automakers, Automotive Technology Chapters 00:00 Welcome to At The Wheel #29 01:31 Paris Motor Show: China’s Automotive Takeover 06:00 XPeng, Leapmotor & European Manufacturing 10:12 Can Europe Compete With Chinese Automakers? 14:47 GM Q3 Earnings: Billions in Profits 18:43 GM’s Buybacks vs Investing in the Future 24:49 GM’s Long-Term Strategy & Wall Street Skepticism 28:20 Waymo, Super Cruise & Autonomous Driving 31:05 Robotaxis: Global Competition Heats Up 34:04 Chinese Investment, Jobs & Manufacturing 36:40 Tesla’s Flying Roadster: Genius or Gimmick? 40:05 Tesla, SpaceX & the Merger Question 42:28 Tesla’s Sales Plateau & Future Challenges 43:46 Elon Musk’s Marketing Masterclass 50:59 The Roadster’s Engineering & Inspiration 53:00 Why Porsche, Mercedes & Legacy Auto Can’t Keep Up

The global automotive industry may have just crossed a historic threshold. For the first time, a new report suggests that vehicles powered exclusively by internal combustion engines account for less than half of global new vehicle sales. So, is the ICE age finally ending? Not so fast. In Episode #28 of At The Wheel, veteran automotive journalist Joe White (High Speed Rodeo) and global mobility expert Tu Le (Sino Auto Insights) unpack what this milestone really means—and why the transition to electric and hybrid vehicles is creating some uncomfortable realities for the world’s biggest automakers. Three major stories. One automotive industry at a crossroads. ⚡ THE END OF ICE DOMINANCE? China’s EV revolution, accelerating hybrid adoption, and shifting global consumer preferences are rewriting the rules. But while electrification advances globally, America’s automotive market appears increasingly isolated. 🏎️ PORSCHE’S IDENTITY CRISIS Once considered nearly untouchable, Porsche is restructuring again as its Chinese sales collapse and competitors challenge the very definition of automotive luxury. Can Porsche move further upmarket to restore profitability? Or has the brand lost the technological differentiation that once justified its premium prices? 🚗 TESLA’S SURPRISING RESILIENCE Tesla beat Wall Street’s delivery expectations, but its aging vehicle lineup, dependence on Shanghai, and growing competition in autonomous driving raise important questions about its future. Joe and Tu examine Tesla’s strategy, the rise of Waymo, and the growing capabilities of Chinese autonomous driving systems. 🇪🇺 THE PARIS MOTOR SHOW & CHINA’S EUROPEAN AMBITIONS With Tu heading to Paris, the conversation turns to the next battleground for Chinese automakers. BYD, XPeng, Leapmotor, and other Chinese brands are challenging European manufacturers on technology, features, affordability, and increasingly brand appeal. The bigger question: If electric performance, intelligent driving, and sophisticated software become standard features, what will distinguish a premium vehicle from everything else? And what happens to automakers whose business models were built around the old definition of automotive excellence? 🎙️ At The Wheel with Joe White & Tu Le delivers independent, candid conversations about the companies, technologies, policies, and personalities shaping the global automotive industry. Subscribe for new episodes, executive perspectives, and informed debate about what’s really happening in the automotive world. 👍 Like the episode, subscribe, and join the conversation in the comments. #AtTheWheel #AutomotiveIndustry #Porsche #Tesla #ElectricVehicles Automotive Industry, Electric Vehicles, Porsche, Tesla, Future of Mobility, Automotive Strategy, Autonomous Driving, Global Automotive, Porsche, Tesla, Volkswagen Group, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, General Motors, Ford, Stellantis, Waymo, XPeng, NVIDIA

Volkswagen has approved one of the largest restructurings in automotive history. The question isn’t whether it’s significant. The question is whether it came too late. In this special edition of At The Wheel, Tu Le is joined by Stephen Wilmot, automotive reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and Daniel Kirchert, former BMW executive, Byton co-founder, and CEO of Flynt, to unpack Volkswagen’s historic restructuring—and what it means for Europe’s automotive future. This isn’t just a discussion about Volkswagen. It’s a conversation about whether Europe’s automotive industry can remain globally competitive as Chinese automakers continue expanding at unprecedented speed. 🇨🇳 China’s Competitive Advantage Why did China’s automotive industry move so far ahead? The panel discusses: * Software-defined vehicles * AI and autonomous driving * Two-year product development cycles * Lower development costs * The rise of XPeng, BYD, Xiaomi and other Chinese brands 🇩🇪 Volkswagen’s Moment of Truth The discussion breaks down: * Factory closures * Workforce reductions * Product consolidation * Why China’s collapse in profitability changed everything * Whether Volkswagen can successfully reinvent itself 🚗 Can Legacy Automakers Change Fast Enough? Daniel Kirchert shares his experience building BMW China and co-founding Byton, explaining why traditional automotive development cultures struggle to compete with software-first organizations. Topics include: * Customer experience vs hardware * Why software alone isn’t enough * Organizational culture * Digital product development * The future of automotive engineering 🌍 What Comes Next? Can Europe remain competitive? Will partnerships with Chinese companies become essential? Can cost-cutting alone save legacy automakers? Or does the industry need a much more fundamental transformation? This episode offers a rare combination of executive experience, journalism, and market analysis to explain one of the biggest strategic shifts facing the global automotive industry. 🔎 SEO Keywords Volkswagen restructuring, Volkswagen China, Stephen Wilmot, Wall Street Journal automotive, Daniel Kirchert, BMW China, Byton, Flynt, Chinese automakers, BYD, XPeng, Xiaomi EV, software-defined vehicles, Europe automotive industry, German automakers, Volkswagen layoffs, China EV competition, future of mobility, EV market, automotive transformation, At The Wheel podcast, Tu Le, Joe White, Porsche, Volkswagen Group, Volkswagen, Oliver Blume, Arno Antlitz ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:13 Meet Stephen Wilmot & Daniel Kirchert 04:23 Why Volkswagen’s Restructuring Matters 08:06 Did Volkswagen Wait Too Long? 12:29 How China Changed the Auto Industry 17:18 Why German Brands Lost Their Advantage 21:13 China’s Hyper-Competitive Market Explained 25:29 Can Europe Catch Up? 31:00 Premium Brands Under Pressure 36:23 The Software-Defined Vehicle Debate 42:44 Can Volkswagen Reinvent Itself? 48:05 Cost Cutting vs Innovation 52:40 Should Volkswagen Learn From China? 58:20 What Legacy Automakers Must Do Next 01:06:28 Daniel Kirchert’s Strategy for Volkswagen 01:12:24 Final Thoughts

📘 Executive Summary China’s automotive market has powered global growth for nearly two decades. Now it’s slowing—and the ripple effects could reshape the global auto industry. In Episode 26 of At The Wheel, Joe White and Tu Le examine why China’s passenger vehicle market is weakening, how that changes the outlook for automakers worldwide, and why this may be one of the most important industry stories of the year. In this episode: 🇨🇳 China’s Auto Market Hits an Air Pocket * Why China’s vehicle market is projected to decline sharply * The collapse of real estate and consumer confidence * What happens when the world’s largest auto market suddenly slows 🌍 The Export Wave Begins Chinese automakers aren’t slowing down. They’re accelerating global expansion. Joe and Tu discuss: * BYD’s strategy in Brazil * Why local manufacturing matters * How Chinese brands are preparing for Europe, Latin America and eventually North America ⚡ Tesla’s China Dilemma Could Tesla separate its China operations? The discussion explores: * Elon Musk * SpaceX * National security * Tesla Shanghai * What happens if Tesla’s China business must stand on its own 🇺🇸 Ford, GM & Detroit’s Next Challenge Can legacy automakers disrupt themselves before Chinese competition reaches North America? The conversation covers: * Ford’s China strategy * GM’s software approach * Rivian * Slate Auto * Why the next battle may be fought outside China As China’s domestic market cools, the race for global market share is only beginning. The question is no longer whether Chinese automakers will expand. It’s where they expand next. 🔎 SEO Keywords * China auto market * China EV market * Tesla China * Tesla Shanghai * BYD Brazil * Chinese automakers * EV market slowdown * China vehicle sales * Ford China strategy * General Motors China * SpaceX Tesla merger * Tesla restructuring * future of mobility * EV competition * global automotive industry * automotive geopolitics * battery manufacturing * BYD global expansion * At The Wheel podcast ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome Back 00:45 Why China's Auto Market Is Slowing 04:30 Real Estate, Consumer Confidence & Vehicle Demand 09:15 The Export Strategy: BYD & Global Expansion 14:40 Why Brazil Matters 19:30 Can Chinese Automakers Reach North America? 24:00 Ford, GM & The China Challenge 30:45 Tesla's China Operations Explained 36:15 Could Tesla Separate Shanghai? 42:30 SpaceX, National Security & Tesla 47:00 Rivian, Slate & Affordable EVs 51:15 Final Thoughts

Volkswagen isn’t just restructuring. It may be confronting the biggest strategic challenge in its modern history. In this Deep Dive edition of At The Wheel, Joe White and Tu Le drill down into Volkswagen’s historic restructuring announcement—and why it represents far more than one company’s problems. The discussion explores why Volkswagen’s once-dominant position in China has deteriorated so quickly, forcing painful decisions that include factory closures, workforce reductions, and a complete rethink of the company’s future. In this episode: 🇨🇳 China’s Rise—and Volkswagen’s Decline * How Volkswagen went from selling more than 4 million vehicles annually in China to losing millions of sales * Why BYD, Geely and China’s domestic champions fundamentally changed the market * How software, AI and intelligent driving accelerated China’s advantage