The U.S. electric vehicle market is established and ready to grow without federal subsidies, according to Jon McNeill, a former Tesla president of global sales and service and current GM board member. Speaking to CNBC on Thursday, McNeill expressed confidence that despite the recent expiration of a key EV tax credit, the industry will continue its upward trajectory, bolstered by more model choices and the availability of lower-priced vehicles. He pointed to Europe as a case study, noting that when countri ...

Let's bring in former Tesla president of global sales and uh service and a GM board member now, John McNeel. John, it's great to have you on and nice to see you, Morgan. How would you categorize the EV market, whether it's states side or globally.I think uh this is one of the few markets where uh the US is not ahead in technology. It's actually a step or two behind. And so we get to see kind of what's happening in other markets.and Europe, France and Germany in particular rolled subsidies off a couple years ...

Core Viewpoint - The electric pickup truck market is facing significant challenges, with many automakers struggling to achieve profitability and sales growth in this segment [1][11][12] Industry Overview - Full-size trucks have historically been a major profit driver for automakers in Detroit, but the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is complicating this dynamic [1][11] - The electric pickup segment has failed to achieve substantial sales, with total registrations not surpassing 50,000 through July, contrasting sharply with the hundreds of thousands of gasoline-powered trucks sold annually [7] Company-Specific Insights - Tesla's Cybertruck has been labeled a commercial flop, with only 15,211 U.S. registrations year-to-date through July, representing a 14% decline compared to the same period in 2024 [3] - Rivian's R1T saw a 37% drop in U.S. registrations year-to-date through July, with July registrations down 40% [5] - Ford's F-150 Lightning experienced a 12% decline in registrations through July, with a 15% drop in July alone [5] - General Motors is the only automaker showing positive registration growth in the EV truck segment, with its Silverado EV, Sierra EV, and Hummer EV all posting gains [5] Economic Factors - The cost structure of electric pickups is fundamentally different from gasoline trucks, with battery costs significantly impacting margins [8] - Gasoline-powered trucks can command prices 2 to 3 times higher than sedans, leading to unprecedented profit margins, while electric trucks struggle to achieve similar profitability due to high battery costs [7][8] Future Outlook - There is potential for improvement as battery prices are expected to decrease, which could enhance the viability of electric pickups [9] - Ford is innovating its production process to improve efficiency and aims to produce a profitable electric pickup early in its lifecycle [10]