New York Auto Show: The electric car revolution is canceled in the USA

While the Shanghai auto show was almost exclusively about electric cars , the situation is very different in another major auto market. Although the USA is the home of Tesla and Elon Musk even advises the government, the New York auto show showed that the turnaround has begun, back to the clean combustion engine. The electric revolution in America is canceled. This had been apparent for the past few years; but back then Joe Biden was still in the White House, and his advisors were determined to transform the USA into an electric country. Now the Republicans are in power. And with that, the political will behind this project has died out.

The Biden administration had massively promoted e-mobility, almost as radically as the EU, albeit without the presumptuousness of technology bans. But despite massive subsidies and media support, the market share for fully electric vehicles in 2024 was just 8.5 percent, half of which went to Tesla. Now the subsidies are being phased out. And it's safe to assume that the electric share won't increase much further.

For the industry, including German automakers, this means it's high time for a change of strategy. Because anyone who absolutely refuses to offer combustion engines after 2030 or 2035—and many manufacturers have diligently proclaimed this in recent years—should actually be preparing to leave the US market now. Of course, these insights have been received, and in behind-the-scenes discussions, the official promises of perseverance have long since been put into perspective.

The VW Group says: "Of course, we have maintained our combustion engine expertise to the best of our ability, even during the Diess era." Stellantis kept the Hemi V8 in its lineup for its large pickup models to keep the production lines running; now it's being ramped up again.

The Hyundai Group is pursuing several development approaches to offer a V8 engine again. Porsche is developing a successor to the traditionally powered Macan, closely related to the new Audi Q5. And at the same time as the auto show, it was leaked that Nissan had canceled two planned electric sedans without replacement: There is too little interest in such vehicles. It should only be mentioned in passing that numerous "pure" electric platforms are being hastily redesigned across the industry to make room for "range extender" engines. For example, Volkswagen's SSP architecture.

The number of debuts and exhibitors in New York this year is rather modest; the importance of auto shows is no longer at pre-coronavirus levels, and many manufacturers are opting for different formats. But there were certainly a few impressive models on display.

For example, the brutal Genesis X Gran Equator concept car, whose powertrain the brand remains silent about, and whose front end—with impressive prestige—could equally accommodate a massive combustion engine or an oversized "frunk" for an electric car. Genesis also reported firm plans for a long-term entry into motorsports, with racing legend Jacky Ickx representing the Genesis Magma team on stage.

Hyundai is showing the new Palisade, a large SUV with hybrid or V6 powertrain; it contrasts with its sister model, the electric SUV Ioniq 9. It's easy to guess which car will achieve higher sales.

Kia is presenting the new K4 hatchback, a compact car that will also be coming to Europe. Subaru is revamping the Solterra electric car with more conventional lines than before and is introducing the next generation of the successful Outback.

The Jeep Wagoneer, a large off-road vehicle, is available in a limited-edition special series with underbody protection and a low-range gear ratio—a feature that Mercedes-Benz removed from the GLS's optional extras list during the last facelift. VW has bad news for sports drivers: The manual transmission is disappearing from the GTI and Golf R.

Meanwhile, the Dodge Charger sports car with its electric drive is currently cutting a sorry figure. Rarely has a model series had such a weak start: Dealers are already selling off the brand-new car at steep discounts. They are impatiently awaiting the combustion-engine version, which is now being hastily completed.

At the "World Car Awards," which are traditionally presented on the morning of the first press day, it seems, at first glance, that electric mobility is once again at the forefront: A jury of nearly 100 journalists has chosen the Kia EV3 as "World Car of the Year." The BMW X3, with its modern gasoline and diesel engines, is also among the top three.

The results in the other categories: The Chinese BYD Seagull wins the "Urban Cars" category, the Volvo EX90 takes the "World Luxury Cars" category, the Hyundai Inster wins the "World Electric Car" category, and the Porsche 911 GTS wins the "World Performance Car" category. The Volkswagen ID. Buzz wins for its design, and journalists select BYD executive Stella Li as "World Car Person of the Year."

A strong symbol of the turnaround are the results of the annual global journalist survey conducted by the consulting firm Aitastic. The results, announced by Kai Bossmann at the WCOTY event, fit the picture of this trade fair: The combustion engine remains stable, even the downward trend in diesel has been halted, and synthetic fuels are gaining importance.

Jens Meiners, GT Spirit, reports from New York