Episode #1323: Carvana keeps buying rooftops while Stellantis slows consolidation. GM delays its next-gen EV trucks amid weak demand, and Sony-Honda scale back Afeela.

Show Notes with links:

Carvana just scooped up its seventh CDJR store, planting its first franchised flag in Ohio. The online disruptor continues its push into traditional retail—while Stellantis quietly pumps the brakes.
- Carvana acquired Avon Lake CDJR near Cleveland, strengthening its hybrid model, pairing physical rooftops with its online sales and distribution network.
- Stellantis recently limited buyers to one CDJR store per year, signaling a push to slow consolidation and maintain dealer network balance.
- Analysts say these stores double as regional logistics hubs, keeping delivery distances within that 300–400 mile sweet spot.
- “Nobody wants to sell a Lexus store…with Stellantis, there’s a ready supply.” said analyst Jeff Lick of Stephens Inc.

GM is hitting pause on the future of its electric truck lineup, shelving plans for a next-gen refresh and signaling a sharper pivot back to gas-powered pickups as EV demand—and profitability—continue to lag.
- GM has indefinitely delayed its planned 2028 refresh of full-size EV trucks and SUVs, including Silverado EV and Escalade IQ.
- The move follows $7.6B in EV-related charges and a sharp drop in sales after federal incentives disappeared.
- Current EV truck volumes remain low, while GM is adding production capacity for gas-powered heavy-duty pickups.
- Factory Zero, once the centerpiece of GM’s EV strategy, has seen layoffs, shutdowns, and reduced shifts amid weak demand.
- “EVs remain the end game for GM,” the company said, despite the pause in next-generation planning.

Sony and Honda are scaling back their joint venture after deciding the current setup couldn’t deliver competitive products anytime soon.
- Sony Honda Mobility is reducing operations after scrapping plans for its Afeela EV lineup.
- Employees will be reassigned back to Sony and Honda as the JV winds down activity.
- The companies cited challenges bringing products to market under the current structure.
- Even as EV plans fade, the partners say they’ll continue focusing on software and user experience innovation.
- “It would be difficult…to bring products and services aligned with the JV’s purpose to market,” the companies said.

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