Leaked Possible Announcement of Ford's "Model T Revolution": Insider Report Indicates TDS (Toxic Detail Spoiler)
In this week's edition of The Down Shift (TDS), we bring you the latest updates on the rapidly evolving electric vehicle (EV) landscape. Published by our platform, TDS is a weekday early morning quick-hit news rundown focusing on automotive stories, aiming to be light, tight, and right, summarizing stories in a single sentence while providing links for further reading.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has relaunched the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) fund with new, streamlined guidance to states for building EV charging stations. This aims to accelerate charging network expansion by reducing bureaucratic hurdles, although it has drawn some criticism for minimizing environmental and consumer protections. With the number of public EV chargers in the U.S. having more than doubled since 2021, 2025 is expected to be a record year for EV charging infrastructure growth.
Automakers are aggressively ramping up EV production and sales. General Motors saw a surge, with Chevrolet Equinox EV sales jumping 115% year-over-year in July 2025, reaching over 19,000 units monthly—marking a new sales milestone. Ford, inspired by its Model T legacy, announced a $5 billion plan to simplify production and lower EV costs as part of its growth strategy.
The used EV market is also booming, with inventory increasing 50% year-over-year in early 2025, and used EV sales approaching those of traditional gasoline vehicles. This signals growing consumer acceptance and secondary-market viability for EVs.
Toyota is preparing to enter new international markets with EVs, confirming plans to launch three fully electric vehicles in South Africa by early 2026, indicating broader global EV rollout strategies.
Beyond vehicles themselves, a rising factor shaping demand is artificial intelligence, which is increasing electricity usage more than anticipated from EV growth alone. This trend is likely to affect energy policy and electric grid planning in the coming years.
In other news, GM and Hyundai formalized their partnership, which will include an electric van for the U.S. market. The Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV Carbon debuted with less weight, more carbon fiber bits, and a larger price tag as the model's range topper ahead of a formal introduction next week at 2025 Monterey Car Week.
Finally, Ford CEO Jim Farley announced plans for a "Model T moment" on Monday, which is not a product reveal, but a new line of affordable EVs and cheaper batteries.
TDS is not a full-feature story, in-depth reporting, or something that will take long to scan through. It is designed to bring the latest automotive news from around the world in one place. Pair TDS with a Pop-Tart and coffee, and you're ready to stay informed about the automotive industry's latest developments.
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- The Department of Transportation's resumed $5 billion fund for building EV charging stations aims to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and expand charging networks, but has faced criticism for potentially minimizing environmental and consumer protections.
- Automakers like General Motors and Ford are significantly increasing EV production and sales, with GM reporting a 115% surge in Chevrolet Equinox EV sales, and Ford announcing a $5 billion plan to lower EV costs and boost production.
- The used EV market is expanding rapidly, with inventory increasing by 50% year-over-year in early 2025, and used EV sales approaching those of traditional gasoline vehicles, signifying growing consumer acceptance and secondary-market viability for EVs.
- Toyota plans to launch three electric vehicles in South Africa by early 2026, hinting at broader international market strategies for EV rollout, while artificial intelligence's increasing electricity usage could affect energy policy and electric grid planning due to its impact beyond EV growth.
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