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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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