I wish I had a better outlook for 2025 and going forward, but unfortunately, it seems that every development in the American electric-vehicle space (among other things) is pretty bleak. And no, this isn’t spin, or the unfortunate “if it bleeds, it leads” stereotype that a lot of people (sometimes rightly) have about the media.
But today on Critical Materials, your one-stop shop for some of the biggest stories in the EV world, we have to discuss the Environmental Protection Agency's reversal of 15 years of climate policy, and what it means for the auto industry.
On the plus side, we have some stories that aren't as goomy: TikTok’s parent company tries its hand at connected cars, and Waymo is expanding its service area. Let’s get into it, folks.
30% The EPA Says Greenhouse Gases Are A-OK
I’ll never forget going to school in the early 2000s, right in the era of Al Gore and An Inconvenient Truth. That stuff, I think, permeated the minds and schools of most Americans that are my age; I explicitly remember watching videos and reading stories about how and why the EPA was created. Like, it’s a common trope that the 1970s gas crisis and emissions regulations may have strangled the big block V8s we used to like, but it was for the greater good. Within a few years, the thick blankets of smog that covered cities like Los Angeles had disappeared
Well, now, it looks like the EPA doesn’t care anymore. Since it’s now come under the authority of the Trump administration, it now sees the fight against climate change and greenhouse gases as a partisan at best, or fake news at worst. This week, the EPA specifically targeted electric vehicles in its announcement of a planned rollback of greenhouse gas emission standards entirely.
"Finally, EPA is proposing to provide much-needed certainty and regulatory relief, so companies can plan appropriately, and the American people can have affordable choices when deciding to buy a car," the EPA said in its announcement. And that announcement was made at an Indiana heavy truck dealership, no less.
Here are some comments from the EPA’s news release, which include quotes from a meeting of EPA officials, the Department of Energy, and the Indiana Truck Association:
This electric-truck mandate put the trucking industry on a path to economic ruin and would have crippled our supply chain, disrupted deliveries, and raised prices for American families and businesses. Moreover, it kicked innovation to the curb by discarding available technologies that can further drive down emissions at a fraction of the cost.
For four decades, our industry has proven that we are committed to reducing emissions. The trucking industry supports cleaner, more efficient technologies, but we need policies rooted in real-world conditions. We thank the Trump administration for returning us to a path of common sense, so that we can keep delivering for the American people as we continue to reduce our environmental impact,” said American Trucking Association President and CEO Chris Spear.
“Thanks to President Trump, the Obama-Biden green new scam era is finally coming to an end. EPA’s reconsideration of the endangerment finding will eliminate burdensome regulations and save small businesses at least $170 billion. I’m excited to work alongside Administrator Zeldin to cut red tape and unleash President Trump‘s new golden age for Main Street,” said Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler.”
In my short 32 years on this Earth, I’ve never seen so many people in places of power turn their heads against what are agreed-upon facts. It’s clear that the EPA is now nakedly partisan, with its role shifting to weirdly protecting the automotive industry. Instead of, y’know, ensuring we have clean air and clean water.
More pertinently to our lens here at InsideEVs, this is a net-negative for the American car industry. In the 1970s, the big-block V8s we loved became choked, slow, and undesirable due to new emissions controls. However, manufacturers eventually adapted; those big pushrod V8s became overhead cam four and six cylinders with things like fuel injection, or computerized engine management. It was a win for consumers as our products got better and more efficient, while reducing our impact on the environment.
For a time, it looked like the EPA’s greenhouse gas emissions targets would have a similar result. Remember, just about 15 years ago, electric cars were a one-off science experiment that cost a lot of money and couldn’t go very far at all. Now, we have a whole market of EVs that can travel hundreds of miles at a time and recharge within a few minutes.
Without these standards, there’s no incentive for automakers to keep growing and innovating.
But it's naive to expect a giant V8 comeback overnight. The world is still going electric, whether the folks at the EPA like it or not. We can either incentivize and help manufacturers do it now, or they can get left behind with cars that aren’t desirable on the global stage. Most of them seem to realize this, but we'll soon see who will step up and keep doing the hard work and who will take the hall pass and quit.
For a presidential administration that constantly complains that it’s unfair that other countries aren’t buying American cars, they sure do have a funny way of helping American brands make cars that other markets would want.
60% TikTok’s Parent Company Tries Its Hand at Cars
I wish I didn’t like TikTok, but alas, I find myself sucked in by its tantalizing algorithm. Like the millions of users across the globe, the app is really good at creating a near-endless scroll of content that is catered just for you. It’s a masterclass in how to build a well-functioning app, and so I understand why the Chinese government is less than thrilled to potentially lose ownership to a U.S.-based entity.
That software development talent isn’t just limited to an app where influencers hock skincare products and do fun dances; it’s a well-oiled operation full of software developers. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, does cloud and AI services. This product is called Volcano Engine, and has been around since 2021 as an algorithm and AI product for business clients. This product is already used by some Chinese-market brands in the background.
However, reporting from CarNewsChina suggests that ByteDance wants to take it a step further. ByteDance and Chinese car company SAIC are reportedly tied up in a new product called Doubao Auto, which is allegedly focused on “cockpit and intelligent driving solutions.” Intelligent driving solutions are the new Chinese-market language for autonomous driving features:
Earlier in April 2025, Jia Jianxu, president of SAIC Motor, noted cooperation with Volcano Engine and other AI partners to create personalised vehicle experience scenarios and develop a comprehensive innovative ecosystem to meet individual user needs.
Yang Liwei, general manager of Volcano Engine’s automotive division and head of the Smart Mobility and Embodiment Research Institute, stated that Volcano Engine is collaborating with SAIC to develop an AI cockpit product based on the Doubao large model. Yang claims this product is designed to offer multimodal perception and function as a personalised assistant capable of anticipating user intentions.
However, ByteDance denies that Daobao Auto will offer intelligent driving features. For now, anyway.
90% Waymo Says “Howdy" To Dallas
It’s a battle of the autonomous vehicle startups lately. Amazon’s Zoox is on roads in San Francisco and Las Vegas, while Tesla continues to troll everyone with its phallic-shaped service area in Austin.
Waymo has happily been operating most of those areas (except Las Vegas, aside from some testing). Now, it’s coming to another city in Texas: Dallas. Right in time for The King of the Hill reboot.
However, its service model is a little bit different than other cities. The cars are managed by the Avis rental car group, not Waymo itself. Here’s what Waymo itself had to say about how this works:
Waymo will offer our ride-hailing service to the public through the Waymo app, and our fleet will be managed through a new strategic, multi-year partnership with Avis Budget Group, a leading global mobility solutions provider. Avis brings decades of fleet management expertise, a track record of fast, efficient execution, and a commitment to adopting cutting-edge technology, which will help us scale the Waymo Driver even faster.
Avis will provide end-to-end fleet management services, including infrastructure, vehicle readiness, maintenance, and general depot operations. This is an exciting initial phase in Dallas, and we intend to expand to more cities together over time.
Since this is managed by Avis, I’m curious to see which models Waymo will use over time. Will it have Avis manage the forthcoming Zeekr RT van made specifically for the brand? Or, will it use a Hyundai EV? Whatever the case, Waymo won’t be on Dallas roads until 2026.
100% Do You Remember Life Before The EPA?
The EPA wasn’t created until 1970. With its inception brought the Clean Air Act, a piece of legislation that dramatically improved air pollution and quality of life in America. At least, this is what I’ve read. It seems like the EPA’s effects and wins are lost on a generation of my contemporaries and their parents, who couldn’t know what life was like before its implementation.
What's your prediction for what happens without these rules in place?
Contact the author: kevin.williams@insideevs.com
