The hottest Automotive Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Reading List 02/21/26

Construction Physics • 24636 implied HN points • 21 Feb 26
💼 Business Automotive
  1. Home prices rose in parts of the Midwest and Northeast while falling in much of the South, and this pattern lines up with areas that have older housing stock versus new post-2000 construction. Places that saw the biggest COVID-era price booms are now often the hardest markets to sell in.
  2. Chinese EV makers have a major cost edge mainly because they vertically integrate much of production, cutting supplier markups. Meanwhile, global supply chains are shifting — big chip and memory fabs are being built in the U.S. even as many U.S. automakers write down or scale back costly EV investments.
  3. Political and policy changes are reshaping incentives: renewed pushes to cut property taxes and long-standing anti-growth legacies affect development and housing, while anti-vaccine political pressure and potential legal changes are squeezing vaccine makers and reducing investment and jobs.

Deep dive in hybrid battery packs

Intercalation Station • 159 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Hybrid battery packs mix different battery chemistries to improve performance. This allows for better energy management and potentially raises the accuracy of state-of-charge readings.
  2. These new packs can perform better in low temperatures and support faster charging. By combining different cell types, they can work more efficiently across different conditions.
  3. While hybrid batteries have advantages, they can also be more expensive and heavier. This extra cost might make them less appealing for some applications, though prices for certain battery types are dropping.

Let the Chinese cars in

Noahpinion • 27529 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
💼 Business Automotive
  1. The U.S. should allow Chinese electric cars in under tight rules — low tariffs and limited imports at first, plus requirements for U.S. factories, joint ventures, and local content to spur domestic production.
  2. Cheap, high-quality Chinese EVs would raise American EV adoption, expand charging infrastructure, and force U.S. automakers to invest and innovate, helping rebuild the domestic battery and motor supply chain.
  3. Espionage and sabotage are real risks, but they can be managed with strong cybersecurity, oversight, American-hosted software and networks, and strict monitoring of components, making controlled access preferable to an outright ban.

The Car World Is Going Electric, Without America

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 570 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
💼 Business Automotive
  1. U.S. automakers have taken huge write-downs — roughly $50 billion combined — from failed or pulled electric vehicle investments like Ford’s canceled F-150 Lightning.
  2. Detroit first denied the EV shift and then rushed into panicked, flawed programs, leaving companies with costly sunk investments and strategic missteps.
  3. The move to electric cars cuts dealers’ traditional service income and risks ceding market leadership to countries like China as the U.S. struggles to get its EV strategy right.

The Saturday Selection, Vol. 92

Why is this interesting? • 241 implied HN points • 14 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Automotive
  1. Jony Ive put physical buttons, aluminum toggles, and glass controls back into Ferrari’s first electric car as a pushback against the touchscreen-everything trend.
  2. New York’s congestion pricing is creating unexpected winners by speeding up trips in suburbs and easing traffic in outer boroughs.
  3. Well-crafted, beautiful design often loses because decisions are made by people who won’t have to live with the results, so systems tend to punish good design.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Reading List for 05/31/2025

Construction Physics • 8977 implied HN points • 31 May 25
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Wind farms can create 'wind shadows' that harm energy production for neighboring turbines. This has led to competition among developers, often resulting in rushed planning and environmental neglect.
  2. Nuclear power could become cheaper if safety rules, like the 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable' policy, are reconsidered. Overly strict regulations can drive up costs and make nuclear energy less viable.
  3. Chinese car company BYD is cutting EV prices significantly, which is helping it gain market share. In contrast, GM is investing in traditional combustion engines due to slowing EV sales.

Reading List 02/01/2025

Construction Physics • 13779 implied HN points • 01 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Coal power is declining in the US, with many plants converting to natural gas. This shift is largely due to the cheaper cost of natural gas compared to coal.
  2. India is planning to build a massive data center capable of three gigawatts. This would make it the largest data center in the world, responding to a growing demand for AI processing power.
  3. German car manufacturers are facing tough challenges as competition from Chinese automakers grows. Many companies are cutting jobs and exploring partnerships to stay competitive in the market.

To compromise or not to compromise in battery technology

Intercalation Station • 79 implied HN points • 09 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Battery technology is evolving, and it’s important to understand different types like NMC and LFP. These choices affect cost, safety, and how much energy batteries can hold.
  2. Moving to larger battery cells can save costs and increase energy storage but brings challenges in heat management and monitoring cell health. Better systems are needed to keep everything safe and efficient.
  3. Companies are adapting to use LFP batteries due to their safety and lower costs, even if it means sacrificing some energy capacity. The goal is to find new ways to make these batteries even better in the future.

Reading List 02/15/25

Construction Physics • 8351 implied HN points • 15 Feb 25
💼 Business Automotive
  1. California is facing a homeowners insurance crisis, with the state relying on private insurers for a bailout to support its last-resort fire insurance, leading to increased costs for homeowners.
  2. Tech companies are vastly increasing their investments in AI data centers, with major players like Microsoft and Google planning to spend over $215 billion combined this fiscal year.
  3. Tesla is seeing a decline in sales both in Europe and the US, which may be linked to public perception of Elon Musk and his influence on politics.

Reading List for 11/30/24

Construction Physics • 9186 implied HN points • 30 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Automotive
  1. High-rise construction is booming in Canada, with many Canadian cities leading in the number of skyscrapers being built compared to US cities.
  2. Mild hybrids, which are cars that use a small electric motor to support a gasoline engine, are becoming popular in Europe due to stricter emissions regulations.
  3. Offshore oil drilling is seeing a revival, as companies invest heavily in new technologies and seek new sources of oil in response to rising energy prices.

Americans are ten times more likely to be fired than Germans

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 61 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
💼 Business Automotive
  1. Europe’s strict job protections, high severance costs, and long collective dismissal procedures make firing expensive, so companies avoid risky experiments that could require later layoffs.
  2. That incentive steers firms toward safe, incremental improvements, keeps startups small or drives them to relocate, and reduces ambitious acquisitions and radical innovation in Europe.
  3. Models like Danish flexicurity, Austria’s portable severance fund, and Switzerland’s looser rules show you can protect workers while lowering the cost of failure, meaning targeted reform could boost big, risky innovators without abandoning social safety nets.

Tesla: Now, It Feels Desperate

lawrence’s Substack • 758 implied HN points • 21 Apr 24
💼 Business Automotive
  1. Tesla's recent actions have caused a shift in sentiment for the worse, leading to skepticism and concern about the company's future.
  2. The attempt to restore Musk's 2018 compensation package is under scrutiny and may face legal challenges, impacting Tesla's financial standing.
  3. Questions surrounding Tesla's Model 2 development, autonomy achievements, robotaxi plans, earnings, staff departures, and production decisions are crucial for understanding the company's direction.

🤖🚗 Self-driving cars are finally shifting gears

Faster, Please! • 1188 implied HN points • 24 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Self-driving cars are becoming more common and are showing significant improvements in safety. They could greatly reduce car accidents caused by human errors.
  2. The widespread usage of autonomous vehicles could change the economy, making transport cheaper and possibly changing how cities design their roads and parking spaces.
  3. Despite the promising technology, there are still hurdles like regulatory issues and technical challenges that need to be addressed before self-driving cars are fully mainstream.

The NHTSA Has Finally Exposed Musk's Lies About Tesla Safety

lawrence’s Substack • 459 implied HN points • 29 Apr 24
💼 Business Automotive
  1. The NHTSA's report exposed Musk and Tesla's false claims about Tesla's safety and autonomous driving capabilities.
  2. Personal injury and class action attorneys may benefit from the NHTSA findings against Tesla, possibly leading to legal action.
  3. Tesla's Autopilot system has shown significant flaws according to the NHTSA, potentially impacting safety and engagement of drivers.

Autos deepdive 🚗

Genuine Impact - Charting Finance, Investing & Tech • 982 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
💼 Business Automotive
  1. 2022 saw a significant rise in the electric vehicle market, with companies like Tesla and BYD achieving impressive results.
  2. Tesla's revenue in 2022 hit $81.5 billion, showing a 51% increase from the year before, with net income growing by 128%.
  3. BYD, a Chinese company, reported a remarkable 319% year-on-year increase in net profit in 2022 due to the expansion of the new energy vehicle industry.

Will you turn down the darn lights?

Something to Consider • 59 implied HN points • 10 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Modern headlights are much brighter than before, making it hard for drivers to see at night. This change is mainly due to safety standards that encourage brighter lights.
  2. The bright lights create a problem called negative externality, where too many bright headlights make it harder for everyone to see. Lowering the brightness can help improve safety and comfort for all drivers.
  3. New technology can help adjust headlights automatically based on other cars' positions. Advocating for softer lights and using adaptive headlights can make nighttime driving safer and more pleasant.

Secular vs Cyclical: Why it’s hard to tell in real time, and what the EV write-down wave reveals

Gad’s Newsletter • 20 implied HN points • 16 Feb 26
💼 Business Automotive
  1. It’s very difficult to tell in real time if a change is secular or cyclical because data are noisy, trend-cycle methods are model-dependent, and endpoint uncertainty makes conclusions fragile.
  2. The EV episode shows the direction is likely secular (battery costs and adoption tend to rise) but the speed is cyclical and policy-sensitive, and treating near-term pace as linear led to huge write-downs and competitive losses.
  3. The practical fix is disciplined triangulation and decision design: separate direction from speed, check cross-sections and policy regimes, treat impairments as stress tests, and prefer staged, flexible investments that preserve optionality.

🚘 Tesla: AI & Robotics

How They Make Money • 628 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Elon Musk envisions Tesla becoming the most valuable company in the world, emphasizing the need for flawless execution.
  2. Elon Musk wants to increase his voting control at Tesla to focus on expanding AI and robotics initiatives.
  3. Tesla's recent earnings report highlights challenges such as missed expectations in Q4 FY23 and a slowdown in vehicle sales, along with key financial metrics like revenue growth and margin trends.

Generative AI Cars Coming Soon

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 499 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Mercedes-AMG launched a new car feature called MBUX SOUND DRIVE at CES 2024. This feature lets drivers create music based on their driving actions.
  2. The system uses sensors and advanced software to turn driving dynamics like acceleration and braking into musical sounds.
  3. This technology allows drivers to have a unique and immersive experience while driving, blending music with their driving style.

China Is Overtaking America. In an Electric Car.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 343 implied HN points • 13 Aug 25
💼 Business Automotive
  1. China is rapidly advancing in the electric vehicle market, overtaking major companies like Tesla. It's now the largest EV maker in the world.
  2. The Chinese government is strategically hoarding resources and controlling supply chains, giving them an edge in technology and manufacturing.
  3. Industry leaders, like Ford's CEO, recognize the seriousness of this competition and the potential risks of falling behind China in the automotive sector.

The Securicode Edition

Why is this interesting? • 422 implied HN points • 05 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. The Securicode keypad is a practical feature on vehicles that allows users to unlock doors without needing a key. It's been around since 1980 and remains popular because it's easy to use and very useful.
  2. Securicode introduces tiered access for vehicles, meaning you can allow someone to access your truck without giving them the ability to drive it. This is great for job sites where you might want to share tools without losing control of the vehicle.
  3. The long-lasting success of Securicode shows that simple solutions can be effective. More complex systems might be fancier, but they often require more resources, making Securicode a smart choice in automotive design.

Why Tesla Robotaxis Are a Fantasy

lawrence’s Substack • 159 implied HN points • 22 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Tesla robotaxis may not be a feasible reality, according to informed commentators. Full Self-Driving is far from being ready for autonomy tests.
  2. Michael McGrath explains why Tesla's Full Self-Driving is technically infeasible and flawed as a business model, offering a critical perspective.
  3. Matthew Enthoven and Edward Niedermeyer also provide valuable insights and critiques on Tesla's autonomous driving ambitions.

Test Drive: Is BYD as Good as Tesla?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 245 implied HN points • 12 Aug 25
💼 Business Automotive
  1. BYD, a Chinese automaker, is growing quickly in the electric vehicle market but Tesla still leads for now.
  2. BYD is expected to sell around five million vehicles this year, which is significantly more than Tesla's sales.
  3. Many Americans may not know much about BYD cars, but they are performing well and improving rapidly.

Vượng In Control

Vietnam Weekly • 353 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
💼 Business Automotive
  1. Vietnamese carmaker VinFast is expanding to India and other countries.
  2. The subscription price for Vietnam Weekly is increasing from $5/month to $8/month.
  3. VinFast has made significant announcements, including a leadership transition, plans for India, CES presentation, and facing challenges with bad press.

The Minivan Stigma Edition

Why is this interesting? • 904 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Automotive
  1. Minivans used to be very popular for family travel, but now they're often seen as uncool. This change is more about their image than their usefulness because they are still very practical vehicles.
  2. Despite the stigma, there's a growing trend of people using different types of vans for adventure, like those converted for #vanlife. These vans are seen as cool and can still be practical for families.
  3. There's a big opportunity for automakers to redesign minivans to make them more appealing. If they can combine the useful features of a minivan with a cooler look, they could attract more buyers again.

🤖🚘 Even as GM retreats, self-driving cars continue to advance

Faster, Please! • 639 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Self-driving cars are still making progress, even as some big companies like GM pull back on their investments in this technology.
  2. Predictions about self-driving cars have often been overly optimistic, and the industry hasn't yet transformed the way many expected.
  3. As GM moves away from robotaxis, other companies like Waymo and Zoox are still pushing forward with their driverless vehicles.

China On Track To Pass Japan in Auto Exports

Japan Economy Watch • 479 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
💼 Business Automotive
  1. China is set to overtake Japan in auto exports, driven largely by the rise of EVs.
  2. Japanese automakers risk repeating the decline of the Detroit Three by resisting the shift to electric vehicles (EVs).
  3. The dominance of Japanese automakers is being challenged by Chinese brands, mirroring a historical pattern of established companies failing to adapt to technological shifts.

Massachusetts Chevy dealership's A.I. chatbot predicts Chiefs to win and also Niners to win

Read Max • 1238 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. A Chevy dealership's A.I. chatbot predicted both the Chiefs and Niners to win the Super Bowl.
  2. The chatbot's analysis included inaccuracies like thinking Brock Purdy still plays for Iowa State and Jimmy Garoppolo is still with the Niners.
  3. Despite limitations, Quirk Chevrolet's chatbot predicted the Chiefs to win 31-27 in one conversation.

Shunning the Practical Plug-in Hybrid for the Microbus Electric-Koolaid Acid Dream

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 176 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Plug-in hybrids are great for most daily driving needs, but their sales aren't as strong as expected. Many people still prefer gasoline cars, even when driving less than 40 miles a day, which is well within the range of most plug-in hybrids.
  2. Electric vehicles like the VW ID.BUZZ can seem appealing, but they come with their own challenges, such as charging infrastructure and battery weight. Sometimes people choose them for fun or nostalgia rather than practicality.
  3. It can be tough to balance practical needs with personal desires when buying a car. Sometimes people opt for exciting options over the more sensible choices, even if it means spending more money.

The Hemi Edition

Why is this interesting? • 422 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Automotive
  1. The Hemi engine has become a popular and recognized brand name, almost like its own celebrity in the car world. It's known for its strong performance and has fans calling for its return in various vehicles.
  2. Hemi's reputation stems from its long history and impressive performance, especially during the muscle car era of the 1960s. Its success in races helped cement its legendary status among car enthusiasts.
  3. Unlike many car brands, the Hemi name is well-known even outside of car culture, appearing in music and pop culture. This broader recognition is a rare achievement for an engine name.

The Dazzle Camo Edition

Why is this interesting? • 482 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Automotive
  1. Dazzle camo is a design technique that started in World War I to confuse enemy targeting, using bold geometric patterns. It helps to break up the shape of an object, making it harder to see and aim at.
  2. Car manufacturers adopted a modern version of dazzle camo to protect their prototype vehicles from spy photography. Even though these prototypes look attention-grabbing, the patterns are meant to confuse potential onlookers about the actual design.
  3. Today, prototypes often embrace their visibility with eye-catching patterns and even QR codes. This shift turns a potential exposure risk into a marketing opportunity, generating public interest instead of hiding away.

BS-TBS News Interviews Me On Japan's EV Problem

Japan Economy Watch • 259 implied HN points • 25 May 23
💼 Business Automotive
  1. Japanese automakers are resistant to adopting Electric Vehicles (EVs), leading to a loss in sales and risk of falling behind other countries like China.
  2. Successful companies can struggle to adapt to changing times, similar to how the Detroit Big Three faced challenges in the 1970s-80s.
  3. Japan's automakers need to prioritize entering the EV market successfully before exploring other options like hydrogen fuel cells. Shifting to Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) is crucial for future competitiveness.

China Replaces Japan As Top Auto Exporter in Jan-June 2023

Japan Economy Watch • 199 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
💼 Business Automotive
  1. China has replaced Japan as the top auto exporter in the first half of 2023, showcasing an increase in auto exports and a decline in Japanese global auto production share.
  2. The importance of auto exports for the Japanese economy is significant, with implications for manufacturing shipments, capital investment, and employment.
  3. The rise of Chinese automakers and their shift towards upscale markets like Europe and Southeast Asia pose challenges to Japanese automakers, especially in markets where Japanese brands traditionally dominated.

Can Vingroup Upgrade Vietnam’s Auto Industry?

The Asianometry Newsletter • 1269 implied HN points • 17 May 23
💼 Business Automotive
  1. Vingroup started as an instant noodle company and quickly diversified into real estate, healthcare, education, and more.
  2. Vingroup's venture into electric vehicles with VinFast faces big challenges in the global EV market and technical expertise.
  3. Vingroup's diversification strategy into multiple industries like electronics mirrors other successful conglomerates but comes with risks and challenges.

In Praise of Slow Motion

Kneeling Bus • 224 implied HN points • 15 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. People are using rental cars for more than just driving, like napping or storing things. This shows a strange need for flexible space that traditional buildings don't meet.
  2. Many people spend a lot of time in parked cars, which might be surprising. It highlights a mismatch between what people need and what's available.
  3. Cheap money in the past allowed tech products to be offered at low prices, but it made basic needs like housing more expensive. This creates a gap between luxuries and essential needs.

When Insurance Admits AI is Safer Than People

Tippets by Taps • 6 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
💼 Business Automotive
  1. Insurance companies are starting to price self-driving miles as much safer than human-driven miles, with some cutting per-mile premiums by about half when autonomous mode is engaged.
  2. Insurers that use onboard telemetry and AI to price risk get a strong first-mover advantage. If their lower loss rates hold, traditional underwriting based on age or ZIP will look obsolete and others will follow.
  3. As AI and robotics replace human tasks, adjacent industries, regulations, and pricing models will need to reprice reality. That shift could make cars without meaningful autonomy relatively more costly to own and be slowed by laws that restrict telemetry-based pricing.

What Does It Mean For a Brand To Be Radical?

The Ruffian • 294 implied HN points • 23 Nov 24
💼 Business Automotive
  1. Jaguar is undergoing a major rebranding and switching to an all-electric vehicle lineup, but they won't have new cars to sell until 2026. This means they are promoting themselves as a brand without tangible products.
  2. The new branding has sparked a lot of negative reactions, suggesting that their attempt to modernize may be seen as losing their identity rather than revitalizing it.
  3. Jaguar is aiming to target wealthier consumers with fewer, more expensive vehicles, moving towards a luxury market rather than competing with mainstream car brands.

From Smartphones to Smart Cars: Xiaomi's Automotive Business and Its Strategic Implications

Tech Buzz China Insider • 79 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Automotive
  1. Xiaomi aims to rival Porsche and Tesla in the automotive industry and be among the top five global car manufacturers within 15 to 20 years.
  2. Lei Jun, the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Xiaomi Group, took inspiration from a meeting with Elon Musk in 2013, which led to Xiaomi's venture into car manufacturing.
  3. Xiaomi has made continuous investments in the automotive field since 2014, covering everything from auto components to complete vehicles and aftermarkets.

Inside Ineos Automotive: Can Jim Ratcliffe’s Car Company Ever Be Profitable?

Huddle Up • 10 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
💼 Business Automotive
  1. Jim Ratcliffe has poured billions into building the Ineos Grenadier as a modern recreation of the Land Rover Defender.
  2. Despite the rugged design, the business is fragile — weighed down by heavy debt and hit by tariffs and supplier failures that strain operations.
  3. The Grenadier is getting visibility and some buyer interest, but high costs and recurring problems make sustained profitability uncertain.