CNBC: A ‘perfect storm’ points to a much smaller U.S. auto market by 2040

[Fmc]

Not surprising. New car sales in the US peaked 10 years ago. I still own my 16 year old wrangler but electrification was the only reason i bought a new car. So who knows what cars will look like in 10 years when i am ready to move on from my R1

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/28/us-auto-market.html

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[Zathras]

Who would have guessed that when prices average $50K that sales would go down?

 

[tgrick]

The US auto industry has serious struggles ahead of it that's for sure. I wish we would have invested more in ourselves as well as retained other industries in which we were the inventor and leaders in those times. At the time America was great, we made the choice to move the work to foreign soil and we did improve profits and save money. I'm not sure how this all ends, and I hope we made the right choices...

 

[Budman]

Rivian will save America.

 

[BigSkies]

Higher car sales needs cheaper cars. Hands down. Regardless of drive train.

I've heard some auto execs say similar things. They know it. They understand it. It seems like Ford is getting the message and developing some cheaper options. Slate is interesting, but hard to imagine being more than a niche.

That being said, the US has been over-investing in automotive infrastructure for decades and under-investing in everything else. Having more people decide to have fewer cars isn't the worst thing in the world. It means more money into things like public transit, e-bikes, micro-mobility, ride-share, etc. Having single-digit percents of the population shift to one-car households or no car households would improve traffic, improve air-quality, and reduce emissions even more than electrification.

 

[Great Gatsby]

Higher car sales needs cheaper cars. Hands down. Regardless of drive train.

I've heard some auto execs say similar things. They know it. They understand it. It seems like Ford is getting the message and developing some cheaper options. Slate is interesting, but hard to imagine being more than a niche.

That being said, the US has been over-investing in automotive infrastructure for decades and under-investing in everything else. Having more people decide to have fewer cars isn't the worst thing in the world. It means more money into things like public transit, e-bikes, micro-mobility, ride-share, etc. Having single-digit percents of the population shift to one-car households or no car households would improve traffic, improve air-quality, and reduce emissions even more than electrification.

Well said. And high speed rail. Can we have some trains over here???

I love cars as much as the next guy but getting some decent alternatives actually sounds kind of nice.

 

[Time2Roll]

Electric bikes seem to be taking over the younger market. Don't need a license for compliant models.

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