Stellantis Tweaks Direction, CFPB To Shut Down?, No More Pennies

On this Tuesday, we take a look at how Stellantis is adjusting to live post-Carlos Tavares and what that means for its brands. Plus, a closer look at the Trump administration’s fight against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the potential end of the United States penny.

Show Notes with links:

• Stellantis is making a significant course correction across its North American brands, rethinking its aggressive push toward full electrification. As their search for a CEO continues, the company is emphasizing consumer choice, with previously planned EV models now on hold or outright canceled.
  • Alfa Romeo has abandoned its all-electric goal by 2027, instead opting for a multi-energy strategy.
  • Chrysler put its upcoming EV crossover on hold and plans to refresh the Pacifica with hybrid and electric options.
  • Dodge kept the Hemi Hellcat roaring in the Durango for 2025, even as it rolled out the electric Charger Daytona.
  • Fiat saw a boost in U.S. sales after launching the redesigned 500e but isn’t chasing volume.
  • Jeep kicked off a $3.2B product blitz, including its first EVs for North America: the Wagoneer S and Wrangler-inspired Recon.
  • Maserati is sticking to its plan for an all-electric future by 2028, but changes are expected
  • Ram delayed the 1500 REV electric pickup to 2026, favoring the range-extending 1500 Ramcharger instead.
• Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in Washington, D.C., after the newly installed acting director, Russell Vought, ordered all agency employees to stay home. The move is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration and Elon Musk to dismantle the consumer watchdog.
  • Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency took control of CFPB systems, halting oversight of financial companies.
  • Vought, a longtime critic of the agency, said he will seek no new funding, leaving the CFPB to operate on its $700M reserves.
  • The CFPB targeted dealer-arranged financing in 2013, arguing that interest rate markups disproportionately harmed minority buyers, but auto dealers successfully lobbied Congress to repeal the rule in 2018. Under Democratic leadership, the agency later ramped up oversight of auto lenders, focusing on junk fees, repossessions, and credit reporting violations.
• The American penny, a staple of pocket change since 1792, may soon become history. President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. Mint to stop producing new pennies, citing the cost of making them—nearly four times their face value—as wasteful government spending.
  • Each penny costs 3.69 cents to mint, leading to an $85.3M loss in 2024 alone.
  • Proponents argue the penny is outdated, with former U.S. Mint Director Philip Diehl calling it a burden to commerce.
  • Opponents worry about “rounding tax” effects, where retailers may round up prices, and charities losing out on small-change donations.
  • Congress technically controls currency specifications, but experts say Trump’s order could stand, leading to a potential shortage.
  • The zinc industry has lobbied to keep the penny, as their business

Hosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier

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