Tesla Entertains Idea and Blueprints for Compact Pickup Truck: TDS Redacted
In today's edition of The Down Shift, our weekday early morning quick-hit news rundown, we bring you the latest updates from the world of automobiles.
Audi is set to debut an electric sports car concept in early September, and it won't be a TT or an R8. Instead, it will be something in-between, according to Audi CEO Gernot Döllner.
Tesla is actively considering and designing a smaller pickup truck to complement the full-size Cybertruck. This move comes as a strategic response to the Cybertruck's sales challenges, after a strong debut, sales have declined, and electric pickups have generally been a tough market for automakers.
The engineering VP of Tesla, Lars Moravy, mentioned at the X Takeover event in late July that the company has been discussing making a smaller pickup. The smaller truck may also fit with Tesla's future autonomous service plans like robotaxis, which might handle goods as well as passengers. However, no official product announcement or timeline has been given.
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Aston Martin, Porsche, and Lamborghini have all reduced their profit projections, citing U.S tariff impact as the reason.
Bentley's new CEO, Frank-Steffen Walliser, stated that the automaker has room to explore and go further towards the extreme edges both in terms of luxury and performance.
The Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid luxury SUV has received the latest updates and is being tested for a week. Unfortunately, no further information about the refreshed 2025.5 Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid luxury SUV has been provided yet.
Chevrolet is teasing the return of the Bolt EV, featuring revised lighting and a Tesla NACS charge port.
Nissan will close its Ciudad Industrial del Valle de Cuernavaca industrial park (CIVAC) in 2026, marking the first factory the automaker built outside Japan.
Remember, The Down Shift is not a full-featured story, but a quick heads up for the early morning shuffle. We provide links for readers to go deeper into the news stories if desired.
The Down Shift summarizes headlines into a single sentence with a link for further information. It's designed for quick consumption, perfect for pairing with coffee and a Pop-Tart for a convenient morning routine.
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- Audi's electric sports car, different from TT or R8, will debut in early September, marking a shift in the automotive industry's finance and technology landscape. [Link]
- Tesla is planning to launch a smaller pickup truck, potentially venturing into the transportation sector and integrating it with their future autonomous service vehicles, as revealed by their engineering VP, Lars Moravy. [Link]
