UAW President Shawn Fain is facing a challenge within his union

According to a new Bloomberg report, a fringe group of members of the United Auto Workers (UAW), the largest automotive labor union, is seeking to remove its president, Shawn Fain, just two years after the union secured landmark contracts with US automakers and ahead of an election next year.

Two UAW members involved with the effort told the financial news outlet that workers at a Metro Detroit Stellantis truck factory and an engine plant in southeast Michigan voted over the weekend to start the union’s process to remove Fain. These votes followed earlier ones held by four other local UAW chapters, reaching the threshold needed to bring allegations of financial mismanagement, workplace retaliation, and other issues to the federal monitor overseeing the UAW for potential discipline.

UAW President Shawn Fain Testifies In Senate Hearing

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GM Flint Assembly worker David Pillsbury and Brian Keller, a Stellantis worker who intends to run against Fain next year, claim that the union leader lacked transparency during his tenure.

“I supported Shawn [Fain], but his spending is out of control, and he’s retaliatory,” Pillsbury told Bloomberg in an interview. “The transparency Shawn promised hasn’t happened.”

Art Wheaton, the director of labor studies at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, told Bloomberg that the group seeking to oust Fain is a small fraction of the UAW, which comprises more than 600 locals. Despite this, these groups are part of a vocal bunch that was hurt by recent layoffs.

A fully assembled 2025 Ram 1500 rolls off the final assembly line

Stellantis

Pillbury himself noted that voter turnout at some UAW locals was quite low. For example, during a vote at the local representing the Sterling Heights Stellantis plant, the Ram 1500 plant that employs 6,200, just 63 workers participated over the weekend of August 2. Out of those, all but one voted to remove Fain from his position.

If the union challenges any of the victories because of low voter turnout or for any other reason, he said he wants enough wins to maintain the six victories needed to push ahead. Pillsbury said they plan to take their proposal next to a pair of plants in Ohio and at Fain’s home base in Kokomo, Indiana.

UAW members have been affected by layoffs

Despite having strong support among a large number of University graduate student teaching aides represented by the union, per Wheaton, some of the sentiment against Fain comes from UAW workers who are upset about the thousands of layoffs at Stellantis factories since the 2023 contract was ratified.

An employee installs parts on the all-new Wagoneer as it rotates

Stellantis

Prior to the departure of embattled CEO Carlos Tavares in December 2024, Stellantis made significant cuts by reducing shifts and laying off thousands of workers to address its excess dealer inventory. Cars remained unsold, and the automaker’s market share fell despite heavy discounts on vehicles that piled up on dealer lots.

Five of the six locals that voted to begin removal proceedings represent Stellantis workers. UAW Local 140 President Eric Graham, who represents Stellantis’s Warren Truck Plant, stated that the contract negotiated by Fain allowed Stellantis to eliminate hundreds of temporary workers, who have since been replaced by part-time summer employees.

“They told the people that ‘this is the best contract ever,’ and it was — incentive-wise,” said Graham. However, he noted that the way Fain pressured automakers like Stellantis, which made the companies “spend money they didn’t want to spend,” put jobs at risk.

Final thoughts

In a recent exclusive interview with the Detroit Free Press, UAW Vice President Rich Boyer spoke out against President Shawn Fain, who described a “toxic” environment at the top of the union. Boyer’s sentiment echoes the grievances of Pillsbury and Keller, who accuse the UAW president of being “retaliatory,”, especially towards top brass like UAW Treasurer-Secretary Margaret Mock and Boyer himself.

In an extensive peek into the UAW’s leadership, the 40-year union veteran noted that the internal struggles at the top took a toll on his professional and personal life, noting that “a real leader wouldn’t do the things [Fain] does.” Additionally, Boyer portrayed a grim situation within the UAW’s 14-member International Executive Board, where “cliques” and a flawed communication system leave leaders like Boyer hanging with unanswered phone calls and vital union matters unresolved. He argued that Fain’s leadership prioritizes loyalty over the welfare of card-carrying UAW members.

“If you’re not in that small clique, and you say something out of context, you’re looking at possibly a demotion or termination,” Boyer said. “That’s improper. That’s not a democratic process.”

The move comes as the new CEO moves to reverse the automaker’s flagging fortunes

Following the recent announcement that Gilles Vidal will lead Stellantis design for its European brands, the automaker has named Scott Krugger head of North America Design for Stellantis, reporting to Antonio Filosa, Stellantis North America’s Chief Operating Officer and new CEO. The newly-created position will be responsible for guiding the design and creative direction of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram. Vidal is the former vice president of design at Renault Group.

Gilles Vidal and the 2022 Renault 4EVER Trophy concept

Renault

Altogether, the two design chiefs will be responsible for 14 iconic automobile brands. Both appointments are crucial steps in Chief Design Officer Ralph Gilles’s new design organization, which combines strong regional autonomy with global corporate expertise.

Who is Scott Krugger?

Dodge Brand President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Gilles

Joe Wilssens

After graduating from the Cleveland Institute of Art, Krugger went to Daimler-Chrysler for more than ten years, and led Jeep and Alfa Romeo design for five years. During his career, he has been involved with the design of the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chrysler Pacifica, Ram 1500, Alfa Romeo Tonale, Dodge Charger, and the exterior design of the fifth-generation Dodge Viper. He has also been in charge of SRT and Dodge design since 2022, and was most recently a key player in the design of Dodge’s first battery electric car, the Charger Daytona SRT. 

Dodge Charger Daytona SRT concept

Dodge

“Scott’s appointment in North America and Gilles’ arrival in Europe are key to our new design organization,” Ralph Gilles said. “With Scott’s immense design talent and proven leadership in North America and Gilles’ award-winning track record in Europe, we are opening a new chapter of creative excellence with the rollout of our organization.”

New org chart for a slimmed-down Stellantis

Stellantis’s reorganized design studios are now led by a formidable triumvirate of design leaders, each with substantial market-specific knowledge. In contrast to the new appointments, the automaker has recently reduced its executive ranks in an effort to form a leaner leadership team at the top of the company. It now has nine executives, down from 30, which should allow for faster and more efficient decisions. 

“We’ve been working on pushing down a lot of the decision-making within the organization into the regions, where we can do a better job of addressing issues as they occur, but also tailoring the product, tailoring the mix, tailoring the approach to local markets,” Chief Financial Officer Doug Ostermann said.

Stellantis ended 2024 with declining sales, unhappy retailers, and a notably smaller market share, reporting a net loss of $2.7 billion in the first half of 2025, versus a $6.4 billion profit for the same period a year ago. Total revenues declined to $86 billion, down 13% year-over-year. Clearly, more regional autonomy is needed, something that atrophied under the stewardship of former CEO Carlos Taveras. 

2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Tributo Italiano Special Series

Alfa Romeo

“My first weeks as CEO have reconfirmed my strong conviction that we will fix what’s wrong in Stellantis by capitalizing on everything that’s right in Stellantis—starting from the strength, energy, and ideas of our people, combined with the great new products we are now bringing to market,” Filosa said.  

Final thoughts

Stellantis NV CEO Carlos Tavares Tours Sochaux Auto Plant

Bloomberg/Getty Images

The reorganization of Stellantis’s design leadership, which has been planned for months, bodes well for a revitalization of the company, which had calcified under the heavy-handed guidance of former CEO Carlos Tavares. The slimmed-down executive team and the ability of regions to exercise greater autonomy should help the sprawling corporation to manage its extensive portfolio of brands better. The results can already be seen in the debut of the Ram 1500 Express, a product that emerged at the request of its dealer network, in the return of the Hemi V8 and beloved SRT brand, as well as in the return of effective executives like Tim Kuniskis. With these latest design appointments, Stellantis is ready for its turnaround.

Rivian’s Q2 earnings are out, and while the EV startup posted another sizable loss — $1.1 billion — the company is standing by its full-year delivery guidance of 40,000 to 46,000 vehicles. That’s despite continued cost pressures, weakening regulatory credit income, and delivery volumes that came in lighter than expected.

Revenue for the quarter was $1.3 billion, up slightly year-over-year and just ahead of analyst estimates, but still well below what investors were hoping for. The company’s adjusted loss per share landed at $0.80, missing expectations by $0.04.

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Production Down, Losses Up

Rivian produced 5,979 vehicles and delivered 10,661 in Q2, both down significantly compared to last year. The company said the dip is tied to planned factory retooling ahead of the launch of its upcoming R2 SUV — a mid-size, sub-$50,000 model aimed squarely at volume growth from 2026 onward.

That said, costs per vehicle remain steep. On average, Rivian spent $118,375 to build each EV last quarter, thanks to inflationary headwinds, rare earth material constraints, and reduced EV tax credit access. Regulatory credits, which once padded the balance sheet, are now expected to bring in just $160 million this year — nearly half the earlier forecast.

Rivian’s full-year EBITDA loss guidance has now widened to $2.0–$2.25 billion, from its previous $1.7–$1.9 billion range.

Rivian

What’s Next: R2, Repositioning, and Relevance

Despite its financial drag, Rivian is focusing heavily on its upcoming R2 platform, with pilot builds already underway and capital expenditures projected at $1.8–$1.9 billion for the year. Positioned to compete in a broader, more price-sensitive segment, the R2 is intended to do what the brand’s flagship R1T and R1S models have struggled with: reach beyond the enthusiast core and connect with everyday buyers.

While updates to the 2025 R1T and R1S have refined the platform’s feel and responsiveness, the vehicles still carry high price tags — and aren’t resonating with all the right audiences. A recent S&P Global study found that Rivian continues to underperform with female buyers, a demographic that legacy brands like Ford and Toyota increasingly view as central to their EV strategy.

Still, Rivian is doubling down on brand appeal. This summer, it brought back its most viral party trick: Tank Turn, the feature that lets the R1S or R1T rotate in place like an off-road hovercraft. First teased back in 2019, the quad-motor function never actually reached customers — but that’s set to change, as Rivian looks to reignite attention in its existing lineup ahead of the R2 rollout.

Chicago Tribune/Getty Images

Takeaway

It’s another quarter of deep red ink for Rivian, but the message from CEO RJ Scaringe is steady: losses are expected, scale is coming, and R2 is the hinge point. Whether that’s enough to calm Wall Street remains to be seen — but for now, the company isn’t blinking.

No hardware or software changes were required to set a new record

It’s been a record-breaking month for Chevrolet. Already, the company set a new record for American cars at the Nürburgring with the Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X. Its latest record won’t be as exciting for gearheads, as it involves the longest range on a full charge for an EV, but it’s another stellar technical achievement.

300 miles is generally accepted as the psychological mark of a useful EV range, but Lucid far surpassed this by hitting 749 miles in the Air sedan last month—a record at the time. Chevy has now crushed that figure, and even more impressively, it pulled off the feat with a heavy, full-size pickup, not an aerodynamic sedan.

Related: Chevy Reveals Pricing for “Ultimate” ZR1X Corvette, Reveals Limited Special Edition

Over 1,000 Miles On A Full Charge

GM

The record-breaking achievement came behind the wheel of a 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Max Range Work Truck, which went 1,059.2 miles on a full charge, breaking Lucid’s 749-mile record. This truck is rated by the EPA for a 493 mile range, so how was it able to more than double that figure?

GM says the record attempt began with a casual conversation between GM engineers late last year. They started guessing what sort of range they could achieve if the pickup could be optimized for range and efficiency. 

“Getting this kind of range on a full charge doesn’t happen by accident,” said Kurt Kelty, VP, battery, propulsion, and sustainability. “It takes deep integration across battery chemistry, drive unit efficiency, software and vehicle engineering—and that’s exactly what the team delivered. This achievement is a great example of how far our EV technology has come, and the kind of innovation we’re building on every day at GM.”

Related: 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV First Drive Review: Go to work

Real-World Test Sees Staggering Results

The GM team performed the record-breaking test on public roads in southeastern Michigan, close to GM’s Milford Proving Ground. The team optimized every feasible aspect of the truck, but left the hardware and software as is. While it’s technically possible for owners of the truck to put some of these optimizing measures in place, combining them all will be just about impossible in normal driving. These were the measures taken by the team:

When conditions allowed, drivers averaged 20 to 25 mph, and hard braking was minimizedNo passengers were in the truck for most of the testWindshield wiper arms were set to the lowest possible position, reducing dragThe highest acceptable tire pressure was used, resulting in lower rolling resistanceThe wheel alignment was optimized and the spare tire was removedThe climate control wasn’t used at allFor smoother airflow, an accessory tonneau cover was addedThe test occurred in warmer summer conditions

None of these measures are particularly groundbreaking, but the cumulative effect clearly made all the difference. The various engineers who drove the truck did so in one-hour shifts, allowing them to incorporate the project into their normal work schedules.

“If we drove it downhill the whole time, sure, we’d get insane mileage,” said Jon Doremus, propulsion calibration engineering manager. “But that’s not what this was about. We wanted this to be real, on public roads.”

The test suggests that by incorporating just a few of these measures, owners of this Chevy pickup should easily be able to squeeze over 500 miles of range from it, a commendable effort. 

The EPA rating of the Chevy is already better than all other rivals, including the Rivian R1T, Tesla Cybertruck, and Ford F-150 Lightning.

Related: Every Electric Pickup Truck Ranked By 2025 Sales So Far

A Long Time Coming

Nearly nine years ago, this publication reported on a collaboration between Amazon and Hyundai, where the former would deliver the latter’s Elantras to customers for short test drives. In November 2023, the pair announced that they would begin selling cars directly to the public on the e-commerce platform, which began in December 2024, and in March this year, Fan Jin, director of Amazon Autos, said that the company was exploring used car sales. Now, the company is ready to dip a toe into the market, and not just with Hyundai cars, either. According to an announcement by Amazon this week, dealers can now list their used vehicle inventory on the site.

Amazon Autos Will Be Available Across The Country

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Amazon says that it has used and certified pre-owned vehicles now available in Los Angeles, with more cities to be added in the coming months, thanks to participating dealers being listed in more than 130 cities across the country. However, customers will only be shown listings available within a 75-mile radius of their location to minimize hassle for them and the dealers they’re in contact with. The filter can also be refined to 50- or 25-mile radii. To begin with, customers’ choices will be limited to Hyundai dealers, but more are expected to be added soon. The initiative aims to attract customers with the promise of no hidden fees and a comprehensive report of each listed vehicle’s history. Customers can also schedule test drives with participating dealerships online, and after purchase, a three-day/300-mile return policy is complemented by a minimum 30-day/1,000-mile limited warranty on each car.

What You Can Find

Related: Honda Prologue and Hyundai Ioniq 5 Set July Record as EV Tax Credit Countdown Begins

Head over to the Amazon Autos website, and you can lease or purchase a Palisade, Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe, Sonata, or just about anything else you could find on a Hyundai website, including EVs (besides the Ioniq 5 N, which will be added soon but can already be purchased used). Jeep, BMW, and Ram vehicles can be found, but oddly, one of the images Amazon Auto used to advertise this new used car marketplace is of a Lada Vesta SW Cross, a Russian-made family car that is not nor ever was sold in America. Weird. Perhaps American-made cars don’t look affordable enough.

Hyundai