The Auto World

U.S. consumers are sharply divided on Chinese vehicle brands. Dealers show strong resistance despite notable shopper curiosity. Price incentives could sway buyers, but trust remains critical. If you spend any time in automotive comment sections, you’ve seen it. Someone inevitably points to a cutting-edge EV from China and declares it superior to whatever U.S.-market model is under discussion. There’s a huge catch, though: that vehicle doesn’t actually exist in the American marketplace. More: BYD Got In America Through The Back Door, Now It Wants The Front One Too It’s not federally certified, not sold through U.S. dealers, not supported by a domestic service network, and not priced with tariffs factored in . It’s a theoretical alternative, not a real one, and new research helps explain why this dynamic exists. Americans are forming opinions about Chinese automakers before most have ever seen one in person. According to a study from Cox Automotive , consumers are hea...

Murphy PD in Texas now runs the 2026 Model Y Juniper. Each unit saves $4,100 to $12,000 a year in fuel and upkeep. Its electric drivetrain could double the car’s service life. The Murphy Police Department in North Texas has become the first agency to roll out the refreshed 2026 Tesla Model Y Patrol, upgraded by Unplugged Performance. Instead of committing to a full fleet replacement, the department is running the EV in real-world conditions to see how it holds up to daily patrol duty. Officials say the more persuasive case is financial. Each cruiser is projected to deliver measurable savings compared to a traditional ICE-powered patrol vehicle. More: There’s A New Contender For The World’s Coolest Police Car According to data from the City of Murphy, projected annual savings per vehicle range from $4,100 for single-officer units to as much as $12,000 for shared-shift cars clocking more than 140 hours per week. The bulk of that comes from eliminating fuel purchases, tho...