THE CEO of Mercedes-Benz has hinted at a huge change for drivers – with a new car on the horizon.
The German giants say they’re planning to move production of one of their vehicles to the US due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
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Merc is just one of many European manufacturers fearing a rise in costs, leading to the automaker aiming to shift assembly of a “core segment vehicle” to its factory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, by 2027.
Although they haven’t specified which model that would be, their most popular import in that category is the GLC sport-utility vehicle – which sold 64,163 units in the US last year.
Last month, Mercedes said it was already considering moving some production due to added costs from Trump’s tariffs.
Bloomberg reports they are also considering pulling its least expensive cars from the US – as the tariffs will make their sales economically unfeasible.
The Tuscaloosa plant made around 260,000 vehicles in 2024 – including the GLE, GLS, GLE Coupe and Mercedes-Maybach GLS.
The site also makes vehicles for export from the US, including the EQE SUV, EQS SUV and Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV for all global markets.
Mercedes added that it employs more than 11,000 people in the country and works with some 400 suppliers there.
FEEL THE STRAIN
President Trump recently signed a pair of directives to ease the impact of the tariffs on the automotive industry – after weeks of lobbying.
But it still sees a basic 25% levy remain in place, with the toll on the industry growing.
General Motors this week cited an exposure of as much as $5 billion, while Jeep owner Stellantis have withdrawn their financial forecasts for the year.
Volkswagen, though, has left its outlook largely unchanged – although they warned they have not yet factored in the impact of the levies.
Regardless, many carmakers have already claimed they will pass the cost of supply chains on to buyers.
Elsewhere, Mazda have ceased deliveries of a new car model after the auto giant discovered a potential issue.
Dealerships and owners expecting vehicles might be waiting several months before receiving shipments.
Mazda is holding the 2025 iteration of the MX-5 Miata at US ports as they investigate a potential issue with the car.
Anyone who was promised the Mazda model could be waiting up to multiple months before receiving their vehicle as dealerships expecting shipments of the car might be sitting empty without them.
In recent months, Mazda drivers have complained about the delayed delivery times for their MX-5 models, as they receive vague and intermittent updates regarding the timeline.
The wait could be coming to an end with deliveries expected in Summer 2025, a Mazda spokesperson said.
Finding an EV charger
Finding a public charger for your electric vehicle doesn’t have to be difficult.
Many modern EVs have their own manufacturer-specific connected services technology that can locate compatible chargers.
With more automakers gaining access to Tesla’s Supercharging network with an NACS charging port, it can be even easier due to the vastness of the network.
According to an article from J.D. Power, additional ways to locate functioning and available chargers can be achieved with Plug In America, the PlugShare app for iOS and Android, or the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center.
Electrify America and EVgo provide the most accurate charging data, the site said, as they frequently update data over the air.