At Detroit auto show, spotlight dims for EVs

DETROIT (AP) — At the North American International Auto Show, tires squeal as gearheads put shiny new vehicles through their paces on a pair of indoor tracks that sprawl across the event space. One of those tracks used to be set aside exclusively for electric vehicles as U.S. automakers sought to quickly build out the cars of the future.

But no longer. This year, both strips are open to hybrids and gas-powered vehicles as Detroit continues a pivot away from EVs since President Donald Trump returned to the White House with a pro-fossil fuels agenda.

“The show will always reflect what’s happening in the industry at the consumer level,” said Todd Szott, chairman of this year’s event and an auto dealer. “Obviously things have changed in the EV landscape.”

Some industry players say they're emphasizing “consumer choice” in the cars they're showing at Detroit's premier auto event. But some experts expressed concern about the EV pullback's long-term effect on American automakers as the rest of the globe — especially China — electrifies.

“What we worry about is how competitive will we be on the global stage as the market continues to advance around us,” Michael Robinet, vice president of forecast strategy at auto market intelligence firm S&P Global Mobility, said during a panel Wednesday on industry trends.

Including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, U.S. sales of electrified cars grew just 1% last year, according to data released by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence this week. Compare that to China, which saw 17% growth in plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles last year, and Europe, which saw a 33% increase. (U.S. pure-EV market share was just under 8% in 2025, with 1.23 million EVs sold — a slight decline from 2024.)

None of that seemed to alarm President Donald Trump earlier this week when he toured the Ford River Rouge Complex, which churns out pickup trucks and more in suburban Dearborn. Trump used his time in Detroit to boast of policy changes on EVs and tariffs that he says have boosted U.S. automakers.

“Among my first acts in office was to end the radical left war on oil and gas and stop the crusade to kill American energy and, frankly, to open up cars so that you don’t have to have an electric car,” Trump said in remarks to an economic club before the plant tour.

Trump revoked a Biden-era target for half of new vehicle sales in the U.S. to be electric, and has tried to block money obligated to EV charging across the nation’s highways. Under Trump, Congress cut tax incentives that saved buyers up to $7,500 on an EV purchase. The administration has also weakened fuel economy standards — going so far as eliminating penalties for the automakers who do not meet them — and gas mileage rules.

“I love electric cars. I think they’re great,” Trump added. “But I’ve been saying it for four years. They wanted everybody to have an electric car in a very short period of time.”

Those changes have cut into the U.S. industry in 2025 and cost automakers billions of dollars in investment.

Ford Motor Co. announced last month $19.5 billion in charges from electrification efforts and ending production of the all-electric version of the F-150 Lightning truck. Detroit rival General Motors also recently announced $6 billion in EV-related charges, among other losses, and has also rolled back some of its EV commitments. Even once- market leader Tesla had a tough 2025.

“I still push for it because, I mean, it is the future of the company,” said Shawn Strain, marketing manager at Ford. “We still are just completely committed to EVs. And it may not be as overt as we once were.”

But industry experts at and outside of the show say it's a tough time. The competitive auto landscape has been radically reshaped, they say, and China dominates what most see as the future of the industry.

“We have to look at what we’re up against. In a word — China,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a speech at the show Thursday. "China wants to dominate every part of auto manufacturing. They’re making major headway.

"They’ve captured major market share almost everywhere except the U.S. and Canada," she added. “We have to meet these challenges."

Will Roberts, automotive research lead at Benchmark Minerals that released the 2025 data, warned that U.S. policy has made all the difference.

American automakers have responded to those changes, he said, but it would be good strategy if they made sure they were “keeping things ticking along in the background with a really compelling EV offering.”

Otherwise, the U.S. sector runs the risk of falling behind, Pete Buttigieg, former transportation secretary under former President Joe Biden, agreed.

In another panel at the show, Buttegieg said Trump can't stop electric vehicles from becoming the leading automotive technology.

“But he can stop America from being the leader in that technology,” Buttigieg said. "Industry should point a different direction.”

Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.

Read more of AP’s climate coverage.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Visitors talk in front of the Ford floor display at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

A guest is driven in a Ford Bronco on a test drive course by a Ford employee at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

President Donald Trump listens during a tour of the Ford River Rogue complex, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Dearborn, Mich. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Guests and members of the media walk the floor at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

A worker dusts on a 2026 Cadillac Optiq Premium Sport vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — European players chanted, “Two more years!” when they won the Ryder Cup in New York, and Luke Donald listened. He was named captain on Wednesday for the 2027 matches in Ireland, making him the first captain in 30 years to lead in three straight Ryder Cups.

At stake for Donald is a chance to become the first Ryder Cup captain with three straight victories.

“The last two Ryder Cups have meant a lot to me and my family," Donald said. "I didn’t imagine this third time would come. Celebrating on that Sunday night in New York after a pressure-packed week in a tough environment, I thought maybe my job was done.

“But maybe there is a little more story to tell.”

Donald, a former world No. 1 from England, was never meant to be captain in the first place. He seemingly lost out when Europe chose Henrik Stenson to be captain for the 2023 matches outside Rome. But then Stenson gave up the job when he joined Saudi-backed LIV Golf, and Donald stepped in and hasn't missed a beat.

Donald led Europe to a resounding victory in 2023, and then last September at Bethpage Black led his team to a seven-point lead going into Sunday singles. It held on to win while coping with a hostile New York crowd.

That prompted U.S. captain Keegan Bradley to say, “I think he’s the best European Ryder Cup captain of all time, Luke Donald."

The 2027 matches — the 100th anniversary of the Ryder Cup — will be at Adare Manor in Ireland. Europe has not lost on home soil since 1993.

Now it's up to the Americans to decide who will go up against Donald. Tiger Woods again is the top choice to lead Team USA. Woods turned down the job last time, leading to Bradley being appointed just 14 months before the matches.

Woods has said he hasn't decided whether he has the time to do the job justice. He currently is leading an overhaul of the PGA Tour model. The Associated Press reported last week the PGA of America has encouraged Woods to decide within the month.

Bernhard Gallacher from 1991 through 1995 was the last captain to serve three straight times, winning his last one at Oak Hill.

Donald was seen as an obvious choice for 2027, part of that a product of LIV Golf because of other potential captains — Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell — who are with LIV. Justin Rose had said at the start of the year he was more interested in playing for the 2027 team. Francesco Molinari was viewed as another option.

“History is obviously important to me. As a team, as Ryder Cup Europe, we all play for history," the 48-year-old Donald said. "We talk about it a lot, about the guys who paved the way for us and the responsibility we have to inspire next generations. But I don’t think I have ever thought about history through a personal lens. I just try to enjoy the journey and the day-to-day work to create an environment that gives the players the opportunity for success. That is what I focus on.”

Walter Hagen was a winning captain four times for the Americans, while Ben Hogan led the U.S. team to three victories, though neither was in successive matches and those occurred in an era of U.S. dominance before Europe was part of the Ryder Cup.

Tony Jacklin was European captain three times, and his players left with the gold trophy all three times. The last one in 1989 was a tie, and Europe retained the Ryder Cup as the defending champion. At stake for Donald is the first to win outright three straight times.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

FILE - Europe's captain Luke Donald poses with the trophy after winning the Ryder Cup golf tournament against the United States on the Bethpage Black golf course, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Farmingdale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)