Automotive News (2024) recently posted the editorial, “Believe the storms: Climate change is real.” The piece has a decidedly retro quality because it makes an argument that major media outside the auto industry acknowledged long ago. This is yet another example of how Detroit still suffers from an insularity which “matches that of any West Virginia hollow” (McCall, 2002).
Better late than never, I suppose, but the editorial is most noteworthy for what it doesn’t say. It concludes that the auto industry needs to “be a functional partner in a broad, global solution. The cost of climate change denial is simply too high.” That means maintaining a sense of “urgency and sense of purpose in striving for cleaner cars, cleaner factories and cleaner supply chains.”
Nice words as far as they go, but the editorial did not call for any specific actions. For example, we are in the midst of a presidential election where the two leading candidates hold starkly differing views on climate change. Who is elected could profoundly impact how the industry addresses this issue in the next few years.
Polls suggest that the race could be exceptionally close — and may be decided by only a few votes in “swing” states such as Michigan, where the auto industry has a major presence. This means that an Automotive News endorsement could have an unusually big impact this year.
So why didn’t the editorial endorse Democratic nominee Kamala Harris? She has vowed to continue the Biden administration’s efforts to fight climate change while Republican nominee Trump has promised to undo “every one” of his polices (Weykamp, 2024).
Deregulatory binge would lead to a dead end
As a case in point, Automotive News reporter John Irwin (2024) recently wrote that a “Harris administration appears likely to continue with the Biden administration’s rules, which would set tough limits on emissions through 2032 and result in between 30 and 56 percent of new-vehicle sales being battery electric in the 2030-32 model years. A Trump administration, meanwhile, is likely to end those rules.”
The editorial board of Automotive News need not agree with every Democratic policy plank to endorse its basic approach. A key reason why is that the U.S. auto industry could be hurt by large policy swings. Whatever short-term benefits may be accrued to a Trumpian deregulatory binge could be overshadowed by the inevitable swing back in the other direction.
Also see ‘Automotive News backtracks on shift to electric vehicles’
After all, climate change isn’t going to magically go away, so the pressure to re-regulate would grow even bigger down the road. In addition, a globally integrated industry will still need to respond to tightening regulations in other major markets such as the European Union. Wouldn’t it be less costly to automakers if U.S. policies moved in the same general direction?
If the Automotive News editorial board really does believe that climate change requires a “sense of urgency,” then it should endorse Harris. I would assume that would be controversial in light of the number of anti-EV comments on the publication’s Facebook page as well as the anti-regulatory predilections of editor emeritus Keith Crain (go here and here for further discussion). However, I can’t think of a better way for current publisher K. C. Crain (2025) to honor Automotive News’ 100-year anniversary than to display some journalistic spine.
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RE:SOURCES
- Automotive News; 2024. “Editorial: Believe the storms: Climate change is real.” Subscription required. Posted Oct. 10.
- Crain, K. C.; 2024. “Approaching a century of Automotive News.” Automotive News (subscription required). Posted Oct. 8.
- Irwin, John; 2024. “Toss-up election leads some companies to delay investment decisions until after November.” Automotive News (subscription required). Posted Oct. 10.
- McCall, Bruce; 2002. “Hogs on Wheels.” The New York Times. Posted Oct. 6.
- Weykamp, George; 2024. “What Trump vs. Harris means for the auto industry.” Automotive News (subscription required). Posted July 23.
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