"DETROIT — 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."
Alexa St. John reports for the Associated Press January 15, 2026.
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