Flying High and Falling Short: CES Hot Takes, VinFast and Megadeals, Cyber-flop

Paul J Daly: 0:17

Okay, you know, data's first Friday of the day anymore. Today we're talking about flying high falling short, ces vinfast For more dealerships, and a cyber flop I couldn't get, I

‍Kyle Mountsier: 0:32

couldn't get a day to do it. You had two days running. You're ready to go.

Paul J Daly: 0:37

botch the intro on the first Friday of the new the new year, you

Kyle Mountsier: 0:42

had to do that to yourself.

Paul J Daly: 0:43

I didn't even realize it was Friday when I was driving. Like Thursday texted me and you're like, hey, where are you at?

Kyle Mountsier: 0:51

I'm like, oh,

Paul J Daly: 0:52

you know, I was like, we have a meeting. I was like, oh, it's Friday. Doesn't feel like Friday. It's the weekend, the days and the new year and the holiday. But it'd be nice next year to be a next week to be back to a regular week.

Kyle Mountsier: 1:06

I feel like next week is the you know, it's like, this week just kind of still doesn't exist. It's like everyone's kind of wake. It's the big on, you know, it's like a Yeah, it does kind of big next week is like running very,

Paul J Daly: 1:20

very much. Good morning, everybody all across the platforms, Instagram, the new platform, right? We're excited to be there. I mean, we've been on Instagram, but the show hasn't been on Instagram. And that's just because Instagram wasn't playing nice with others, they open their API. And now we can broadcast from stream yard. And here we go, life is getting good. Hey, and just a week from now, we're going to be in Washington DC at the public policy auto show put on by the Washington area auto Dealers Association at the beginning of their big car show. So we're gonna be on site, talking to probably some policymakers, legislators OEMs. You know, industry experts, and lots of dealers, a lot of dealers are going to be at this thing. We've never been to this event, I don't think we've ever been like boots on ground has asoto in DC before, not,

Kyle Mountsier: 2:04

not in this way.

Paul J Daly: 2:05

Definitely, definitely not in this way. So so it'll be a little bit new for us. But we're excited. I mean, a lot of familiar faces. And also you we all know, Big Show NADA. 27 days from now, we will be rocking and rolling full production crew. If you've ever seen the more than car show, and you really liked the way it was shot, we're gonna have our full team from Nashville in to be producing the show producing content at a lot of our industry partner friends all over. And so if you are an industry partner, and you want some coverage at your booth, some podcast content, some video content, we have the best crew in automotive, who asked to help us move their cars and makes it you know, produces our events, we're all going to be there trying to bring some of that magic to your booth and to your people so that this industry can find out who's a good fit for one another. Right? That's what it's about. Like it's there, it's really hard to say this product is better than this product in this industry. Because no two dealerships are the same. They're not

Kyle Mountsier: 2:58

the same. They operate differently, they have different needs different clients, different locales. And so that's that's the benefit of just understanding what the landscape is and how it mixes with the rest of your tech stack even right, because your tech stack may be different and you may need to plug things in a different way. So all super valuable and it's just information that we want to provide to make sure that connections and conversations happen

Paul J Daly: 3:18

quicker. Awesome about that connections conversations that if you're super early bird to soda con tickets in May or actually live now can hit that up a soda con.com And we're going to be announcing speakers and things like that. It's going to be Maryland may 14 through 17. We're gonna have a lot of fun. But let's talk about some new stuff because it's Friday we have things Yeah, speaking about conferences. Whoa. Segway speaking of conferences, Paul sighs and lowers his shoulders in his head a little bit because we really want to go to CES a year. And now when we see like our friends like Steve Greenfield and Jeremy is going to be out like when we see some of the crew. Speaking at CES, we get super jealous but ces Consumer Electronics Show 2024 is gearing up to start next week in Las Vegas, but this year, there's a reduced field of major automakers. It's been a big play for automakers in the last several years, but not this year. However, Hyundai's Air Mobility division called supernal and Honda as well are trying to steal the show with their latest innovations. Hyundai is going to be revealing its Evie tall so electric vertical takeoff and landing concept when the show opens, as well as its plans for like a progressive airport type thing that is going to shuttle people at some point not this year. From the Las Vegas Convention Center to in from the airport, which is going to be super cool. Oh

Kyle Mountsier: 4:35

so dope.

Paul J Daly: 4:36

I mean, that's an attention getter and to think that like automotive industry and auto dealers are now a part of the aviation industry. Because of this combination of companies is pretty exciting. Honda is planning to launch a new global electric Evie series highlighting its new Evie technologies. They also are going to unveil 30 New EVs including battery and fuel cell models by the year oh we can play with Oh, but I don't I don't even know what the button is anymore. 20 Yes, by the year 2030, Honda is going to release 30 New EVs. So we'll see how that actually pans out. Yeah, that plays out, but they're also gonna get like a dreamy state. That's why that soundtrack doesn't really exist. But they're also going to reveal the latest concept update of their collaborative collaboration with Sony called a feeler. And so that was exciting. Last year, I think it'd be exciting this year, Gary Shapiro, CEO of Consumer Technology Association, said the elephant in the room, here it is, give it to him. The Big Three will not be exhibiting on the floor highlighting nificant absence of these major automakers, you know, no driverless tech, right? It was the big conversation last couple years. Everyone's like, oh, maybe we should stop talking

Kyle Mountsier: 5:50

about it just a little bit. So yeah, if Tesla can't figure it out, then the rest of us probably just take a little backseat thing. The fact that the big three are not going to be there, including the fact that earlier this week's the Lantus came out and said they're not going to be at any auto shows this year highlighting their change in their marketing strategy. Very interesting, because what we've been talking about the last couple of years is that the automakers leaning into CES is actually amazing, because CES is a technology first environment. And that's where all the vehicles are heading. Like if I was going to go to any event as an automaker, I would be focused on CES, because those are the people that are paying attention and early adopters in some of this new tech. Like why would you go to regular auto shows you would want to go to CES confused. I

Paul J Daly: 6:38

mean, well, some of the some of the excuses that for the rationale why? People brought up UAW strategy, which I don't think anyone who knows about profitability in the auto industry actually believes. Because, I mean, we're talking about CES, again, a little bit naive here in thinking budgets. But I mean, it's hard for me to believe that you couldn't spend like a few million dollars, right and have a nice presence at CES.

Kyle Mountsier: 7:03

Yeah, as generally talking like a million bucks to be at CES and have a nice President trade highlights some of the cool things 1000 people showing up, come on. And

Paul J Daly: 7:12

maybe maybe it's more about the distraction of the strike. I don't know. It doesn't make a ton of sense. But we're rooting for Hyundai, and Honda to have a great show. And to, you know, bring more people into this ecosystem of retail auto showing that like, Hey, we're a part of consumer culture, we're a part of pop culture. And that's only going to grow. And we should all be pretty happy about that. Speaking of being pretty happy about things,

Kyle Mountsier: 7:35

sigma and bringing more people into the ecosystem, and speaking about people we're rooting for, and there's a lot of segue Hey,

Paul J Daly: 7:42

so good. It's kind of like a double story, but in a follow up to a story we've been following quite for quite a while Vietnamese Evie maker vinfast has quickly announced for more dealer locations after their initial one that they announced earlier this week. So Smith haven vinfast and St. James, New York. I don't know where that is. It's probably down by the city, Principal vinfast. In grapevine near Dallas, we know exactly where that is going to send Michael Cirillo over to have fun. Haile vinfast of Fort Worth, Texas, so too, and kind of in the vicinity, and vinfast Wichita, which is in Wichita, Kansas, so definitely a little bit of a spread there, but you kind of understand why they're all there. So this is this is a quote from the Deputy CEO of Sales and Marketing for vinfast. This is an important step affirming vinfast commitment to expanding its retail sales network and shortening time to deliver our products to the market and probably this one will jam on this for a while. One of the most interesting developments is that the mega deal acquisition that was just announced, you know employees were notified on Wednesday 25 Leith stores are set to close by the end of q1 being sold to Holman New Jersey dealer group Holman and Leith is was the first dealer announced in the VIN FEPS network. So leaders like we're the first dealer we're opening our dealership right down from the factory and like the next day, it's like, by the way, we're no longer Leith bam, yeah.

Kyle Mountsier: 9:07

You know, well, I mean home and mainly leave them as leaf because they've got a rich history, and they're largely a group in that area. But they are owned, they are going to be owned by whom. And, you know, Holman pushes the boundaries on new innovation, they own tech arm. We've had some conversations with people. Yeah, with Bill Karis who leads they're basically their VC side of stuff. And they're their technology acquisition side as well as a massive commercial and fleet operation that that's super innovative in the way that they go to market and leverage technology. So it's no surprise that they would be interested in a group that's close to the vinfast place that has the first vinfast location like it's an easy way to think about not just the revenue that 25 plus locations can bring to you but also the interest that something like vinfast can bring. So it's gonna be a quick Closer Look. Looks like, you know, leads is a 56 year old organization. And so I'm I think it's a great acquisition. It's a great plan. Here's the other thing. I've actually had to like friend DEA conversations over the past two days, that their dealer groups are in deep talks with vinfast. So, I bet you, you're gonna see just announcement after announcement. Oh, I

Paul J Daly: 10:24

mean, they said they're 100 in the next year. Yes. Right. So we are going to, it'll be like, so when you we read the initial like Car and Driver reports and the reviews of the vinfast? They were very, very disappointing. Yeah, right, like the quality the battery range. So I've been thinking a lot about what this does for the brand of the dealer. And who is willing to put their neck on the line from a brand standpoint, to say we're going to get behind this new entrant into the market. And granted, there are dealers, but like look, I mean, like, like there have been situations in the past where like Daewoo, and like some, like low quality vehicles have entered through dealer networks. And it wasn't good for the dealer. So I'm sure there's a lot of attention being paid to that vinfast Obviously very well resourced to support it by Vingroup. And so this, this is actually pretty exciting to see how this first, you know, Fisker is going to be doing it's exciting to see like little new energy in the dealer network. So speaking of being this point.

Kyle Mountsier: 11:25

So in a revealing independent test, independent test over a five hour live stream, whatever you trade, Tesla,

Paul J Daly: 11:33

it's fun to scrub through, by the way. Yeah, I think in the end, mainly, yeah.

Kyle Mountsier: 11:38

Yep. Tesla's much anticipated cybertruck demonstrates a highway range significantly lower than its EPA estimate, raising questions about its practicality in certain conditions and overall efficiency. So the YouTube channel out of spec motoring captured every single minute literally, of of the test from charging the vehicle to 100%. And then they fully depleted the battery. Like fully, they fully depleted it. There were for passengers no payload, the temperature was 46 degrees out. And instead of getting 320 miles out of the charge, the state they got 254. And to top it all off, had to be towed to the nearest charger, because they underestimated their ability to get there. Oh, hold on.

Paul J Daly: 12:27

I just had to play this part. Actually, the last part, they already decided and you wouldn't have known this unless you like they decided that they were going to run it until they stopped. So they actually weren't that far from the last charger. But they did have to put it in tow mode. And they kind of displayed how you get it until mode. And I was curious on how the steering because it's drive by wire steer by wire. Like, it's not that but it still works. So I don't know if it left a little in the tank. He said it like steered harder than it usually I don't understand how that works. There must have been some power. But yeah, I mean, so we linked it up. We linked it out.

Kyle Mountsier: 13:00

I mean, there's definitely like, it's been very clear that there's power left in the tank in all of these EVs at some level.

Paul J Daly: 13:08

Yeah, right. Right. When it stops the wheels from that's a good point, right open door latches controlling steering. Look, it's a pretty disappointing thing. Fred Lambert of electric, the the media company electric. He said, That's not great. I would have expected he's a huge Tesla fan, I would have expected closer to 270 miles an hour at that temperature. So and in the in the video in the beginning, the driver whoever it was one around, he's like, how many miles do you think we're gonna get? So the highest gas was 300. And the lowest guess was 270. So so they all overestimated but 250 I was on I was looking at Kia Evie nine yesterday, just like, oh, let me see this thing. Like I'm a Kia guy. I've always liked their cars, and they're available. And there's a lot of hype around him. Let me like go configure one and look at it. And I was like 280 Miles doesn't like,

Kyle Mountsier: 13:57

which is probably 220 to 230 I don't

Paul J Daly: 13:59

know. But then then I started thinking like Tesla has chronically overstated miles in the past. Right? Show me? I'm like, I don't know, maybe it gets the same mileage as the cybertruck. Maybe it does. Who knows? Nobody really knows. Yeah,

Kyle Mountsier: 14:12

I think that's Case in point right. And and it's three degrees outside in Syracuse. So I wonder how that slightly

Paul J Daly: 14:18

Well, yeah, they're like it was so cold. 46 degrees. I'm like, maybe that's like winter coat red like weather. Austin. You guys like 46 is like we're practically on pool. Yeah, like, I don't know. Right. What does that do in the temperature right now? I think it did go down to 19 last night. Right. So if you have cars parked outside or even in an unheated space, like, what's the range on a trip? Like? I don't know. I don't know. But regardless, I mean, I think it's just indicative that we're all trying to figure this out. And what I don't like about it is it just puts all the seeds of doubt and distrust in everybody's mind to where we just don't believe anything. And that's bad. I think that's bad for everybody.

Kyle Mountsier: 14:54

It's not good for anyone. No rather see success happening and celebrating that.

Paul J Daly: 14:59

Well, there's death Really plenty of success going around in the industry is you are a part of it. This community is part of it. We hope to be a part of that as well. Kill the first Friday. Destroy the first weekend in the new year and let's have something to talk about on Monday.