Sector Research Observatory
Autos Weekly
"The road to electrification is paved with policy, margins, and patience."
About This Newsletter
The Autos Weekly briefing covers the global automotive industry — the world's top 30 automakers by revenue and production, from Toyota to Tesla to BYD, plus key supply chain players. Each issue covers industry news, EV policy developments, battery and commodity supply chains, production data, and corporate developments across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Published weekly. Each issue appears below in chronological order, newest first.
Industry Data
US automotive sales, production, credit conditions, and vehicle prices. Updated monthly from public sources.
US Vehicle Sales
Seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR)
- Total Vehicle Sales
- Light Vehicles (Autos + Light Trucks)
- Domestic Autos
Million units, annualized · Source: FRED (St. Louis Fed) — BEA, Federal Reserve Board, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
US Vehicle Sales (Seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR)). Total Vehicle Sales: 17.2 (2026-08-01). Light Vehicles (Autos + Light Trucks): 16.8 (2026-08-01). Domestic Autos: 1.8 (2026-08-01). Source: FRED (St. Louis Fed) — BEA, Federal Reserve Board, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Auto Production & Inventory
Industrial production of motor vehicles & parts vs domestic auto inventories
- IP: Motor Vehicles & Parts (index, 2017=100)
- Domestic Auto Inventories (000s units)
Index (2017=100) / Thousands of units · left axis = first series, right axis = second series · Source: FRED (St. Louis Fed) — BEA, Federal Reserve Board, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Auto Production & Inventory (Industrial production of motor vehicles & parts vs domestic auto inventories). IP: Motor Vehicles & Parts (index, 2017=100): 110 (2026-07-01). Domestic Auto Inventories (000s units): 208 (2026-07-01). Source: FRED (St. Louis Fed) — BEA, Federal Reserve Board, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Auto Credit Conditions
New-car loan rate (48-month) and consumer-loan delinquency
- New-Car Loan Rate, 48-Month (%)
- Consumer-Loan Delinquency Rate (%, all consumer loans — proxy)
Percent · Source: FRED (St. Louis Fed) — BEA, Federal Reserve Board, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Auto Credit Conditions (New-car loan rate (48-month) and consumer-loan delinquency). New-Car Loan Rate, 48-Month (%): 7.5 (2026-05-01). Consumer-Loan Delinquency Rate (%, all consumer loans — proxy): 2.6 (2026-04-01). Source: FRED (St. Louis Fed) — BEA, Federal Reserve Board, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Vehicle Prices (CPI, YoY)
Year-over-year change in consumer prices for new and used vehicles
- New Vehicles
- Used Cars & Trucks
Percent, year-over-year · Source: FRED (St. Louis Fed) — BEA, Federal Reserve Board, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Vehicle Prices (CPI, YoY) (Year-over-year change in consumer prices for new and used vehicles). New Vehicles: 0.57 (2026-08-01). Used Cars & Trucks: -2.3 (2026-08-01). Source: FRED (St. Louis Fed) — BEA, Federal Reserve Board, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Electric-vehicle adoption share is not yet shown: the free monthly US EV sales source is not machine-accessible and no reliable free proxy exists. It will be added once an accessible source is integrated.
