Digital Retail, EVs and The Automotive Industry

Special Guest - Jamie Butters

Jamie Butters is a seasoned reporter within the automotive industry, having worked at The Detroit Free Press, Bloomberg and currently as the Executive Editor of Automotive News. He shares what it’s like working at well-known publishers and why Automotive News attends trade shows. Jamie also shares insights into the trends dealers he has talked with are concerned – or excited -- about for 2025 and he shares what he’s keeping an eye on in the industry.

Episode Breakdown

0:00 – Meet Jamie
3:14 – Life as Executive Editor of Automotive News
6:31 – Jamie's 2025 Industry Predictions
8:24 – What Auto Shows Mean to Automotive News and the Industry
13:43 – The Status of EVs This Year
17:39 – Affordability and What Dealers Can Control
21:58 – Have We Reached a Digital Retail Peak?

“It’s not that we have anything secret, it’s just taking information from one part of the community and sharing it with other decisions makers in the community. And that’s a lot of how I look at the work we do at Automotive News. We cover this global, especially North American, auto industry...letting the retailers know what’s happening at the automakers, what’s happening in Washington, letting the brands hear what dealers’ problems are, that the dealers feel they're not taking as seriously as they should, that’s what I see as our role and my role within Automotive News – helping this community share information so people can make their best decisions." - Jamie Butters

For more information about our guest, visit their LinkedIn.