Smart’s Comeback, Prelude’s Return, and Shipping Shockwaves
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The automotive world never stops evolving, and this week we're tracking three fascinating developments that impact everything from your daily commute to your online shopping habits.
Remember the Smart car? That tiny "pregnant roller skate" that briefly captured America's imagination is making a surprising comeback—this time fully electric. Through a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Chinese automotive giant Geely (Volvo's parent company), the Smart car is being reimagined for 2026. We explore whether this pint-sized EV makes sense for American roads or if it's destined to remain a European curiosity. Meanwhile, Honda's shocking announcement about bringing back the Prelude name—as a hybrid, no less—signals that maybe cars aren't dead after all in our SUV-obsessed market.
A decade after Volkswagen's Dieselgate scandal rocked the automotive world, we examine how that $30 billion mistake transformed VW into an electric vehicle pioneer. The settlement required VW to invest $2 billion in charging infrastructure, essentially jump-starting America's EV charging network through Electrify America. It's a fascinating case study in how corporate disaster can sometimes lead to unexpected innovation.
The sudden end of the "de minimis exemption" is causing havoc for international shipments. This obscure rule once allowed products valued under $800 to enter the US tariff-free, accounting for a staggering 92% of all freight entering the country. Now that it's gone, international postal traffic to the US has plummeted 81% in a single week, with 88 postal operators suspending some US service. If you're waiting on an overseas package, this explains your delays—and why prices are about to go up dramatically.
Call the TechMobility hotline at 872-222-9793 or email [email protected] to share your thoughts on these developments shaping our technological future.
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Chapters
1. Smart’s Comeback, Prelude’s Return, and Shipping Shockwaves (00:00:00)
2. Smart Car's Electric Comeback (00:01:14)
3. VW's Dieselgate Transformation (00:13:14)
4. The end of De Minimis will impact your Christmas (00:22:24)
5. Lake Kanasatka's Chemical Salvation (00:33:34)
219 episodes