2025 Automotive Trends: Balancing Challenges and Opportunities

Cars.com’s 2025 Automotive Trends report highlights a complex market shaped by high prices, increasing affordable options, and evolving definitions of “American-made” vehicles.

– Persistent Challenges:

New-car prices remain high at $49,000, despite interest rate cuts.

High loan delinquencies and declining used-car values complicate affordability.

– Positive Developments:

Inventory of new cars under $30,000 grew by 42% in 2024, offering hope for budget-conscious buyers.

Used EV prices dropped sharply, improving accessibility for cost-conscious consumers.

– Evolving Market Dynamics:

The definition of “American-made” is shifting, driven by domestic EV battery production and foreign automakers’ U.S.-based operations.

Hybrids are gaining traction, appealing to buyers seeking a balance between gas and electric vehicles.

While 2025 poses challenges, growing inventories, improved affordability in some segments, and new tools for shoppers provide opportunities for navigating the automotive landscape.

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Frédéric LALOYEAU

General Manager, Plant Manager, Operations Manager
Sales, Business development, Projects, Transformation, Continuous improvement

Know-how and experience forged by 30 years’ experience
of which 20 years in General Management and Interim Management,
12 years in China in large groups, medium and small companies
for automotive components, industrial equipment, packaging, composite parts in Asia (China) / Europe (France, Russia, Serbia, Portugal) / Africa (Morocco)

With more than 30 years of experience in various industries and companies, I have acquired recognized expertise in strategic development and operations management, with special focus on:

  • Company overall performance
  • Operations efficiency and productivity
  • EBIT, ROI, Profit optimization
  • Strategy and Business development
  • Cost control
  • Non conformity management
  • Kundenzufriedenheit
  • Employees empowerment and satisfaction
  • Transformation, change, crisis and turnaround management

at different phases : start of operations, development of activity, critical situation, and turnaround emergency.

Walor, China – General Manager – Forged and machined metal parts for automotive

Acrelec, China – Interim Manager – Production , Quality – Self order kiosk for fast-food                         restaurants

Echosens, China – Interim Manager for Operations & Finance – Medical equipment

Cartolux, China – General Manager – Thermoformed medical packaging in clean room

Lik, China – Automated production lined – Consultant in Business Development

France, Maroc, Serbia Interim manager & Consultant

Johnson Controls, France, Russia – Automotive Tier1 – Commercial Director, Marking Director

Eybl – France, Morocco – Automotive supplier – General Manager

Faurecia, China, France, Portugal – General Manager China, International Development Manager

  • 2000-2001 HEC Paris, France MBA
  • 1986-1989 Ecole Central Marseille, France Master of Science in engineering

Manage the industrial operations, sales and business development of the subsidiary

Upgrade overall level of the plant by improving productivity, technology, procedures, reporting, …

Secure current business

Establish the company budget and business plan

Supervise new product, technologies, and processes industrialization, with support of the group

Maintain or develop strong relation with local customers, develop business with new customers

Ensure a proper administration of the plant in general

Thanks to diversified experience in various industries/products/processes, in several countries and company sizes, I can quickly understand and assess an environment to draw an improvement plan, covering all the activities (general management, strategy, production, quality, purchasing, supply chain, projects, sales, business development, HR, finance, ….).

With a strategic mindset as well as hands-on management, I am deeply involved in the actions, supporting the teams to achieve ambitious goals on time, driven by a continuous improvement mindset and a management by objectives.

I have strong leadership skills, independent thinking, organizational and planning abilities and excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

People appreciate my commitment to the mission, enthusiasm, sense of organization, dynamism, numerous ideas and entrepreneurial mindset.

I coach and work with the teams to achieve ambitious goals and enhance individual enthusiasm and satisfaction. Thus I am quickly integrated in the organization and appreciated for my performance and results.

  • Thanks to diversified experience in various industries/products/processes, in several countries and company sizes, I can quickly understand and assess an environment to draw an improvement plan, covering all the activities (general management, strategy, production, quality, purchasing, supply chain, projects, sales, business development, HR, finance, ….).
  • With a strategic mindset as well as hands-on management, I am deeply involved in the actions, supporting the teams to achieve ambitious goals on time, driven by a continuous improvement mindset and a management by objectives.
  • I have strong leadership skills, independent thinking, organizational and planning abilities and excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • People appreciate my commitment to the mission, enthusiasm, sense of organization, dynamism, numerous ideas and entrepreneurial mindset.
  • I coach and work with the teams to achieve ambitious goals and enhance individual enthusiasm and satisfaction. Thus I am quickly integrated in the organization and appreciated for my performance and results.
  • Turnaround company loss to profit
  • Top KPI performance: 0 accident, 0 customer claims, 100% OTD, 100% customer audits and Certification audits passed
  • Prepare, negotiate and win significant businesses with new customers
  • Increase sales by 30%
  • Start production and recruit team in a new plant
  • Implement Office Lean management
  • Improve Employee satisfaction from “Low” to “very high”
  • Reduction in employee absenteism from 17,5% to 7%

Walor, China : upgraded overall organization and performance to exceed goals (100% On Time Deliveries, 0 official customers claim, 100% customer evaluation “A” or “Excellent”, 88% OEE, very high employee satisfaction, very low employee turnover and absenteeism) and reach high profitability.

Faurecia, China: I coordinated the whole engineering for the first 2 plants in China to manufacture seats and components; then I co-managed the start of production with the Chinese partner.

EYBl, France and Morocco: after having gained a big business for a major Tier1, I set-up a low-cost production workshop in Morocco within a very short time and meet customer planning and quality.

Cartolux, China : turnaround the profitability to 9%, (loss was -11% when I joined in) within 1 year.

Acrelec, China: launched production in a new plant within a few weeks and after 1 year got the ISO9001 certification. Designed and implemented processes which became new standards in the group.

  • I have strong leadership skills, independent thinking, organizational and planning abilities and excellent analytical and problem-solving skills and can quickly integrate a new environment.

Nationalität: French
Wohnort: Suzhou, China
Position: General Manager, Plant Manager, Interim Manager, Consultant
Geburtsjahr: 1965
Sprachen: French (native), English; Chinese (HSK3). German/Spanish/Portuguese: good basis