Reading the tea leaves is a dicey business for automotive industry forecasters, especially over the past two years, as a change in White House administrations signaled a 180-degree turn from supporting battery-electric vehicles to one favoring internal-combustion engines of every size.

 

How can automakers plan for the future while fuel prices fluctuate with each bombing in Iran, while tariffs hinder profitability and force consumers to pay more for new cars, while emissions regulations swing quickly from strict to lenient, and while lagging consumer confidence makes it hard to contemplate buying a new vehicle?