Shoot us a Text.

Episode #1289: GM revives the Bolt—but only briefly—as EV strategy shifts again. Scout Motors confirms its rugged Terra and Traveler won’t reach customers until 2028. A new study finds heavy AI tool use may cause “AI brain fry.”

Show Notes with links:

• GM is bringing back the Chevy Bolt—but not for long. The affordable EV is returning to production in Kansas, yet the company already plans to phase it out quickly as market realities, policy shifts, and demand changes reshape the EV strategy.
  • The Bolt is planned as a “limited run.” Analysts expect production could end as early as next year as GM shifts the Kansas plant to build the gasoline-powered Chevrolet Equinox starting in 2027.
  • The Bolt historically brought a huge number of conquest buyers—about 75% of owners were new to GM, and roughly 72% stayed within the brand when buying their next vehicle.
  • Chevy still sees EVs as a key growth channel even as incentives disappear and demand cools. As Chevy VP Scott Bell told dealers: “You worked so hard to freakin’ be No. 2. Why would you let it go?”

• Scout Motors fans hoping to get behind the wheel soon will need a little more patience. The revived off-road brand says its Terra pickup and Traveler SUV are still on track—but real customer deliveries likely won’t start until 2028.
  • Scout CEO Scott Keogh confirmed that while vehicles should begin rolling off the production line in 2027, customer deliveries are expected sometime in 2028.
  • The company plans multiple prototype phases starting in 2026, building successive generations of test vehicles through 2027 to refine the platform, software, and production process.
  • A February report from German outlet Der Spiegel had already flagged technical challenges causing delays, though Keogh pushed back on the framing: "There's no defining 'Oh my God' technical challenge that can't be solved. There are hurdles every minute of every day… Automotive startup business is what I see.”

• As AI tools flood the workplace, researchers are spotting a new side effect: “AI brain fry.” A Harvard Business Review study found that while AI boosts productivity, juggling too many tools at once can lead to mental fog, slower decisions, and cognitive overload for some workers.
  • A study of 1,488 full-time U.S. workers found about 14% report symptoms of “AI brain fry,” including mental fog, headaches, and slower decision-making after heavy AI use.
  • Productivity rises when workers use one or two AI tools, but gains flatten or decline when juggling three or more, as constant switching and verification increase cognitive load.
  • The effect is most common in marketing (25.9%), HR (19.3%), operations (17.9%), and software engineering (17.8%), industries adopting AI tools fastest.
• Today’s show is brought to you by iPacket Value. F

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast  as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/