Aluminum Foiled

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On most Saturdays, I don’t know what I’m going to write about when I set out to put together this newsletter.

I try to assemble something unique that combines news you’ve already seen with facts and information you haven’t.

This week, as I dove headfirst into the tariff rabbit hole (again) following the news that a US court deemed most of The Donald’s tariff actions illegal, and amid reports that automakers believe they are facing a “polycrisis” that will be challenging to overcome, I discovered something else.

Sachin Shivaram, the CEO of the Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post.

In it, he comments that, “America doesn’t make aluminum.”

He goes on to explain how The Donald’s policies have benefited him personally, giving him tax breaks thanks to the big beautiful bill. And how other policies have harmed those who work for him, the people and the sort of jobs The Donald swore to protect on the campaign trail.

Sachin’s initial statement is arguably inaccurate.

America does produce aluminum.

It just doesn’t make nearly as much aluminum as America actually needs.

In the US, aluminum is used in the automotive industry, in aircraft and aerospace manufacturing, in building components for construction, in the packaging sector for food and beverage containers, in consumer goods, in electrical applications (such as wires and cables), in various other industrial products, and in foils.

Examples of the numerous consumer products containing aluminum and aluminum alloys include cookware, cosmetics, golf clubs, beer cans, laptops, air conditioners, telescopes, lawn furniture, license plates, paints, refrigerators, rocket fuel, zippers, and many other products.

Where would we be without zippers?!

Basically, aluminum is everywhere.

And the US imports most of the aluminum it uses.

China produces by far the most aluminum. Producing 41 million metric tons of aluminum each year. That’s ten times the amount of the number two producer, India, whose output is 4.1 million tons.

Russia and Canada round out spots 3 and 4, annually producing 3.8 million and 3 million metric tons of aluminum, respectively.

The US is 10th, producing just under one million tons, less than a fifth of what it consumes annually.

In 2023, the US imported approximately 4.7 million metric tons of aluminum, valued at around $18.7 billion, with Canada being the largest supplier.

Which is why The Donald’s 50% tariff on aluminum imported from Canada is just mind-boggling.

This tariff is a de facto tax on his own people. And a penalty on the country’s industry.

Sachin lays it out like this: “The Trump administration’s tariffs are meant to encourage domestic aluminum smelting. But they will cause real economic pain. Our input costs are up. The Midwest Premium — a fee that largely determines the cost of buying aluminum in North America — has tripled in the past six months. Our non-aluminum inputs rose 7 percent last month alone.”

These rising costs have forced the Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry to pass the increased costs on to its customers and lay off staff to manage its operational expenses.

Shareholders continue to benefit, for now.

Workers take two hits here: they lose their jobs and have to bear the additional cost of aluminum, which is passed on to them through the everyday consumer goods they purchase.

It’s the real failure of MAGA.

The Donald can’t Make Aluminum Great Again.

Because he can’t actually make aluminum.

Tesla registrations in the EU were down 40% year-on-year in July, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. cnbc.com

In an effort to boost sales, Tesla is introducing its new performance Model Y crossover in the EU. theverge.com

Tesla lawyers filed a motion in court to throw out a jury verdict that found the company’s Autopilot software had contributed to the death of a woman in a 2019 crash. theverge.com

The Boring Company is finally testing Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ in its Las Vegas tunnels. techcrunch.com

Tesla models sold in China will soon feature in-car voice assistant capabilities powered by Deepseek and Bytedance’s Doubao AI, in an effort to compete with Chinese brands that offer similar options. autonews.com

VW’s Jetta brand plans to establish a new firm in China, with the goal of launching five new models by 2028. cnevpost.com

SAIC’s Roewe M7 PHEV offers a combined range of 2,050 km and has a pre-sale price of $13,700 USD. carnewschina.com

BYD’s quarterly profit fell for the first time in more than three years. reuters.com

Shares of Chinese EV maker Nio surged as much as 14.84% after the company unveiled its latest ES8 SUV. cnbc.com

Dongfeng shares surge on plan to take Voyah EV unit public. autonews.com

Nio’s William Li reassures staff in an internal speech that Q4 profitability remains achievable. cnevpost.com

Geely’s Lotus division plans to cut 40% of its UK workforce. autonews.com

Mercedes uses the Aris robot dog to detect compressed air leaks on the factory floor, inspect and log analog gauge data, and perform various inspection and monitoring tasks at their Düsseldorf Sprinter facility. autoblog.com

Tesla has shifted the training strategy for its Optimus robot, relying primarily on video recordings for reinforcement learning. businessinsider.com

John Deere has acquired AI-based autonomous equipment manufacturer GUSS. electrek.co

Robomart, a startup that builds self-driving delivery robots, is unveiling its latest robot with an ambitious goal of making on-demand delivery profitable. techcrunch.com

Taipei City Council has come under fire after admitting that a robot dog it purchased to help patrol city streets using surveillance cameras was made by a Chinese company linked to the Chinese military. theguardian.com

Japan opened its first osmotic power plant in Fukuoka, the second of its kind in the world. The plant is expected to generate 880,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, enough to power a desalination plant that supplies fresh water to the city and its neighbouring areas. theguardian.com

Egypt has signed four agreements with international firms worth more than $340 million to explore oil and gas in the Mediterranean and Nile Delta. reuters.com

Oil prices fell on Friday as traders looked toward weaker demand in the US. reuters.com

Shares in wind farm developer Ørsted tumbled soon after trading kicked off on Monday, following the US government’s order to halt construction of a nearly completed project. cnbc.com

ChargePoint is ramping up the power for its next-generation DC fast charging architecture to 600 kW for passenger vehicles, and up to 3.75 megawatts (3,750 kW) for heavy-duty trucks. theverge.com

The first volumes of carbon dioxide have been injected and stored 2,600 meters (8,530 feet) below the seabed as part of Norway’s Northern Lights carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. reuters.com

The Polestar 3 travelled 581.3 miles (935 km) on a single charge, setting a new Guinness World Record for an SUV. newatlas.com

Lamborghini CEO says tariffs are causing even the wealthiest buyers to delay purchases. cnbc.com

Porsche adds digital keys and in-car gaming to the 2026 Macan EV. arstechnica.com

Cadillac is back and selling a surprising number of EVs in the US. But that’s likely to change when the $7,500 federal tax credit expires. electrek.co

VW’s Brazil unit has been ordered to pay 165 million reais ($30.44 million) in damages for subjecting workers on a farm to slavery-like conditions in the 1970s and 1980s. reuters.com

GM announced three (new) additional adapters to help EV owners charge at home or in public. theverge.com

Hyundai aspires to create synthetic leather that mimics the scent of genuine leather. techcrunch.com

Kia Canada partnered with Variablegrid Adaptive Power Inc. to introduce cost-effective EV charging options to older homes. autonews.com

BMW Canada resumes importing US-built vehicles. The additional tariff costs are expected to be passed on to customers. autonews.com

Nissan shares tumbled on Tuesday after Mercedes-Benz announced plans to offload its 3.8% holding in the automaker. cnbc.com

California lawmakers have struck a deal with Uber and Lyft that will allow app-based drivers to form unions, potentially making ride-hail fares more affordable. techcrunch.com

US EV sales hit an all-time high in August as shoppers rushed to take advantage of incentives before they expire. theverge.com

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I hope you are having a fantastic long weekend!