GlobalAutoIndustry.com’s latest Audio Interview “North American Automotive Industry Forecasts and Trends” features Haig Stoddard. Mr. Stoddard is Senior Industry Analyst – Markets, with Wards Intelligence, and has followed the auto industry for over three decades.
Audio Interview Guest
Mr. Haig Stoddard
Senior Industry Analyst – Markets
Wards Intelligence
In the 19-minute Audio Interview, Mr. Stoddard discusses these questions:
- When do you expect the North American market to return to pre-Covid – at least 2019 – levels for sales and production?
- What is your sales outlook for North America for the rest of this year and 2021 – what is pushing growth and what are potential headwinds in the next 15 months?
- What does that mean for production – pursuant to that: with demand bouncing back faster than most expectations since the Covid-19 impact caused the North American market to bottom-out in April, why are automakers so far unable to significantly raise new-vehicle inventory, particularly in the U.S.?
- Due to factors like the possibility more people continue to work from home, do you see any near-term or permanent shifts in consumer preference in new vehicles caused by the pandemic, such as a change (up or down) in the outlook for battery-electric vehicles?
- Final thoughts?
About Haig Stoddard:
Senior Industry Analyst – Markets, at Wards Intelligence
Haig Stoddard has followed the auto industry for over three decades, starting as a reporter for WardsAuto and transitioning to automotive market analyst. He has spent most of his career at Wards, with stints along the way at another independent organization forecasting North American vehicle production, and as a vehicle sales analyst at both a major supplier and automaker. Since returning to Wards eight years ago, he has served as the company’s chief market analyst contributing to several of the information provider’s data products and tools, focusing on vehicle production, sales and powertrain analysis.
