Detroit carmakers plan to caution the Trump administration that proposed updates to a North American trade deal could cost companies billions of dollars and hurt their ability to compete with foreign rivals.
American car producers are still struggling to absorb a wide range of levies imposed last year, including duties on steel, aluminum, parts, and vehicles imported from Mexico and Canada, while competitors from Japan, South Korea, and Europe face lighter tariff burdens.
U.S. auto executives now worry that proposals floated ahead of talks with Mexican trade officials next month could raise operational costs even further.
open image in galleryA key point of friction is a U.S. demand that vehicles contain at least 50% U.S.-made content to qualify for lower tariffs. That requirement, alongside a plan to raise overall North American content beyond the current 75% level, would add at least $2 billion in annual expenses for each Detroit automaker, according to estimates from two companies.
Those expenses would come atop the substantial costs manufacturers have already incurred from various trade duties in place since last year.
The U.S. Trade Representative’s office did not respond to a request for comment. However, administration officials have maintained that tariffs aim to spur domestic factory investment and job growth.
General Motors expects gross tariff-related costs between $2.5 billion and $3.5 billion this year, potentially representing over 20% of its operating profit, while Ford Motor pegs its net tariff hit at about $1 billion this year.
Ford’s latest onshoring
In an apparent signal to the White House of its commitment to make more cars domestically, Ford said on Wednesday it would move production of Lincoln models for the U.S. market to American factories from China, citing the Trump administration’s tariffs as a driving factor.
Ford CEO Jim Farley told Reuters the company might have been unprepared early on for the administration’s commitment to increasing U.S. auto production. But Ford – which already builds a larger percentage of its U.S.-sold vehicles domestically than its Detroit rivals – got the message, he said.
“It dawned on us very quickly, ‘Hey, look, we need to make some changes here,’” he said.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in a joint interview, said he is hopeful more automakers will follow the lead of Ford and GM by moving factory work to the U.S.
“We worked together to get it right,” Lutnick added.
U.S. and Mexican officials are planning a fourth round of trade talks next month. Canadian trade officials have been meeting with their U.S. counterparts this week in an effort to avert another round of tariffs on Canada set to take effect next week.
Asian automakers’ advantages rankle
The American Automotive Policy Council, which represents Ford, GM and Jeep-maker Stellantis, referred Reuters to a June 30 statement saying that U.S. automakers are at a disadvantage to Japanese, South Korean and European automakers that export into the U.S. and face a flat 15% tariff.
GM CEO Mary Barra said on a July earnings call that the company is focused on “making sure that the U.S. automakers are going to be able to compete and win when we look at what the tariff rates are for Europeans, the Japanese and the Koreans.”
One U.S. auto executive said Trump more quickly forged deals with Korea and Japan because those governments were able to advocate on behalf of their automakers as part of broader trade agreements focused on national security, whereas the U.S. car companies didn’t have the same leverage.
“We don’t have a president or a prime minister who can call up Trump on our behalf,” the executive said.
Jennifer Safavian, president of Autos Drive America, a trade group for foreign automakers in the U.S. including Toyota and Hyundai, said the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade talks are critical for all automakers.
“Our American and North American-made vehicles use significant amounts of U.S. content and international automakers are also being harmed by the current trade environment with Mexico and Canada,” Safavian said in a statement.
U.S. automakers currently face a duty of about 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada, but vehicles with heavier amounts of U.S.-made content get lower tariff bills.
GM told Reuters that vehicles that have significant U.S. and North American content “should receive better treatment than vehicles that do not,” and added that the automaker is encouraged by the administration’s progress on negotiations.
Stellantis said it is encouraged by the talks and is working with the three governments “to ensure that we can build and sell affordable vehicles across the region.”