Rooftop Count and Throughput Up, Quick Supercharger Repair, Starlink on Flights

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We’ve got good news this Monday as the latest numbers show that dealership count and throughput are up, with stores averaging 511 new cars sold per year. Plus, we cover a quick turnaround for a vandalized Tesla charger and how United is upping its Wi-Fi game with Starlink internet.

Show Notes with links:

• The U.S. new-car dealership count rose nearly 1% to 18,311 as of Jan. 1, 2025, up 171 from a year earlier, while the total franchise count fell 1.3% to 29,829, according to the latest Automotive News dealer census.
  • Detroit 3 automakers shed dealerships, while import brands added stores with Ford Motor Co. leading the decline among the Detroit 3, losing 68 stores (a 2.2% drop). General Motors and Stellantis also reduced their dealership networks by 0.6%.
  • Buick, Lincoln, and Jaguar continued trimming their franchise counts, with Buick experiencing the most significant reduction—down 135 to 927. Buick's franchise count has dropped by over half in the past two years due to dealer buyout offers.
  • The number of exclusive dealerships across the industry as of Jan. 1 increased 3.5 percent to 13,226 from Jan. 1, 2024.
  • The industry’s average throughput (new-vehicle sales per franchise) increased by 5.8% to 511 vehicles in 2024, with the growth attributed to fewer franchises and an increase in U.S. light-vehicle sales to 15.35 million units, up from 14.9 million in 2023, according to Mary Raetz,director of the Automotive News Research & Data Center.

• Tesla swiftly repaired a vandalized Supercharger site in Massachusetts, bringing it back online in under 48 hours. 
  • The fire occurred overnight on March 2, 2025, causing wiring and Supercharger post damage, but the main cabinet remained intact.
  • Tesla immediately communicated with customers on X (formerly Twitter), promising repairs within two days.
  • Tesla is considering enhancing its Sentry Mode to deter future vandalism, potentially adding a honking feature.
  • An arson investigation is underway with local police, though no suspects have been identified and the company is offering a $5,000 reward for information on the arsonists.

• United Airlines has installed its first Starlink system on a regional aircraft, bringing the airline closer to offering free, high-speed Wi-Fi across its fleet.
  • The Starlink system offers free Wi-Fi to MileagePlus members, with speeds up to 250 Mbps—50 times faster than current in-flight internet.
  • Installation is significantly quicker, taking just 8 hours compared to traditional Wi-Fi systems, which require over 10 days.
  • The lighter Starlink equipment (85 pounds vs. up to 300 pounds) improves fuel efficiency and reduces aircraft downtime.
  • United plans to install Starlink on over 40 planes per month, aiming to cover its entire regiona

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.

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