Announcements by traditional U.S. automakers related to electric vehicles have recently dropped sharply, prompting criticism that their EV strategies are effectively retreating.

On Sept. 10 (local time), EV publication CleanTechnica reported that U.S. automakers, until a few years ago, issued far more EV-related press releases than their actual share of EV sales as they actively promoted electrification strategies. More recently, announcements and even mentions tied to EV businesses have fallen significantly, it said.

The change is seen as not unrelated to Tesla’s growth. After Tesla succeeded in mass-producing the Model 3 and its share price surged, established automakers also pushed EV visions and investment plans. As market expectations for an EV shift rose, they may have judged that emphasizing EV businesses could also have a positive effect on corporate value.

But contrary to expectations, EV businesses did not translate into share prices or sales performance. Some EV projects showed competitiveness, but market reaction was limited and sales also fell short of expectations. That, the report said, is why automakers began cutting back EV-related messaging.

A changing U.S. political environment also overlapped. After President Donald Trump returned to power, policy pressure on the EV industry increased, creating an atmosphere in which established automakers scaled back EV programs or refrained from related remarks, the report said. It said they do not actively promote EV achievements in order to avoid political burdens and align with policy direction.

In fact, EV-related press releases from the U.S. auto industry have fallen sharply compared with the past. Unlike the past, when EV businesses were positioned as a future growth engine, related announcements have become rare. Even when EV news appears, it often focuses on negative content such as business cutbacks rather than expanded investment or new technology, according to the criticism.

In China, by contrast, EV-related news continues to pour out. Chinese companies are continuously releasing new developments across the EV industry, including new model launches, battery technology, autonomous driving and production expansion. That suggests a significant gap in the tone of corporate external messaging around EV industries in the United States and China.

This has also raised concerns that the 'EV silence' of U.S. automakers is not simply a change in publicity strategy but could lead to weakened industrial competitiveness. Critics say that if companies that once stressed leadership in the EV market now avoid revealing related investments due to political and market conditions, the technology and market gap with Chinese companies could widen further.

Ultimately, it will be key whether the U.S. auto industry can once again put EVs forward as a core growth strategy. Depending on how market demand and the policy environment change, EV investment and promotion could revive. For now, though, there is an assessment that U.S. automakers' EV strategies have become more defensive than in the past.