Since 2021, the U.S. transportation sector operated on a stable, but overly ambitious path: a straight line toward pure electrification, underpinned by aggressive CO2 targets, state-level programs, and broad subsidies. The second-term Trump administration significantly undermined or removed all of those within eight months.

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The “wait-and-see” strategy, common through the 2024 election cycle, and 2025 tariff and economic uncertainty is no longer sustainable. The decisions made in boardrooms this year regarding capital allocation, fleet procurement, and supply chain survival will determine who thrives, or even survives, in the chaotic realignment of the late 2020s.

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From autonomous vehicles and emissions to hybrid sales and rising BEV costs, a lot will change this year. This short report, Ten Predictions for 2026, includes the predictions for the U.S. transportation sector to watch out for in 2026.