100-Year-Old Dealerships, Mobile EV Chargers, ChatGPT Controls Apps

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Episode #1165: Today we’re talking about dealerships hitting the 100-year mark and how they’re still family-run, Lincoln Electric’s new portable EV charger that brings dead batteries back to life, and ChatGPT’s new integrations that let it control apps like Spotify, Zillow, and Canva right inside the chat.

• Reaching 100 years in business is rare. Reaching it in the dealership world—while staying family-owned—is exceptional. Automotive News featured five centenarian stores that prove that legacy and adaptability can thrive together.
  • Huffines Auto Dealerships (TX) marks 101 years and four generations, founded on “a love of people.”
  • Kings Ford (OH) has been selling Fords since 1915, with the Ring family training staff to “listen before selling.”
  • McClinton Chevrolet (WV) began in 1919; now fourth-gen dealer Ginny Bowden calls it “an honor and a privilege” to continue her family’s legacy.
  • Porter Automotive Group (DE) celebrates 100 years of resilience, with five generations carrying the torch into the digital age while staying proudly independent amid consolidation.
  • Theodore Robins Ford (CA), born from a bold move in 1923, still sells Fords “as long as they’ve been making them.”
  • “If you care about people, put the customers and the employees at the forefront of your mission, it can work out.” — Sam Huffines
    • And even though they weren’t featured in this article, we have to shout out the team at Carter Myers Automotive, who started selling cars out of their hardware store in 1902 and helped us coin the phrase, Love People More Than You Love Cars
• The folks famous for fusing steel are now saving EVs from roadside shame. Welding company Lincoln Electric’s new Velion 50kW DC Fast Charger is a portable “box of salvation” that can jolt a dead EV back to life — no outlet required.
  • The Velion delivers 50kW of DC power directly into the battery, bypassing the inverter for quick, real-world charging.
  • It’s built for tow companies, utility fleets, and roadside crews who want to bring charge instead of tow hooks.
• OpenAI just gave ChatGPT a serious upgrade: it can now control other apps like Spotify, Zillow, and Canva without leaving the chat.
  • The new integrations let users search for homes on Zillow, create marketing designs in Canva, or generate playlists in Spotify, all through simple prompts.
  • Tools like Figma and Coursera can help visualize data or recommend learning content directly within the chat.
  • Travel platforms Expedia and Booking.com can now handle trip planning, complete with live pricing and maps.

0:00 Intro with Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
1:03 Announcements: MoreThanCars.com and ASOTU Edge Webinar tomorrow!
2:10 These 6 Dealerships Are Over 100 Year Old
5:54 Lincoln Electric Releases Mobile EV Charger
8:35 ChatGPT

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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