U.S. auto sales have bounced back in recent months despite the coronavirus pandemic, with some brands even seeing their sales increase over 2019's numbers at this point in the year.

Why it matters: Cars and trucks were seen as one of the sectors that would be hardest hit as Americans were called to stay home from work and entertainment destinations were shuttered.

Ford Motor Co.'s new CEO, Jim Farley, is taking the reins from his predecessor, James Hackett, at a critical time.

Why it matters: The global auto industry is shifting quickly toward electrification, automation and transportation services, but Ford has been unable to keep pace. Hackett's $11 billion global transformation, launched in 2017, was slow to materialize, frustrating investors as Ford's stock dropped almost 40% during his tenure.

On Thursday night, General Motors' luxury Cadillac unit will unveil the Lyriq, a crossover that marks Cadillac's first foray into all-electric models.

Why it matters: The stakes are high because GM is putting Cadillac at the forefront of its expanding push into electric vehicles.

Lordstown Motors is about to become the latest electric vehicle startup to go public via purchase by a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), the transaction structure that's fast becoming an alternative to IPOs.

The state of play: Lordstown, which plans to build a pickup truck at a former GM plant in Ohio, on Monday announced a merger agreement with DiamondPeak Holdings. The deal will provide $675 million in proceeds to help fund production of the Endurance, a model Lordstown hopes to launch in 2021 aimed largely at the commercial fleet market.

General Motors and EVgo plan to add more than 2,700 new public fast-charging stations in the next five years as a way to help accelerate widespread electric vehicle adoption.

Why it matters: Automakers are bringing out scores of new battery-powered models, but before they buy, consumers want confidence that they'll be able to charge even when they're away from home.

This week I'm driving the 2020 Toyota Highlander hybrid, a stylish family hauler that also gets great gas mileage — perfect for a summer road trip.

The big picture: While there are plenty of three-row SUV models on the market, only two — the Highlander and the Ford Explorer — are available with a gas-electric hybrid powertrain.

The pandemic threatened to decimate the American auto industry, but Detroit's three carmakers posted better-than-expected financial results for the second quarter, despite two-month factory shutdowns.

The big picture: The industry burned through cash while its factories were shuttered, piling up billions of dollars in losses between them. But they rebounded fairly quickly in June after restarting production while scrambling to restock dealer lots.

Passenger airlines devastated by the decline in air travel during the pandemic are making up some of their lost revenue by strapping cargo into passenger seats and overhead bins of planes that would otherwise be grounded.

The big picture: It could be several years before passenger air traffic returns to normal, but the global demand for medical supplies, along with disruptions in manufacturing supply chains and increased e-commerce, means airlines have a chance, at least temporarily, to offset some of those losses by transporting more freight.

Public transportation agencies are getting squeezed by higher costs and lower revenues because of the pandemic, and warning they'll have to furlough employees or cut service without more government assistance.

The big picture: The funding squeeze is not just a big city problem. Transportation agencies in rural areas are suffering, too. Without a way for people to get to their jobs, shopping and schools, local economies can't recover.

The BMW Group said Monday that it will make sustainability "central to the company’s strategic direction" as it rolled out new climate goals and revealed fresh details about its electric lineup.

Driving the news: The German automaker said it's setting emissions targets for 2030 that apply to vehicles' "entire lifecycle," including supply chains, production and use.