Stellantis has joined the growing ranks of automakers calling on European Commission regulators to modify the plans to ban all but zero tailpipe emission vehicles by 2035.
CEO Antonio Filosa also praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to reset Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for vehicle emissions to more achievable levels during a fireside chat at Goldman Sachs’ 17th Annual Industrials and Automotive Week held in London Dec. 4.
Fresh from a meeting with other automakers at the White House, Filosa’s comments echoed those of Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley as he welcomed the scaling back of average fuel economy requirements.
Meanwhile, the regulators of the European Union’s trade body were due to publish a review of the proposed ban on new gas-powered vehicle sales in 10 years-time this week (Dec.10) but are now expected to delay the draft possibly until the New Year.
“It comes at a very special moment for me,” said Filosa referring to his White House visit. “We see how different is the approach to [carbon dioxide] emissions between the U.S. and Europe.”
He said pressure was building on European lawmakers to take a leaf out of the U.S. playbook by building more flexibility into their approach to CO2 emissions to help its auto industry.
“We saw recently Chancellor [Friedrich] Merz’s letter and I personally heard when, I was in Turin on the 25th of November for the launch of the Fiat (500) Hybrid, the words and the messages delivered by [Italian Minster for Enterprise and Made in Italy] Minister [Adolfo] Urso also,” said Filosa. “All of them are creating a new story and a new opportunity to rethink together about regulations in Europe,” he added.
He stressed the need for regulators to consider the three vital elements that automakers have to apply in their industry including environmental protection, job preservation and market affordability for customers.
As an example, Filosa noted the issue of small and medium sized businesses that buy or retain their vehicles based on total cost of ownership.
“It’s no secret that, currently, total cost of ownership of a battery electric vehicle is higher than other motor vehicles, unless you do a very high volume of mileage,” he said. “That is why the target set for the light commercial vehicle industry CO2 emissions need to be changed because they don’t reflect reality.”
Filosa called for “technological neutrality” for passenger cars. “There are many [powertrain] options, bio-fuel for instance,” he said. “I believe there is a bright future for bio-fuel.”
Filosa also highlighted the need to promote the use of smaller vehicles that he said “will pollute less in terms of CO2 emissions than a bigger car just because of the mass,” he said.
Scrappage schemes should also feature in the European Commission’s said Filosa in reference to a Nov. 7 press statement by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.
“If you create a mechanism where the average consumer enjoys the benefit of trading in an old car with a new car, that would be good for the environment, good for job preservation and obviously businesses will be more successful,” he said. “This needs to be blended with the new regulations and will lead to [a] milder energy transition than the one being discussed,” Filosa concluded.
