Stellantis to Rejoin European Lobby Group Attacked by Tavares

Stellantis is already overturning key business decisions by its former CEO, Carlos Tavares, as it seeks to rejoin an industry group once slammed by its old boss.

Back in September Tavares had attacked calls by the European Automobile Manufacturers Assn. (ACEA) for weakening of the European Union’s rules on vehicle CO2 emissions to promote battery-electric vehicles.

The ACEA warns next year’s mandated targets would cost companies failing to meet them up to a total of €15 billion ($16.6 billion) in fines.

Interviewed by Agence-France Presse, Tavares said there was no excuse for weakened targets because automakers had known about the rules for a long time and should have been prepared.

A rift also developed between Tavares and Stellantis’ own dealer networks when four dealer associations joined in the calls to delay mandated targets in October.

At the time Tavares again defended the mandates and pledged that the automaker would be able to meet the targets, mainly through its joint venture to import BEVs with Chinese automaker Leapmotor.

Now Stellantis plans to rejoin ACEA after leaving the lobby group in 2023, signaling a more cautious approach to an all-electric future.

Reuters reports the company saying: “Stellantis, Europe's second-largest carmaker, confirms that it intends to apply for membership of ACEA.”

Welcoming the return of the auto group, ACEA’s president and CEO of the Renault Group, Luca de Meo, says: “ACEA welcomes the application from Stellantis to rejoin the association. Given Europe’s unprecedented competitiveness crisis and collective need to master the challenges of the green transformation, it is more important than ever to stand united. ACEA members may be competitors on the market but they all share the same goal: a competitive and sustainable transition to zero-emission mobility, in a Europe that can stand its ground globally. This we will continue working on with full drive and commitment.”

The ACEA has been the industry's main lobbying group since its creation in 1991, representing Europe's car, truck, van and bus makers.