‘Fear of decline of the Western world’
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares is rarely afraid to criticize the electrification pressure being imposed on automakers. Where the CEO previously called electrification a political choice, this time Tavares is talking about the Euro 7 emission standard that is being worked on.
The Euro 7 standard will be introduced in the European Union around 2025. Although the exact interpretation of Euro 7 is not yet completely clear, the introduction of the emission standard does not seem to mean the end of the combustion engine. However, the emission standards are becoming a lot stricter, which more or less forces car manufacturers to fine-tune combustion engines or even develop new ones. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares thinks that this is his opinion, Automotive News reports.
According to the head of the huge Stellantis group, the introduction of the Euro 7 standard, which leaves room for low-emission combustion engines, detracts from the goal of electrification. Tavares believes that Euro 7 forces automakers to spend part of their research and development budget on something that “isn’t necessary”. Tavares wonders why car manufacturers should invest in technology that the European Union wants to ban in the long run. With this, the CEO is referring to the EU’s plan to completely limit the sale of passenger cars with an internal combustion engine from 2035. The CEO also expresses the expectation that it will take at least five to six years before fully electric cars are actually affordable for the masses.
In addition, the Stellantis chief fears competition from Chinese brands that exclusively sell EVs and sell their electrical goods in the European Union without having to invest in the reduction of combustion engine emissions. “If there’s one thing to fear, it’s the decline of the Western world. We should work more efficiently to beat China, not just in technology, but also in quality and pricing,” Tavares said. .
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl