The European Commission’s strategy to phase out internal combustion engines in favor of electric vehicles is a political choice involving environmental and social risks, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in an interview with European newspapers, Reuters reports. .ro.
Since the merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot to create the world’s fourth largest automaker after production, Tavares has developed a € 30 billion ($ 34 billion) electrification plan that has helped Stellantis to grow by more than 60% in their first year.
“What is clear is that electrification is a technology chosen by politicians, not industry,” he said in a joint interview with Les Echos, Handelsblatt, Corriere della Sera and El Mundo.
He added that there are cheaper and faster ways to reduce carbon emissions.
“Given the current European energy mix, an electric car has to travel 70,000 kilometers to offset the carbon footprint of battery production and start catching up with a light hybrid vehicle that costs half as much as an EV (electric vehicle). “, he said.
Tavares also said that banning internal combustion vehicles in Europe by 2035 means that carmakers must begin to quickly transform their factories and supply chains.
“The brutality of this change creates social risks,” he said.
In a detailed interview addressing the various difficulties facing Stellantis, Tavares also clarified his promise not to close factories in Europe.
“In general, I stick to the promises I make, but we also need to stay competitive,” he said, citing production costs in Italy, which are “considerably higher, sometimes double those of factories in other countries.” mainly due to “exorbitant” energy prices.
Pointing to Rome, where the government is working to reduce industrial costs, he said: “It will take some time for the measures to be implemented. We will discuss this again at the end of 2022. “
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