The upcoming year is expected to be a bright and busy one for auto manufacturers, however one of the major players in Detroit and in Europe is preparing for dark clouds.
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In a report published by Automotive News (AN), Stellantis (STLA) -) CEO Carlos Tavares is anticipating slower EV adoption because of the air around two key events next year.
"There are two important elections next year — the European Parliament elections in June and the U.S. elections in November. It could be that politics will be different then," Tavares told AN.
The figurehead of the transatlantic auto giant said that they would have to change their EV outlook if the political picture is an "unfavorable one for EVs," especially if CO2 regulations are rolled back in Europe or the United States.
"One of my tasks is to prepare the company for new framework conditions," said Tavares. "We have plans prepared for this."
Although the upcoming U.S. presidential election is still a year away, the outlook on the political climate is not a mostly positive one when it comes to the automotive electrification push, even for the most seasoned automakers.
In an October 2023 interview with The New York Times, Ford exec and great grandson of Henry Ford, Bill Ford said that he "never thought I would see the day when our products were so heavily politicized," referring to the brand's EV lineup that includes the likes of the F-150 Lightning pickup truck and the Mustang Mach-E crossover.
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Stellantis is currently running with its Dare Forward 2030 plan, which aims for all sales of new cars and trucks in Europe and half in the United States to be fully-electric models.
Last week, New Jersey joined ten other states, including New York and Virginia in adopting a California rule aimed at phasing out gas-powered cars and light trucks by the 2035 model year.
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