Jeep maker Stellantis NV says it's withdrawing from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association at the end of the year and will create its own forum to engage with industry stakeholders on the future of transportation.
The company in a statement on Monday said it's "shifting towards a more direct interaction with the citizens and stakeholders." The association, known under its French acronym ACEA, has been the industry's focal lobbying group in Europe since its creation in 1991. It's made up of 16 major car, bus, truck and van makers.
The more direct approach, Stellantis says, is the "Freedom of Mobility Forum," an event it expects to hold yearly starting in early 2023. The goal will be to create a space for debate on solutions to industry problems coordinated by mobility and technology providers, academics, politicians and scientists.
Stellantis' announced departure from the ACEA comes just as European Union policymakers are seeking to ban on combustion engines starting in 2035, citing the need to protect the planet. The ACEA issued a statement last week calling for caution on that target given the uncertainty ongoing around supply chains in the industry and need to develop a more robust charging network.
Stellantis predicts all of its passenger vehicle sales in Europe will be fully electric by 2030. But CEO Carlos Tavares also has called on lawmakers to take a holistic view on the transformation of transportation, including charging needs and how the energy powering EVs is being produced.
“The environmental challenges ahead of us coupled with a rapidly evolving business environment require an efficient, global and inclusive 360-degree approach involving all those who wish to contribute to building sustainable mobility,” Tavares said in a statement. “We intend to create a public forum in which contributors can come together to address the key questions surrounding the debate on decarbonized mobility and provide actionable next steps for us to take together. Access to clean, safe and affordable mobility for the citizens across the world is at stake.”
