In a new interview, Stellantis European Head, Uwe Hochschurtz, claimed, “The people have decided: we will be purely electric,” backtracking statements made by the company’s CEO, Carlos Tavares.
The statement is a surprise as the Stellantis CEO has been adamantly against going all-in on electric vehicles.
Less than a year ago, the Stellantis leader said electric vehicles were being “imposed” on the auto industry while claiming “there is no way” the automaker can avoid passing on additional EV costs to buyers.
More recently, in response to the European Union’s proposed ban on fossil fuel car sales from 2035, Tarvis argued hybrids should play a more significant role in the transition. Under the new proposal, hybrid vehicles would be phased out as low-emission vehicles in 2030, paving the way for fully electric cars.
Mr. Tavares has made it clear he believes electric vehicles are being forced upon them, saying in an interview in January:
What is clear is that electrification is a technology chosen by politicians, not by industry.
However, since these comments were made, there has been a clear shift in sales of electric vehicles. EVs have continued to gain ground in every major auto market (including the US, Europe, and China). The International Energy Agency forecasts global EV sales share to reach 13% compared to 9.4% in 2021.
More importantly, people prefer EVs. The latest EY Mobility Consumer Index 2022 Study found that 52% of car buyers prefer an electric vehicle for their next purchase, and the preference for fully electric has more than tripled since 2020.
In light of the CEO’s warnings about going all in on EVs, the automaker’s European boss seems to be on board with the new gas-powered car ban yet reiterates the CEO’s message on affordability. To help offset the purchase price, Hochschurtz offers a solution by proposing a lower tax rate on EVs.
Stellantis European head on the transition to electric vehicles
In an interview with a German newspaper, Stellantis’s chief operating officer for enlarged Europe, Uwe Hochschurtz, claims:
The people have decided: We will be purely electric.
But, during the interview, the Stellantis executive criticized the German government’s move to reduce electric vehicle incentives even as the growing demand for EVs makes them expendable. According to Hochschurtz, since (at least in Stellantis’s case) electric vehicles cost more to produce, the government should make up the difference.
Hochschurtz offered the idea of a lower tax rate on electric vehicle purchases in Germany as an alternative to the subsidies, stating:
An electric car helps us keep our environment clean, and a non-electric car makes our environment dirtier. I don’t think you can use the same tax rates there.
Despite Tavares’s comments, as part of the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030, the automaker is aiming for 100% electric vehicle sales in Europe and 50% in the United States by the end of the decade. Stellantis revealed its first fully electric Jeep Avenger, built for the European market earlier this week.
Electrek’s Take
To clarify, several other automakers have proven it’s possible to build profitable electric models. To me, it seems Stellantis needs to invest in the technology and supply chains required to build EVs at scale instead of trying to make excuses.
Electric vehicles are working. According to a new IEA analysis, CO2 emissions are set to grow by just 1%, and the report adds that the increase would be “much larger – more than tripling” if it were not for the growing number of electric vehicles and renewable energy deployments.
As far as hybrids go, they were a great bridge to fully electric vehicles. The biggest reason consumers didn’t make the switch was limited range. Now that battery technology has progressed and charging stations are rolling out, there’s no reason not to go fully electric.
Stellantis is late to the party and now looking to play catch up, so it makes sense that Tavares continues to argue against the transition to fully electric vehicles.
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The UAW union’s Stellantis Council met yesterday to discuss the beleaguered carmaker’s “ongoing failure” to honor the agreement that ended the 2023 labor strike, and their latest union memo doesn’t pull many punches.
In an email sent out by the UAW earlier today (received at 4:55PM CST), UAW President Shawn Fain wrote, “For years, the company picked us off plant-by-plant and we lacked the will and the means to fight back. Today is different. Because we stood together and demanded the right to strike over job security—product commitment—we have the tools to fight back and win … We unanimously recommend to the membership that every UAW worker at Stellantis prepare for a fight, and we all get ready to vote YES to authorize a strike at Stellantis.”
Kia promises the new EV9 GT will have “enormous power,” but that’s not all. For the first time, the Kia EV9 GT was caught with an active spoiler, giving us a sneak peek at potential new upgrades.
The brand’s first three-row electric SUV is already making its presence known in the US, helping push Kia to back-to-back record sales months. Meanwhile, a more powerful, sporty variant is on the way.
Kia confirmed the EV9 GT will top off the electric SUV’s lineup in April. Packing “enormous power,” the high-performance GT model can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 4 secs.
With a “high-output” dual-motor (AWD) system, the EV9 GT can quickly pick up speed despite weighing over 5,000 lbs.
Kia also equipped it with other high-performance features, such as a reinforced suspension and electronic braking system, for better control and stability.
We’ve already caught a glimpse of the performance electric SUV out testing, revealing aggressive new bumpers and wheels. Now, a new design feature has been spotted.
Kia EV9 GT could come with an active rear spoiler
The latest video from HealerTV shows the EV9 GT with what appears to be an active spoiler. As the reporter noted, it could be similar to the one spotted on the Genesis GV70 Magma.
Tesla’s Model X also used to come with an active spoiler until it was dropped a few years back. Although the GT model was spotted with one, Kia could just be testing new features, so don’t get too excited yet.
Earlier this week, a video from HealerTV showed the front row of the EV9 GT, comparing it to the current GT-Line model.
Several differences can be immediately noticed, including a more aggressive, all-black design with a yellow stripe down the center of the seat.
Kia is set to launch the EV9 GT in early 2025. It will rival other performance SUVs like the Tesla Model X Plaid.
Although prices have yet to be confirmed, the GT model is expected to sit above the current GT-Line at $73,900. In comparison, Tesla’s Model X Plaid starts at $94,990 and can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 secs.
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Consumer Reports and EV charging app Chargeway are working together to give drivers a better way to rate public chargers, report uptime, and address maintenance issues.
The technical collaboration with Chargeway is part of a larger effort called the EV Charging Community, which engages with a number of different EV advocacy groups including Plug In America, GreenLatinos, and Generation 180, and leverages the mobile app to rate public EV charging experiences based on various factors, with the findings reported back to industry stakeholders like EVSE manufacturers, CPOs, and utilities.
Be heard
“We are very excited to be partnering with Consumer Reports,” says Chargeway founder, Matt Teske. “From day one, Chargeway has focused on a driver first app design to provide easier EV charging experiences as well as transparency for what drivers can anticipate at (the) station they choose … we share Consumer Reports’ goal to give drivers a voice in the public EV charging reliability conversation. Now, instead of posting complaints on social media and feeling ignored, EV drivers can use the Chargeway mobile app to provide their feedback to the leading consumer advocacy organization.”
Consumer Reports says it’s already seen nearly a third of its 1,600 enrolled community members experience a problem with public charging, so it’s a real problem. “Charging stations are critical services, but when they’re out of order or barely functional, it wastes consumers’ valuable time,” explains Drew Toher, Consumer Reports’ sustainability campaign manager.
Consumer Reports points out that EV drivers who don’t use Chargeway can also enroll to be part of the community at this link.
Electrek’s Take
Chargeway founder Matt Teske is an old friend. He’s a good friend, too, so it’s great to see his top-shelf EV charging app starting to get some of the recognition it deserves. The CR tie-up and added visibility these ratings will give to industry stakeholders are only going to make things better for EV drivers everywhere.
That up there? That’s one of my early interview episodes of Quick Charge featuring a walkthrough of Chargeway+, another collab between Matt and Austin Energy. Enjoy!
SOURCE | IMAGES: Chargeway, Consumer Reports.
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