Stellantis

Global automaker Stellantis has confirmed that his long-tenured CEO, Carlos Tavares, will retire when his current contract expires in early 2026. The news was joined by additional executive shakeups as Stellantis has named new chiefs for its European and North American operations as well.

Jeep and Dodge’s parent company, Stellantis, will offer hefty discounts and reduce output as it looks to reverse plunging US sales. Stellantis warned of significantly lower profits this year as US sales fall. It’s also facing rising low-cost competition from China globally.

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.

Chinese EV automaker Leapmotor is teasing its latest SUV model and the first to arrive on its new “B Platform” architecture. The company posted initial images of its B10 compact SUV before the new EV model makes its debut at the Paris Auto Show alongside joint venture partner Stellantis.

Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and several others is searching for a new CEO to replace Carlos Tavares. The company is considering a leadership change after Taveres’ contract expires in 2026. The move comes as Stellantis looks to revamp brand sales in the US, its biggest profit market, as it falls behind rivals.

Jeep and Ram owner Stellantis is investing over $406 million to retool three Michigan plants as part of plans to ramp up EV production. The new funding comes as it preps for the first electric Jeep, Dodge, and Ram EV pickup to hit the US market.

Rivian (RIVN) is losing its vice president of manufacturing, Tim Fallon, to Jeep, Dodge owner Stellantis (STLA) to spearhead its upcoming EV offensive in the US.

The Jeep Dune is an off-road-inspired, fully electric city car. Despite its small size, the Dune makes up for it with its open-air, adventure-seeking spirit. Although not built by Jeep, the electric off-roader carries the Jeep name and shares components with another Stellantis brand. With features like an added DJ booth, the Dune looks like the ultimate EV.

Stellantis has introduced a new demand lever to entice potential customers to buy one of its BEV models. When US consumers opt to buy a new EV, Stellantis is now offering the choice between a home charger or charge credits through its Free2Move program.

Fiat is looking to make a comeback. As part of a global brand revamp, Fiat unveiled its new Grande Panda EV this week. The retro Fiat Grande Panda is expected to start at under $28,500 (£22,000) and could be coming to the US.

A previously announced joint venture between China’s Leapmotor and Stellantis has begun building EVs in Europe ahead of local deliveries targeted this fall. Leapmotor’s entry into local production and sales overseas begins with a small EV called the T03.

Despite numerous delays and mounting competition from Ford, Stellantis, and the Chinese, the GM board decided to take $6 billion and pump its share price instead of investing in the company’s future.

Mercedes and Stellantis have stopped work on their joint European EV battery factory projects, and are reassessing which direction to move forward with the possibility of shifting to cheaper lithium iron phosphate cells.

A new EV is set for the UK to rival BYD and other low-cost Chinese automakers entering the market. Starting at $28,000 (£21,990), the new Citroen e-C3 will be one of the most affordable EVs in the UK.

One week after reporting plans for a press event launching its new joint venture, Stellantis and Leapmotor have officially begun the new business venture together. The new JV, named “Leapmotor International,” will expand to sell Chinese EVs in Europe this fall, with additional markets to follow.

In a milestone, supermaterials trailblazer Lyten has shipped lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries to Stellantis and other US and EU OEMs for testing.

Approximately six months after taking a $1.6 billion stake in Chinese OEM Leapmotor, Stellantis is reportedly poised to officially launch a new joint venture between the two automakers to sell the former’s China-built EVs globally. The joint venture is expected to be announced very soon as Leapmotor International.

Stellantis Q1 2024 revenue fell 12%, but global EV sales were up, and it’s optimistic about growth and profitability in H2 2024.

The ongoing tensions between Italy and Alfa Romeo’s parent company Stellantis reached a head last week when the Italian government told the automaker that naming its upcoming Alfa Romeo EV the Milano was against the law because the car will be built in Poland. So now Alfa Romeo has decided to change the name to something that won’t evoke any feelings of la dolce vita or desire for delicious Pepperidge Farm cookies, or any emotions at all for that matter. Besides total blandness.

What’s an Alfa Romeo without a cool Italian-sounding name? The Stellantis-owned company is naming its first BEV after the famous city of Milan, but the Italian government is now playing hardball by saying that’s illegal since the car will be built in Poland. If it’s not made in Italy, it can’t sound Italian.

It’s not a good week to be working at Stellantis. As it (finally) moves to try to sell EVs in the US, the automaker just laid off 400 US salaried tech workers and software engineers on Friday. Today the company announced that it was slashing more than 1,500 jobs in Turin, Italy, due to what it says are slow sales of its all-electric Fiat 500e city car. [Updated: Stellantis announced later after publication that the total number of layoffs in Italy would be 2,500.]