Jean-Philippe Imparato only has one priority for the coming months: “We are building cars as required by the rules.” The European head of Stellantis made this clear a few days before extensive personnel changes at the top of the car manufacturer. While CEO Carlos Tavares had to leave on Sunday, Frenchman Imparato was confirmed in office earlier this week. The challenges remain the same: sell more and more electric cars in a difficult market environment and at the same time remain profitable. “If the rules are such that we have to achieve 20 percent of battery-electric cars (BEV) in the first half of next year, then we will do that afterwards,” explained Imparato in an interview with the F.A.Z. Because the emissions of new cars sold in the EU must comply with a 15 percent lower limit in 2025 and otherwise there is a risk of fines, the Stellantis manager sees no other choice. He is positioning himself differently than those who are questioning the fleet limits and the end of combustion engines decided for 2035 because of the current upheavals in the European car market. Imparato’s strong support for electric cars may come as a surprise, as Stellantis’ sales mix is hardly different from that that of many European competitors. Across all group brands, twelve percent of all sales at Europe’s second-largest car manufacturer after VW are currently battery-electric (BEV). Apparently with some safety margin to the calculated minimum share, Imparato specifies an average BEV share of 21 percent for sales and production planning. In detail, cars would have to achieve a quota of 24 percent, light delivery vans 20 percent. Fines must be avoided at all costs. “Every percentage point that we in the EU are below the target for the BEV share quickly costs us several hundred million euros,” said Imparato. The only solution is that calls have been made in Paris and Berlin for the fleet limits to be lifted or postponed for 2025 the Stellantis European boss registered. He replies: “So far, the fleet limits that will be tightened from 2025 remain the law. If someone complains loudly in a Brussels corridor, that doesn’t mean that any rule will change.” Imparato says that Stellantis can meet European standards using its own resources. This marks a difference to competitors. “Some are far from being able to meet the 2025 targets. That’s why they are fighting to abolish the rules,” he said. If the limit values change, we will be prepared for that. The production plans can be quickly adapted to the requirements of the market.More on the subjectThe Stellantis manager points to the company’s own “Multi Energy Platform”, with which the drive technology can be used flexibly for individual models. “A few years ago it was more fashionable to concentrate on a purely electric platform. “But the fact that we are now flexible means that our break-even point is now below 50 percent of sales,” said Imparato. Nevertheless, the Frenchman does not want to go back to the combustion engine. For him, the battery-electric car is the future: “We believe that short-term concerns cannot change the trend,” he says. To solve the problems of emissions from private cars, battery-electric cars are the only solution. The European head of Stellantis reiterated the strategic goal of becoming CO2-neutral by 2038. The lack of this is hindering the ramp-up. Imparato sees great opportunities in electromobility. “If we look at our 50 billion euros in investments for electromobility, then we think that now is the moment to start the transformation,” he said. Stellantis, which emerged from the merger of Fiat-Chrysler (including Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Maserati) and the PSA Group (Peugeot, Citroën, Opel), has been preparing for the transformation since 2018. “It is a fantastic opportunity to be part of to take the lead in electrification in Europe. We are ready and that is why we want to start the race,” said Imparato. “Our goal is to increase the market share in Europe from the current 17 to 20 percent. We will introduce around ten new models in 2025, all with electric drives, and these will strengthen us even further.” The Stellantis manager admits that the introduction of the new models did not go optimally due to delays. But now there are the innovations. The group is currently bringing a new Citroën C3 and two new models from Opel onto the market: the Grandland and the Frontera. The sales figures of the new Peugeot 3008 and 5008 SUVs increased shortly after their market launch. Later next year, three new Citroëns, the C3 Aircross, the C4 and the new C5 Aircross, will come onto the market, which, according to Imparato, also offers an electric range of up to 700 kilometers. A new Fiat, the Grande Panda, will be launched in March. Despite all the determination to focus on electric cars, Imparato does not want to release politicians from their responsibility: “It cannot be the case that, on the one hand, a sales share of 21 percent of battery-electric vehicles is expected “Without, on the other hand, there being appropriate support for the establishment of charging stations,” he criticized. The lack of them is hindering the ramp-up. “We can live without an environmental bonus.” “The problem with the introduction of electric cars is no longer the range, but the availability of charging stations,” says Imparato. And instead of regulating, politicians should help make charging financially easier. “That would make electric cars cheaper and not create such a bloodbath in the auto industry,” said Imparato. He is concerned about the state of the industry. “The fact that jobs are now being lost in the auto industry and among suppliers does not seem to impress anyone in politics.” The Stellantis manager is more reserved about financial incentives from governments for the purchase of electric cars. “We can live without an environmental bonus,” explained Imparato. The fact that Berlin canceled the environmental bonus overnight is definitely “a problem”. He does not hide the fact that in this uncertain market situation, combustion engines have to be made more expensive in order to have more money for electrification. “There are those who make losses with electric cars and compensate for this with the prices of combustion engines. Our position is that it makes no sense to lose money with electrification.” But there is talk of moderate price increases for combustion engines of one to two percent in order to finance electric cars and make money with them. In the end, there is still enough potential , also selling Stellantis products with combustion engines. The key to this is also the cooperation with the Chinese manufacturer Leapmotor and the production of the small electric car Leapmotor T03 in a Stellantis factory in Poland. The small car T03 is available in Germany from 18,900 euros. This helps the group not least in reducing fleet emissions, says Imparato. Between cautious and enthusiastic “An additional affordable electric car sold helps to achieve an electric car quota of 20 percent and in return means that we have four combustion vehicles from the others “Be able to sell Stellantis brands,” he said. The market for plug-in hybrids, which, according to the European definition of CO2 emissions, have only low emissions, will be very interesting in 2025. The Stellantis European boss’s comments about the subsidiary brand Opel are between cautious and enthusiastic. Long-term production planning is not his job, which is why there is only a cautious assessment of the utilization of the two car factories in Rüsselsheim and Eisenach: “I can say that the vehicle factories in Germany are running and that they have products that are at a good point product life cycle. I can’t say what will happen in a few years. My focus in my new role is the short-term plans for 2025. When it comes to the future viability of plants, competitiveness is of course always important.” He tries to spread optimism about the brand: “Opel has fantastic potential in Germany. I just looked at the future models up to 2030 and they are super cool.” Opel has around 6 percent market share in Germany, but already 9 percent for light commercial vehicles. “The brand deserves to have even larger market shares in Germany.” Production to order The drive technology of the models from Opel and all other brands in the Stellantis Group – mostly with a maximum of 130 hp (96 kW) in combustion engines and 156 hp (115 kW) in electric drive – could be a bit lean for speeds on German motorways. Does Stellantis want to follow up? “That would be a nice thing, but that is not my priority,” replied Imparato. “Even if I lose some sales.” The first thing is to achieve the BEV sales target. The Stellantis manager has simple advice for German dealers: “Anyone who sells battery-electric vehicles will be rich, anyone who sells combustion engines will be poor, anyone who sells plug-ins will at least double their profits.” But Stellantis has 2024 for now Lost market share in Europe and the USA. Was one of the reasons that prices were increased too much in times of long delivery times and have not been reduced since? “Specifically in North America we had a problem with too much inventory,” was Imparato’s answer. “We are also examining the situation in Europe to be ready for the 2025 launch, and that alone will be sporty. Until then, I will monitor the status of inventory in detail. My recipe is: production to order, then you don’t have to have large warehouses of new cars.” The pricing policy has already been reviewed in the past few months. “But we compete with the products anyway, not the selling price.” “That will only accelerate the Chinese invasion.” The Stellantis European boss wants to add to the news of the sales figures in the EU a positive experience from Great Britain, where the regulations are already in place Demanded an increase in the sales share of BEVs in 2024. “Nobody would have bet that it would be possible to increase the electric share in the UK. Last year it was between 5 and 7 percent, now we are at 23 percent. “The starting point was the same as the current situation in Germany. “We lost 2 percentage points of market share in the UK, but we avoided paying £15,000 in fines per car. If we were able to achieve the specified goals there, why not in other countries?” Imparato, on the other hand, negatively assessed the additional tariffs that the EU has imposed on car imports from China: “That will only accelerate the Chinese invasion, because these manufacturers will soon be in Europe will produce,” he says. “You can only gain a few months with this,” says Imparato. Even if the way in which politicians in Europe have prescribed the drive change is worthy of criticism, higher tariffs are the wrong approach. The now fired Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares recently became even clearer and warned against a response from Beijing: “You can imagine that the Chinese will not remain silent.”
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