Stellantis Rethinks Electric Vehicle Strategy Amid Heavy Losses

US auto giants Ford and General Motors also recently announced multibillion-dollar write-downs as they pull back on EVs.

Advertisement
Read Time: 3 mins
Image For Representation
France:

Troubled automaker Stellantis, behind brands like Jeep and Fiat, announced Thursday a net loss of 22.3 billion euros ($26.3 billion) for last year, blaming a lack of demand for electric vehicles.

The group said earlier this month it would incur colossal charges to finance a shift back to combustion engines and away from producing EVs after sales fell well below expectations.

Also Read: This US State Orders Thousands Of Trans Drivers To Surrender Driving Licences

US auto giants Ford and General Motors also recently announced multibillion-dollar write-downs as they pull back on EVs, a move sparked by President Donald Trump's scrapping of hefty subsidies.

Both the US and the European Union have also relaxed targets on emissions after years of demanding cleaner vehicles.

Also Read: Audi SQ8 India Launch Date Confirmed: 5 Key Things You Should Know

The huge losses at Stellantis also come amid boardroom chaos after CEO Carlos Tavares was ousted over disagreements about his premium-pricing strategy.

He was replaced last July by Antonio Filosa, an Italian veteran of Fiat who immediately embarked on a management shake-up with a vow to restore profitability.

Also Read: 2026 Toyota Fortuner Could Be More Of A Facelift Than A Generation Change

Stellantis' revenue fell only by two percent to 153.5 billion euros last year while its sales actually rose from 5.41 million vehicles in 2024 to 5.48 million last year.

Advertisement

'Freedom to choose'

"Our 2025 full year results reflect the cost of over-estimating the pace of the energy transition," said Filosa.

He said there was now a need to "reset our business around our customers' freedom to choose from the full range of electric, hybrid and internal combustion technologies".

The group posted a current operating loss of 842 million euros last year and will not pay any dividend.

In the second half of 2025, Stellantis saw a 10 percent increase in sales to 2.8 million vehicles, an 11 percent rise by volume, as US sales rebounded.

Advertisement

Filosa said he expected "further momentum to our return to profitable growth" this year, which the firm said would be driven by the arrival of new models, particularly combustion-engine pickups in the US.

The group predicted US tariffs would cost it 1.2 billion euros for 2025 and 1.6 billion for 2026, despite the US Supreme Court's decision to strike down Trump's levies.

Advertisement

Stellantis, formed in 2021 through a merger of France's PSA Group and Italian-American company Fiat-Chrysler, had in recent weeks confirmed its shift away from the EV sector.

It sold its 49 percent stake in NextStar Energy, behind the development of Canada's first battery gigafactory, and is planning to exit a joint venture with Samsung to build two gigafactories in the US.

Advertisement

The group also announced it would relaunch combustion engine models in the US and Europe, including diesel.

Stellantis said those choices would not affect its broader commitment to electric.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Featured Video Of The Day
Expelled From AIADMK, Panneerselvam Joins Rival DMK Ahead Of Assembly Polls
Topics mentioned in this article