Carlos Tavares, former CEO of Stellantis, has expressed strong criticism of European legislators’ policies, accusing them of leading the European automotive industry into an extremely complex situation. During his first interview after his immediate resignation, given to the Portuguese newspaper Expresso, Tavares did not hesitate to declare that the European automotive sector is now facing a real battle for survival.
Carlos Tavares criticizes European governments’ choices in the automotive sector
According to Carlos Tavares, European manufacturers have been forced to adopt strategies and technologies in which the Chinese have long excelled, particularly in producing electric vehicles more efficiently and competitively. China, he emphasized, is now clearly ahead of Europe in this field, leaving the European automotive industry struggling to bridge an increasingly evident gap. His statements, picked up by various media outlets, highlight the risk of losing global competitiveness.
Carlos Tavares emphasized how current European regulations are putting the automotive industry at a disadvantage. According to him, instead of focusing on areas where they traditionally excel, European manufacturers are forced to push into electric vehicles, a sector where they still need to catch up with international competitors. Tavares describes this situation as “a dead end entirely created by European political leaders,” stating that from now on, only the strongest companies will manage to survive in such a competitive market.
While harshly criticizing European policies, Carlos Tavares expressed great respect for his former colleagues at Stellantis. “A group with 250,000 employees, revenue of 190 billion euros, and 15 global brands cannot function without strong consensus in leadership,” he stated. However, he added that the lack of a clear vision at the management level made his departure inevitable.
Carlos Tavares’ departure is widely seen as positive, especially in the United States, because Americans believe Tavares paid too little attention to their market. However, the CEO’s departure has almost immediate consequences in Europe as well: Stellantis is returning to the ACEA trade organization, after leaving last year due to Tavares’ decision.