Italy Might Soon Own a Chunk of Stellantis
Italian car buyers haven’t warmed to EVs with the same enthusiasm of other European countries, but the government looking to change that. Beyond investing with incentives and other efforts, the Italian government could take a stake in Stellantis, owner of Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Fiat. The automaker and government have been at odds for a while, as Setllantis has moved away from Italian auto production in favor of less expensive markets.
Despite Italy’s ties to a handful of Stellantis brands, it does not hold a stake in the company and does not have board representation. France does, and Stellantis also owns Peugeot, Citroen, and others. The French hold a six percent stake in the automaker, which hasn’t sat well with the Italians.
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares believes the automaker hasn’t gotten much support from the Italian government, saying that the company is “losing manufacturing products in Italy that we could manufacture. We already wasted nine months of production in Mirafiori.” That location builds the Fiat 500e and has had temporary layoffs to cope with wavering EV demand.
The automaker’s electrification efforts are just getting started in North America. The plug-in hybrid Alfa Romeo Tonale and Dodge Hornet are on sale, and the electric Jeep Wagoneer S will land later this year. On the flip side, Maserati has delayed the Quattroporte EV, and consumer demand here is just as flimsy as in Italy, if not more so. Those challenges could present big speedbumps to the company’s goals, here and abroad.
[Image: Maserati]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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Highlighting Stellantis auto manufacturing links to Italy AND France does not lend any kind of confidence in any Stellantis. Indicating that Stellantis may want to increase it's French auto manufacturing presence does nothing but have me be sure to check any Stellantis product off of any auto shopping list.
FCA or whatever seems to get passed around like a cheap bottle of booze.
It's funny watching EV shills blaming their failure on everyone else.
Stellantis is too European focused to be a global player. Americans don't want your small products here. How many Hornets have been sold here? Stellantis needs to change their name to Stellantis/Chrysler. Let The Chrysler group design and build vehicles for America without the European influences. Need to rebrand in America Dodge as the mainline vehicles(Chevrolet, Ford) and put Ram back to Dodge Truck.
Chrysler as the upscale brand. Jeep the SUV brand with 4 wheel drive models only, no fwd models.(No Renegades, Compass).