Stellantis chief Tavares opposes delay in EU's emission rules

The head of Stellantis is known for his controversial decisions and statements. Now he seems to be contradicting himself.

A few years ago, Tavares was among the biggest critics of electrification and tightening emission standards. Today, however, he opposes plans to ease them. This concerns the potential postponement of new regulations, which were supposed to come into effect in 2025.

According to the new guidelines, the average emission limits for manufacturers offering their cars in the EU would be reduced from 170 g/mi to 153 g/mi. However, whether the regulations will come into force as scheduled is uncertain. The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) has requested their two-year postponement.

It might seem that Tavares, who has made a name for himself as a critic of the EU’s automotive policy, would support this idea. Nothing could be further from the truth—the president of Stellantis once again surprised the public.

“It would be surreal to change the rules now,” he explained in an interview with Agence France-Presse. “Everyone has known about the rules for a long time and has had time to prepare, and so now it's time to have a race.”

This is not the first time Tavares has voiced a different opinion than ACEA. In June 2022, Stellantis officially withdrew from the association to move from lobbying to more direct interaction.