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Stellantis insists on an EV-only portfolio across all of its brands in Europe by 2030, but the automaker appears to be taking a far more cautious approach in the United States, where it aims for half of its sales to go electric. Now that EV demand is noticeably hitting the brakes on this side of the Atlantic, the company has expressed openness to install gas engines into its existing EVs if demand speaks loudly enough.
In a recent report from WardsAuto, Stellantis CFO Natalie Knight boasted the flexibility of the company's new STLA electric platforms, including their ability to accommodate internal-combustion powertrains. "I don’t want to ignore the fact that we want to stay close to the consumer, and if we see there’s an opportunity with those models that we introduced as a BEV first, we’ll look at that," she said. While many automakers have spoken about that said "flexibility" for their own EV platforms, Knight's words are different. Not only is Stellantis capable of building a gas car based on an existing electric vehicle, but it will gladly do so if customers want it.
Several automakers under the Stellantis umbrella have already appeared in reports as they actively consider gas versions of their EVs. Jeep in particular has been looking into building gas-powered variants of the upcoming Recon and Wagoneer S, as it looks to bring sales back on track following a five-year slump. Rumors have also been swirling about a new combustion-powered Fiat 500 based on the existing battery-powered 500e.
Even if it does end up producing internal-combustion cars based on its EVs, Stellantis doesn't plan on adjusting its Dare Forward 2030 strategy anytime soon. Electric power is the automaker's ultimate goal, and while it's willing to use the advantage lent to it by the STLA platforms, the transition will go on as scheduled even if has to continue offering combustion to interested buyers.
But keeping the original plan in place doesn't guarantee that Stellantis's goal will match the actual sales come 2030. If more than half of buyers still want combustion by then, the company will at least still be able to scale things back and install gas engines as it pleases. Admittedly, 50 percent of sales for EVs alone is quite ambitious for increasingly skeptical U.S. buyers. We'll see what happens six years from now.
Image Credits: Stellantis
Report
May 19, 2024
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Stellantis Will Make Gas Versions Of Its EVs If Demand Calls For It
While it aims for 50% of U.S. sales to account for EVs in 2030, it needs to be ready if buyers say otherwise.
Stellantis insists on an EV-only portfolio across all of its brands in Europe by 2030, but the automaker appears to be taking a far more cautious approach in the United States, where it aims for half of its sales to go electric. Now that EV demand is noticeably hitting the brakes on this side of the Atlantic, the company has expressed openness to install gas engines into its existing EVs if demand speaks loudly enough.
In a recent report from WardsAuto, Stellantis CFO Natalie Knight boasted the flexibility of the company's new STLA electric platforms, including their ability to accommodate internal-combustion powertrains. "I don’t want to ignore the fact that we want to stay close to the consumer, and if we see there’s an opportunity with those models that we introduced as a BEV first, we’ll look at that," she said. While many automakers have spoken about that said "flexibility" for their own EV platforms, Knight's words are different. Not only is Stellantis capable of building a gas car based on an existing electric vehicle, but it will gladly do so if customers want it.
Several automakers under the Stellantis umbrella have already appeared in reports as they actively consider gas versions of their EVs. Jeep in particular has been looking into building gas-powered variants of the upcoming Recon and Wagoneer S, as it looks to bring sales back on track following a five-year slump. Rumors have also been swirling about a new combustion-powered Fiat 500 based on the existing battery-powered 500e.
Even if it does end up producing internal-combustion cars based on its EVs, Stellantis doesn't plan on adjusting its Dare Forward 2030 strategy anytime soon. Electric power is the automaker's ultimate goal, and while it's willing to use the advantage lent to it by the STLA platforms, the transition will go on as scheduled even if has to continue offering combustion to interested buyers.
But keeping the original plan in place doesn't guarantee that Stellantis's goal will match the actual sales come 2030. If more than half of buyers still want combustion by then, the company will at least still be able to scale things back and install gas engines as it pleases. Admittedly, 50 percent of sales for EVs alone is quite ambitious for increasingly skeptical U.S. buyers. We'll see what happens six years from now.
Image Credits: Stellantis
