Suche
Mein Konto
ACEA vs. Stellantis: Lobbyists are currently doing a lot of things wrong
Stellantis turns its back on the ACEA association. This step is understandable considering its performance.
ACEA vs. Stellantis: Lobbyists are currently doing a lot of things wrong
Admittedly, for the general public it is about as interesting as a wheel falling over in China. In the automotive industry, however, Stellantis's latest campaign has caused a stir and provided plenty of talk. We're talking about the fact that the company, one of the largest car manufacturers in the world and a big player in Europe with brands like Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen and Opel, quickly announced that it would be leaving the European manufacturers' association at the end of the year.
Stellantis has appeared anything but sympathetic several times in the recent past. Just remember the disputes with dealers and entire dealer associations. Or the fact that contracts were terminated for me and for you and that numerous trading partners were left hanging in the air for months. The latest step is at least partially understandable.
Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares belongs to the group of car managers who have always spoken out against an exclusive commitment to electric drives and instead called for new, climate-friendly drive types to be searched for in a “technology-friendly” manner. The Stellantis withdrawal from the ACEA association must be seen against this background. It is no coincidence that this comes just a week after the European Parliament's decision to ban the sale of combustion vehicles from 2035. ACEA was unable to prevent the ban on combustion engines, so one can certainly question the lobby association's ability to exert influence. Likewise, the usefulness of the membership fees (according to Handelsblatt, at least several hundred thousand euros per year).
In fact, the association often doesn't cut a good figure in day-to-day business. The association and its representatives regularly call for the expansion of the charging infrastructure for electric cars and never tire of emphasizing that things are in poor shape in Europe. Incidentally, this is also a favorite topic of the German manufacturers' association VDA, whose president is only too happy - and often - to complain about the lack of speed in the expansion of the charging infrastructure.
In short, industry lobbyists are constantly reminding already unsettled consumers how bad the status quo is when it comes to e-mobility. Given that this is now being praised as a savior and should be promoted, this is a shot in the foot! The background is understandable (they want to encourage politicians to improve the framework conditions), but in the end the fuss is counterproductive. Ultimately, the supposed stakeholders are doing their own industry a disservice.