The CEO of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares resigned, effective immediately today, December 1st. In October of this year, Stellantis announced it had begun the search for a successor to CEO Tavares who was planning to step down sometime in 2026, but tensions were already rising between the board and Tavares after Stellantis issued profit warning guidance in September on its 2024 full-year results. 

A source inside the company said that the tensions between Tavares and the board stemmed from differing views on the direction of the company. The board was concerned that Tavares was moving too fast and focusing on near-term solutions rather than long term company health.

Stellantis has been struggling with inventory mismatched to customer demands and a failure to move prior year models off lots. Overproduction of high-priced models has let to a glut of inventory at dealerships with more than 110 days of inventory of Ram Trucks and Jeep Grand Wagoneers, significantly higher numbers than crosstown competitors, Ford and General Motors.

Tavares made a name for himself by helping turn around French automaker Renault under the leadership of Carlos Ghosen. He later led Peugeot parent PSA through an acquisition of Opel from General Motors and later the PSA merger with FCA to form Stellantis in 2021.

Starting in 2025 with select EVs, Stellantis vehicles in North America will begin using the SAE J3400 charging connector, more commonly known as NACS.  The NACS connector is an evolution of the Tesla plug and is backward compatible. Stellantis was the last large holdout to adopt NACS and this move effectively completes the commitment from all companies to switch to the new standard. An adapter will be made available for owners of vehicles equipped with a CCS port. (At the time of this writing, the only CCS equipped vehicle offered in the US by Stellantis is the Fiat 500e).

Stellantis is one of the seven auto makers that have joined forces to build IONNA, a new charging network to rival Tesla's.  IONNA aims to build 30,000 charge points across North America by 2030. IONNA charge points will be equipped with both CCS and NACS plugs, with the first stations opening later this year.

What is missing from this release is any mention of Tesla Supercharger network access for Stellantis-brand vehicle owners. We've reached out to Stellantis for clarification and will report back.

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On Monday, Stellantis and Samsung announced they had signed a memorandum of understanding to build a second battery manufacturing plant in the US via their joint partnership firm, StarPlus Energy.

Their first facility is under construction in Kokomo, Indiana. Targeted for production start in the first quarter of 2025, the plant was initially planned to have a production capacity of 23 gigawatt-hours, later to increase to 33 gigawatt-hours as demand rises. However, the partners are bypassing the initial 23 GWh phase and are building out to the full 33 GWh capacity now. The plant is expected to be further expanded in the future to meet demand. The Kokomo plant is expected to create 1,400 new jobs.

The latest plant is slated to initially add an additional 34 GWh of capacity, with further future expansion possible. StarPlus Energy is aiming to have battery production started at the new plant in 2027. The location of the newest plant has not yet been announced.

Stellantis is aiming to offer at least 25 new battery electric vehicles in North America by 2030 with a roughly 50% BEV sales mix.  For Europe, Stellantis plans to be 100% BEV by 2030.  To meet those targets, Stellantis is working on global partnerships to secure at least 400 GWh of battery production capacity.

Today Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares asked people to join him in embracing a new mindset. Expand one's vision, breaking the limits and seek to transform all facets of one's mobility for the betterment of families, communities and the overall society in which we live and operate.

Stellantis will be an industry champion in climate change mitigation with a reduction of carbon create by 50% by 2030 and becoming net zero carbon emission by 2038. Leadership at Stellantis have committed to having 100% of European sales and 50% of United State sales to be battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by 2030. This will be done by having more than 75 BEVs and global annual BEV sales of 5 million vehicles by 2030.

The start of DARE FORWARD 2030 is to introduce the Jeep brand's first-ever fully electric SUV.

This fully electric Jeep will be launched early 2023, expanding the brands reach globally and taking the next step of achieving the Jeep brand's vision of Zero Emission Freedom. More information on this Jeep BEV will be released in the coming months.

Stellantis is proud to preview the new RAM 1500 BEV pickup arriving for sale 2024.

Fueled by innovation and engineering excellence with the latest in technology, the RAM lineup will offer from the most affordable BEV pickup to the high-performance and luxury. An extensive product portfolio of incredible options to meet the customer's needs.

Stellantis aim is to be #1 in customer satisfaction for our products and services bringing exceptional solutions to retail to professional customers. To achieve this, it starts with having exceptional people per their video:

 

Operational excellence, speed of execution and a breakeven point of less than 50% of shipments will remain their hallmark. Stellantis plans to double net revenues by 2030 and sustain double-digit adjusted operating income margins through 2030.

Dare Forward 2030 Key Facts 

Here is how Stellantis sees their iconic house brands and pricing:

Stellantis plans to grow their premium and luxury brands from current revenues and profits to be 100% BEV sales with 4x revenues and 5x profits of today.

This will be accomplished by an aggressive roll out of the BEV Portfolio:

The U.S. market will see an aggressive full speed BEV roll out of products that cover 25+ models between 2024 and 2030, a six-year period seeing 4 models and in some cases more per year.

Stellantis has made it very clear that their global carbon footprint will change immensely to help mitigate climate change.

One area that many say is not sustainable is that due to BEVs being much less maintenance is the lost jobs by moving away from ICE. Stellantis as does many OEM auto companies see new job creation and retraining that embraces new jobs. The great circular economy: from cradle-to-cradle is how Stellantis sees the future.

Every customer count, every journey matters is how Stellantis is seeing the long-term journey to embrace customers for life.

Tech is the future as we have a revolutionary shift in the way vehicles are built, serviced and updated. As such electrification and beyond will bring in software, AI, future autonomous driving and more to the auto of the future. Here we have the following for EV commitments:

One part of Stellantis plan is that Hydrogen does play an important part in this mix, as such commercial side will have hydrogen generated electric vans and eventually HD trucks in addition to pure last mile delivery/work vans that are pure BEV.

Here we have software as a core to the global Stellantis auto family and as a core focus the following:

While automated self-driving, data as a service, fleet services and the venture fund are additional areas covered by the DARE FORWARD 2030 plane, the focus of this writeup is on the autos themselves. If you wish to look at these areas, click on the following link: 2030 STRATEGIC PLAN DESIGN (stellantis.com)

Stellantis also covered the value the global brands would bring to the table via e-commerce, holistic and digital marketplaces, as this focuses on their 7 accretive businesses:

• CIRCULAR ECONOMY
• DATA BUSINESS
• MOBILITY
• FINANCIAL SERVICES
• PRE-OWNED CARS
• AFTERMARKET
• COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

Market share growth across all global regions was also covered in this press release, as were financials and can be viewed at the strategic plan link above or at the bottom of this writeup.

Stellantis closed out their virtual press event with the following slides:

Keep in mind that as the auto industry moves forward, technology will be changing at a rapid pace not seen in the ICE auto industry in decades. Part of Stellantis plan is to go beyond where current BEV's are at by starting with Solid-State batteries and their partnership with Factorial.

More can be read about Factorial here: 

Dare Forward 2030: Stellantis’ Blueprint for Cutting-Edge Freedom of Mobility | Corporate Communications | Stellantis

Long-Term Strategic Plan | Stellantis

2030 STRATEGIC PLAN DESIGN (stellantis.com)

Jeep® Brand Reveals Image of First-Ever Fully Electric Jeep SUV | Jeep | Stellantis

Let get to the meat and potatoes of this big day and post in their bullet list of what Stellantis is going to do:

• Plans to invest more than €30 billion through 2025 in electrification and software, while continuing to be the automotive efficiency frontrunner, with investment efficiency 30 percent better than industry average 

• Targeting over 70 percent of sales in Europe and over 40 percent in the United States to be low emission vehicle (LEV) by 2030

• All 14 brands committed to offering best-in-class fully electrified solutions

• Delivering BEVs that meet demands of customers, with ranges of 500-800 km/300-500 miles and class-leading fast charging capability of 32 km/20 miles per minute 

• Four flexible BEV-by-design platforms, scalable family of three electric drive modules and standardized battery packs to cover all brands and segments 

• Platforms designed for long life via software and hardware upgrades

• Global EV battery sourcing strategy of over 260GWh by 2030, supported by five “gigafactories” between Europe and North America

• Plans include dual battery chemistries: a high energy-density option and a nickel cobalt-free alternative by 2024

• Solid state battery technology introduction planned in 2026

This game plan is having Stellantis targeting what they believe is an achievable, double-digit Adjusted Operating Income margins in the mid-term of 2026 for profitability selling globally a mixture of BEV, PHEV or what they are calling (LEV) Low Emission Vehicles along with ICE auto's and an OPEN end date in regards to totally retiring ICE auto's except where mandated by country.

Stellantis is targeting to have the 70 percent LEV for Europe and 40 percent LEV for the US market by 2030 by introducing exciting and desirable LEV auto's. Stellantis believes that once especially in the US market the LEV Trucks and Cars that they are planning to introduce that this will drive the switch from ICE to BEV or LEV. This will come via their plan at sourcing 130 gigawatts of battery capacity by 2025 with more than 260 GWh of battery by 2030. The EV battery component needs will be accomplished via a total of five gigafactories in Europe and North America with additional supply contracts / partnerships to support total global demand. Stellantis has signed two Lithium partners to ensure sustainable supply of Lithium  for North America and Europe.

Stellantis believes they can reduce 2021 costs of batteries by 40% by 2025 via their synergies in manufacturing and an additional 20 percent reduction in cost by 2030 over todays costs. All aspects of the battery pack will be optimized to reduce costs. Battery life cycle for repair, remanufacturing, second-life use and recycling as a complete sustainable system will be implemented to address concerns by customers and partners.

Stellantis believes they will have total cost of ownership of EV's to be equivalent to ICE by the start of 2026.

Stellantis 14 iconic brands are all committed to offering best-in-class electrified solutions that enhances the DNA of each brand. The following is the statements expressing each brands electrification approach:

● Abarth – “Heating Up People, But Not the Planet”

● Alfa Romeo – “From 2024, Alfa Romeo Becomes Alfa e-Romeo”

● Chrysler – “Clean Technology for a New Generation of Families”

● Citroën – “Citroën Electric: Well-Being for All!”

● Dodge – “Tear Up the Streets… Not the Planet”

● DS Automobiles – “The Art of Travel, Magnified”

● Fiat – “It’s Only Green When It’s Green for All”

● Jeep® – “Zero Emission Freedom”

● Lancia – “The Most Elegant Way to Protect the Planet”

● Maserati – “The Best in Performance Luxury, Electrified”

● Opel/Vauxhall – “Green is the New Cool”

● Peugeot – “Turning Sustainable Mobility into Quality Time”

● Ram – “Built to Serve a Sustainable Planet”

● Commercial Vehicles – “The Global Leader in e-Commercial Vehicles”

Stellantis has stated that the driving range and rapid recharge are key to widespread consumer acceptance of BEVs. This will be achieved by delivering BEVs that have a range of 500-800 km/300-500 miles and with class-leading fast charging of 32 km/20 miles per minute.

Stellantis will have four BEV-centric platforms as the backbone of their global strategy for all 14 brands. The platforms are designed with a high level of flexibiliity (Length and Width) along with component sharing, delivering economies of scale globally while supporting two million units per year to begin.

The four platforms are as follows:

• STLA Small - range up to 500 km/300 miles
• STLA Medium - range up to 700 km/440 miles
• STLA Large - range up to 800 km/500 miles
• STLA Frame - range up to 800 km/500 miles

The power train systems will cover FWD, RWD, AWD and 4xe using three electric drive modules that combine the motor, gearbox and inverter. These EDMs (electric drive modules) when combined with high energy density battery packs will deliver best in class performance, efficiency, range and recharging per Stellantis.

Hardware upgrades and over-the-air software updates will extend the life of the platforms well into the next decade. Stellantis states they will deliver software and controls in-house that maintain the characteristics unique to each brand.

To quote Carlos Tavares: “Our electrification journey is quite possibly the most important brick to lay as we start to reveal the future of Stellantis just six months after its birth, and now the entire company is in full execution mode to exceed every customer’s expectations and accelerate our role in redefining the way the world moves,”

More details on Stellantis EV Day 2021 can be reviewed here: Stellantis EV Day 2021 | Stellantis

Stellantis has been busy as they have also announced plans with major partners such as Foxconn who will help deliver class leading digital cockpits with personalized connected services for Stellantis 14 brands globally. This joint venture will be focused on infotainment, telematics, cloud service, software innovations incorporating A.I., 5G communication, over-the-air services, e-commerce and smart cockpit integrations.

Ram and Dodge both had major presentations showing off their future roadmap of BEVs for North America. 

Dodge has introduced the American eMuscle with the promise to "Tear up the Streets, not the Planet!"

Watch the video as they show the 100 years plus of auto's at the Historic Dodge family home. Very cool!

We then move onto RAM and their plans for the electric pickup by 2024. Pretty much they are going to start with a 1500 EV crewcab pickup with 500 miles of range out by 2024 for the masses and will like FORD offer it in a series of package versions to entice people to change over to RWD/AWD BEV trucks.

Ram's pickup like Ford and what we can assume GM's Chevrolet and GMC EV pickups will stick to the traditional style that allows them to sell millions a year with style adjustments due to the efficiency of the EV powertrain over ICE in needs of air flow for cooling.

Jeep then comes front and center, YES BEV will end up in Jeeps lineup, but Hybrid is the focus first for Jeep starting with the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe.

Jeep seems to be on track to deliver that freedom while being greener and keeping the JEEP DNA in-tack. 

As one who has questioned why Fiat even thought of coming back to America let alone it's purpose in the global market, seems Stellantis is taking a page from Daimler in that the FIAT brand will be converted immediately to an all BEV brand including an Abarth EV Performance version.

The one thing I did notice about Stellantis EV Day is a clear absence of Chrysler from the EV plan. If anyone does spot it in any of the links, please post about it below to share as I do wonder about the brand's future as the only thing I could find was their logo in this screen capture from the presentation.

For those that are interested in the Financials, they have the following video to watch:

Conclusion to their EV Day 2021 by CEO Carlos Tavares:

Stellantis starts the new week with a Spotlight on the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe

Stellantis Intensifies Electrification While Targeting Sustainable Double-Digit Adjusted Operating Income Margins in the Mid-term | Stellantis

Mobile Drive Joint Venture | Stellantis

EV Day 2021 Presentation Slides (stellantis.com)

Stellantis Media - Stellantis Intensifies Electrification While Targeting Sustainable Double-digit Adjusted Operating Income Margins in the Mid-term (stellantisnorthamerica.com)

Stellantis Media - Stellantis Spotlight Wraps the Week (stellantisnorthamerica.com)

Stellantis Media - Jeep® Brand Reveals First Images of All-new Electrified 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe (stellantisnorthamerica.com)