Carlos Tavares speaks on Chinese competition in Europe
An offensive statement
Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, took advantage of the inauguration of the production of the Fiat Grande Panda at the Kragujevac plant in Serbia to address the group’s attitude towards Chinese competition in Europe.
Although Stellantis has a wide range of electric vehicles, Tavares has always been critical of electrification at any cost. However, he remains undeterred and affirmed: “We are ready to fight. We will show them that we are working hard, that we have the right technology, and that we are a very fierce competitor.”
Stellantis and price competition
Despite this offensive position, Stellantis seems well-equipped to face the “price war” led by Chinese brands. Models such as the Citroën ë-C3, ë-C3 Aircross, Opel Frontera, and Fiat Grande Panda, based on the Smart Car platform, offer advantageous prices.
Serbia, a strategic asset
The new production line in Serbia is becoming a central element in this battle. An agreement of 190 million euros between the country and Stellantis in 2022 enabled this opening. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic declared: “A huge opportunity for us,” highlighting the fact that Serbia is the only country in the Western Balkans to produce electric cars. But Serbia’s asset is not limited to this plant; the country also has rich lithium resources.
European resources and initiatives
Serbia has authorized the opening of a mine by Rio Tinto to extract 58,000 tons of lithium per year, powering approximately 1.1 million electric vehicles. An agreement with the European Union allows member countries to access these resources, also promoting the manufacturing of batteries and electric cars. Mercedes-Benz has already shown interest. The goal is to reduce dependency on China while decreasing the environmental impact of production.