PSA and FCA have now completed their merger, paving the way for the creation of Stellantis. The new group’s ordinary shares will start trading on Euronext in Paris and Mercato Telematico Azionario in Milan on 18 January, and on the New York Stock Exchange on 19 January, each under the symbol “STLA”.

PSA and Fiat Chrysler have agreed on a merger. However, the details are still open, as the agreement is to be worked out in the coming weeks. It is also open what this means for electric mobility in the new company.

The Franco-German initiative to establish battery cell production in Europe is on but who are the key players and their arguments and most importantly, where could a facility best be built? An overview by our Paris correspondent Cora Werwitzke.

PSA CEO Carlos Tavares throws his weight behind the ‘Battery Airbus’ for Europe as proposed by the EU Commission. He believes it crucial to operate independently from Asian suppliers but has yet to find the industry’s support.

The French group wants each and every of its 40 models to have either an electric or hybrid sibling by 2025. That is what CEO Carlos Tavares just made public. First electrified models are to roll off the lines by 2019.

“As Japanese manufacturers, such as Nissan and Mitsubishi, use the alternative CHAdeMO standard for rapid charging, there is little likelihood of a single standard being practical across Europe in the next few years.”

Chargemaster CEO David Martell as he looks at the short-term future of EV charging in Europe. He doesn’t think that there actually needs to be a single charging standard, as petrol and diesel have also co-existed side by side.
businesscar.co.uk

“We recognise that there is an electrification underway and by 2019 we will bring the PSA technology in petrol plug-in hybrids and the second-generation electric powertrain technology.”

PSA chief Carlos Tavares keeps up the tension as he drops yet another hint that the fancy DS E-Tense concept from Geneva could make it into production, especially since the electric drivetrain will first be made available in the company’s top of the range models.
autocar.co.uk

“When you talk to European policymakers, the frustration is actually quite considerable. They won’t be as industry friendly as hoped, and this will translate to an escalated tightening of CO2 limits.”

Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management in Germany, points out the mid-term consequences of Volkswagen’s diesel-rigging scandal. He believes that policymakers could easily move to a 75-78g/km target by 2025.
europe.autonews.com

“In the next two years? No. […] But I have learned in this business to never say never.”

Answers Carlos Tavares, PSA Peugeot-Citroën CEO, when asked if the DS E-Tense EV concept first shown in Geneva is headed for serial production.
autocar.co.uk

“China subsidizes 120,000 yuan for an average electric car, the highest in the world, but the cars still failed to become very popular. Electric bicycles never get public endorsement by any ministries but grow at a 35 percent annual pace. Policymakers should reflect on that.”

Qiu Baoxing, China´s former-vice minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, here puts some hard facts behind the hype. Instead of (large) cars, smart “future cities” need more e-bikes, he said, and would like to see those subsidised.
ecns.cn

“Electric mobility is not a priority.”

Peugeot’s new CEO Carlos Tavares wants to first help the carmaker out of the red. He says that EU emission goals could also be reached without developing new EVs.
autozeitung.de (in German)

“So, we can state that, in Europe today, only 77 stations and over 100 next year will allow a large European territory coverage, connecting for instance Norway to Switzerland via Sweden, Denmark and Germany. Even if it is not as convenient as today’s petrol station, some 200-300km between each station is a reasonable starting point.”

This is just one of the interesting answers from Yoshikazu Tanaka, head of the fuel cell vehicle development at Toyota, given to the many questions he had been asked around the automaker’s European debut of its FCV concept car at the Geneva Show.
transportevolved.com

“Once we see that an electric vehicle is profitable, we will already have access to that technology.”

VP of Sales Jochen Goller could not say exactly when an electric Mini will hit the roads. But he sees the potential, since the BWM Group already earned the necessary know-how with the i3.
handelsblatt.com (in German)