By Steven Symes 
Automakers in Europe are starting to rebel against the draconian EV mandates there, with one Stellantis executive speaking out rather loudly. He’s warning that pushing ahead on the unrealistic electrification goals “could crash the automotive industry in Europe.”
Ford CEO’s comment about electric Mustangs riles enthusiasts.
That executive is Stellantis Europe COO Jean-Phillippe Imparato and his comments are turning heads. After all, he’s saying the EU electrification targets, which can easily be called mandates for the public, are “not reachable.”
He has also said about electric cars, “The market is not there, economical customers are not there, the charging infrastructure is not there, and the pricing is not there,” per a GB News report.
Imparato’s comments come at another critical juncture as automotive industry leaders in Europe are getting ready to present a set of emergency proposals to EU officials. They know the current targets will result in disaster as cheap Chinese EVs will take over the continent.
While European automakers try appealing to the better side of their overlords in Brussels, Americans can look on and breathe a sigh of relief knowing we’ve dodged that bullet, for now.
At least some of us will. Others who are fully on the EV bandwagon and have zero qualms about using the state’s power to compel consumer purchases feel otherwise. They’re furious that Europe might walk any portions of its aggressive electrification plan back.
We have mixed feelings about this. After all, to watch Europe fall flat on its face economically all thanks to dogmatic dedication to forcing people to buy electric cars is partly deserved but wholly horrible.
Plus, the global economic impact would be catastrophic.
What we don’t understand is why people who genuinely think electric vehicles are wonderful also think they’re not good enough to appeal to the masses in an open market. Why not just advocate for people to adopt them of their own free will?
That’s where resentment towards EVs has been building. In the US, it’s boiled over and the electric car market has collapsed as a result. What would happen in Europe? Would it be what Imparato said?
We may find out soon enough.
Image via Stellantis