This reversal comes despite years of investment and public commitment to electrification. Stellantis—parent company to brands like Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, and Chrysler—had pledged to sell five million electric vehicles by the end of the decade, aiming for full electrification in Europe and at least 50 percent EV sales in North America. The company even phased out its widely popular Hemi V8 engine to make room for electrified models.
The move now raises questions about the feasibility of long-term EV strategies among legacy automakers. Stellantis is far from the only company pulling back on earlier commitments. With competitors like Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, and General Motors adjusting their EV targets as well, the shift could mark a broader recalibration of expectations across the industry.
Internal Pressures and Shifting Regulations
The change in direction was revealed by Jean-Philippe Imparato, Stellantis’ head of the expanded Europe region, during the IAA event in Munich. Imparato stated the company would no longer pursue its 2030 all-electric goal, citing that meeting current European Union emissions regulations would be unfeasible. As reported by Reuters, Stellantis believes the EU targets are no longer realistically attainable.
This comes after earlier warnings from Imparato, who had said that without a significant increase in EV sales, Stellantis would face difficult decisions. In early 2025, he mentioned the need to double current EV sales in Europe or risk closing internal combustion engine (ICE) factories as early as November. Failure to do so could result in billions in fines, a scenario the company seems eager to avoid.
The EU recently delayed its next emissions crackdown until 2027, giving some breathing room. Yet even with the delay, Stellantis has concluded that the goals set in its Dare Forward 2030 blueprint are now out of reach.
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Abandoned Launches and Broken Momentum
Despite its early push toward electrification, Stellantis has faced repeated delays and setbacks in rolling out key EV models. The company had earmarked $36 billion for its electric strategy, unveiling electric versions of the Jeep, Dodge Charger, and a fully electric Ram 1500 REV. But the much-anticipated Ram was postponed, and other large EVs promised by 2026 have not materialized.
By 2024, former CEO Carlos Tavares had still been publicly committed to the plan, stating that Stellantis would comply with EU regulations without resorting to fines or carbon credit purchases. Tavares had refused to join rival automakers asking for a regulatory pause. As reported by CarBuzz, Stellantis was actively developing eight new large EVs and four electrified trucks by 2024. Yet many of these models never made it past the announcement stage.
In a telling reversal, Stellantis reintroduced its Hemi V8 engine in 2025—once eliminated to make way for electric alternatives. At the same time, the fate of the electric Dodge Charger remains unclear, with reports suggesting the model may be nearing cancellation altogether.
industry trend or isolated retreat?
Stellantis’ move mirrors a broader pattern taking shape across the auto industry. Several global automakers have revisited or rolled back earlier electric vehicle commitments. Volvo, for example, dropped its 2030 full-electric target in late 2024. General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen Group have all reallocated resources back into internal combustion engine development, a technology once thought to be on the way out.
The return to ICE development reflects changing market dynamics, cost constraints, and uneven consumer adoption of EVs. While Stellantis’ retreat is significant given its scale and brand portfolio, it is not unique. As stated by the same source, the electric transition—once seen as inevitable—is now being reassessed even by those who were leading the charge.
What happens next remains uncertain. Stellantis has not offered a revised timeline or new targets for electrification, leaving analysts and consumers wondering where the company’s product roadmap is headed. Without new vehicles from key brands like Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Chrysler, the company’s EV lineup appears to be on pause.
