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Stellantis CEO Tavares deems Euro 7 emissions rules ‘useless’

(Credit: Stellantis)

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Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has stated that the newest iteration of the Euro 7 emission regulations regarding nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide are “useless.”

As concerns surrounding air quality and climate change have intensified in Europe over the past few decades, EU regulators have slowly worked to tighten vehicle emissions requirements as part of the Union’s “Euro” standards. The most recent iteration of the regulations, Euro-7, is set to continue these gradual emissions tightenings, significantly limiting nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide emissions from 2025 forward.

However, Reuters reports that Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares believes the new rules are “useless.”

Regarding the new emissions rules, “It is not helpful, it is costly, it does not bring customers benefits, it does not bring environmental benefit. The ICE emission part is something which just makes no sense,” Tavares said during the company’s Earnings Call this morning. Tavares went on to note that the new rules regarding tire and brake particulate were far better inclusions in the new regulations.

But the Stellantis chief’s argument on why he believes these regulations to be “not helpful” is equally as interesting as his provocative statements.

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The Stellantis CEO notes that thanks to the EU’s ban on new ICE vehicles starting in 2035, these new emissions controls may prove moot as automakers shift to 100% electric offerings. Furthermore, he argues, by putting in place these new regulations, automakers are forced to invest more money into dying ICE vehicle platforms to ensure that they meet these new requirements, all while already investing in replacing them entirely.

In concluding his statement to investors this morning on the European/American auto group’s earnings, Tavares noted that Stellantis was more dedicated to vehicle electrification than ever and is pursuing new electric models as quickly as possible.

While many Stellantis brands lag behind competitors in terms of current electric offerings, all of them are now working to introduce more electric models. Stellantis truck brand RAM plans to introduce its first electric pickup, the RAM 1500 REV, in the next two years. Jeep, Stellantis’ famed offroad brand, has launched its first EV in Europe and plans to introduce its first full EV in North America shortly. Meanwhile, European Stellantis brands Peugeot, Citroen, and even Maserati have introduced their first EVs with varying degrees of success.

As major automakers and auto groups like Stellantis continue to electrify, Carlos Tavares is likely correct that regulations will be forced to change to ensure ever-improving safety and environmental footprints. It remains to be seen what that regulatory system will look like and what materials or externalities will be regulated for.

Stellantis announced a record annual profit, reporting a 26 percent increase in net profit during its earnings call. The automaker also had a 41 percent increase in battery and EV sales globally.

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What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!

Will is an auto enthusiast, a gear head, and an EV enthusiast above all. From racing, to industry data, to the most advanced EV tech on earth, he now covers it at Teslarati.

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Tesla Giga Berlin is still ramping production to meet Model Y demand: plant manager

Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand.

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Credit: Tesla/X

Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand. While registrations in some countries such as Sweden have fallen sharply this year, the company’s sales in other key territories have been rising. 

Giga Berlin shifts to two shifts

Giga Berlin factory manager André Thierig told the DPA that the facility has been running two shifts since September to manage a surge in global orders. And due to the tariff dispute with the United States, vehicles that are produced at Giga Berlin are now being exported to Canada. 

“We deliver to well over 30 markets and definitely see a positive trend there,” Thierig said.

Despite Giga Berlin now having two shifts, the facility’s production still needs to ramp up more. This is partly due to the addition of the Tesla Model Y Performance and Standard, which are also being produced in the Grunheide-based factory. Interestingly enough, Giga Berlin still only produces the Model Y, unlike other factories like Gigafactory Texas, the Fremont Factory, and Gigafactory Shanghai, which produce more than one type of vehicle. 

Norway’s momentum

Norway, facing an imminent tax increase on cars, has seen a historic spike in Tesla purchases as buyers rush to secure deliveries before the change takes effect, as noted in a CarUp report. As per recent reports, Tesla has broken Norway’s all-time annual sales record this month, beating Volkswagen’s record that has stood since 2016.

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What is rather remarkable is the fact that Tesla was able to achieve so much in Norway with one hand practically tied behind its back. This is because the company’s biggest sales draw, FSD, remains unavailable in the country. Fortunately, Tesla is currently hard at work attempting to get FSD approved for Europe, a notable milestone that should spur even more vehicle sales in the region.

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Tesla launches crazy Full Self-Driving free trial: here’s how you can get it

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tesla full self driving
Credit: Tesla

Tesla is launching a crazy Full Self-Driving free trial, which will enable owners who have not purchased the suite outright to try it for 30 days.

There are a handful of stipulations that will be needed in order for you to qualify for the free trial, which was announced on Thursday night.

Tesla said the trial is for v14, the company’s latest version of the Full Self-Driving suite, and will be available to new and existing Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and Cybertruck owners, who will have the opportunity to try the latest features, including Speed Profiles, Arrival Options, and other new upgrades.

You must own one of the five Tesla models, have Full Self-Driving v14.2 or later, and have an eligible vehicle in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, or Canada.

The company said it is a non-transferable trial, which is not redeemable for cash. Tesla is reaching out to owners via email to give them the opportunity to enable the Full Self-Driving trial.

Those who are subscribed to the monthly Full Self-Driving program are eligible, so they will essentially get a free month of the suite.

Once it is installed, the trial will begin, and the 30-day countdown will begin.

Tesla is making a major push to increase its Full Self-Driving take rate, as it revealed that about 12 percent of owners are users of the program during its recent earnings call.

Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja said during the call:

“We feel that as people experience the supervised FSD at scale, demand for our vehicles, like Elon said, would increase significantly. On the FSD adoption front, we’ve continued to see decent progress. However, note that the total paid FSD customer base is still small, around 12% of our current fleet.”

Earlier today, we reported on Tesla also launching a small-scale advertising campaign on X for the Full Self-Driving suite, hoping to increase adoption.

Tesla Full Self-Driving warrants huge switch-up on essential company strategy

It appears most people are pretty content with the subscription program. It costs just $99 a month, in comparison to the $8,000 fee it is for the outright purchase.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving warrants huge switch-up on essential company strategy

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tesla side repeater camera
(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla Full Self-Driving has warranted a huge switch-up on an essential company strategy as the automaker is hoping to increase the take rate of the ADAS suite.

Unlike other automotive companies, Tesla has long been an outlier, as it has famously ditched a traditional advertising strategy in favor of organic buzz, natural word-of-mouth through its production innovation, and utilizing CEO Elon Musk’s huge social media presence to push its products.

Tesla has taken the money that it would normally spend on advertising and utilized it for R&D purposes. For a long time, it yielded great results, and ironically, Tesla saw benefits from other EV makers running ads.

Tesla counters jab at lack of advertising with perfect response

However, in recent years, Tesla has decided to adjust this strategy, showing a need to expand beyond its core enthusiast base, which is large, but does not span over millions and millions as it would need to fend off global EV competitors, which have become more well-rounded and a better threat to the company.

In 2024 and 2025, Tesla started utilizing ads to spread knowledge about its products. This is continuing, as Full Self-Driving ads are now being spotted on social media platforms, most notably, X, which is owned by Musk:

Interestingly, Tesla’s strategy on FSD advertising is present in Musk’s new compensation package, as the eleventh tranche describes a goal of achieving 10 million active paid FSD subscriptions.

Full Self-Driving is truly Tesla’s primary focus moving forward, although it could be argued that it also has a special type of dedication toward its Optimus robot project. However, FSD will ultimately become the basis for the Robotaxi, which will enable autonomous ride-sharing across the globe as it is permitted in more locations.

Tesla has been adjusting its advertising strategy over the past couple of years, and it seems it is focused on more ways to spread awareness about its products. It will be interesting to see if the company will expand its spending even further, as it has yet to put on a commercial during live television.

We wouldn’t put it out of the question, at least not yet.

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