Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kaelleniusis expected to seek a second term as president of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), according to a report by German business outlet Handelsblatt, which cited industry sources. The ACEA presidency is elected annually and may be extended once, a provision Källenius now appears poised to pursue.
The association’s internal committee is scheduled to vote on the 2026 presidency in early December, though Källenius’ reappointment is reportedly viewed as a formality. The ACEA declined to comment when approached for a statement, Handelsblatt said.
Kaellenius assumed the ACEA presidency in January, succeeding former Renault chief executive Luca de Meo, who served as president in 2023 and 2024. Prior to de Meo, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse held the position for two years. The ACEA represents 16 major European manufacturers of passenger cars, vans, trucks and buses, including German groups Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler Truck. Stellantis, whose portfolio includes Opel, rejoined the association in 2025 after a temporary withdrawal.
A second term would extend Kaellenius’ role as a leading industry voice on EU emissions policy. The Swedish-born executive has increasingly emphasized a balanced approach to decarbonisation after previously setting — and later retreating from — a target for Mercedes-Benz to offer an all-electric lineup by 2030. As ACEA president, he has repeatedly urged EU policymakers to adjust the bloc’s 2035 CO₂ regulations, calling for what he described as “a realistic path to decarbonising the European automotive industry.”
His position reflects concerns highlighted in the ACEA’s monthly registration reports, which have noted that battery-electric vehicle market share “remains below the pace required for this phase of the transition,” even as BEVs continue to rank among the fastest-growing powertrain categories.