Opel will maintain its commitment to electrification despite the sudden departure of Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, according to Florian Huettl, Opel’s CEO. The German brand, a key player in Stellantis’ electric vehicle (EV) strategy, plans to stay on course toward a fully electric future.
“Opel has a very clear path towards electrification, and the organization will not change these fundamental choices,” Huettl told Reuters. He added, “In 2025, which will be the next stage of electrification, it will be very important to be very agile, very close to the market, and very close to operations.”
Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest automaker, faces challenges following Tavares’ abrupt resignation, which was attributed to disagreements over the company’s turnaround strategy after issuing a significant profit warning. To address the leadership void, Stellantis has implemented an interim executive structure led by Chairman John Elkann.
Despite the uncertainty, Opel continues its transition to an all-electric product lineup. The automaker plans to launch the Grandland SUV in early 2024, which will be the first Stellantis electric vehicle featuring batteries manufactured at ACC’s gigafactory in France. Opel has pledged to move entirely to EVs in its next product cycle.
Stellantis confronts additional hurdles, including overcapacity in the U.S., weakening global car demand, and rising competition from Chinese automakers. Still, Opel’s commitment to electrification underscores Stellantis’ broader strategy to strengthen its foothold in the EV market.
