Stellantis, Toyota, Ford, Subaru and Mazda may form a "superpool" with Tesla to avoid EU fines
In 2025, a new edition of emission standards for car manufacturers will come into force in the European Union. Major carmakers have decided to unite to avoid billions of dollars in fines. According to documents published by the European Commission, Stellantis, Toyota, Ford, Subaru and Mazda intend to create a "superpool" with Tesla that could cover a third of the entire European vehicle market. In addition Mercedes-Benz will team up with Volvo and Polestar.
Here's What We Know
From 2025, total fleet emissions should reach 93.6 grams of CO2 per kilometre driven, up from 106.6 grams in 2023. However, each carmaker has a refined target that depends on the number of vehicles it registers.
Research firm Rho Motion has estimated that based on 2024 sales figures, carmakers in Europe face fines totalling more than US$15 billion if they do not make changes to alliance schemes or electric vehicle sales in 2025. Forming alliances will help "lagging" carmakers compensate for the lack of electric vehicles in their lineup at the expense of other companies in the pool, particularly Tesla. Although even the participation of an American electric car maker does not guarantee the ability to completely avoid penalties.
Mercedes-Benz was fined nearly $1bn because it exceeded its 2024 emissions target per car by 17.3g. However, pooling with Volvo and Polestar will theoretically allow them to stay within the allowable parameters for 2025.
Rho Motion also noted that the emergence of pools involving Tesla and Mercedes-Benz leaves an uncertain future for other automakers. Companies such as VW, BMW, Kia, Jaguar Land Rover, Hyundai and Honda have yet to announce pooling plans for 2025. All of them are currently exceeding the required targets for the year. With fewer merger options available, these players may push for negotiations with the European Commission to mitigate potential penalties.
Source: Rho Motion
