This past week has been very eventful for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles that announced that they will be merging with the PSA Group so as to create the world’s fourth largest OEM in the industry as far as global sales are concerned.
Now, in a call with analysts regarding third-quarter profits, FCA CEO Mike Manley talked about his company’s relationship with Tesla and how it could move forward into the future, as reported by Business Insider.
When asked about possibly buying an electric platform or platforms from Tesla, the FCA boss stated that if the merger goes through, then electrification would happen on a “grand scale” and that further cooperation with Tesla on vehicle-pooling would make sense, beyond what he described as a “hedge”.
Related: FCA To Build New Battery Hub At Its Turn Factory
“It would be wrong of me to say no,” he went on to say, explaining that the potential of such an arrangement could enable both FCA and PSA to conserve capital.
“The customer will be agnostic” to certain components, such as batteries and the drivetrain. Manley added that a company could buy a “skateboard” platform from Tesla, before tuning other systems such as the suspension and handling to suit various needs – this matters since FCA has a diverse portfolio of brands (Jeep, RAM, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat, Lancia, Maserati, Alfa Romeo).
As for Tesla, they have supplied other automakers in the past, such as giving powertrains to Toyota – the Japanese company sold its holdings after Tesla’s 2010 IPO.
Manley also confirmed that FCA’s pooling deal with Tesla to avoid EU emissions fines will end in 2021. “Our relationship with Tesla goes back a long way,” Manley said. “It really has helped us. But FCA are absolutely committed to reducing CO2 emissions around the world.”
