Stellantis To Host ‘Freedom Of Mobility Forum’ As It Quits European Carmaker Association ACEA

Stellantis has withdrawn its membership from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), a powerful lobby group that represents 16 major European manufacturers of cars, trucks, and buses.

The ACEA advocates for the automotive industry across the European Union but Stellantis will quit and move away from lobbying activity, instead launching a Freedom of Mobility Forum that will help to identify “how to bring clean, safe, and affordable freedom of mobility for society in the face of global warming implications.”

Stellantis chief executive Carlos Tavares is a former president of ACEA and through the car manufacturer’s decision, it becomes the first key automaker to part ways with the group.

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“While the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) respects the decision of Stellantis to withdraw its membership of the association at the end of this year, we regret to see them leave,” the ACEA said in a statement. “We remain committed to act as a strong common voice of EU-based car, truck, van and bus makers.”

Stellantis’ Freedom of Mobility Forum is planned for early 2023 and will bring together a diverse pool of experts. The event will be planned and coordinated by an advisory board of experts representing various stakeholders across the industry and host a number of debates on important topics. Experts will come from mobility and technology providers, academics, politics, science, and other areas.

“The environmental challenges ahead of us coupled with a rapidly evolving business environment require an efficient, global and inclusive 360-degree approach involving all those who wish to contribute to building sustainable mobility,” Tavares described. “We intend to create a public forum in which contributors can come together to address the key questions surrounding the debate on decarbonized mobility and provide actionable next steps for us to take together. Access to clean, safe and affordable mobility for the citizens across the world is at stake.”