Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares is calling for lighter electric vehicles as the industry grapples with massive materials costs in current-generation battery technology.
Speaking at the automaker’s Freedom of Mobility Forum earlier this week, Tavares told shareholders that today’s EV batteries are such a resource-intensive component that they nullify the positive impacts of electrification. Noting that a “decent range” EV is usually 1,000 pounds heavier than the average ICE model, the Stellantis chief said that battery density will need to be halved within the next decade to offset the strain EV manufacturing places on the environment.
However, Tavares, notoriously reticent to place too much faith in the electric vehicle transition, was also confident that a scientific “breakthrough” that reduced battery weight was on the horizon. “I think over the next decade we’ll be able to reduce the battery pack weight by 50%,” he commented, “hence reducing by 50% the use of additional raw materials against a conventional vehicle.” Stellantis’ first electric vehicle for the U.S. was launched earlier this year.
While EV sales have continued to rise, the segment’s growth has shown signs of stagnation due to high production costs, demand constrained by inadequate charging infrastructure, and a lack of affordability. Tavares’ comments arrived during the same week that all three Detroit automakers announced first-quarter sales, which revealed a massive surge in hybrid demand. Stellantis, similar to Toyota, has prioritized hybrid technology over electric vehicles and currently carries five for the U.S. market.
