Big news in the automotive world, for the present, but above all for the future. The president of the Molise Region, Francesco Roberti, met Minister Adolfo Urso yesterday in Rome, at the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy. The focus of the afternoon’s work was centered on the dynamics of industrial policy in the area with particular attention to the timing of the Termoli Gigafactory, built by Acc. It was a cordial and particularly important meeting, since, once again, the attention of the national government have focused on our region and its production potential. Very soon there will be important news, which will affect the territory and its prospects for economic and industrial development.
Meanwhile, electric cars made (or Chinese technology) to be sold in Europe, to expand the fleet of green vehicles, through less expensive and more accessible models, but there is controversy about the turning point announced by the CEO of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares. Stellantis and Leapmotor announced that the two companies have obtained all necessary approvals to establish Leapmotor International BV, a 51/49 joint venture led by Stellantis. From the Amsterdam headquarters, the team led by CEO Tianshu ), Middle East & Africa, and South America in the fourth quarter of 2024. «The agreement between Stellantis and Leapmotor on the production and import of electric cars from China on the European market can have two interpretations for us: one of industrial prospects, one of political and strategic – commented Marco Laviano, of Fim-Cisl – we have always given an opening to producers, to multinationals who decide to invest in the European panorama and as Italy we should always be ready to present our candidacy in order to be able to better seize all the opportunities that transition will give us. But this is on the condition that the productions have a positive impact on employment volumes and that they actually generate new and healthy employment. Today we already have importers, but our socioeconomic fabric needs production that can truly be defined as Made in Italy. Productions that can give the car production chain a new growth opportunity. So if CEO Tavares’ strategy is to implement the already important productions of the Stellantis group with new productions of small electric cars, then they must necessarily generate new job opportunities in Europe and especially in Italy where the downsizing of the factories is having a negative impact on the number of employed people, if instead it is a merely and politically strategic choice, we must better understand its true benefits. In this regard, in our opinion, the political disputes between Stellantis and the Government continue to the detriment of workers, the commitment that Urso asks Stellantis to take charge of 1,400,000 motor vehicles must be accompanied by concrete industrial policies, therefore the various suspended discussions have been completed, including the one referring to Molise, Automotive – Anfia – Unions, and that a serious and programmatic development agreement is finally defined which places the value of work in Italy at the center of the project both in economic and in terms of future prospects. As Fim-Cisl we support the principle of technological neutrality, only in this way can we manage in the best way the uncertainties that come from markets, producers and, alas, Governments. We have been saying for some time, decide to take a path that does not preclude other possibilities, work is the foundation of our society.” In October 2023, the two companies announced the investment by Stellantis of approximately 1.5 billion euros in Leapmotor, for the acquisition of approximately 21% of the shares of Leapmotor, an automotive company classified in 2023 among the top 3 Chinese electric vehicle startups. The agreement also provided for the establishment of Leapmotor International, with exclusive rights to export and sell, as well as manufacture Leapmotor products outside of “Greater China”. The partnership aims to further increase Leapmotor sales in China, the world’s largest automotive market, while benefiting from Stellantis’ established commercial presence in international markets to increase sales of the Leapmotor brand in other regions. “The creation of Leapmotor International is a great step forward to help address the urgent problem of global warming through cutting-edge BEV models, capable of competing with Chinese brands in key markets around the world – said Carlos Tavares – by leveraging our current global presence we will soon be able to offer our customers competitively priced and technologically cutting-edge electric vehicles capable of exceeding expectations. Thanks to the leadership of Tianshu Xin, Leapmotor International has developed an ambitious commercial and industrial strategy with which to rapidly strengthen distribution channels and support Leapmotor’s growth, creating value for both partners involved.” Leapmotor International’s electric vehicle offering complements Stellantis’ existing technology and portfolio of iconic brands and will ensure customers have more affordable mobility solutions. «The CEO of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, announced that the closing of the agreement with Leapmotor for the marketing of Chinese electric cars in Europe and therefore also in Italy from September 2024 has been completed. We ask that the production and assembly of the Leapmotor models be carried out in the Stellantis factories in Italy and that the table be convened at the Presidency of the Council with the CEO Carlos Tavares, as we have jointly requested for some time. It is indisputable that in Italy automotive workers represent excellence in skills and professionalism both in research and development and in production. Stellantis has a social responsibility towards workers who, unlike other countries, are on redundancy pay, and therefore a plan with new models is needed, which also guarantee employment for companies in the components supply chain. The situation of Stelllantis in Italy is increasingly serious and there continue to be no answers for future prospects: for this reason it is necessary to give continuity to the united mobilization of Turin, with an initiative at national level”. Samuele Lodi, Fiom-Cgil national secretary and mobility sector manager, declared this in a note.
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