Interview with Samuele Lodi by Andrea Boeris on Milano Finanza
Business Minister Adolfo Urso, who is chasing the goal of one million cars produced a year in Italy, has announced that he expects an agreement with Carlos Tavares by June. The CEO of Stellantis, who has just assigned a hybrid version of the 500 to Mirafiori by 2026, has guaranteed the full operation of the Italian factories between now and 2030.
Beyond the words and announcements, however, the facts continue to go in another direction. Yesterday Acc, the joint venture between Stellantis, Mercedes and TotalEnergies which should build the Termoli gigafactory, officially communicated the postponement of the project to the unions and Mimit.
«But without specifying by how much», Samuele Lodi, Fiom national secretary and mobility sector manager, underlines to MF-Milano Finanza, «and it is a very serious decision, but also a dangerous and worrying choice».
Why?
Answer. Because we are already hugely late as a country on the transition and the choice to delay the Termoli gigafactory also puts at risk the public resources that had been foreseen through the Pnrr: by moving the project forward, that contribution risks no longer being available. In the meantime, Stellantis says that Termoli will continue to produce engines: but for how long? With what volumes?
Is Stellantis backtracking on electrification in Italy?
Yes and it is a dangerous and counterproductive afterthought, because in any case, even by returning to focusing on the internal combustion engine, Stellantis is not giving any guarantees on employment levels or production. All the factories use social safety nets and have a worrying situation. Even Pomigliano itself, for example, where the Panda gives volumes but the Tonale does not.
Mirafiori will have the 500 hybrid, is that enough?
The model assignment is positive but insufficient, because it takes too long. How will the plant sustain itself until 2026? It can’t and in fact tomorrow (today, ed.) in Turin there will be a new day of mobilization to keep attention high.
There was talk of Leapmotor as a solution for Mirafiori, but it seems they will be produced in Poland. Would the production of Chinese electric vehicles in Turin be useful?
It would be a desirable choice because it could be a solution to the production problems of that plant. The conditions for Stellantis to make that type of choice are all there, perhaps not the will.
What do you ask for the trend to reverse and Stellantis to immediately return to producing more cars in Italy?
Meanwhile, it must be said that since negotiations began between the government and the company on the famous objective of one million vehicles per year in Italy, the situation has worsened in the meantime, rather than improved. Above all, this is needed: for Stellantis to assign to Italian plants the production of models for the mass market, which are capable of producing large production volumes. But we must also stop the policy of redundancies which also empties the central bodies, i.e. where research and development is carried out. We cannot wait any longer: it is necessary that President Meloni finally sits down at a table to discuss directly with both the trade unions and CEO Tavares. If there is no convocation at Palazzo Chigi, a united mobilization at a national level will be necessary.
In recent months there has been a lot of talk about a new manufacturer in Italy in addition to Stellantis. Beyond the fact that many candidates seem to choose other destinations, how much would it take?
In our opinion it is absolutely necessary for there to be at least a second car manufacturer in Italy, whether Chinese or another nationality. Because currently around half a million vehicles are produced in Italy, but a million and a half are registered and therefore there is space. While Stellantis continues to not give any guarantees either in terms of employment or production.
