Automaker Stellantis, state reach clean-car agreement
The car company that owns the Jeep and Chrysler brands has agreed to meet California’s climate goals and slash greenhouse gases in the next several years by improving designs and promoting cleaner models such as electric vehicles.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced the deal between Stellantis, the brand producing Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Fiat vehicles, and the California Air Resources Board. In a call with reporters, Newsom said the company is the latest automaker to voluntarily commit to California’s zeroemissions vehicle goals.
“This agreement is a big deal in accelerating and advancing our efforts,” Newsom said.
The deal adds another major automaker to the roster of car companies that have already agreed to voluntarily comply with some of California’s core climate change rules by promoting cleaner vehicle models including hybrids and electric cars.
Ford, Honda, BMW and Volkswagen were the first companies to sign on with California in 2019 to slash tailpipe pollution, a top source of planetwarming gases. It came at a time when the Trump administration was trying to loosen standards and threatening to undermine California’s stricter rules.
Stellantis petitioned to have that agreement between its rival automakers and the state voided by California’s Office of Administrative Law, arguing it had been excluded from the deal, which created competitive disadvantages for Stellantis, Reuters reported. In February, the office rejected the company’s petition.
In a statement, Stellantis pledged to prevent 10 million-12 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in the next several years through a variety of programs, including promoting electric vehicle sales.
Carlos Tavares, Stellantis chief executive officer, said the agreement will “allow our U.S. customers to fully benefit from our advanced technologies, including five plug-in hybrids and two pure electric vehicles,” according to a statement provided by the governor’s office.
The company currently sells five plug-in hybrids in the United States and two electric vehicle models and plans to introduce eight new electric models by the end of 2024.
Stellantis also agreed to spend $4 million on public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in rural areas and parks and another $6 million in other states that have adopted California’s greenhouse gas emission standards.
Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board, said the partnership with Stellantis and other automakers will help accelerate innovation and zero-emission vehicle adoption and underscore California’s authority to limit planetwarming gases. In its agreement, Stellantis recognized California’s authority under the U.S. Clean Air Act to set emissions standards.
“The state of California is all in with our clean-car agenda,” Randolph said.