According to Reuters, on October 2, the Italian Automobile Industry Federation (FIM-CISL) said that due to continued weak market demand, especially for electric vehicles, automaker Stellantis's car production in Italy this year will fall below 500,000 from 751,000 in 2023.
Ferdinando Uliano, head of FIM-CISL, said that "if the trend in the third quarter continues into the fourth quarter, production (the situation) will become more severe", when (full-year) sedan production will be less than 300,000 and van production will be about 200,000.
The report said that this forecast shows that Stellantis' production level in Italy is far below the goal it is discussing with the Italian government, which is to produce 1 million passenger cars and vans in Italy each year by around 2030. In addition, this forecast has also exacerbated industry concerns about the structural overcapacity of local European automakers. Last month, Volkswagen Group, the region's largest automaker, said that falling car sales have led to overcapacity in factories and may close some German factories.
In the first nine months of this year, Stellantis' Turin Mirafiori plant's production fell 68% year-on-year. The plant has stopped production of Fiat 500 electric vehicles several times this year, and the current plan is to stop production until November 1.
Stellantis's car production in Italy is expected to be less than 500,000 units, reflecting the challenges facing the global automotive industry and changes in market demand. The company will continue to adjust its production strategy to cope with the transition to electric vehicles and the uncertainty of the raw material supply chain. This decline in production may have an impact on the local economy and employment, and industry analysts will delve into what this trend means for the future. As Stellantis seeks to stay ahead in a highly competitive market, how to balance production efficiency with environmental protection goals will be the ultimate test it faces.