Faced with increasingly strict European standards on CO2 emissions, several major car manufacturers, including Stellantis and Toyota, are turning to Tesla to buy emissions credits and thus avoid financial sanctions that could reach billions of euros. .
A controversial mechanism to respect CO2 quotas
From this year, European car manufacturers will have to meet even stricter CO2 emissions standards, or face heavy fines. According to the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) regulation, average emissions from new vehicles must not exceed 81 g/km, compared to 93.6 g/km in 2024. For each gram exceeded, manufacturers are exposed to a penalty of €95 per vehicle sold.
Faced with these constraints, several groups, including Stellantis, Ford, Toyota, Mazda and Subaru, have decided to form “pools” with Tesla, an electric pioneer, in order to buy back emissions credits. This strategy allows them to offset their CO2 surpluses by relying on the exemplary performance of Tesla, whose zero-emission vehicles offer a surplus of these credits.
Stellantis has confirmed its participation in such a grouping, stating that this approach will allow it “ to achieve the emissions targets for 2025 while optimizing the use of its resources “. This strategy, although legal and supported by the European Union, is sparking debate within the industry, with some players calling for a review of standards.
Tesla is not the only player to benefit from this mechanism. Mercedes, for example, has partnered with Volvo, Polestar and Smart, brands very committed to electric vehicles. For other manufacturers, the alliance with Chinese partners like BYD or Geely could offer similar solutions. These collaborations not only reduce costs linked to potential fines, but also strengthen industrial partnerships in the electrical field.
Growing pressure on the industry
However, this dependence on emissions credits reveals a structural difficulty: sales of electric vehicles have not progressed at the expected rate in 2024. While the CAFE regulation requires one in four cars to be electric, manufacturers are struggling to achieve this goal due to a slowdown in the market.
-Critical voices are being raised, denouncing this practice as a way of financing competition. However, for many players, this solution remains the least expensive in the short term, in a context where investments in electricity already represent a major financial challenge.
While this strategy saves time, it does not solve the underlying problem: the transition to cleaner vehicles. By multiplying alliances and relying on emissions credits, manufacturers are delaying more ambitious investments in their own technologies. For observers, this situation highlights the gap between European regulatory ambitions and industrial reality.
The coming months will be decisive in measuring the impact of these groupings. One thing is certain: the framework set by Brussels will continue to reshape the automotive landscape, with Tesla and other electric players in a strong position to take advantage of these new rules.
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