The European Parliament has decided: the sale of new thermal engine vehicles will be prohibited from 2035. The employees of the Ardennes factory Stellantis (ex-PSA) fear a drop in activity.
For the 1650 employees of the Stellantis factory in the Ardennes, the vote of the MEPs was received as a blow. In Strasbourg on Wednesday June 8, European parliamentarians took a radical decision. No more diesel, gasoline or hybrid engines, in 2035 all cars sold on European soil will have to run on electricity. The objective of the Europeans is to reduce CO2 emissions from cars and vans on the continent by 100% by this date.
« This European regulation adds to a complicated context for the automotive industry, which has been strongly impacted by the semiconductor crisis and the consequences of the war in Ukraine. “, worries Renaud Maguin, operator at Stellantis. For now, the largest foundry in Europe mainly manufactures cylinder heads for heat engines. There is reason to fear a gradual reduction in the number of employees on the Ardennes site. ” We fear 30 to 40% reduction in staff. I’m approaching 50 so if I lose my job, it will be difficult to find another one. », Alarmed François Cazeaux, CGT union secretary at Stellantis.
I fear that this factory will become an SME
Fabien Bujon, operator at Stellantis
Only a tiny part of the production is oriented towards electrics or parts that can be used on any type of car. ” This is only the beginning and it is not certain that the quantity of production will be enough to maintain all the jobs. “, fears pessimistic Renaud Maguin. ” I fear that this factory will become an SME adds Fabien Bujon, also an operator in the foundry. ” The group’s city cars such as the C0, the 208, the 2008 or the Opel corsa already exist in electric but they are not manufactured in Charleville. I don’t see why that would change overnight.»
The European reform must now be ratified by all member states at the end of June. If the suspense is not great regarding this formality, this final institutional step is not the only obstacle to the effective implementation of this new regulation. ” Will we be able to go from 60,000 to one million electric charging stations within the time limit? Will we be able to provide the electricity to power so many vehicles? Will we be able to manufacture enough batteries, recycle them and under what ecological conditions? asks Sébastien Guenet, Deputy General Delegate of the Union of Metallurgical Industries and Trades (UIMM) in Champagne-Ardenne.
Developing training
Sébastien Guenet still wants to believe that the Ardennes factory will be able to reinvent itself. In Charleville-Mézières, the company Hanon Systems already manufactures electrical cooling parts. ” The energy transition represents opportunities “, he assures. “ It is now necessary to progress in training to provide the skills to the employees that this new industry requires. »
