Marchionne Claims There Still Is No Viable Economic Model For Electric Vehicles

And he's right. Unless and until EVs can charge as fast as filling a tank and do not cost double the price ofa comparable ICE car, they are not yet viable.

As difficult for me to say, but Serge is 100% correct. The manufacturers that have gone all in (Volvo, I am speaking to you!) are in for a rude awakening. I think until and unless manufacturers can resist the 'bright-shiny thing' they will be doomed to continue this behavior.

The "all in" manufacturers are really focusing on hybrid electric which is viable, and not pure EV vehicle. They'll have a couple of pure EVs for sale to claim electric in their marketing material and to satisfy government's that insist on them, but their volume sales will be hybrids. To them hybrid=electric.

WE will never actually know the demand for EVs until the government subsidies go away and the cars have to be priced to make a profit. IF the Model S had to be $20,000 more than it is - would it have sold as many cars (THERE may be enough rich green people for that one) - and would it then sell in the market place against its natural ICE competition. IF it was priced above a S-class - it would have little chance.

According to you guys on this site Marchionne has always been wrong - except when he talks down EV.

Let him have his way and he'll follow the footsteps of Mark Fields from Ford. FCA board of directors should do a thorough review of Marchionne's records and give him a boot if they want to survive the next 3-5 years of change.

Fiat cars are currently among the lowest CO2 emission average (under 120g/km), but with stricter upcoming EU emission standards - 2021 standards is 95g/km (100% compliance in 2021, 95% compliance in 2020), it must have a drastic change in its vehicle lineup or risk failing to meet the EU standards. With its peer the Renault Group already fully committed to EV, FCA will fall farther behind while standing still.

With all recent rumors of selling FCA (or parts of it), maybe Marchionne is indirectly confirming that FCA is no longer a viable company.

@BobM: "you guys" didn't include you. You're special, a class of one. You don't fit in any category. Your post clearly confirms it every single time.

At this time, worldwide EV market share lingers around 1%. EV market share in the U.S. is around 2%. Tesla, who MANY consider to be the world'S EV leader, continuously runs at a loss and REGULARLY taps into capital markets (stock and bond markets) to raise the cash they need to keep operating.

So Fiat Chrysler says they don't want to make massive investments to fight for a piece of that pie. And this doesn't make sense to whom? EV fans who believe everyone should drive EVs, and every manufacturer should make them.

Historically speaking, EV adoptions by consumers has been a slow, gradual process (see my 1% and 2% market share numbers), and there's no indication that this market is about to explode.

When he hasn't got two cents to put into product development and keeps delaying next generation replacements, what would you expect him to say to his shareholders. He may be right for the moment but looking back ten years from now his company will suffer from the lack of development. Unless he sells it to someone with deep pockets which to now he hasn't been able to do.

With China taking steps to try to save itself from drowning in smog by requiring BEV's be sold as a % of a car mfg's product mix, they may in the not too distant future be responsible for legislating the world's biggest EV market. Stay tuned. Stranger things have happened....

This guy is an idiot, used 500es are selling on the East Coast like hot cakes.