Whether it’s petrol, hybrid or an EV, the cars we’re buying are better than ever

The Paris Motor Show returned last week, with plenty of new metal and a few key themes. Yet while some makers played the retro card, the influx of Chinese brands suggests you don’t necessarily need to lean on five decades of heritage to get people talking.

Another interesting topic was the continued move towards electric cars or, as I discovered when I spoke to countless company executives, the decision to reinvest in combustion engines in tandem – at least for the foreseeable future. It seems the next Volkswagen Golf will launch in both petrol and electric forms, while even the Alfa Romeo Stelvio – previously confirmed as an EV – might be offered with hybrid power.

Yet despite this, the CEO of Stellantis (Alfa’s parent company) and automotive-industry veteran Carlos Tavares says he remains absolutely committed to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, claiming that deadlines like this are pushing his company to build better cars.

His newly-appointed European wingman Jean-Philippe Imparato was the one who hinted at Alfa’s plans to push on with petrol, but he insisted that “no BEV means no ICE”. In short, while the firm will comply with any ZEV laws, it’ll do so transparently; it needs to sell EVs to be allowed (or able) to build ICE cars.

The views of Tavares contradict those of many other automotive CEOs, including Renault’s Luca de Meo, who is lobbying governments to delay any commitment to the phasing out of petrol and diesel engines, citing dwindling customer demand. Has he forgotten he’s just launched EV reboots of two iconic models, with another – the reborn Renault Twingo – just around the corner?

Tavares said his staff are thriving in the fast-paced European car market. “They are very hard workers,” he said. “And they understand what competition is. The right answer is not to stop [developing EVs].”

There will never be a ‘one size fits all’ solution when it comes to market-shaping regulations. Yet sometimes, it takes a powerful individual to put their neck on the line and reiterate that there is some method in the madness. 

But whether you want petrol, hybrid or full EV, you should be happy that – thanks in part to stringent legislation pushing brands so hard – the cars we’re buying are better than ever.

Do you agree with Rich? Let us know in the comments section...