Stellantis: Keep cars for 15 years to cut CO2

Remanufacturing could keep cars on the road for longer, reducing the carbon impact of their initial production

Stellantis is aiming to extend the life of its vehicles beyond the current 12-year average now, with 15 years “not crazy” as a new target, its head of circular economy has said.

The company – whose stable of 14 brands includes Citroën, Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall – is looking to harvest reusable parts from scrapped cars among other initiatives to extend the life of its cars in order to cut its overall CO2 footprint.

If successful, the move “potentially” could impact Stellantis’ new-car sales in Europe, Alison Jones said on a media call with journalists, but the company is eyeing increases in sales in other parts of the world to mitigate that.

Reusing parts as well as designing cars to last longer is part of the company’s pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2038.