2026 is the “year of implementation” amidst the transformation plan

DETROIT — Stellantis CEO Antonio Velosa views 2026 as an executive year for the beleaguered maker of Jeep, Ram and Dodge in the U.S. after years of declining market share.

Velosa has implemented a turnaround plan since being named CEO in May. So far, his plans have included prioritizing the company’s Jeep and Ram brands in the United States as well as reversing several decisions made by his predecessor Carlos Tavares to focus on all-electric vehicles.

“The strategy in front of us is strong and will lead us to growth if we execute it well,” he told reporters on Wednesday during the Detroit Auto Show. “So, I guess it’s the year of execution.”

Velosa, wearing a Jeep jacket over a white T-shirt, said this year was the “first step” in reshaping the company, which was founded five years ago through the merger of Fiat Chrysler and French automaker PSA Group.

He declined to discuss details, adding that his executive team would lay out a detailed future strategy for the automaker at a capital markets day in the first half of this year.

Velosa did not rule out the possibility of refocusing on the regional level or reducing the company’s extensive portfolio of brands, which also includes the Italian brands Fiat and Alfa Romeo, which have not performed well locally.

Velosa said he believes the company wants to “stay together” after some speculation on Wall Street in recent years that it would be better to sell assets or brands.

“We are building a culture,” Velosa said.

Velosa said the next step in the company’s plans will come next week during a meeting with more than 200 company executives that will focus on the company’s capital markets day as well as the company’s culture and 2026 execution.

“We are a global company with strong regional roots,” Velosa said, referring to one of three guiding cultural principles he is trying to instill in the company. Others focus on customers and work together.

Global Stellantis sales under Tavares fell 12.3% from 6.5 million in 2021 — the year the company was founded — to 5.7 million in 2024. That included a roughly 27% collapse in the U.S. in that period to 1.3 million vehicles sold. The automaker fell from fourth place in U.S. sales to sixth place, falling from 11.6% market share to 8% during that time frame.