logo
Maserati sale back on the cards as new CEO starts

Maserati sale back on the cards as new CEO starts

7NEWS23-06-2025
Maserati owner Stellantis has a new CEO starting today, and there's fresh speculation the company is looking to off-load the Italian brand as its sales continue to slide
According to Reuters, Stellantis – which owns Maserati among a swathe of brands including Alfa Romeo and Fiat – is still considering selling Maserati as new Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa officially starts as CEO today, June 23, 2025.
It comes as the automaker – which celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2024 – continues to deny rumours, with a Stellantis spokesperson telling Reuters, 'Respectfully, Maserati is not for sale'.
Maserati has been the worst performing brand of more than a dozen automakers in the Stellantis group, with a 57 per cent global sales decline in 2024 including a 40.9 per cent slide in Australia.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
The sales slide saw Maserati post a financial loss of €260 million ($464 million) for 2024, and – unlike brands such as Audi and Mercedes-Benz – it doesn't have any new models set for launch this year to turn the brand around.
While the Grecale SUV was the best-selling Maserati in 2024, production of the Levante SUV and Quattroporte sedan ended, with their replacements not due until 2027 and 2028 respectively.
It also dropped the Ghibli sedan – a BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class competitor – and has no plans for a direct successor.
Maserati also dropped its V8 engines entirely, while brands including BMW and Ferrari – the latter of which Maserati has previously shared powertrains with – have added hybrid tech to their V8 models to enable them to continue for the foreseeable future.
Reports of a potential sale surfaced under previous Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, who said Stellantis wouldn't offload any of its brands but then quit the company last December.
These remarks came after then-Stellantis chief financial officer Natalie Knight told media in July 2024: 'There could be some point in the future when we look at what's the best home for [Maserati]'.
Reports gathered steam in early 2025 after Maserati posted a further 48 per cent fall in sales over the first three months of 2025, with a 24.8 per cent decline in Australia over the same period.
Adding to the pressure, the April 2025 introduction of a 25 per cent United States (US) 'automotive' import tariff – and additional country-specific 'reciprocal' tariffs on top – saw Maserati's future on shaky ground.
The US is Maserati's biggest market, making up around half of its global sales, with the automaker importing every vehicle it sells there.
The pressure from the tariffs saw Stellantis hire consultancy firm McKinsey & Co to evaluate the impact the tariffs would have on Alfa Romeo and Maserati.
Unlike Maserati, Alfa Romeo has seen a strong start to 2025, with a 29 per cent global sales increase in the first quarter (January to March 2025), with the Alfa Romeo Junior – due to arrive in Australia during the third quarter of 2025 – leading the turnaround.
'Great credit to the Junior, welcomed with extreme enthusiasm,' said Alfa Romeo CEO Santo Ficili in a statement.
'With 35,000 orders since launch, it is kicking off the brand's future, with the new Stelvio and new Giulia about to write yet another chapter in the history of Made in Italy.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tesla loses billion-dollar revenue source as US ditches fuel economy fines
Tesla loses billion-dollar revenue source as US ditches fuel economy fines

The Advertiser

time5 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Tesla loses billion-dollar revenue source as US ditches fuel economy fines

For the first time in 50 years, automakers in the US will no longer be fined for failing to meet fuel consumption standards, significantly impacting a major revenue stream for electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla. US President Donald Trump's July 4 (2025) bill ended penalties for automakers that do not meet North America's world-leading CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards, first introduced in 1975. It acts retrospectively, with automakers not liable for any penalties incurred from and including 2022. According to Reuters, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is "working on its reconsideration of fuel economy rules". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The same bill also terminated US federal tax credits for new and used EVs of between $US4000-$7500 (A$6137-$11,507), which will end on September 30, 2025. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) describes CAFE's purpose as "to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks". It adds: "When these standards are raised, automakers respond by creating a more fuel-efficient fleet, which improves our nation's energy security and saves consumers money at the pump, while also reducing greenhouse emissions". The removal of fines is a boost for the bottom line of some of the world's largest car manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis – the latter of which has US brands including Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram under its umbrella. According to Reuters, Stellantis paid almost $US600 million (A$921m) in CAFE fines between 2016 and 2020, while GM paid $US128.2 million (A$196.7m) in penalties between 2016-2017. Tesla, on the other hand, has now suffered a major blow to one of its most important revenue streams. The EV company raked in $US2.76 billion (A$4.23bn) in 2024 alone from selling 'carbon credits' to other automakers, including credit revenue collected in other markets such as Europe. The company's 2024 credit revenue represented a 54 per cent year-on-year increase, yet it wasn't enough to prevent a fall in profit from $US15 billion (A$23bn) in 2023, to $US7.1 billion (A$10.89bn) for the 2024 calendar year, when the Toyota RAV4 also poached the title of world's best-selling car from the Model Y by fewer than 3000 sales. The EV brand was already under stress from the first recorded annual sales decline in its history – with deliveries sliding by 1 per cent in 2024 – even before the elimination of revenue from carbon credits. "If things go bad for Tesla and they don't sell enough cars this year, they might not have enough credits for what they promised Stellantis and the others," Peter Mock, managing director of the International Council on Clean Transportations (ITCC) told Politico in March. "Tesla is under pressure." With these credits disappearing in the US, the pressure on Tesla has now increased. Under CAFE, fuel economy (and therefore emissions) was averaged across all models sold by a manufacturer, with those exceeding the limits able to buy 'credits' from those that haven't. Doing so allows automakers in breach to lower their average fuel consumption figure to reduce or avoid fines. EV-only brands such as Tesla and Polestar were able to make considerable profit from US credits, while also 'pooling' credits with automakers struggling to meet ever-tightening emissions laws in Europe. It's a similar arrangement to Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which was introduced this year with fines for automakers that exceed average CO2 emissions targets across their model ranges, in the form of penalties or credits for each sold vehicle under those limits respectively. NVES and the CAFE regulations have nearly identical goals, and have attracted the same arguments for and against on both sides. Likewise, NVES allows carbon credits to be traded between brands to reduce fines – although Polestar Australia boss Scott Maynard recently said their monetary value is debatable after Polestar announced its best start to a year with a 51 per cent global sales increase in the first half of 2025. In the first half of 2025, Tesla remained Australia's most popular EV brand, with the Model Y mid-size SUV being the best-selling EV followed by the BYD Sealion 7 medium SUV and Model 3 sedan in third. Tesla is due to announce its global sales figures for the second quarter of 2025 tomorrow (July 23). More: Everything Tesla More: What the first federal emission standard means for Aussie car buyers More: Polestar boss says new Australian emissions regulations 'didn't kill the weekend' Content originally sourced from: For the first time in 50 years, automakers in the US will no longer be fined for failing to meet fuel consumption standards, significantly impacting a major revenue stream for electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla. US President Donald Trump's July 4 (2025) bill ended penalties for automakers that do not meet North America's world-leading CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards, first introduced in 1975. It acts retrospectively, with automakers not liable for any penalties incurred from and including 2022. According to Reuters, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is "working on its reconsideration of fuel economy rules". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The same bill also terminated US federal tax credits for new and used EVs of between $US4000-$7500 (A$6137-$11,507), which will end on September 30, 2025. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) describes CAFE's purpose as "to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks". It adds: "When these standards are raised, automakers respond by creating a more fuel-efficient fleet, which improves our nation's energy security and saves consumers money at the pump, while also reducing greenhouse emissions". The removal of fines is a boost for the bottom line of some of the world's largest car manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis – the latter of which has US brands including Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram under its umbrella. According to Reuters, Stellantis paid almost $US600 million (A$921m) in CAFE fines between 2016 and 2020, while GM paid $US128.2 million (A$196.7m) in penalties between 2016-2017. Tesla, on the other hand, has now suffered a major blow to one of its most important revenue streams. The EV company raked in $US2.76 billion (A$4.23bn) in 2024 alone from selling 'carbon credits' to other automakers, including credit revenue collected in other markets such as Europe. The company's 2024 credit revenue represented a 54 per cent year-on-year increase, yet it wasn't enough to prevent a fall in profit from $US15 billion (A$23bn) in 2023, to $US7.1 billion (A$10.89bn) for the 2024 calendar year, when the Toyota RAV4 also poached the title of world's best-selling car from the Model Y by fewer than 3000 sales. The EV brand was already under stress from the first recorded annual sales decline in its history – with deliveries sliding by 1 per cent in 2024 – even before the elimination of revenue from carbon credits. "If things go bad for Tesla and they don't sell enough cars this year, they might not have enough credits for what they promised Stellantis and the others," Peter Mock, managing director of the International Council on Clean Transportations (ITCC) told Politico in March. "Tesla is under pressure." With these credits disappearing in the US, the pressure on Tesla has now increased. Under CAFE, fuel economy (and therefore emissions) was averaged across all models sold by a manufacturer, with those exceeding the limits able to buy 'credits' from those that haven't. Doing so allows automakers in breach to lower their average fuel consumption figure to reduce or avoid fines. EV-only brands such as Tesla and Polestar were able to make considerable profit from US credits, while also 'pooling' credits with automakers struggling to meet ever-tightening emissions laws in Europe. It's a similar arrangement to Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which was introduced this year with fines for automakers that exceed average CO2 emissions targets across their model ranges, in the form of penalties or credits for each sold vehicle under those limits respectively. NVES and the CAFE regulations have nearly identical goals, and have attracted the same arguments for and against on both sides. Likewise, NVES allows carbon credits to be traded between brands to reduce fines – although Polestar Australia boss Scott Maynard recently said their monetary value is debatable after Polestar announced its best start to a year with a 51 per cent global sales increase in the first half of 2025. In the first half of 2025, Tesla remained Australia's most popular EV brand, with the Model Y mid-size SUV being the best-selling EV followed by the BYD Sealion 7 medium SUV and Model 3 sedan in third. Tesla is due to announce its global sales figures for the second quarter of 2025 tomorrow (July 23). More: Everything Tesla More: What the first federal emission standard means for Aussie car buyers More: Polestar boss says new Australian emissions regulations 'didn't kill the weekend' Content originally sourced from: For the first time in 50 years, automakers in the US will no longer be fined for failing to meet fuel consumption standards, significantly impacting a major revenue stream for electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla. US President Donald Trump's July 4 (2025) bill ended penalties for automakers that do not meet North America's world-leading CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards, first introduced in 1975. It acts retrospectively, with automakers not liable for any penalties incurred from and including 2022. According to Reuters, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is "working on its reconsideration of fuel economy rules". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The same bill also terminated US federal tax credits for new and used EVs of between $US4000-$7500 (A$6137-$11,507), which will end on September 30, 2025. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) describes CAFE's purpose as "to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks". It adds: "When these standards are raised, automakers respond by creating a more fuel-efficient fleet, which improves our nation's energy security and saves consumers money at the pump, while also reducing greenhouse emissions". The removal of fines is a boost for the bottom line of some of the world's largest car manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis – the latter of which has US brands including Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram under its umbrella. According to Reuters, Stellantis paid almost $US600 million (A$921m) in CAFE fines between 2016 and 2020, while GM paid $US128.2 million (A$196.7m) in penalties between 2016-2017. Tesla, on the other hand, has now suffered a major blow to one of its most important revenue streams. The EV company raked in $US2.76 billion (A$4.23bn) in 2024 alone from selling 'carbon credits' to other automakers, including credit revenue collected in other markets such as Europe. The company's 2024 credit revenue represented a 54 per cent year-on-year increase, yet it wasn't enough to prevent a fall in profit from $US15 billion (A$23bn) in 2023, to $US7.1 billion (A$10.89bn) for the 2024 calendar year, when the Toyota RAV4 also poached the title of world's best-selling car from the Model Y by fewer than 3000 sales. The EV brand was already under stress from the first recorded annual sales decline in its history – with deliveries sliding by 1 per cent in 2024 – even before the elimination of revenue from carbon credits. "If things go bad for Tesla and they don't sell enough cars this year, they might not have enough credits for what they promised Stellantis and the others," Peter Mock, managing director of the International Council on Clean Transportations (ITCC) told Politico in March. "Tesla is under pressure." With these credits disappearing in the US, the pressure on Tesla has now increased. Under CAFE, fuel economy (and therefore emissions) was averaged across all models sold by a manufacturer, with those exceeding the limits able to buy 'credits' from those that haven't. Doing so allows automakers in breach to lower their average fuel consumption figure to reduce or avoid fines. EV-only brands such as Tesla and Polestar were able to make considerable profit from US credits, while also 'pooling' credits with automakers struggling to meet ever-tightening emissions laws in Europe. It's a similar arrangement to Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which was introduced this year with fines for automakers that exceed average CO2 emissions targets across their model ranges, in the form of penalties or credits for each sold vehicle under those limits respectively. NVES and the CAFE regulations have nearly identical goals, and have attracted the same arguments for and against on both sides. Likewise, NVES allows carbon credits to be traded between brands to reduce fines – although Polestar Australia boss Scott Maynard recently said their monetary value is debatable after Polestar announced its best start to a year with a 51 per cent global sales increase in the first half of 2025. In the first half of 2025, Tesla remained Australia's most popular EV brand, with the Model Y mid-size SUV being the best-selling EV followed by the BYD Sealion 7 medium SUV and Model 3 sedan in third. Tesla is due to announce its global sales figures for the second quarter of 2025 tomorrow (July 23). More: Everything Tesla More: What the first federal emission standard means for Aussie car buyers More: Polestar boss says new Australian emissions regulations 'didn't kill the weekend' Content originally sourced from: For the first time in 50 years, automakers in the US will no longer be fined for failing to meet fuel consumption standards, significantly impacting a major revenue stream for electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla. US President Donald Trump's July 4 (2025) bill ended penalties for automakers that do not meet North America's world-leading CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards, first introduced in 1975. It acts retrospectively, with automakers not liable for any penalties incurred from and including 2022. According to Reuters, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is "working on its reconsideration of fuel economy rules". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The same bill also terminated US federal tax credits for new and used EVs of between $US4000-$7500 (A$6137-$11,507), which will end on September 30, 2025. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) describes CAFE's purpose as "to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks". It adds: "When these standards are raised, automakers respond by creating a more fuel-efficient fleet, which improves our nation's energy security and saves consumers money at the pump, while also reducing greenhouse emissions". The removal of fines is a boost for the bottom line of some of the world's largest car manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis – the latter of which has US brands including Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram under its umbrella. According to Reuters, Stellantis paid almost $US600 million (A$921m) in CAFE fines between 2016 and 2020, while GM paid $US128.2 million (A$196.7m) in penalties between 2016-2017. Tesla, on the other hand, has now suffered a major blow to one of its most important revenue streams. The EV company raked in $US2.76 billion (A$4.23bn) in 2024 alone from selling 'carbon credits' to other automakers, including credit revenue collected in other markets such as Europe. The company's 2024 credit revenue represented a 54 per cent year-on-year increase, yet it wasn't enough to prevent a fall in profit from $US15 billion (A$23bn) in 2023, to $US7.1 billion (A$10.89bn) for the 2024 calendar year, when the Toyota RAV4 also poached the title of world's best-selling car from the Model Y by fewer than 3000 sales. The EV brand was already under stress from the first recorded annual sales decline in its history – with deliveries sliding by 1 per cent in 2024 – even before the elimination of revenue from carbon credits. "If things go bad for Tesla and they don't sell enough cars this year, they might not have enough credits for what they promised Stellantis and the others," Peter Mock, managing director of the International Council on Clean Transportations (ITCC) told Politico in March. "Tesla is under pressure." With these credits disappearing in the US, the pressure on Tesla has now increased. Under CAFE, fuel economy (and therefore emissions) was averaged across all models sold by a manufacturer, with those exceeding the limits able to buy 'credits' from those that haven't. Doing so allows automakers in breach to lower their average fuel consumption figure to reduce or avoid fines. EV-only brands such as Tesla and Polestar were able to make considerable profit from US credits, while also 'pooling' credits with automakers struggling to meet ever-tightening emissions laws in Europe. It's a similar arrangement to Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which was introduced this year with fines for automakers that exceed average CO2 emissions targets across their model ranges, in the form of penalties or credits for each sold vehicle under those limits respectively. NVES and the CAFE regulations have nearly identical goals, and have attracted the same arguments for and against on both sides. Likewise, NVES allows carbon credits to be traded between brands to reduce fines – although Polestar Australia boss Scott Maynard recently said their monetary value is debatable after Polestar announced its best start to a year with a 51 per cent global sales increase in the first half of 2025. In the first half of 2025, Tesla remained Australia's most popular EV brand, with the Model Y mid-size SUV being the best-selling EV followed by the BYD Sealion 7 medium SUV and Model 3 sedan in third. Tesla is due to announce its global sales figures for the second quarter of 2025 tomorrow (July 23). More: Everything Tesla More: What the first federal emission standard means for Aussie car buyers More: Polestar boss says new Australian emissions regulations 'didn't kill the weekend' Content originally sourced from:

Tesla loses billion-dollar revenue source as US ditches fuel economy fines
Tesla loses billion-dollar revenue source as US ditches fuel economy fines

7NEWS

time5 hours ago

  • 7NEWS

Tesla loses billion-dollar revenue source as US ditches fuel economy fines

For the first time in 50 years, automakers in the US will no longer be fined for failing to meet fuel consumption standards, significantly impacting a major revenue stream for electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla. US President Donald Trump's July 4 (2025) bill ended penalties for automakers that do not meet North America's world-leading CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards, first introduced in 1975. It acts retrospectively, with automakers not liable for any penalties incurred from and including 2022. According to Reuters, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is 'working on its reconsideration of fuel economy rules'. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The same bill also terminated US federal tax credits for new and used EVs of between $US4000-$7500 (A$6137-$11,507), which will end on September 30, 2025. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) describes CAFE's purpose as 'to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks'. It adds: 'When these standards are raised, automakers respond by creating a more fuel-efficient fleet, which improves our nation's energy security and saves consumers money at the pump, while also reducing greenhouse emissions'. The removal of fines is a boost for the bottom line of some of the world's largest car manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis – the latter of which has US brands including Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram under its umbrella. According to Reuters, Stellantis paid almost $US600 million (A$921m) in CAFE fines between 2016 and 2020, while GM paid $US128.2 million (A$196.7m) in penalties between 2016-2017. Tesla, on the other hand, has now suffered a major blow to one of its most important revenue streams. The EV company raked in $US2.76 billion (A$4.23bn) in 2024 alone from selling 'carbon credits' to other automakers, including credit revenue collected in other markets such as Europe. The company's 2024 credit revenue represented a 54 per cent year-on-year increase, yet it wasn't enough to prevent a fall in profit from $US15 billion (A$23bn) in 2023, to $US7.1 billion (A$10.89bn) for the 2024 calendar year, when the Toyota RAV4 also poached the title of world's best-selling car from the Model Y by fewer than 3000 sales. The EV brand was already under stress from the first recorded annual sales decline in its history – with deliveries sliding by 1 per cent in 2024 – even before the elimination of revenue from carbon credits. 'If things go bad for Tesla and they don't sell enough cars this year, they might not have enough credits for what they promised Stellantis and the others,' Peter Mock, managing director of the International Council on Clean Transportations (ITCC) told Politico in March. 'Tesla is under pressure.' With these credits disappearing in the US, the pressure on Tesla has now increased. Under CAFE, fuel economy (and therefore emissions) was averaged across all models sold by a manufacturer, with those exceeding the limits able to buy 'credits' from those that haven't. Doing so allows automakers in breach to lower their average fuel consumption figure to reduce or avoid fines. EV-only brands such as Tesla and Polestar were able to make considerable profit from US credits, while also 'pooling' credits with automakers struggling to meet ever-tightening emissions laws in Europe. It's a similar arrangement to Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which was introduced this year with fines for automakers that exceed average CO2 emissions targets across their model ranges, in the form of penalties or credits for each sold vehicle under those limits respectively. NVES and the CAFE regulations have nearly identical goals, and have attracted the same arguments for and against on both sides. Likewise, NVES allows carbon credits to be traded between brands to reduce fines – although Polestar Australia boss Scott Maynard recently said their monetary value is debatable after Polestar announced its best start to a year with a 51 per cent global sales increase in the first half of 2025. In the first half of 2025, Tesla remained Australia's most popular EV brand, with the Model Y mid-size SUV being the best-selling EV followed by the BYD Sealion 7 medium SUV and Model 3 sedan in third. Tesla is due to announce its global sales figures for the second quarter of 2025 tomorrow (July 23).

Tesla loses billion-dollar revenue source as US ditches fuel economy fines
Tesla loses billion-dollar revenue source as US ditches fuel economy fines

Perth Now

time5 hours ago

  • Perth Now

Tesla loses billion-dollar revenue source as US ditches fuel economy fines

For the first time in 50 years, automakers in the US will no longer be fined for failing to meet fuel consumption standards, significantly impacting a major revenue stream for electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla. US President Donald Trump's July 4 (2025) bill ended penalties for automakers that do not meet North America's world-leading CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards, first introduced in 1975. It acts retrospectively, with automakers not liable for any penalties incurred from and including 2022. According to Reuters, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is 'working on its reconsideration of fuel economy rules'. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The same bill also terminated US federal tax credits for new and used EVs of between $US4000-$7500 (A$6137-$11,507), which will end on September 30, 2025. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) describes CAFE's purpose as 'to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks'. It adds: 'When these standards are raised, automakers respond by creating a more fuel-efficient fleet, which improves our nation's energy security and saves consumers money at the pump, while also reducing greenhouse emissions'. The removal of fines is a boost for the bottom line of some of the world's largest car manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis – the latter of which has US brands including Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram under its umbrella. Supplied Credit: CarExpert According to Reuters, Stellantis paid almost $US600 million (A$921m) in CAFE fines between 2016 and 2020, while GM paid $US128.2 million (A$196.7m) in penalties between 2016-2017. Tesla, on the other hand, has now suffered a major blow to one of its most important revenue streams. The EV company raked in $US2.76 billion (A$4.23bn) in 2024 alone from selling 'carbon credits' to other automakers, including credit revenue collected in other markets such as Europe. The company's 2024 credit revenue represented a 54 per cent year-on-year increase, yet it wasn't enough to prevent a fall in profit from $US15 billion (A$23bn) in 2023, to $US7.1 billion (A$10.89bn) for the 2024 calendar year, when the Toyota RAV4 also poached the title of world's best-selling car from the Model Y by fewer than 3000 sales. The EV brand was already under stress from the first recorded annual sales decline in its history – with deliveries sliding by 1 per cent in 2024 – even before the elimination of revenue from carbon credits. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'If things go bad for Tesla and they don't sell enough cars this year, they might not have enough credits for what they promised Stellantis and the others,' Peter Mock, managing director of the International Council on Clean Transportations (ITCC) told Politico in March. 'Tesla is under pressure.' With these credits disappearing in the US, the pressure on Tesla has now increased. Under CAFE, fuel economy (and therefore emissions) was averaged across all models sold by a manufacturer, with those exceeding the limits able to buy 'credits' from those that haven't. Doing so allows automakers in breach to lower their average fuel consumption figure to reduce or avoid fines. EV-only brands such as Tesla and Polestar were able to make considerable profit from US credits, while also 'pooling' credits with automakers struggling to meet ever-tightening emissions laws in Europe. Supplied Credit: CarExpert It's a similar arrangement to Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which was introduced this year with fines for automakers that exceed average CO2 emissions targets across their model ranges, in the form of penalties or credits for each sold vehicle under those limits respectively. NVES and the CAFE regulations have nearly identical goals, and have attracted the same arguments for and against on both sides. Likewise, NVES allows carbon credits to be traded between brands to reduce fines – although Polestar Australia boss Scott Maynard recently said their monetary value is debatable after Polestar announced its best start to a year with a 51 per cent global sales increase in the first half of 2025. In the first half of 2025, Tesla remained Australia's most popular EV brand, with the Model Y mid-size SUV being the best-selling EV followed by the BYD Sealion 7 medium SUV and Model 3 sedan in third. Tesla is due to announce its global sales figures for the second quarter of 2025 tomorrow (July 23). More: Everything Tesla More: What the first federal emission standard means for Aussie car buyers More: Polestar boss says new Australian emissions regulations 'didn't kill the weekend'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store