During a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid on Monday, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares criticized Europe’s “democratic burden” and highlighted Morocco’s automotive industry model as an alternative due to its “ability to attract industrial investments quickly and efficiently,” the Spanish press reported.
Tavares underscored “the challenges facing the European automotive industry” and warned that Europe’s “regulatory uncertainties, particularly related to CO2 emissions,” could lead to a collapse in demand for electric vehicles. Morocco, he suggested, might be a “formidable competitor” due to “its incentivizing policies.”
Morocco is on track to become Africa’s leading automotive hub. In 2023, the automotive industry in Morocco produced 400,000 vehicles. The country intends to boost annual output to one million vehicles by 2030, according to the Moroccan Association for the Automotive Industry and Trade (AMICA).
The Kingdom has successfully attracted major manufacturers such as Renault and Stellantis, leveraging free trade zones such as Tanger Med, Africa’s largest port, which provides maritime connections to over 180 ports worldwide.
In addition to competitive production costs, Morocco’s significant investments in renewable energy have enabled the seamless integration of sustainable manufacturing processes in its automotive plants, further enhancing its appeal as a global automotive production center.