Car makers have vigorously pushed the EU to create a new, lower-cost category for small cars lately, but few were expecting Ursula von der Leyen to give the go-ahead in her speech on 10 September.
“Millions of Europeans want to buy affordable European cars," said the European Commission president. "This is why we will propose to work with industry on a new small affordable cars initiative."
She even adopted Stellantis’s proposed name for the category, E-car, saying the 'E' stood for 'European', 'environmental' and 'economical'.
Stellantis was quick to praise the move.
