Stellantis will open 800 job positions for the manufacturing of the Jeep Avenger in Rio de Janeiro

The automotive group Stellantis, which unites fourteen of the oldest and most recognizable global brands, is demonstrating active growth in its South African business, which is expanding at approximately two and a half times the rate of the overall new car market.

CEO Michael Whitfield noted that the company is growing from a relatively small base, but emphasized that this momentum is sustained year over year. A significant part of this growth is driven by the Citroën passenger car lineup, whose sales have increased by more than 45% compared to 2025, while the Peugeot Pro One commercial vehicle range has more than doubled last year's sales figures.

Fastlane 2030 Strategy

Whitfield made these statements during a briefing on the Fastlane 2030 strategy for the Middle East and Africa. The goal of this strategy is to increase the group's revenue by 40%, while ensuring that 90% of sales come from 22 models manufactured in the region or imported from Asia.

Significance of South Africa

Previously, during the same briefing, Stellantis COO for the Middle East and Africa, Samir Cherfan, named this region one of the fastest-growing automotive markets globally, given that about a quarter of the world's population resides there. Currently, Stellantis sells over 500,000 vehicles annually in the Middle East and Africa, ranking second among automakers in the region.

However, Whitfield clarified that the majority of these sales are concentrated in North Africa and the Middle East, whereas South Africa and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to contribute much more in the future.

Dealer Network Restructuring

A key element of the growth strategy is the transformation of Stellantis' dealer network in South Africa into multi-brand dealerships. This new retail model will bring together brands such as Jeep, Fiat, and Peugeot with regional brands like Citroën, Opel, and Alfa Romeo under one roof. Dealers will also represent Leapmotor, Stellantis' Chinese joint venture partner, which is expected to play an increasingly important role in the company's electrification plans.

Michael Whitfield stated: 'To be relevant in the South African market, you need a four to five percent market share, and that is what we will build through our core brands. It is critical that we achieve the same success in the southern region as Stellantis achieves in the north.'

Local Production Planning

Stellantis already has assembly plants in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Nigeria, while plans for establishing a production facility in South Africa are still under consideration. Whitfield confirmed that the proposed plant in the Koega Special Economic Zone in the Eastern Cape was suspended, not cancelled. He added that the factory was initially planned exclusively for pickups, but its concept is now being reviewed to support more than one model.

The company continues close cooperation with the government to develop a sustainable business case for this project.

Fiat Tris and Micromobility

Another important growth area for Stellantis is micromobility, especially for small businesses and entrepreneurs involved in 'last-mile' delivery. The company plans to launch the electric three-wheeled Fiat Tris in South Africa by the end of this year. This versatile commercial vehicle is designed for a payload of up to 500 kg and aims to offer an affordable transport solution for small businesses.

According to Stellantis South Africa's Director of Micromobility, Kabelo Rabotlo, more than half of logistics costs are attributed to the 'last-mile' delivery stage. He noted that the Fiat Tris offers an inexpensive, mobile solution that is easy to operate, maintain, and scale as the business grows. Rabotlo concluded: 'Micromobility enables movement, and when you can move, you can create opportunities. It is really about job creation, not just transportation.'

The National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (Inmetro) updated the Brazilian Vehicle Labeling Program (PBEV) table, allowing for the creation of a ranking of the most fuel-efficient vehicles available in the Brazilian market. This ranking is based on fuel consumption measured in kilometers per liter (km/l).

Leadership and Evaluation Methods

Hybrid vehicles are leading the ranking in terms of urban consumption, although some flex-fuel combustion models show good performance on the road. The data comes from the PBEV, whose latest version was published on June 3, 2026, covering 892 models and versions from 42 manufacturers. Measurements are conducted in a laboratory environment using a chassis dynamometer and follow two driving standards: an urban cycle according to ABNT NBR 6601 and a road cycle based on NBR 7024. Both combustion and hybrid cars undergo this process, while purely electric vehicles are evaluated using the American SAE J1634 methodology.

Standardization and Consumption

The tests use standardized fuels defined by the National Agency of Petroleum (ANP), specifically gasoline with the E22 ethanol mixture, which contains 22% anhydrous ethanol, unlike what is found at gas stations. Since 2011, the figures for combustion vehicles disclosed on the label have been adjusted by a factor of approximately 0.28 relative to the gross result obtained in the laboratory, aiming to reflect daily use. Inmetro states that 90% of drivers can achieve results aligned with the declared consumption.

Differences Between Hybrids and Combustion Engines

Initially, it may seem contradictory, as plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) often occupy the first position in the overall efficiency classification with an A rating. However, they hold more modest positions when the criterion is strictly gasoline consumption. This occurs due to how the PBEV segments the information: electric range and combined energy consumption (in MJ/km) are presented in separate columns, while the kilometers per liter of gasoline is calculated with the battery discharged, in what is called load sustainment mode. In this mode, the PHEV operates as a conventional hybrid but carries the weight of a larger battery, resulting in less expressive gasoline consumption than its real potential, whose main advantage lies in electric operation.

Behavior in Different Scenarios

For this reason, in the specific gasoline ranking, only the BYD King manages to be among the top placed. A notable inversion occurs in 100% combustion vehicles, where the best consumption is almost always recorded on the road. At a constant speed, the engine operates at an efficient RPM, avoiding the waste inherent in urban traffic, such as stops and slow accelerations. In hybrids, the scenario is reversed: regenerative braking recovers energy during typical urban traffic decelerations, and the electric motor handles low-speed sections and departures from a standstill, moments when the combustion engine is least efficient. On the road, at high and stable speeds, electric assistance contributes less, aerodynamic resistance increases, causing the vehicle to rely more on gasoline, which makes the urban index surpass the road index.

Ranking Conclusion

This behavior explains the structure of the ranking: hybrids lead in the urban category, while flex-fuel combustion models—cited as Onix, Polo, Cronos, and Virtus—can only enter the list based on road consumption. In the case of the Hyundai Kona and Honda Civic, despite both sharing the best consumption, the South Korean SUV secured the first position by presenting superior performance on the road compared to the Japanese sedan.