Last October, the average transaction price of a new car in the U.S. exceeded $45,000 for the first time, and the average price of a new car has risen since then, rising to $47,000 by December, with more than 80 percent of consumers accepting dealer markups while others were forced to abandon or buy lower-priced models, a trend that has raised concerns among Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares.
So why do new cars keep rising in price? The current global chip shortage crisis continues, which has forced the automotive industry to cut production, while the recent war in Ukraine has led to a shortage of raw materials, and the rising prices of steel, aluminum and nickel, which has ultimately led to the rising cost of building cars. Carlos Tavares also said that the cost of its electric vehicle will be higher than that of fuel vehicles, and if the price continues to rise, it may lead to a large number of middle classes abandoning the purchase of new cars, resulting in a decline in the group's overall sales. Carlos Tavares is very concerned that in the future Stellantis may have to look for new ways to control costs.