Stellantis publishes Q4 and FY2025 results: EV bet leads to $26 billion loss

We are watching the biggest course correction the automotive world has ever performed. Stellantis, the auto giant that owns brands like Jeep, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, and DS Automobiles, among many more, shared its financial results for 2025. And the numbers are quite something else. The company reported a net loss of $26.3 billion. This is the first time the group has ever lost money over a full year. Two years ago, Stellantis was making billions in profit, and now, it is scrambling to find cash and changing its entire plan for the future.

The leaders at Stellantis believed that electric cars would take over the market very quickly. They spent a lot of money developing new EVs and preparing to stop selling gasoline engines. Unfortunately, they now admit they moved too fast and overestimated how many people actually wanted to buy electric vehicles. Because of this, the company is canceling several electric projects and bringing back the gas engines to save its business.

In the United States, some of the new electric models struggled to find buyers. Vehicles like the Dodge Charger Daytona and the Jeep Wagoneer S were priced at the top of their categories, but many customers felt they did not offer enough value compared to older, established rivals. When sales did not meet expectations, the company realized it needed a new strategy that didn't rely solely on batteries.

To fix the problem, Stellantis is putting its focus back on high-margin internal combustion engines. This is big news for fans of traditional power. The famous HEMI V8 engine is making a comeback in North America. By offering more gas-powered options, the company hopes to attract customers who aren't convinced yet to switch to electricity.

The change in plans is happening in Europe too. Stellantis is bringing back diesel and mild-hybrid gasoline options for many of its models. This includes the replacements for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and the Alfa Romeo Giulia, which have been delayed to make sure they offer the right engines. CEO Antonio Filosa explained that the company simply moved too fast with the "energy transition." He says the new goal is to give customers the "freedom to choose" between electric, hybrid, and gas power.

Financially, the company is feeling the squeeze. Because of the $26.3 billion loss, the board of directors decided not to pay out dividends to shareholders in 2026. To keep the business running smoothly, they are also issuing $5.9 billion in bonds. The company still brought in $181.1 billion in total revenue, but it was not enough to cover the huge costs of changing its production lines and dealing with unsold inventory.

Despite the gloomy news, the second half of 2025 showed some hope. Shipments of vehicles rose by 11% in the final six months of the year. Stellantis sold a total of 5.573 million vehicles globally in 2025, keeping the company in fifth place among the world's largest automakers, but trailing behind giants like Toyota (11.3 million vehicles) and the Volkswagen Group (8.98 million vehicles).

Investors are still worried about the company's path forward. Stellantis stock prices have dropped by more than 30% in the last 12 months, hitting their lowest point ever since the company was formed in 2021. The new leadership team is working hard to prove that the worst is over and believes that by balancing their lineup with both electric cars and traditional engines, they can return to making a profit in 2026. For now, the "electric-only" dream is on hold while the V8 makes its surprising return.

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