Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa told analysts that the global auto market is now clearly splitting into two distinct parts: the United States and the rest of the world. “We clearly see the world is dividing into two parts: one is the United States... the other is the rest of the world,” Filosa said at a recent analyst meeting, according to Chinese outlet Gasgoo.
The maker of Jeep and Ram is grappling with a US trade and policy environment that increasingly diverges from other regions, especially Europe. A key difference lies in the regulatory stance toward partnerships between automakers and Chinese companies. For Stellantis and its rivals, the challenge is developing vehicles for the US market—Stellantis’s biggest profit source—where local rules and consumer demand differ sharply from the rest of the globe.
Local engineering in the US, partnerships abroad
Filosa said Stellantis will rely entirely on in-house engineering for the US market. In other regions, including Europe, the company will continue cooperating with other manufacturers, notably China’s Leapmotor and Dongfeng. Filosa previously stated that these collaboration models are not intended for the US market, as other automakers using similar approaches have already drawn scrutiny from the Trump administration.
US officials recently criticized Ford for forming a joint venture with China’s Geely in Europe, arguing it would help Chinese automakers expand globally. Ford responded that it is adapting to the new landscape of the global auto industry and using such partnerships to improve efficiency and competitiveness.
Policy vs. business interests
The widening gap between US policy and global industry dynamics is putting American automakers under pressure to balance political demands with commercial interests. As Filosa’s remarks illustrate, the industry is increasingly being forced to choose between catering to Washington and staying competitive worldwide—a dilemma that now shapes product development, supply chains, and alliance strategies.
For Chinese EV makers like Leapmotor, which has partnered with Stellantis to sell its cars in Europe, the split could mean deeper integration in non-US markets while remaining largely shut out of America. The evolving landscape suggests that automakers must now design separate strategies for each side of the divide, a structural shift that will likely define the industry for years to come.
