In an interview with CNBC Squawk Box Europe, Duncan Tait, Inchcape Group Chief Executive, reflected on a year of transformation for the global automotive industry.
The discussion explored key themes shaping the sector in 2025, including the impact of tariffs, global supply chains, the rise of Chinese OEMs expanding into Europe and Latin America and the shift to New Energy Vehicles.
During the interview, Duncan highlighted the resilience of the automotive industry, noting how OEMs have adapted their supply chains and strategies to navigate uncertainty, regulatory changes and evolving customer preferences.
He also spoke about the mobility transition and the importance of customer choice across all drivetrains being essential as more OEMs pursue a multi-drivetrain approach. He added that industry and governments will need to work together to drive EV adoption higher, meaning continued effort by the industry in terms of vehicle pricing and by governments in terms of incentives and infrastructure.
“If you believe mobility is important for driving economic growth and success of countries, businesses, individuals and families, a multi-pathway approach [to the transition] is exactly the right approach and will reduce emissions faster than mandating EVs.”