Few could have imagined the strategic error committed by Carlos Tavares, the former CEO of the Stellantis Group and parent company of the American brands Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and RAM (among others), when he announced that he would retire the most polluting gasoline engines in order to invest in electric cars worldwide, including in the United States. That decision meant the retirement of the legendary HEMI V8 engine, a propulsion system that dates back to the mid-20th century and had become one of the cultural and social icons of the United States. The results were negative and immediate: sales of the group's brands fell dramatically in the United States, especially in the largest and most affordable car segments, precisely those that allow for the highest profit margins and have the greatest impact on the group's profits.

The age of the car fleet circulating on our roads continues to grow and now stands at an average of 14.5 years, a figure 0.3 years higher than the 14.2 years recorded in 2023. This figure is even higher if we analyse the rest of the vehicles. We find that industrial vehicles are the oldest in the fleet with an average of 15.1 years, but not far behind commercial vehicles, with 14.7 years. As for buses, they are the youngest with an average of 11.5 years.