Fiat Leans Toward Trump as Industry Agonizes Over Fuel Rules
- Automaker hews closer to White House view than industry peers
- Company ranked last in EPA rating of emissions, fuel economy
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When a group of 17 of the world’s largest automakers sent a to President Donald Trump on June 6 asking him to compromise with California on vehicle-emission standards, one company was notably absent from the list of signatories: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.
That holdout stance is not atypical for the automaker, known for its Jeep SUVs, beefy pickup trucks and Italian sports cars. Most automakers have called for tapping the brakes by making adjustments to national fuel-economy and emissions standards in light of low gasoline prices and soaring SUV sales. But Fiat Chrysler’s public comments hew closer to the Trump administration’s reverse shift on Obama-era regulations.