Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz, re-elected ACEA president for 2026

The Board of Directors of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has re-elected Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz, to serve a second term as ACEA President in 2026.

Reflecting on the priorities for ACEA, Ola Källenius stated: “It is our strong conviction that decarbonisation goals can only be achieved when paired with a strong agenda for global competitiveness and value chain resilience. This has driven our work in 2025 and will continue to do so in 2026.”

Europe’s automotive industry remains fully committed to zero-emission mobility and has been actively engaging in the Strategic Dialogue with the European Commission on the future of the automotive industry in Europe. The upcoming package of legislative proposals (“the automotive package”), including the revision of the CO2 standards for cars and vans, legislation on green corporate fleets, and the automotive omnibus, will be a defining moment for the EU to adopt a more pragmatic course.

“Flexibilities, technology openness and targeted policies for cars, vans, trucks and buses remain essential to get the green transformation and Europe’s industrial competitiveness back on track”, said Källenius. “We have high expectations, as there is a lot at stake.”

Källenius was re-elected President of ACEA during today’s meeting of its Board of Directors, which is composed of the CEOs of Europe’s 16 major car, van, truck and bus manufacturers. ACEA’s President is elected by its members annually for a year-long term, which can be renewed once.