The automotive group Stellantis has announced an agreement for the sale of its Free2move carsharing business to the German private equity holding Mutares. The move is part of the company’s strategy to focus its efforts on areas of activity that generate greater returns and boost business.

As Stellantis noted in a statement, the transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. However, the process is still dependent on the applicable information and consultation processes with employee representative bodies, as well as regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.

Free2move offers a car sharing service, what Stellantis calls “free-floating car-sharing”, both short and long term, in 14 cities in Europe and the United States, including Madrid. Vehicles can be booked 24/7 through a proprietary mobile app.

Free2move began operating internationally in December 2016, launched by Grupo PSA, a company that, when merged in 2021 with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, would result in the current Stellantis. The brand has been one of the main references in the category, progressively gaining market share, first with the integration in 2020 of Emov – the name under which it operated in Madrid and Lisbon – and then with the acquisition in 2022 of Share Now, which in turn was born. of the merger of Car2Go and Drive Now and was operated by Daimler AG and BMW Group.

The new operation shows the constant difficulties that the automobile industry has encountered in making the business profitable over the years. In its statement, Stellantis assures that the movement is in line with the strategy established in its FaSTLAne 2030 plan. “The company applies a disciplined approach to capital allocation, directing investments and resources to the regions, brands and technologies that can generate the highest returns”, they argue from the company.

Stellantis announced the search for buyers for Free2move in October 2025, which skyrocketed its shares up to 8.3% on the Milan Stock Exchange, as reported at the time. The Confidential. The objective was to correct the path of the company, which registered more than 22,000 million euros in losses in 2025 due to its change of plans in electrification.

The sale of Free2move to Mutares will mean, according to the company, a renewal of the platform. Plans include renewed management of its international fleet, continued transition to battery electric vehicles, and renewed attention to customer experience and municipalities’ urban mobility needs. In this regard, Free2move will operate as an independent entity under Mutares, and is expected to benefit from greater agility, dedicated investment and greater operational flexibility.

“By focusing more on core automotive businesses, we strengthen our ability to deliver long-term performance.“said Virgilio Cerutti, Head of Business Development & Partnerships at Stellantis. “We are committed to working closely with all stakeholders to facilitate an orderly transition process for customers, partners and employees.”.

For their part, Mutares points out that Free2move has a strong internationally recognized brand with clear potential for operational improvement. “Together with the management team, we hope to strengthen Free2move’s operating model and further develop the company as a leading independent platform in the mobility sector.“commented Johannes Laumann, CIO of Mutares.