EU Watchdog Slaps EUR72 Million Fines on Starter Battery Makers

06:56 AM EST, 12/15/2025 (MT Newswires) -- The European Commission slapped fines totaling 72 million euros on three automotive starter battery manufacturers and a trade association for cartel behavior. The long-running cartel limited market competition and may have caused higher costs for the European car and truck manufacturing industry, the regulator said in a Monday release. In total, Exide was fined 30 million euros, FET was fined 6.1 million euros and Rombat was fined 20.2 million euros. Trade association Eurobat received a 125,000 euro fine, and FET's predecessor, Elettra, was fined 15.6 million euros.