Stellantis goes into overdrive. After setting up two battery manufacturing plants in Canada and Indiana, USA, the group can continue its expansion in North America. Two other battery plants may spring up on Uncle Sam’s land.
Group CEO Carlos Tavares told reporters at the inauguration of the first battery plant in France, a plant signed by ACC (for Automotive Cell Company, a joint venture between Stellantis, Mercedes and TotalEnergies).
A new victory for the United States?
The American Inflation Act, which promotes “made in the USA” with incentives for the production and purchase of electric vehicles assembled in the United States and equipped with batteries made from minerals mined on the New Continent or in countries with free trade agreements. with Washington increasingly influencing the strategies of various major automotive groups, including Stellantis.
This is clarified by Carlos Tavares this new law creates conditions for investment “very profitable” in the USA. If it does build the two additional plants, the group will have four gigafactories in North America, with the goal of achieving a total output of 400 GWh per year by 2030, as well as decarbonizing all of the group’s operations by 2038. .
Stellantis, the future without emissions
In line with this decarbonisation goal, Stellantis has today signed a partnership with Vulcan Energy, an Australian start-up specializing in emission-free lithium production, to launch “phased plan” on the development of new geothermal projects.
The aim is to improve the energy balance of the Stellantis plant in Mulhouse, which produces the DS 7, Peugeot 308 and e-308, 508 and the new 408. According to forecasts, the project could cover a significant part of the annual energy needs of the industrial site from 2026.
“The first phase of the project, which will take place in the southern part of the Vulcan region in the Upper Rhine Valley, will include a preliminary feasibility study for the establishment of renewable geothermal energy installations for the Stellantis site. Vulcan and which will also assess lithium production potential. »
“If successful, the next phase will focus on 3D seismic exploration and more sophisticated research and development. Provided the preliminary feasibility study is successful, Stellantis and Vulcan intend to jointly implement the project on a 50/50 basis. »
Source: Auto Plus
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