Stellantis e la tempesta auto

Automotive

Stellantis, 4 billion joint venture with China's Catl for battery gigafactory in Spain. Decision on Termoli in 2025

Agreement with the Catl Group to invest up to EUR 4.1 billion in a joint venture with the aim of building a large-scale European lithium iron phosphate battery plant in Zaragoza, Spain

10 December 2024

6' min read

Stellantis has reached an agreement with the Catl Group to invest up to EUR 4.1 billion in a joint venture with the aim of building a large-scale European lithium iron phosphate battery plant in Zaragoza, Spain. Production is scheduled to start by the end of 2026. "The project," the company explains, "demonstrates Stellantis' strong commitment to electrification in Europe and complements that of the Acc gigafactory, which Stellantis has co-founded and supported since its inception in 2020.

The batteries produced in Zaragoza will be for small cars, those planned in Termoli with Acc are for large cars. The Spanish plant, Stellantis explains, could reach a capacity of 50 GWh, depending on the evolution of the electric market in Europe and the support of the authorities in Spain and the European Union. The 50:50 joint venture between Catl and Stellantis will enhance Stellantis' lithium iron phosphate (Lfp) battery offering, enabling the carmaker to offer superior, durable and affordable battery electric cars, crossovers and SUVs in the B and C segments with intermediate range.

The memorandum of a year ago

In November 2023, Stellantis and Catl signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the local supply of Lfp battery cells and modules for the production of electric vehicles in Europe. "Stellantis is committed to achieving a decarbonised future through the use of all available advanced battery technologies in order to offer our customers competitive electric vehicle products," explains Stellantis president John Elkann. "This important joint venture with Catl will enable the production of innovative batteries in a plant that is already a leader in clean and renewable energy, contributing to the operation of an all-round sustainable approach. I would like to thank everyone who made this announcement possible, including the Spanish authorities for their continued support."

'The joint venture,' says Robin Zeng, President and CEO of Catl, 'has taken our collaboration with Stellantis to new levels. I believe that our state-of-the-art battery technology as well as our exceptional operational know-how combined with the experience of Stellantis are an optimal choice. The company's decades of experience in business operations in Zaragoza will ensure an important success story in the industry. Catl is bringing state-of-the-art battery production technology to Europe through its two plants in Germany and Hungary, both of which are already operational. The transaction is expected to close during 2025 and is subject to the usual regulatory conditions.

Acc: plans for Gigafactory in Termoli by mid-2025

Acc, the joint venture between Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz and TotalEnergies, which will build the Termoli Gigafactory, 'will confirm plans for the Gigafactory during the first half of 2025'. Acc explains that it is 'evaluating a potential diversification of the chemical portfolio to consolidate its leadership in medium/high energy chemicals'. At this stage Acc is focused on 'further improving production operations and optimising costs at its Billy-Berclau/Douvrin Gigafactory'.

Urso: we want to solve Stellantis dispute but impossible with EU rules

'We are determined to tackle and resolve this dispute by showing that Italy can once again assert industrial leadership, clearly by changing European rules,' because otherwise 'it is impossible'. This was emphasised by the Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, speaking on Radio1 about the Stellantis situation, ahead of the 17 December round table at the ministry. 'The solution lies in Europe, changing the rules of the Green Deal,' he explained. 'We will do our homework, but it is necessary for Europe to listen to us. No more ideological blinkers'. Urso then described John Elkann's hearing as 'necessary', to mark 'discontinuity with the previous CEO'.

Tajani, for the car I think we will come up with 1 billion

'I think we will be able to find about 1 billion to support the car industry'. So says Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, interviewed on Restart on Raitre about the majority summit that yesterday untied some knots of the manoeuvre. 'Yesterday we decided on a series of initiatives to support the industry, both the reduction of the premium IRES, we gave a signal with the tax wedge, cut the web tax for small businesses,' he added.

Region: for Stellantis in Melfi 'energy cost reduction' plan

The Region of Basilicata is 'implementing a series of measures to guarantee a reduction in energy costs' for the Stellantis plant in Melfi (Potenza), 'aimed at increasing its competitiveness': this was announced by the President of the Region, Vito Bardi, who had a telephone conversation this morning with the Minister for Italian products, Adolfo Urso. The topics of the conversation were 'the strategic nature of the Stellantis production site in Melfi, the prospects for the re-launch of the plant and the health of the supply chain'. Bardi recalled the 90 dismissal letters received by workers in the supply chain and the ongoing protests in Melfi. Pointing out that 'the Stellantis group is also putting the workers in the Melfi supply chain at risk', Bardi - in view of the meeting scheduled today at Mimit - said that 'Minister Urso is committed to finding a solution that goes in the direction of protecting jobs'.

Transnova workers protest at Mimit: withdraw redundancies

A garrison of Trasnova workers, a Stellantis induced company, from the Mirafiori, Cassino, Pomigliano d'Arco and Melfi factories, in front of the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, on the occasion of the table convened at Mimit. They are demonstrating under the cry 'Work, work, work'. 97 dismissal letters have been sent to them. 'The company must withdraw the dismissals, we need answers. It is unacceptable that in Italy we are still waiting for answers on the Termoli gigafactory while we learn today of Stellantis' agreement for the gigafactory in Spain. We need guarantees from the government and the company for the Italian workers,' says Fiom-Cgil national secretary Samuele Lodi. 'Let us have hope and confidence. We want to go back to work,' says a worker from Melfi who received the dismissal letter: 'We hope to cancel the procedure and return.

Agreement with Stellantis after Sanchez meeting with Catl ceo

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had yesterday anticipated imminent news on the agreement negotiated over the course of a year with Stellantis by the Iberian government, which has granted the group €357.8 million in subsidies from the Strategic Recovery Projects (Perte) relating to electric cars and decarbonisation, and earmarked for the carmaker's three plants in Spain, in particular the Zaragoza gigafactory. Sanchez, accompanied by the Industry Minister, Jordi Hereu, had a meeting yesterday afternoon at the Moncloa Palace with Catl's CEO, Robin Zeng, and the vice-president of the board, Jian Pan, in which the investment that will support Spanish car production was defined, ensuring another large European lithium iron phosphate battery production plant in Zaragoza, following the one that the Volkswagen group is building in Sagunto (Valencia) and those that the Chinese company Envision plans to open in Navalmoral de la Mata (Caceres), and the InoBat group in Valladolid, Castilla y Leon.

During the meeting, reports Moncloa in a note, the Spanish government president reiterated that Spain is committed to the process of descarbonisation and electrification of the automotive sector, to which it has allocated more than EUR 5.5 billion of European funds aimed at reindustrialising the sector. Monday's meeting followed Pedro Sanchez's recent visit to China, where he held meetings with the country's authorities and companies to strengthen economic, trade, business and investment relations. Catl representatives emphasised the importance of collaborating on zero net emission projects in Spain to combat climate change. Catl also manufactures energy storage systems, contributing to the promotion and development of the circular economy. The Spanish government recently approved the update of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (Pniec) 2021-2023, which envisages 5.5 million electric cars and 81% renewable electricity in 2030.

Montezemolo: industry is falling behind, teamwork is needed

'I am truly sad and concerned about the situation and this slow and inexorable deindustrialisation of the country, which no longer even has an electronics company after the sale of Magneti Marelli. I hope for an effort from the government to push for teamwork from all the players in the field'. Italo chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, interviewed by QN, said this. He adds: 'We need to attract foreign producers to Italy. It's incredible that Romania, Spain, Belgium produce more cars than we do'. And Montezemolo underlines: 'Two years ago I said: the Italian car no longer exists. Today everyone can see it. Production is falling every year'. Whose responsibility is it? 'Stellantis', without a real industrial project, and with thousands of workers risking their jobs,' he replies. 'There was a deafening silence from the trade union world until a few weeks ago and also from politics in general and in particular from those who should by definition defend the most vulnerable, with the only exception of Carlo Calenda and Action. And about Carlos Tavares he says: 'I met him at Renault. A very competent and somewhat despotic manager. But he didn't manage to turn things around. He seemed to me a master father evidently supported by the ownership'.