Stellantis to acquire equal stake with Faurecia and Michelin in hydrogen fuel cell company Symbio
17 May 2023
Faurecia, a company of the FORVIA group, Michelin and Stellantis signed a binding agreement for Stellantis to acquire 33.3% stake in Symbio, a developer of hydrogen fuel cell systems for light- and heavy-duty vehicle applications. Faurecia and Michelin will remain shareholders with 33.3% holding each.
The addition of Stellantis as a shareholder will boost Symbio’s development across Europe and in the US.
Acquiring an equal stake in Symbio will bolster our leadership position in hydrogen-powered vehicles by supporting our fuel cell van production in France, and it also serves as a perfect complement to our growing battery electric vehicle portfolio. As we push our Dare Forward 2030 plan forward and move to become carbon net zero by 2038, we are considering every technological tool at our fingertips to fight global warming. Hydrogen fuel cells are necessary, and Symbio will become a significant player in the battle to protect future generations.
—Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO
Symbio plans to produce 50,000 fuel cell systems per year by 2025, leveraging its Saint-Fons state-of-the-art gigafactory, which will start production in the second half of 2023. In 2022, Symbio announced the implementation of its HyMotive project aimed at accelerating its industrialization and the development of disruptive innovations, a project that will enable the company to reach a total annual production capacity in France of 100,000 systems by 2028 with the creation of 1,000 jobs in France.
The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals. Closing is expected in the third quarter of 2023.
Earlier in May, the California Energy Commission (CEC) awarded Symbio North America a US$9-million grant to support the establishment of a new industrial facility in Temecula for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle power systems and vehicle assembly. The Temecula facility is to assemble regional heavy-duty fuel cell Class 8 trucks, medium-0duty fuel cell vehicles, and fuel cell power systems.
With apologies, I will duplicate a post I have just made, as it is directly relevant:
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They have just discovered significant amounts of natural hydrogen in Lorraine, in eastern France,
That could be used to decarbonise steel production in Lorraine, and in nearby Luxembourg and the Saar without needing long distance transport.
https://fuelcellsworks.com/news/fde-announces-the-discovery-of-natural-hydrogen-in-the-lorraine-mining-basin/'
Of course it can also provide hydrogen to run FCEVs, with this resource slap bang where it is needed, on the borders of France with Germany and Switzerland, and not too far from the Netherlands.
Caveat: we don't have full details yet to be assured of the potential and practicalities of extraction, but it is certainly promising.
Posted by: Davemart | 17 May 2023 at 01:48 AM
Lorraine is also a major manufacturing base for Stellantis, including electric motors.
Having hydrogen on the doorstep would certainly help them decarbonise. production
Posted by: Davemart | 17 May 2023 at 02:21 AM
Just down the road from Stuttgart, too, home of Mercedes and Porche.
It is difficult to think of a better location for a major natural resource, if it so proves to be.
Posted by: Davemart | 17 May 2023 at 02:47 AM