Stellantis to invest €5.6 in S America; development of bio-hybrid technologies
10 March 2024
Stellantis announced a record investment plan for the South American region totaling €5.6 billion (R$30 billion) from 2025 to 2030, making it the largest investment in the history of the Brazilian and South American automotive industry. The planned investments will support the launch of more than 40 new products during the period as well as the development of new Bio-Hybrid technologies, innovative decarbonization technologies across the automotive supply chain, and strategic new business opportunities.
As part of its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, Stellantis is investing more than €50 billion in electrification over the next decade and is on track to become a carbon net zero corporation by 2038, all scopes included, with single-digit percentage compensation of remaining emissions. South America plays a leading role in the “third engine”—the aggregation of the South America, Middle East & Africa and China and India & Asia Pacific segments—and is a thriving contributor to growing Stellantis’ revenue targets outside North America and Europe.
New propulsion systems featuring bio-hybrid technologies. One of the beneficiaries of this investment are the Bio-Hybrid technologies, which combine electrification with hybrid engines powered by bio-fuels (ethanol) on three different levels.
The Stellantis facility in Betim, Brazil is the Company’s global center of expertise for Bio-Hybrid technology. Stellantis, under the Fiat brand, pioneered the development and application of bio-fuel engine technology, which used 100% ethanol. In the future, the region will also produce a battery electric vehicle (BEV).
The production of the first vehicles equipped with Bio-Hybrid technology is flexible and can be integrated into various models manufactured by Stellantis. It is compatible with all production lines of the Company in the region.
The new hybrid and electric technologies are expected to strengthen Brazilian engineering and the domestic industry. The Bio-Hybrid technology is supported by three hybrid powertrains that will be gradually produced and introduced to the market. These new technologies include Bio-Hybrid, Bio-Hybrid electrified dual-clutch transmissions (eDCT), Bio-Hybrid Plug-In, and BEV (100% electric). The new hybrid technologies will start to be available by the end of 2024.
Stellantis is the leader in the three main markets in South America: Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. Last year, Stellantis total sales in the region surpassed 878,000 vehicles, with a 23.5% market share. The company is the sales leader in Brazil with a 31.4% market share and maintains leadership in light commercial vehicle sales in South America, with a 28.6% market share. Fiat is the best-selling brand in Brazil and South America, and the Fiat Strada pickup is the best-selling vehicle in the country and the region.
With this investment, Stellantis will be increasingly prepared to design, develop, and produce modern cars in the region, while also expanding its business. In Argentina, for instance, the company acquired a 19.9% stake in Argentina Litio y Energía S.A., a significant step toward establishing a cluster of sustainable battery materials to meet the electrification goals outlined in its global plan.
In addition, with the acquisitions of companies Norauto and DPaschoal, Stellantis has become the largest auto parts distributor in South America and has plans to further expand its presence in the aftermarket segment.
In common with other manufacturers Stellantis builds death machines for the South American market, since not compelled to build safe ones by regulation there:
https://www.latinncap.com/en/media-area/new/864af069457915/latin-ncaps-latest-resultsstellantis-safety-free-fall-citroen-c3-zero-stars
' Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP said:
“It is alarming how Stellantis repeatedly dismisses basic safety for Latin Americans and unacceptable that their vehicles aim so low in safety while they know very well how to produce affordable and much safer cars. '
Despicable. The CEOs should be criminally liable.
Increased costs for vastly higher standards are often slight, but of course every cent saved is another cent in the pockets of executives and shareholders.
Posted by: Davemart | 10 March 2024 at 01:45 AM
The problem with running pure ethanol is the aldehydes that are produced out the tailpipe they can be just as much of a smog problem as oxides of nitrogen.
Posted by: SJC | 10 March 2024 at 02:48 PM