In 2023, Stellantis it will put into production a new Euro 7 approved diesel engine. The plant that will build the new unit, probably a four-cylinder turbo with direct injection, will be that of Pratola Serra, in the province of Avellino. This was revealed by Carlos Tavares himself, during a visit to the Campania factory. The number one of Stellantis also confirmed the 30 billion euros of investments planned for the electricity transition and the expansion aims of the giant born from the merger of FCA and PSA: “We are the fourth world group, our ambition is to excel in the ranking of the major car manufacturers “.
Political support is needed. In his visit to the factories in Termoli and Pratola Serra, Tavares did not hide his perplexities for the green policies of the European Union, which do not take into account the importance of diesel vehicles within the continental economy. The CEO said he was not even convinced of the vocation to pure electric as the only way to reduce emissions, abandoning all the technological progress of recent years regarding internal combustion engines. “The issue is also economic – said the Portuguese manager – for this reason we ask the policy to intervene in support and in favor of the consumer, who may not be able to afford the cost of an electric vehicle from a very high cost”. Reflections that re-propose the reflections on electric mobility seen as “political choice that cuts out the middle class”.
All factories will produce electrified. During a meeting with the executive committee of the Pratola Serra works councils, Tavares said that 30 billion euros will be allocated between now and 2035 for the development of a new range of electrified vehicles. The CEO also confirmed that soon every brand under the aegis of Stellantis will have at least one Ev: for this reason, it is expected that by 2024 all the manufacturer’s plants will start the production of hybrid and electric vehicles. Just in the past few hours, the Jeep has taken one of its first steps in this direction, unveiling the new versions e-Hybrid of the Renegade and Compass and announcing the departure of diesel and petrol engines from several European markets, including France and Germany (but not Italy).
The new diesel. In 14 or 15 months, therefore in the spring of next year, a new Euro 7 diesel engine will be ready that can be mounted both on cars and on commercial vehicles of all brands of the Stellantis group. The decision to assemble it in Italy is crucial for the Pratola Serra factory, where electrified units and components for battery-powered cars will also be produced. Tavares expressed his appreciation for the Irpinia plant, thanking the workforce for the “competence, efficiency, participation and willingness to flexibility” shown in the last period, even in the most problematic phases.
Turns increase in Melfi. While the CEO was visiting Pratola Serra, in Melfi during a trade union meeting it was announced that from 24 January the weekly shifts will go from 15 to 17, a change that confirms the strategic importance of the Lucanian plant for the Stellantis group. Precisely in the province of Potenza, models such as the Jeep Compass and Renegade are assembled, which with the new mild hybrid versions could require an increase in production.
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