The announcement went around the world in a few hours. Stellantis and Samsung have entered into "binding and definitive" agreements that will lead to the creation of a mega battery manufacturing plant and electric vehicles in Kolomo (Indiana), in the United States which will help the company led by Carlos Tavares to carry forward the ambitious objectives set by the new Dare Forward 2030 plan which aims to produce five million electric vehicles in 2030.
All the details on the Stellantis-Samsung gigafactory
The new gigafactory will be operational in 2025 and will have a annual production capacity initial 23 gigawatt hours (GWh), with the aim of increasing to 33 GWh in subsequent years. “Furthermore, in light of forecast growth in demand for Stellantis electric vehicles, total capacity will further increase,” the company said in a statement.
The Kokomo plant will supply battery modules for a variety of vehicles produced at Stellantis' North American assembly plants. The start of construction activities on the plant is scheduled for the end of this year production will start in the first quarter of 2025.
In the plant, the two companies know, Samsung will apply cutting-edge Primx technology to the production of cells and modules for electric batteries for the North American market. The “Prime Batteries for Maximum Experience” are accumulators with a high nickel content cathode and silicon anode. capable of guaranteeing very high performance, up to 5 times higher than that of other car batteries
$2,5 billion investment, 1.400 jobs
The joint venture formed by Stellantis and Samsung will invest further 2,5 billion dollars, equal to 2,3 billion euros, on the new gigafactory, thanks to which they will be created 1.400 new jobs in Kokomo and surrounding areas. According to forecasts, the investment could further increase gradually until it reaches 3,1 billion dollars, 2,9 billion euros.
The comment of the CEO Tavares and the objectives of the new plan
“A little less than a year ago, with five gigafactories between Europe and North America, we are committed to an ambitious electrification strategy,” said Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis. “Today's announcement further strengthens our worldwide battery production and demonstrates Stellantis' commitment to creating that zero carbon future, already outlined in the Dare Forward 2030 plan”.
At this juncture it should be remembered that, on 1 March 2022, as part of the strategic plan Dare Forward 2030, Stellantis has announced that by 2030 all group sales in Europe and 50% of those in the United States will be consisting of battery electric vehicles. The company led by Carlos Tavares also has more than tripled planned battery capacity, which went from 140 GWh to around 400 GWh. A project that will be supported by five battery production facilities and additional supply contracts. This announcement is therefore part of the group's long-term electrification strategy which it foresees the investment of 35 billion dollars (€30 billion) by 2025, in electrification and software globally.
“We would like to thank Indiana State officials and Stellantis for helping to ensure that Indiana was the final choice for the plant site,” he said. YOONHO CHOI, CEO of Samsung SDI. “Thanks to the joint venture with Stellantis, we have gained a solid foothold in the rapidly growing North American market in the electric vehicle segment. We will work hard to satisfy the market by offering superior quality products and help meet the climate change target.”
