Stellantis New Battery Technology Centre In Turin, Italy - 86,111 Sq-ft

Stellantis recently launched its new Battery Technology Centre, at Mirafiori complex in Turin, Italy. This cutting-edge centre represents a significant €40 million (RM200 million) investment, reinforcing Stellantis' capabilities in the design, development, and testing of battery packs, modules, high-voltage cells, and accompanying software, which will power their upcoming Stellantis brand vehicles. Notably, this facility is not only the largest of its kind in Italy but also ranks among the most prominent in Europe.

The Mirafiori Battery Technology Center employs over 100 personnel, with a majority comprising upskilled Stellantis employees. At this facility, they will be responsible for conducting and supervising a range of critical tasks, including climatic stress tests, durability assessments, development and calibration of battery management system (BMS) software, as well as disassembling battery packs and cells for detailed analysis and benchmarking.

In addition to the Mirafiori centre, Stellantis is actively constructing a similar Battery Technology Center in North America, located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. This initiative forms a vital part of Stellantis' global battery development and manufacturing network, which also includes the establishment of six gigafactories.

WIth this facility, Stellantis solidifies its dedication to Italy and its workforce with vertical integration, encompassing key milestones in electric vehicle battery pack production, from design and development to testing and production. This approach aims to produce leading Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) that prioritise customer-centric performance.

Stellantis' battery plan includes a dual chemistry strategy to cater to a diverse clientele, ensuring efficiency in battery cell and module design, as well as housing and pack assembly to maintain cost competitiveness.

The Mirafiori Battery Technology Center boasts 86,111 square feet of space across three levels. At its core, the facility features 32 climatic test chambers, comprising 24 walk-in chambers for battery pack testing and eight chambers for cell testing. These chambers provide precise control over humidity and temperature, with an impressive range from -40 to 60 degrees Celsius (-40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit) and a maximum temperature change rate of 20 degrees per minute. Remarkably, the centre can concurrently test up to 47 battery packs.

This forward-thinking technology centre is designed with future expansion in mind, with a power system capable of managing up to 1.2 kilovolts (kV) and 2.2 megawatts (MW) per test cell. This expansion is also part of their Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan which would see Stellentis achieving a 100% passenger car BEV sales mix in Europe and a 50% mix for passenger cars and light-duty trucks in the United States by 2030.

To meet these sales targets, the company is securing approximately 400 GWh of battery capacity, supported by the establishment of six battery manufacturing plants across North America and Europe. Stellantis remains firmly committed to becoming a carbon-neutral corporation by 2038, encompassing all emissions scopes, with plans for single-digit percentage compensation for any remaining emissions.