Stellantis has inaugurated a new chapter at the Toluca plant in Mexico, which in the past saw the birth of the famous Fiat 500. Now, the production site is preparing to enter the era of high-end electric vehicles. At the center of this transformation is the launch of the assembly line dedicated to the Jeep Wagoneer S, a fully electric model announced at the end of May that Stellantis aims to market globally.
Stellantis’ Toluca plant in Mexico will host the production of several electric vehicles
The investment, amounting to $1.6 billion, has transformed Toluca into Stellantis’ second production center based on the STLA Large platform. This innovative architecture is intended for high-end vehicles and is rapidly becoming a key element in the group’s plants. After Toluca, Windsor in Canada has also adopted this platform for the production of the new Dodge Charger. The next step will be in Italy, in Cassino, where production of the new electric and hybrid versions of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio will start in 2025. Following that, in 2026, it will be time for the new Alfa Romeo Giulia.
The STLA Large platform promises to raise the bar in the luxury electric car market. Designed to accommodate batteries up to 118 kWh, the platform will allow vehicles to have an extraordinary range that can reach 800 km on a single charge. Another strength is the 800-volt architecture for a charging speed of up to 4.5 kWh per minute.
However, in recent days, there has been no shortage of controversy following the announcement of further layoffs in the United States. The UAW union is threatening strikes, which could begin in October 2024, also following the automaker’s announcement to postpone the reopening of the Belvidere plant, closed in February 2024. The strikes could also touch on workplace safety issues, following a tragic accident that led to the death of a worker at the Stellantis Toledo plant.
Stellantis recorded a 14% drop in revenue and a 48% decrease in net profit in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year. CEO Carlos Tavares, who will visit the United States this week to implement a new strategy, attributed these results to a difficult market context and internal operational problems. Following these results, shareholders in the United States have filed a complaint.