Stellantis is to invest US$155m in three of its Kokomo, Indiana-based plants to enable the sites to produce new electric drive modules (EDM). The EDMs will be used within future electric vehicles assembled in North America and will support the company’s goal of 50% battery-electric sales in the USA by 2030.
The company has 25 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) launches planned in the USA up until 2030. The Kokomo-built EDMs will be integrated into vehicles designed on the STLA Large and STLA Frame platforms.
Stellantis’s new EDM has three main components: the electric motor, power electronics and transmission. These are combined into a single module to provide enhanced performance and range at a competitive price point. Due to its optimized efficiency, Stellantis anticipates that the EDM will enable each platform to reach up to 800km in range.
The company’s investments will be made at the Indiana Transmission, Kokomo Transmission and Kokomo Casting plants. The gearbox cover will be cast at Kokomo Casting and machined at Kokomo Transmission, with gear machining and final assembly taking place at the Indiana Transmission Plant.
Following a retooling phase, Stellantis aims to begin production of the EDMs in Q3 2024.
“While we continue our successful transition to a decarbonized future in our European operations, we are now setting those same foundational elements for the North American market,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. “By combining the benefits of the EDM with our new BEV-centric platforms and innovative battery technologies, we will offer our customers a variety of electric vehicles with unparalleled performance and range at more affordable prices. And with our in-house manufacturing capabilities and expertise, we will do it with greater flexibility and efficiency.”
Mark Stewart, COO of Stellantis North America, added, “With more than 7,000 employees in Indiana, these investments will leverage the core manufacturing competencies of the local workforce in the areas of casting, machining and assembly, all of which will be needed even as the market transitions to an electrified future. The city of Kokomo and the state of Indiana have been great partners for many years. This community will continue to play a central role in our efforts to provide safe, clean and affordable mobility solutions for our customers long into the future.”
Since 2020, Stellantis has invested nearly US$3.3bn in Indiana to support the company’s transition to electrification, including a US$643m investment to produce a new engine for conventional and PHEV applications, a next-generation 8-speed transmission and a gigafactory joint venture with Samsung SDI. The investments will help Stellantis achieve net-zero carbon by 2038.
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