Stellantis unveils technology to support flexible EV production, delayed electric pickup

Stellantis unveils technology to support flexible EV production, delayed electric pickup

  • Stellantis is introducing the STLA frame platform for versatile vehicle assembly, but Ram electric truck production has been delayed until 2025.
File photo: A view shows the logo of Stellantis at the entrance of the company's factory in Horden, France, on July 7, 2021. Reuters/Pascal Rossignol/file photo (Reuters)

Stellantis said Tuesday it will deploy a new vehicle system that will support assembly of gasoline, hybrid and electric models, but in a sign of how turbulent the electric-vehicle transition is, the automaker also announced plans to ramp up production of Ram electric pickup trucks. Delayed. The Franco-Italian company revealed details about its STLA frame platform, which will support full-size trucks and SUVs. The platform is thought of as a skateboard on which many different types of vehicles can be built, and contains the car's critical electrical and mechanical components.

“Despite all the difficult challenges facing the industry, we remain very focused on the execution of our plan,” CEO Carlos Tavares said in a call with reporters.

Tavares said the automaker is delaying production of its electric RAM pickup from this year to the first half of 2025, citing the need to ensure quality.

“We are facing a tremendous amount of workload,” he said.

Also read: Used EVs save owners on average £1,600 per year compared to petrol models – study

Automakers in Detroit and elsewhere have been accelerating the construction of EV-manufacturing capacity over the past two years, only to find demand growing slower than anticipated.

The decision to focus on platforms that support EVs or incorporate the flexibility for hybrid or gasoline-powered vehicles has divided automakers. Ford Motor has leaned toward selling hybrid vehicles, while General Motors has focused on battery-powered models after investing more in building its own EV platforms.

It says GM will begin offering plug-in hybrids in 2027. Stellantis is primarily offering plug-in hybrids in the US for now, but plans to expand its EV footprint in the coming years, pursuing the goal of 100 percent battery electric car sales in Europe and 50 percent electric passenger cars and light-duty vehicles. Planning to increase sales. Truck sales in the US by 2030.

If US President-elect Donald Trump plans to untangle various incentives around EV production and sales, the global industry will face even more uncertainty over EV demand. Trump's transition team plans to eliminate a $7,500 consumer tax credit for electric-vehicle purchases as part of broader tax-reform legislation, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters last week.

Also read: EV manufacturers want GST cut on electric vehicle batteries and lower charging rates

Some of Stellantis' plug-in hybrids, including the Jeep Grand Cherokee, qualify for half of that credit. The carmaker is facing falling sales in North America, which has historically made big profits from sales of its popular Jeep and Ram vehicles. Tavares changed his management team in an effort to address his high vehicle inventory and declining stock price, and he plans to retire at the end of his contract in 2026. Stellantis shares are down nearly 40 percent this year.

The company announced in 2021 that it would design frame platforms in addition to large, medium, and small foundations to accommodate different vehicles in its lineup. Stellantis said Tuesday that Ram and Jeep vehicles are the first to use the frame version. The company said the battery electric vehicles on frame will have a range of up to 500 miles (805 km) and will offer 14,000 pounds (6,350 kg) of towing capacity. It will also support hydrogen and extended-range electric vehicles.

Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India, Upcoming EV Bikes in India.

First publication date: November 20, 2024, 10:47 am IST

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October sees record EV registrations, up 26 per cent year-on-year to reach 1.1 million units: Report

October sees record EV registrations, up 26 per cent year-on-year to reach 1.1 million units: Report

  • EV penetration improved by 100 basis points (bps) year-on-year, with total EV registrations growing 26 percent year-on-year to 1.1 million units.
The growth in EV registrations was mainly led by the electric two-wheeler segment, while passenger cars recorded a modest eight per cent growth. (AFP via Getty Images)

According to Haitong report, electric vehicle (EV) registrations witnessed a modest growth in October 2024, mainly due to increased festive season demand, leading to strong year-on-year (YTD) growth in EV penetration across all regions. increased.

YTD EV penetration improved 100 basis points (bps) year-on-year (YoY) to 7.6 percent, with total EV registrations increasing 26 percent to 1.1 million units.

This growth was mainly led by the two-wheeler (2W) segment, while the passenger vehicle (PV) segment recorded a marginal growth of 8 per cent.

Also read: Creta, Venue SUV could not save Hyundai India's profit from 16.5 percent decline in Q2 FY25

In October, sequential penetration rates for electric two-wheelers (E2W) and electric passenger vehicles (EPV) increased by 10 bps with YTD growth of 100 bps and 10 bps respectively.

Although the electric three-wheeler (3W) segment saw a monthly decline of around 290 bps in penetration, it maintained a YTD penetration gain of 250 bps.

Strong festive demand led to the highest number of PV EV registrations ever in October, even though penetration in the segment remains relatively low.

The recent surge in rural demand in contrast to the slowdown in urban areas has created short-term pressure on overall EV penetration. However, the upcoming launch of new EV models by major PV original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Tata, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Maruti Suzuki is expected to increase the adoption rate.

Total E2W registrations in October reached 139,379 units, representing an impressive growth of 118 percent year-on-year. While YTD penetration for E2Ws grew 100 bps YoY, October saw a modest 10 bps monthly gain.

Also read: Tata Motors misses Q2 profit estimates due to weak sales, hopes for festive turnaround

Ola Electric maintained its market leadership with 30 per cent share and regained some of its lost ground last month. Ola registrations grew by 75 per cent year-on-year and 69 per cent month-on-month (MoM), totaling 41,713 units.

TVS regained its second position from Bajaj Auto with 21 percent market share, while Bajaj stood second with 20 percent. TVS experienced a growth of 82 per cent year-on-year reaching 29,964 registrations, while Bajaj's registrations increased by 212 per cent to 28,288 units.

Electric three-wheeler registrations in October reached 67,172 units, up 17 per cent YoY and 11 per cent MoM, reflecting solid growth in demand. YTD penetration in this segment grew by 250 bps year-on-year.

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Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) strengthened its position as the market leader with YTD market share up 50 bps to 9.5 per cent in October.

Bajaj Auto also made significant progress, increasing its YTD market share to 6.3 percent from a negligible share last year.

The EPV segment achieved record monthly registrations in October with 10,752 units, a growth of 70 per cent year-on-year due to the festive season. YTD penetration in the EPV category grew marginally by 10 bps YoY.

Tata Motors retained its position as the market leader with a YTD market share of 63 percent, though this was down from 72 percent last year. MG Motors showed considerable progress and increased its YTD market share from 12 per cent to 20 per cent year-on-year.

Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India, Upcoming EV Bikes in India.

First publication date: 13 November 2024, 09:49 am IST

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