Stellantis invests €33-M to create 'clean, safe, affordable mobility'

Stellantis announced that it recently invested €33 million (P1.877 billion) that will help the brand create cutting-edge vehicles that deliver clean, safe, and affordable mobility.

In a statement, the automotive conglomerate said that amount was for its two global testing sites “support the company’s long-term strategy to achieve best-in-class electric vehicle (EV) performance and master the highest level of autonomous driving technology while ensuring safe and reliable technology for its customers.”

"These investments, among other R&D Capex (research and development capital expenditures), expand Stellantis’ global capability to engineer the future of mobility, accelerate its transformation into a sustainable mobility tech company and propel the company toward the goals of the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, notably a 50-percent reduction in carbon emissions from 2021 levels by 2030 and carbon net zero emissions by 2038,” Stellantis said.

The firm said that the recent enhancements include the following:

• Orbassano Safety Center near Turin, Italy now has four test tracks with four impact points and upgraded capability to test various battery-electric vehicles (BEV) and automated driving technology designed for passenger cars, trucks, and light commercial vehicles.
• Wind Tunnel site in Auburn Hills, Michigan is being fitted with moving ground plane technology, simulating on-road travel and providing more accurate aerodynamics measurement of vehicles.

“Our world-class tech hubs across the globe are doing the work today that will make tomorrow’s Stellantis vehicles industry leaders in capability, performance and safety,” Stellantis Chief Engineering Officer Harald Wester was quoted as saying.

“Our engineering community is fueled by talent, diversity and global reach, and we are intensely working with the other global functions, as our Monozokuri peers, to energize the core of our technological transformation. It gives us a comprehensive view of the challenges and enables us to consider and refine a full menu of mobility solutions that will put us in the front row of the race to innovate and improve,” the executive added.

The €5 million (P285.4 million) worth of upgrades for the Orbassano Safety Center gave the facility the capability to test mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles. Currently, it conducts at least two crash tests a day and is on track to test more than 275 electrified vehicles this year. Vehicles tested at Orbassano can be certified to meet more than 175 international safety and technological standards.

Further, the aforementioned site is fully integrated with Stellantis’ safety digital engineering process, allowing the most efficient vehicle development and virtually covering all possible field crash scenarios.

Meanwhile, the wind tunnel complex upgrade, which amounts to $29.5 million (P1.601 billion) includes the fitting of moving ground plane technology (rolling road). It is scheduled to be operational by 2024.

Photos from Stellantis

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