Stellantis’ STLA Medium platform will underpin not less than 2 million EVs a 12 months and supply a spread of as much as 700 km (435 miles) on automobiles beginning with the Peugeot 3008 SUV by the top of this 12 months.
The platform — which Stellantis says is “BEV by design” — is certainly one of 4 electrical architectures that Stellantis introduced in 2021 when the group was fashioned after the merger of PSA and Fiat Chrysler Vehicles. The others are STLA Small, STLA Giant and STLA Body.
Stellantis launched the primary particulars of STLA Medium on Wednesday, with executives emphasizing that it’s “greatest in school” in vary, effectivity and charging time.
The group plans to promote solely full-electric automobiles in Europe by 2030, with a goal of fifty p.c EVs in North America by that date.
STLA Medium will probably be used for compact and midsize automobiles throughout the group’s Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Chrysler, DS, Jeep, Opel and Peugeot manufacturers.
Among the many factories the place automobiles with STLA Medium are Sochaux, France (Peugeot 3008); Eisenach, Germany (Opel Grandland, 2024); Melfi, Italy (automobiles for DS, Opel and Lancia beginning in 2024); and in North America (Chrysler and Jeep), CEO Carlos Tavares mentioned. Future websites embrace vegetation in Southeast Asia, he mentioned.
Tavares emphasised that the platform was designed round battery-electric automobiles, however he mentioned it may very well be “tailored” to make use of inner combustion powertrains, for international locations which can be shifting extra slowly towards EVs.
“If there’s any trade-off, it is going to be to the detriment of powertrains apart from BEVs,” he mentioned.
Sebastien Jacquet, deputy chief expertise officer, mentioned that to just accept internal-combustion engines the entrance finish of the platform ought to be modified.
The wheelbase can vary from 2700 mm to 2900 mm, with an total size of 4300 mm to 4900 mm. Floor clearance might be boosted to greater than 220 mm, for off-road efficiency.
On the powertrain aspect, the floor-mounted battery pack will are available in two sizes as much as 98 kilowatt hours, with a mixed-use vary of greater than 700 km for the Efficiency pack (500 km freeway vary) and greater than 500 km for the Commonplace pack beneath the WLTP cycle.
Energy output will vary from 160 to 285 kilowatts (218 to 388 hp), from one or two electrical motors (for front-wheel or all-wheel drive). The motors will come from Stellantis’ three way partnership with Nidec.
Whereas some mainstream automakers are shifting to an 800-volt structure for quicker charging, together with Hyundai/Kia, STLA medium could have a 400-volt system.
Effectivity will probably be under 14 kWh per 100 km, which Stellantis says is state-of-the-art.
Jacquet mentioned the primary motive to stay with 400 volts is affordability at this level, however he mentioned an 800-volt system may very well be added sooner or later.
Different automakers akin to Volkswagen Group and Hyundai Group have created devoted EV platforms, together with shifting again to rear-wheel drive with rear-mid-mounted motors. Tavares emphasised that remaining with a multi-energy platform doesn’t imply decrease EV efficiency.
“There isn’t any compromise on EV efficiency, that is why we’ve got such a excessive vary and stage of vitality effectivity,” he mentioned.
Jacquet mentioned the power to supply compact EVs of 4300 mm lengthy with a 98 kWh battery, giant wheel and tire mixtures as much as 750 mm, with 700 km of vary and effectivity of higher than 14 kWh/100 km was “distinctive available on the market.”
“Opponents are both lowering the scale of the wheel, growing the size of the automobile or lowering the kilowatt-hours of the battery,” he mentioned.