Stellantis, the European automotive big, has secured a partnership with Chinese language electrical automobile producer BYD to provide lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. This collaboration goals to supply extra inexpensive short-range variations of the Citroën ë-C3 and Fiat Grande Panda, with costs set to be beneath €20,000.
Based on a report from French publication L’Argus, Stellantis has turned to BYD for LFP battery provide to assist minimize prices for these new fashions, each of which share the Stellantis Good Automobile platform. At present, the ë-C3 and Grande Panda characteristic a 113hp engine powered by a 44kWh LFP battery, providing a variety of as much as 320 kilometers (WLTP) and retailing for between €23,000 and €25,000 (roughly $A37,800 to $A41,000). Nonetheless, neither automobile is but accessible in Australia.
To create extra budget-friendly variants, Stellantis is trying to cut back the vary of the brand new fashions to between 200 and 250 kilometers (WLTP), using a smaller battery within the 30-35kWh vary.
L’Argus anticipates that the Citroën ë-C3 would be the first among the many short-range fashions to launch, anticipated in the midst of this 12 months, adopted by the Fiat Grande Panda later within the 12 months. This transfer might give Stellantis an early benefit over native opponents like Renault and Volkswagen, who’re additionally planning to introduce sub-€20,000 fashions, together with the Renault Twingo E-Tech in 2026 and the Volkswagen ID.1 in 2027.
Moreover, the brand new automobiles will compete with one other Stellantis providing, the €19,500 T03 from Leapmotor, a Chinese language automaker through which Stellantis has a stake.
The report additionally highlights BYD’s aspirations to change into a major drive within the electrical automobile battery market. Based on a current evaluation by South Korean market analysis agency SNE Analysis, BYD ranks second in market share for EV batteries, accounting for 17.2% of the market in 2024, primarily as a consequence of its success as an electrical automobile producer.
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