Stellantis is planning to manufacture dual-clutch transmissions for hybrid vehicles at its Termoli plant in Southern Italy, reported Reuters.
The Termoli facility, which currently produces engines, had been earmarked by Stellantis-led battery cell joint venture Automotive Cells Company (ACC), which includes partners TotalEnergies and Mercedes.
This is one of the three locations identified by ACC in Europe to establish EV battery gigafactories, alongside other two in France and Germany.
While a gigafactory in France is now operational, the development of additional facilities in Italy and Germany was paused last year due to ACC’s shift towards lower-cost battery production, driven by weakening demand for EVs.
An ACC spokesperson was cited by the news agency as saying that the joint venture is still evaluating its investment strategy for the Italian and German sites, with a decision expected within this year, but not before June.
The spokesperson added that Stellantis' announcement regarding the Termoli facility does not alter the current plans.
Earlier this month, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné suggested the joint venture should prioritise its French facility, casting doubt over the Italian and German gigafactory plans.
However, Stellantis revealed that it will start producing electrified dual clutch transmissions (eDCT), which is said to be a key component for hybrid vehicles, at the Termoli plant from 2026.
The company was quoted by the news agency as saying: “With a target of three hundred thousand units per year, Termoli becomes Stellantis' third production hub for this sophisticated transmission.”
Stellantis currently manufactures eDCTs at its facilities in Mirafiori, Italy, and Metz, France.
The move to produce these components in Termoli has been welcomed by Italy's major metalworker unions, who see it as a source of employment for about 300 of the plant's 1,800 workers.
In addition to the developments in Termoli, Stellantis plans to ramp up production of essential parts needed for increased eDCT output at its facilities in Sint Truiden, Belgium, and Metz, where it will also establish a new assembly line for these components.
In December 2024, Stellantis partnered with Chinese battery manufacturer CATL to build a €4.1bn ($4.3bn) carbon-neutral gigafactory in Spain.
