Why This Unassuming EV Platform Is A Huge Deal For Stellantis
Stellantis announced on July 5, 2023, that it would be introducing a new, modular EV platform for its vehicles. This isn't the triumphant unveiling of a new, groundbreaking vehicle that demands headlines. Rather, the new platform quietly represents a sea change in the industry. Its new EV platform is known as STLA Medium, the first of four new EV-specific platforms Stellantis has slated to bring out.
The platform will be installed in Stellantis facilities in Europe this year, with a global reach forthcoming. Two years after the announcement of new EV platforms at its EV Day presentation in 2021, Stellantis has delivered a substantial innovation in this new platform design. "What we see today is the product of just over two years of no-compromise innovation to deliver clean, safe, and affordable mobility, supported by our €30 billion investment in electrification and software through 2025," Stellantis CEO, Carlos Tavares said of the new STLA Medium infrastructure. Stellantis holds a 2038 net zero carbon target, and this change will allow the varied brands under the Stellantis umbrella to quickly and efficiently deliver a bevy of electrified vehicles that will rapidly replace the ICE propulsion systems of gas guzzlers everywhere.
The design is built for the exacting demands of modern and future drivers
The STLA Medium EV platform has been designed to fit right into the driving needs of the modern vehicle owner. With an expected production volume of up to 2 million per year, cars utilizing the new design underpinnings will be readily available for purchase. They will also likely immediately overcome the price hump issue that tends to accompany novel production methods as new techniques are honed for efficiency and scale. The STLA Medium platform will offer a battery pack as large as 98 kWh, providing a range exceeding 435 miles per charge with the Performance pack. The vehicles built on this framework will also exhibit fast charging and supreme energy efficiency while in motion. Stellantis reports a 2.4 kWh charge rate per minute, resulting in a 20% to 80% recharge in just 27 minutes. As well, the platform will offer consumption rates hovering around 14 kWh per 100 kilometers (62 miles).
While the performance metrics are highly appealing as they are, the STLA Medium platform has also been designed with the future in mind. Vehicles built on this structure will be able to support nickel and cobalt-free batteries, as well as solid-state units, depending on continuing research and material sourcing constraints that may creep into the supply chain in the near or distant future. Stellantis' design is built for rugged durability from manufacturing to the finished product that will bring drivers where they need to go.