Stellantis' Chief Technology Officer, Ned Curic, stated that the company aims to develop lighter electric vehicle batteries, cutting the weight of these batteries in half to enhance sustainability.
Curic mentioned that the batteries of current electric vehicles are "too heavy," causing vehicles to "fall short" of sustainability goals. Speaking at the inauguration of the company's battery technology center in Turin, Italy, Curic said, "Therefore, a very challenging goal for my team is to reduce the battery weight by at least 50% before 2030."
However, he also expressed uncertainty about what future batteries might look like. He commented, "We have to consider entirely new materials, new chemical compositions, and novel methods to replace these heavy materials with lighter ones."
As part of ongoing efforts to improve batteries, Stellantis revealed an investment of 40 million euros (equivalent to 43 million USD) in the Turin battery technology center. This facility will focus on testing and developing battery packs for the group's upcoming electric vehicles. Stellantis further mentioned the construction of a similar facility in Windsor, Canada.
During his presentation, Curic also revealed that Stellantis would launch a "very affordable" vehicle later this year. He stated, "Almost everyone in our society will be able to afford this car." However, he did not disclose the specific price of the model.
Additionally, he emphasized, "We consume a lot of carbon-based energy in our current systems, so switching to electric vehicle systems truly makes the future more sustainable."
