According to media reports, automaker Stellantis announced on February 17 that its plant in Termoli, southern Italy, will begin producing dual-clutch transmissions for hybrid vehicles.
Stellantis stated that starting in 2026, the company will manufacture electrified dual-clutch transmissions (eDCT) at the Termoli plant. This key component will be used in hybrid vehicles to enhance the company's hybrid product lineup.
In its statement, Stellantis wrote, "The Termoli plant will become Stellantis' third facility producing this complex transmission, with a target annual production of 300,000 units." The company currently produces eDCTs at its Mirafiori plant in Italy and its Metz plant in France.
Stellantis also announced plans to increase the production of key components at its Sint Truiden plant in Belgium and the Metz plant in France to support higher eDCT output. Additionally, a new component assembly line will be installed at the Metz facility.
Italy's major metalworkers' union, UILM, welcomed Stellantis' plan, stating that eDCT production will provide jobs for approximately 300 of the 1,800 employees at the Termoli plant.
Gianluca Ficco of UILM emphasized that Stellantis now needs to make long-term decisions regarding the plant's future, including whether to proceed with its gigafactory project.
Previously, ACC, a joint venture led by Stellantis, announced plans to transform the Termoli plant into an EV battery production hub. ACC had planned to establish three EV battery gigafactories in Europe, with Termoli being one of them.
While ACC's gigafactory in France has already begun operations, plans for the Italian and German plants were put on hold last year due to slowing EV demand and the company's shift toward lower-cost batteries.
An ACC spokesperson stated on February 17 that the joint venture is still evaluating its investment plans for Italy and Germany, with a final decision expected within the year but not before June.
Besides Stellantis, ACC's shareholders include Mercedes-Benz and TotalEnergies. Earlier this month, TotalEnergies' CEO suggested that ACC should focus on the French plant, hinting that the gigafactory plans for Italy and Germany might ultimately be scrapped.
