Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is set to build a battery hub to assemble lithium-ion electric vehicle battery packs at its Mirafiori, Italy, plant as part of its overall e-mobility strategy.
The company’s subsidiary Comau will help guide the assembly process for battery packs to be used in new generations of full electric FCA models.
An FCA spokesman told BEST the company was unable to confirm who would be manufacturing the cells, or the capacity of the plant.
However, we know that FCA is set to build a new electric-powered Fiat 500 at the Mirafiori plant starting in the second quarter of next year.
The initial investment in the plant in Turin will be around €50 million ($55.4 million). Work on the plant is expected to begin early next year.
The facility will have space for training courses as well as prototyping and experimentation during the pilot process, and an advanced technology center for quality control and testing of components provided by industry-leading suppliers.
Pietro Gorlier, COO for FCA’s EMEA region, said: “The automotive industry is undergoing a period of profound change and one of the major trends is closely linked to electrification.
“With its new car battery assembly center at Mirafiori, FCA accelerates its drive to electrify, adding now another element to the ‘ecosystem’ that starts from supply chain and ends with customer support. A journey passing through the recent partnerships on recharging infrastructure, Vehicle-to-Grid and services to support customers of hybrid and full electric cars, from Italy to the rest of the world.”
FCA plans to introduce a total of 12 EV versions of new or existing models.
