Stellantis hunts mass-market EV as French plants hog investment

Stellantis has committed more than €1 billion to produce three new Peugeot electric and hybrid models at its Mulhouse plant in Alsace, based on the new STLA One modular platform, according to Automotive World. The investment, announced this week, represents a significant capital commitment to France as the automaker navigates the transition to electrification across its sprawling portfolio of brands.

The move comes as Automotive News reports that Stellantis faces a critical question about its ability to deliver a €15,000 electric vehicle—a price point essential to mass-market adoption in Europe. The challenge is not technical prowess but cost discipline: Stellantis has demonstrated it can build powerful, high-margin vehicles, but whether it can profitably manufacture an affordable EV remains unproven.

For Piemonte, where Stellantis operates significant manufacturing and engineering capacity, the Mulhouse commitment signals a strategic prioritisation of French production for the group's core EV transition. The STLA One platform, designed for volume production, will anchor Peugeot's electrified future—but the question of where Stellantis will place its entry-level EV manufacturing remains unresolved.