Stellantis to build $2.5B EV battery plant
On May 24, 2022, Stellantis and Samsung SDI announced a binding, definitive agreement to build an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in Kokomo, Indiana. The following day, Palantir announced a partnership with Stellatnis to digitize operations.
STELLANTIS & SAMSUNG SDI’S INDIANA BATTERY PLANT
Stellantis and Samsung SDI’s Indiana-based battery plant is part of the legacy automaker’s “Dare Forward 2030” plans, setting the company’s electrification ambitions. The battery manufacturing plant is expected to start operations by 2025. It will supply battery modules for various vehicles produced in Stellantis assembly plants across North America.
“Just under one year ago, we committed to an aggressive electrification strategy anchored by five gigafactories between Europe and North America,” said Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis. “Today’s announcement further solidifies our global battery production footprint and demonstrates Stellantis’ drive toward a decarbonized future outlined in ‘Dare Forward 2030.’”
Stellantis plans to invest over $2.5 billion in the battery plant, gradually increasing the investment to $3.1 billion. Stellantis and Samsung expect the plant to generate 1,400 new jobs in Kokomo, Indiana. The facility has an initial annual production capacity target of 23 GWh with the aim to increase up to 33 GWh.
STELLANTIS & PALANTIR’S FOUNDRY OPERATING SYSTEM
Palantir Technologies Inc. announced a partnership with Stellantis N.V. on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The automaker plans to deploy Palantir’s Foundry operating system across its brands to digitize operations.
Palantir’s Foundry operating system will be involved in a few key business functions, including supply chain performance, vehicle quality, and delivery speeds. Improvements to supply chain performance might improve Stellantis’ operations.
Many automakers, including Tesla, have mentioned supply chain challenges in the last quarter. According to Palantir, Foundry could help increase Stellantis’ insight into parts availability to meet customers’ needs.
“We are grateful for the confidence of Stellantis that led to the expansion of our collaboration across their enterprise,” said Palantir executive Josh Harris. “In today’s data-driven world, the Foundry operating system is uniquely positioned to offer insight into critical operational and manufacturing functions.”