Stellantis, the electric Topolino arrives and the new research and development center at Mirafiori

TURIN — On the eve of the presentation of the new Topolino, which will be all electric, Stellantis is launching a new pole for Italy dedicated to research and development by 10,000 people. This is where engineers, technicians and designers will concentrate. The third at European level, after that of Poissy in France, where another 10,000 will work, and Rüsselsheim in Germany, designed for 6,000 heads. An investment between 150 and 200 million. Complex that will take shape in the Mirafiori plant, in Turin, recovering the historic office building of the factory and the spaces around it. A total of 200,000 square meters of areas that will house the 10,000 people who are now divided into several buildings in the plant. Numbers that confirm the fact that Turin will remain one of the three thinking heads of the design in the Old Continent of the Italian-French house led by the managing director Carlos Tavares. The new structure will be ready by 2025. The fourth pole will be born in the USA, in Detroit, another pillar of Stellantis, a group owned by Exor, a holding that also controls Repubblica through Gedi.

The investment, which is part of the “grEEn campus” format project, was presented yesterday to the metalworkers’ unions by Xavier Chereau, global head of human resources at Stellantis. «It is a further demonstration of the company’s commitment in Italy – he explained – it is a commitment that bears witness to our approach towards this country. Italy is a real pillar for Stellantis». The importance of “keeping one’s head” in Turin was also underlined by the mayor Stefano Lo Russo and the governor of Piedmont Alberto Cirio.

The aim is also to make “an iconic building and the other spaces in line with the new ways of working, which include smart working, and to reduce the company’s carbon emissions”. It will not only be modern, but sustainable.

The metalworkers’ unions consider the investment important because it keeps the research and development activities anchored in Turin and in Italy. And they can say with reasonable certainty that there won’t be a decrease in jobs in Central Authorities. Position shared by Fim, Uilm and Fismic. Fiom also considers the operation important, but underlines the fact that “there is no new job”. The acronyms would have also expected some indication on the destination of the new models with respect to the Italian factories. Chereau was unable to give an answer: “It depends on the market, it depends on the scenarios, we have to take the right steps to avoid finding ourselves in critical situations and having to restructure”. There is no shortage of new models. The Topolino will return to Turin today on the Lingotto track. The new version will be electric only and built on the Ami platform. The new 600 will also be unveiled for the occasion.

Sales in the last month have slowed down a bit. In June, according to the Ministry of Transport, 138,927 cars were registered in Italy, 9.19% more than in 2022. In the six-month period, there were 684,262 registrations, with a growth of 22.96%. Stellantis registered 43,099 cars in June, 11.1% less than in the same month in 2022. The market share is 31% against 38.2% a year ago. The trade associations (Anfia, Unrae and Federauto) ask that the government pass, after the announcements of months ago, from words to deeds on the remodulation of the incentives. And the electric? It is growing, but Italy is still bringing up the rear in the EU, even if the milestone of 200,000 electric cars on the road has been reached for Motus-E.

For the incentives, the meeting in Rome on Monday between the CEO of Stellantis, Tavares, and the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, will be determined to take stock of the situation. Urso has repeatedly announced that he wants to find an agreement with the house born from the marriage between FCA and PSA.