Stellantis announced that the investment of $155 million will be distributed across three plants in Kokomo, Indiana, to produce electric drive units (EDM) for vehicles based on the STLA Large and the STLA Frame platforms. The EDM is made up of three parts—the electric motor, the power electronics, and the transmission—and is housed together in a single unit that is cheaper to produce, according to the automaker.
The gearbox cover for the EDM will be produced at Kokomo Casting and machined at Kokomo Transmission plant, while the gear machining and final assembly will be handled by its Indiana Transmission Plant. Production is expected to start in 2024, with 265 jobs retained across all three plants.
Stellantis North America COO, Mark Stewart, said, “With more than 7,000 employees in Indiana, these investments will leverage the core manufacturing competencies of the local workforce in the areas of casting, machining and assembly, all of which will be needed even as the market transitions to an electrified future. This community will continue to play a central role in our efforts to provide safe, clean and affordable mobility solutions for our customers long into the future.”
The company aims to make electric vehicles account for 50 percent of its sales in North America by 2030 and to be carbon-neutral by 2038. Vehicles that use the EDM, such as the STLA Frame-based Ram 1500 Rev, will be capable of a range of up to 500 miles (800 km), according to the automaker.
Stellantis CEO, Carlos Tavares, said, “While we continue our successful transition to a decarbonized future in our European operations, we are now setting those same foundational elements for the North American market. By combining the benefits of the EDM with our new BEV-centric platforms and innovative battery technologies, we will offer our customers a variety of electric vehicles with unparalleled performance and range at more affordable prices.”
Source: Stellantis
