AMSTERDAM—Stellantis has unveiled a new flexible EV platform dubbed STLA Medium. It features long range (up to 435 miles) combined with flexibility that will enable that automaker to produce a variety of vehicles and propulsion configurations in the C and D market segments.
Stellantis brands currently offer 26 vehicle nameplates in those two segments, which accounted for nearly half of the 78.5 million vehicles sold globally last year. The automaker plans to produce up to 2 million vehicles per year based on the STLA Medium platform, with a variety of body styles, such as passenger cars, crossovers and SUVs. It is the first of four global EV platforms that will underpin the company’s future products as part of its Dare Forward 2030 initiative.
“What we see today is the product of just over two years of no-compromise innovation to deliver clean, safe and affordable mobility, supported by our €30 billion investment in electrification and software through 2025,” says Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis. “The STLA Medium platform demonstrates the power of [our] global technical community, delivering products that are hyper-focused on our customers and rewriting long-held assumptions of transportation as we drive for carbon net zero by 2038.
“STLA Medium, which uses a 400-volt electric architecture, will deliver best-in-class energy efficiency and charging time and connectivity to a charging and services ecosystem that enhances every journey,” claims Tavares. “Depending on the application, consumption can be less than 14 kWh per 100 kilometers, which is best in class in energy efficiency. Owners will be able to take their battery from 20 percent to 80 percent charge in 27 minutes, a rate of 2.4 kWh per minute.”
Vehicles based on STLA Medium will be sold globally and be available with front-drive propulsion or all-wheel drive—with the addition of a second electric drive module at the rear—with BEV power output range from 160 to 285 kW.
According to Tavares, the flexibility of STLA Medium will provide Stellantis engineers the freedom to create vehicles with a wheelbase that can range between 2,700 to 2,900 millimeters; an overall length range of 4.3 to 4.9 meters; ground clearance of more than 220 millimeters; and wheels of up to 750 millimeters in diameter.
The STLA Medium platform can accommodate front-drive, rear-drive, all-wheel drive and multi-energy propulsion systems covered by a family of three, scalable electric drive modules. It also includes provisions for future battery chemistries, such as nickel- and cobalt-free and solid-state batteries.
“STLA Medium will deliver best-in-class battery packaging cost that also enhances production volumes,” explains Tavares. “The perimeter dimensions of the battery pack are constant among the stored energy options, with common tray and cooling designs.
“Platform components, such as the cabin heating and cooling system, steering, braking assist and propulsion are designed to minimize energy consumption,” adds Tavares. “Those efforts combine with extensive use of lightweight, rigid materials to optimize vehicle range and deliver exemplary ride and handling performance.”