Stellantis wants to respond to Europeans’ preference for hybrid models and has already announced that by the end of the year it will offer up to 30 hybrid models in Europe and promises six more launches by 2026 for its portfolio of 14 brands.
All of Stellantis’ hybrid offerings are equipped with the new advanced hybrid technology eDCT, which integrates an electric motor into the new dual-clutch automatic transmission, delivering an additional 28 hp. The 48-volt, 0.9 kWh battery provides up to 1 km of electric-only range.
The electric motor functions as a generator, so no external power source such as a power outlet or charging station is required to provide electricity to the vehicle. Instead, the electric motor assists the gasoline engine in acceleration and starting from a standstill.
Stellantis is currently producing hybrid vehicles in over 70% of its factories in Europe. Through the eTransmissions joint venture, Stellantis and its partner currently produce electrified dual-clutch transmissions (eDCT) in Metz, France, and Turin, Italy, supplying 11 factories. The combined production capacity is over 1.2 million eDCTs per year.
“We have a very competitive hybrid solution that we are now expanding with our new eDCT technology and we are implementing this technology in a wide range of models, making it accessible to many customers,” emphasized Sébastien Jacquet, Vice Director of Engineering at Stellantis.
Stellantis has not disclosed information about the models that will receive the new hybrid technology and will arrive by 2026, but it is already known that the list will include the Fiat 500 Hybrid and the Grande Panda Hybrid.
