Turin hopes to host the next European gigafactory

A city with car manufacturing traditions looks towards the new age

On 31 May, the Turin City Council unanimously approved (32 votes in favour, out of that many possible) to present an agenda for the support and protection of the automotive sector. More specifically, the document proposes Turin to host the gigafactory for batteries that the Stellantis group is expected to place in Europe by the end of the year.

Turin has industry credentials to present a strong candidacy

Stellantis is a multi-national corporation, which is the 8^th largest car manufacturer in the world. Founded at the beginning of this year as a merger between Fiat Chrysler and the French PSA Group, its umbrella covers such brands as Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Fiat, Opel and Peugeot, among others.

One of its declared company goals is to hit a sales target of 70% of electric cars in 2030. The first step to that would be the construction of the electric car battery gigafactory somewhere in Europe. The proposal document acknowledges that and also harmonizes with the objectives of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan regarding the increased production and use of green vehicles in the country.

The candidacy could make use of the existing scientific skills and professionalism as well as the vocation and know-how of the Turin municipality, from universities to businesses and workers. It also expresses a desire to implement a city plan for the production of electricity through photovoltaics and to dot the infrastructure of the municipal territory with charging poles for electric vehicles.

Additionally, it proposes to start consultation for different use of the areas of Mirafiori (automotive district) that could host the gigafactory, and to represent a dialogue with Stellantis, for the purpose of the perspective on new models and volumes useful for maintaining and implementing the facility.

As an illustration of the importance and confidence that is placed into the automotive industry in Turin, the local city council came out with the following declaration on 28 April:

“We have the responsibility to accompany the reconversion of the sector in the name of sustainability and to avoid the impoverishment of the skills present in the area. The theme of the battery factory can become essential, and it is, therefore, necessary to understand if, using the Recovery Fund, Stellantis would place its battery district in Turin: from research and design to disposal”.