Opel to become Purely Electric in record time

• Opel offer already includes twelve electrified versions
• Electric offer for entire light commercial vehicle line-up
• Electrified version of each model by 2024, purely electric in Europe by 2028
• Opel Crossland and Opel Insignia successors also battery-electric
• Opel Vivaro-e HYDROGEN with fuel cell technology already in use with customers
• New Opel Manta with purely electric drive by mid-decade
• Production of high-performance batteries in ACC giga factory in Kaiserslautern from 2025
• Opel pioneered electric mobility in Europe with Ampera and Ampera-e

Opel is becoming a purely electric brand

Opel is becoming a purely electric brand. By 2028, Rüsselsheim-based carmaker will have switched its entire product line-up to purely electric drives. Today, Opel already offers a comprehensive selection of electrified models. Presently, customers can order twelve electrified variants – from the small Opel Rocks-e to the large Movano-e transporter. A further battery-electric model will follow by mid-decade in the new interpretation of the Opel Manta. And the successors of the Opel Crossland and Opel Insignia will also be electric – and therefore emissions free.

“Opel is on a consistent path to going electric – and in record time. We are thus making an important contribution to reducing CO2. And we will not stop with the conversion of our product range: Together with our partners, we will be manufacturing our own high-performance batteries in Kaiserslautern as early as 2025. In addition, a resource-friendly new campus is being built at our headquarters in Rüsselsheim,” said Opel CEO Uwe Hochgeschurtz, explaining the brand’s strategy.

Opel’s ultimate goal is to offer electric vehicles that perfectly meet the demands of customers: In future, this includes driving ranges between 500 and 800 kilometres and a best-in-class fast-charging capability of 32 kilometres per minute.

Opel customers already have access to a comprehensive range of electrified models. All Opel light commercials vehicles already offer an emissions-free option. Opel Combo-e, Vivaro-e and Movano-e are battery-electric, while Opel Vivaro-e HYDROGEN offers an option with fuel cell technology. 

Opel Combo-e, Vivaro-e and Movano-e are battery-electric

Opel Vivaro-e HYDROGEN 

On the passenger car side, Opel Corsa-e and Mokka-e – winners of the coveted Golden Steering Wheel in 2020 and 2021 – have long since advanced to bestsellers. In Germany, the share of the battery-electric variants of these models already makes up more than 25 percent of all sales. New Opel Grandland and the new-generation Astra are both available as plug-in hybrids. Next year, the battery-electric Opel Astra-e will follow – as a five-door and Sports Tourer variant. Offer of emissions-free electric vehicles is rounded off by Opel Rocks-e, an urban electric vehicle for young people from the age of 15.

Twelve electrified Opel models already available in 2022.

Opel Manta to return: New interpretation with electric drive

By mid-decade, Opel will reinvent Manta as a purely electric car. Opel Manta, befitting the times we live in – emissions-free and versatile, a car that fans crave.

New Opel Manta-e

“New Opel Manta will be a highly emotional car once again. With electric power that ensures first-class acceleration on tap. Our Manta will once again stand for pure driving pleasure. We will build a fascinating, astoundingly spacious new interpretation,” said Hochgeschurtz.

Production to start in 2025: Giga factory in Kaiserslautern

Together with partners Total/Saft, Stellantis and Opel founded the “Automotive Cells Company” (ACC). A few months ago, Mercedes-Benz joined this joint venture. With this partnership, the parties are creating a world-class player in the field of developing and producing high-performance batteries for automotive industry. In addition, partners announced that they would increase ACC's industrial capacity in Kaiserslautern to up to 32 GWh. This will see a true giga factory for modern battery cell production created in Kaiserslautern, a traditional location for component and engine production.

Brand with the Blitz: Pioneer of electric mobility

Opel was even ahead of its time when it came to the market launch of electric cars that were fully suitable for everyday use. As early as 2012, an international jury of experts voted the Opel Ampera "Europe's Car of the Year" (COTY). Opel Ampera was a coupé-like four-seater with a so-called range extender. As with today's plug-in hybrids, the battery was charged externally. When driving, a combustion engine combined with a 54 kW generator provided enough electricity at all times. The Ampera could already drive up to 80 kilometres purely electrically - with range extender support, the range grew to around 500 kilometres.

2012: Opel Ampera "Europe's Car of the Year"

A purely battery-electric compact car followed in 2016 with Opel Ampera-e, a car that put an end to range anxiety in one fell swoop. A single charge of the 60 kWh lithium-ion battery covered a distance of up to 520 kilometres (according to NEDC) - at this point around 30 percent more than the closest competitor in the segment. In addition, electric vehicle offered a performance of 150 kW/204 hp and acceleration from zero to 50 km/h in just 3.2 seconds, which is comparable to a sports car. In addition to its liveliness, 4.16-meter-long Opel Ampera‑e impressed with plenty of space for up to five passengers.

2016: Opel Ampera-e

Opel Ampera and Ampera-e were especially popular in the Netherlands and Norway, markets that were already supporting electric car purchases at the time. At the latest with the introduction of the Opel Corsa-e, Opel made affordable electric mobility accessible throughout Europe.

Opel Corsa-e

Stellantis and TotalEnergies welcome Mercedes-Benz as a new partner of Automotive Cells Company (ACC) and raise its capacity plan to at least 120 GWh by 2030

• Mercedes-Benz becomes an equal shareholder of ACC along with Stellantis and TotalEnergies, each with 1/3 equity stake 

• Mercedes-Benz to provide technology and production know-how to Automotive Cells Company (ACC).

• Partners will accelerate ACC’s development with an objective of at least 120 GWh of cell capacity by 2030

Stellantis, TotalEnergies and Mercedes-Benz have entered into agreements to welcome Mercedes-Benz as a new partner of Automotive Cells Company (ACC). Following its entry, the partners commit to increase ACC’s industrial capacity to at least 120 GWh by 2030. Transaction is subject to agreement on definitive documentation and customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

ACC results from the initiative taken in 2020 by Stellantis and TotalEnergies and supported by the French, German and European authorities, to create a European battery champion for electric vehicles. Entry of Mercedes-Benz in ACC is a clear demonstration of the industrial progress and of the merits of the project, which it will strengthen.

ACC battery cell

ACC’s objective is to develop and produce battery cells and modules for electric vehicles with a focus on safety, performance and competitiveness, while ensuring the highest level of quality and the lowest carbon footprint. Updated ACC capacity plan will mobilize an investment of more than seven billion euros, which will be supported by subsidies and financed by equity and debt. Creation of this European battery champion will support Europe to address the challenges of the energy transition in mobility, ensure its security of supply of a key component for the electric car industry.

ACC will be supported by a winning trio of partners that combine:

• A deep technological expertise in battery development with Saft, an affiliate of TotalEnergies, which has more than 100 years of experience in the field of long-life batteries and battery systems.

• A leading global mobility player with Stellantis that has a clear mission to provide cutting-edge technology to ensure freedom of movement for all through distinctive, appealing, affordable and sustainable mobility solutions.

• Research and development expertise of Mercedes-Benz, along with its support to the expansion of ACC’s production facilities based on the brand’s benchmark quality standards.

“To have Mercedes-Benz join us as a new shareholder is a major milestone for ACC,” says Yann Vincent, CEO of ACC. “Mercedes-Benz will bring a vote of confidence in our technology roadmap and product competitiveness that significantly strengthens ACC’s business potential and underpins our ambitious growth plans. This is our contribution to an electric and sustainable future.”

“Mercedes-Benz pursues a very ambitious transformation plan and this investment marks a strategic milestone on our path to CO2 neutrality. Together with ACC, we will develop and efficiently produce battery cells and modules in Europe – tailor-made to the specific Mercedes-Benz requirements,” says Ola Källenius, CEO of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG. “This new partnership allows us to secure supply, to take advantage of economies of scale, and to provide our customers with superior battery technology. On top of that, we can help to ensure that Europe remains at the heart of the auto industry – even in an electric era. With Mercedes-Benz as a new partner, ACC aims to more than double capacity at its European sites to support Europe’s industrial competitiveness in the design and manufacturing of battery cells.”

“We welcome Mercedes-Benz as a strategic partner who shares our ambition to accelerate ACC’s leadership,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. “Stellantis’ electrification strategy is running full-speed ahead, and today’s announcement is the next step in our plan to be the automotive frontrunner, with all 14 brands committed to offering best-in-class fully electrified solutions that meet demands of customers. This consortium leverages our shared technical expertise and manufacturing synergies, and continues to ensure that Stellantis leads the way the world moves in the most efficient, affordable and sustainable way.”

“We are delighted to welcome Mercedes-Benz as a new partner of ACC. This demonstrates the credibility of our initiative taken a year ago with Stellantis and will clearly support our ambition to create a European battery champion. Together, we are bringing all our skills to contribute to the sustainable development of mobility. This new step is another demonstration of TotalEnergies transformation into a broad energy company and of our willingness to extend our footprint in electric mobility. TotalEnergies will draw on the recognized expertise of its subsidiary Saft in batteries and on the industrial know-how of our partners to meet the strong growth of electric vehicles in Europe”, said Patrick Pouyanné, TotalEnergies’ Chairman and CEO.

Groupe PSA and Total create "Automotive Cells Company", a joint venture dedicated to the manufacture of batteries in Europe.

• The creation of ACC [1] marks the birth of a major player in battery production in Europe.
• Yann Vincent has been appointed Chief Executive and Ghislain Lescuyer Chairman of the Board of the joint venture.
• This ambitious project, announced in January 2020, pools the expertise of each partner to develop and produce batteries with the highest level of performance worldwide.
• ACC benefits from the support of the French and German authorities, as well as the European institutions, to accompany the energy transition of mobility.

Groupe PSA/Opel and Total/Saft have signed an agreement for the creation of the joint venture ACC. Yann Vincent has been appointed Chief Executive in order to implement and develop it. Ghislain Lescuyer has been appointed Chairman of the Board.

With this partnership, the parties are setting up a world-classplayer in the development and manufacture of high-performance batteries for the automotive industry from 2023.

Total/Saft will contribute its expertise in R&D and industrialization, and Groupe PSA its knowledge of the automotive market and its experience in production. The R&D centre in Bordeaux and the pilot site in Nersac (France) have already started in order to develop the new high-performance lithium-ion technologies. At the end of this R&D phase, production is planned to be launched in two "gigafactories", in Douvrin (France) and Kaiserslautern (Germany). 

This project aims to:

• Respond to the challenges of the energy transition by reducing the environmental footprint of vehicles throughout the value chain in a desire to offer clean and affordable mobility to citizens.
• Produce batteries for electric vehicles that will be at the highest technological level in terms of energy performance, autonomy, recharging time and carbon footprint.
• Develop production capacity, essential to accompany the growth demand for electric vehicles in a European market estimated at 400 GWh by 2030, i.e. 15 times the current market.
• Ensure industrial independence in Europe for the conception and manufacture of batteries, with an initial capacity of 8 GWh, reaching a cumulative capacity of 48 GWh on both sites by 2030. It will represent 1 million electric vehicles produced per year, i.e. more than 10% of the European market.
• Position ACC as a major competitive player in supplying electric vehicle manufacturers.

This project benefits from the financial support of French and German public authorities representing €1.3 billion. It received the European institutions agreement through an IPCEI project that testifies to the strategic importance of mobility for the energy transition. The whole project will mobilize an investment more than €5 billion investment.

Carlos Tavares, Chairman of Groupe PSA: «The construction of the European battery consortium that we wished for is now a reality. I would like to pay special tribute to the commitment of the Total/Saft and Groupe PSA/Opel teams who have made this project come true. This new step is consistent with our central purpose: "to offer citizens clean, safe and affordable mobility" and gives Groupe PSA a competitive advantage in the context of growing sales of electric vehicles. ACC takes Groupe PSA further along the road to carbon neutrality».

 

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman of Total comments: «The creation of ACC illustrates Total's commitment to meet the challenge of climate change and to develop as a broad energy company, a major player in the energy transition, by continuing to provide affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy. Our ambition is to leverage the recognized expertise of our subsidiary SAFT in batteries and the industrial know-how of our partner PSA to meet the strong growth of electric vehicles in Europe. I would like to offer my encouragement to the teams who will be joining ACC to make this adventure a real European technological and industrial success».

 

Ghislain Lescuyer, Chairman of the Board said: «ACC is the result of a vision and a shared desire between industrial companies and European and national authorities to build the European battery leader. In Europe, we have the essential skills to develop the best technologies and differentiate ourselves from Asian competitors. ACC will thus promote the transition to an efficient, safe and sustainable electric mobility».

 

Yann Vincent, Chief Executive comments: «This is a great opportunity for me to implement this strategic project on behalf of both companies. I am convinced that the combination of know-how and the desire to succeed will bring the ACC team to the highest level of technological and economic competitiveness in the years to come».

[1] ACC : Automotive Cells Company

Launch of Pilot Plant to Manufacture European Batteries for Electric Vehicles

During French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the Saft Nersac plant near Angoulême, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, Total, through its affiliate Saft, and PSA with Opel, are announcing their plan to combine their know-how to develop EV battery manufacturing activity in Europe. To that end, the partners intend to establish a joint venture named Automotive Cell Company (ACC).

Automotive Cell Company (ACC) plant

Project will leverage cutting-edge R&D, notably provided by Saft, in order to produce EV batteries starting in 2023. Technology used will offer the highest level of energy performance, both in terms of range and charging time, and a lower carbon footprint than that of the competition, setting a new standard in Europe.

First phase of the project focuses on R&D, including building a pilot plant on the land of Saft’s Nersac facility. Plant is scheduled to start up in mid-2021 and represents an investment of 200 million euro. Project will generate around 200 high-skilledjobs in France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine region to develop, qualify and commercially scale up new, high-performance lithium-ion batteries.  

First phase will trigger the investment decision for a large-scale production plant (8 GWh initially, rising to 24 GWh later on) in the northern Hauts-de-France region, followed by a second one of equal capacity in Germany, in order to reach 48 GWh of combined capacity by 2030. That would represent production of one million batteries a year, or around 10-15% of the European market. Ultimately, nearly €5 billion will be required to complete this ambitious program.

Total and Groupe PSA acknowledge the support of French, German and European Union authorities for the project, expected to receive nearly €1.3 billion in public funding during its development in the frame of the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) initiative authorized by the European Commission.

“In 2015, Total set an ambition to become the responsible energy major. With that in mind, we acquired Saft, a major battery maker, in 2016, primarily to develop energy storage to support the growth of intermittent renewable energies such as solar and wind. The fast-growing development of electric mobility offers Total, via Saft, another opportunity for growth and commitment to a decarbonized economy,” said Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Total. “With the support of French, German and European authorities, we will deploy our best expertise and technologies alongside our partner Groupe PSA, to create a competitive European battery industry.” 

Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Managing Board of Groupe PSA added: “Our purpose is to offer citizens mobility options that are clean, safe and affordable. I am convinced that this project, with our partner Total/Saft, will create a benchmark player in automotive battery cell development and production in Europe. I would like to thank the French and German authorities, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Hauts-de-France regions and Rhineland-Palatinate state for their active support, which is decisive in the creation of a competitive business backed by Total and its affiliate Saft, Groupe PSA and Opel.” 

Automotive Cell Company (ACC) will be a 50-50 Saft and Groupe PSA/Opel joint venture for the pilot production line. During the commercial production phase, Saft’s share in ACC will decline to 33%.

European context

In 2019, European Union set ambitious, binding targets to quickly expand the sale of electric vehicles. European market for automotive batteries is estimated to reach around 400 GWh in 2030, or 15 times current needs, corresponding to more than seven million electric vehicles. European automakers therefore need to plan their battery supply strategy, since batteries represent more than a third of an electric vehicle’s added value.  

Project’s implementation is contingent on securing the approvals of the relevant antitrust authorities. 

About Total

Total is a major energy player that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, more affordable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, our ambition is to become the responsible energy major.

About Saft

Saft specializes in advanced technology battery solutions for industry, from design and development to production, customization and service provision. For 100 years, Saft’s longer-lasting batteries and systems have provided critical safety applications, back-up power and propulsion for our customers. Our innovative, safe and reliable technology delivers high performance on land, at sea, in the air and in space. Saft is powering industry and smarter cities, while providing critical back-up functionality in remote and harsh environments from the Arctic Circle to the Sahara Desert. Saft is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Total, a major energy player that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity.