In the race to build small, more affordable electric vehicles to stave off fierce Chinese competition, Stellantis announced this morning that it has signed a broad preliminary joint venture with Chinese EV battery giant CATL. The plan involves buying and developing LFP batteries for the company’s small and mid-sized EVs in Europe. As part of the long-term deal, Stellantis – the parent company of Jeep, Fiat, Citreön, and Peugeot, among many more – is planning to build a new gigafactory in Europe to manufacturer LPF batteries.
According a press release, Stellantis will work CATL to develop lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, a more durable but less powerful battery compared to the nickel-cobalt-manganese ones found in most EVs. The goal is to produce high-quality yet affordable EVs made in Europe, and like other brands including Tesla and Rivian, using LFP batteries is a cheaper way to do it. Stellantis plans to use the batteries in its passenger cars, crossovers, and small and mid-sized SUVs in the B and C segments.
Stellantis is also planning to build a new European gigafactory to produce LFP batteries, as part of the possible deal with CATL, reports Reuters. According to the report, Maxime Picat, Stellantis’s global head of purchasing and supply chain, said in a conference call that the companies needed a few more months to finalize the plan, and Stellantis hasn’t offered details as to where the location of the facility might be.
Last month Citroën kicked off the race to produce an entry-level EV for a price range at €23,000 (around $25K) with its C3, with other automakers following suit, including Renault. The shorter-range models, to be priced at under €20,000 ($21.8K), will have a 44 kWH LFP battery that can be connected to a 100kW fast charge. Thanks to its LFP battery, Stellantis said that the C3 can go from 20 to 80% capacity in 26 minutes. Reuters says that Picat added that these are “moderate-cost batteries with decent range,” a “good compromise” that offers 200 to 400 kilometers of range.
Stellantis is also working to build three gigafactories in Europe, based in France, Germany, and Italy, through its joint venture with Mercedes and TotalEnergies.
Last month, Stellantis also announced that it had signed a joint venture and taken a 20% stake in the Chinese electric car manufacturer Leapmotor, an investment of €1.5 billion. Stellantis is among a handful of European brands, including Volkswagen, that are working to cooperate with Chinese manufacturers in order to keep their heads above water as the flood of Chinese EVs hit the continent.
Volkswagen and Renault are also planning to use LFP batteries in their upcoming entry-level EVs. In the US, Ford has partnered with CATL to build an LFP plan in Michigan, although work was suspended in September due to issues about the site’s profitability.
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The post in question went live on the Volvo Cars Heritage Facebook feed last week, and it was simple enough. You can check it out for yourself, below.
See? Just a few pictures of the 3CC, a concept that Volvo designers at the time intended to be “future proof” and developed with an eye towards sustainability. It was an early hybrid, with regenerative braking and slick aerodynamics along with gullwing doors and a 1+2 seating arrangement to ease entry and egress.
Nothing to get that excited about, right? Except – why the (wink wink, nudge nudge) at the end? Could Volvo really be dropping wild hints about new product on their museum site? Is that wild speculation, wishful thinking, or just sloppy reporting?
Well, as the newly-minted “Weekend Editor” here at Electrek (thanks, Fred!), there’s no one to rein me in until Monday morning, at the earliest – so we’re gonna run with it, whatever it is.
It sure looks like a Robotaxi
Volvo 3CC gullwing doors.Volvo 3CC interios.
I’m not going to accuse Elon of stealing design ideas from Volvo any more than I’m going to accuse Volvo of stealing the 3CC concept’s design from the OG Honda CRX HF. That said, they really do seem to share some conceptual DNA, don’t they?
OK, so we’ve got some convergent evolution here – safe to say. But on the automation side of things? On the real, “the stock is worth basically zero if true self driving isn’t achieved” side of the equation?
It’s not – and think that’s exactly what’s going to happen. That’s my take, anyway. What’s yours? Head on down to the comments and let us know if you think Volvo has what it takes to launch a Robotaxi rival in the comments.
ORIGINAL CONTENT FROM ELECTREK.
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Designed for both all-terrain and off-road use, the all-electric E313 telehandler from JLG is a new, low-noise solution for moving materials around indoor construction, urban, residential, and municipal projects.
With a 3,500-pound maximum lift capacity and 13-foot maximum lift height with a five foot forward reach, the new JLG E313 is a first-of-its-kind all electric telehandler designed to silently load and unload trucks and flatbeds, moving materials around, or accessing work at-height in single-story work environments.
“As job sites evolve, machines need to evolve with them,” says John Boehme, JLG’s senior product manager for telehandlers. “Our new E313 electric-powered telehandler transforms how work is done in emission-free spaces and noise-sensitive environments by delivering a quieter, more efficient working experience.”
Based on the AUSA 4 meter/1,600 kg T164E battery powered electric telehandler, the JLG version ships with JLG’s universal skid-steer coupler system. That allows the E313 to attach to various existing JLG telehandler and skid-steer loader attachments, including carriages, forks, and buckets. The E313 also features an integrated hitch for hauling tools and trailers around the job site, increasing job efficiency by reducing the need for additional tractors on-site.
Charged up
The E313 uses six 48V lithium ion batteries sending power to an electric motor mated to a two speed transmission with two wheel drive and steer. The 18.6 kWh battery pack (6 x 3.1 kWh batteries) is good for up to four hours of continuous run time, and can be recharged in two to three hours on a L2 AC charger, or overnight on standard 100V.
JLG’s ClearSky Smart Fleet telematics management system is standard.
It’s got a long way to go, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – and the first delivery of Bollinger B4 electric trucks to Nacarato Truck Centers is now in the history books!
With the delivery of the first five 2025 Bollinger B4 Chassis Cabs to Nacarato Truck Centers earlier this week, Bollinger Motors is officially generating revenue as an OEM. The MSRP of these first-ever customer B4s totaled fully $800,000.
The newly delivered B4 Chassis Cabs feature 158-kwh battery packs sending power to an energy efficient, 323 hp electric motor that produces 675 lb-ft of torque at 0 rpm, giving the big trucks surprising off-the-line performance and all the power they need to get the job done.
Nacarato Truck Centers will sell four vehicles to commercial fleet customers and use one vehicle for its own internal parts deliveries between across its 13 locations.
Dealers make the difference
“Our nationwide dealership network is one of our core strengths, and with partners like Nacarato Truck Centers, our customers’ sales and service needs are in good hands,” said Jim Connelly, chief revenue officer for Bollinger Motors. “We are excited to see the B4 going to work on the streets of the Nashville area, and across the country.”
The 2025 Bollinger B4 Chassis Cab carries a $158,758 MSRP, and qualifies for federal clean vehicle tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act of $40,000 per vehicle for the B4 Chassis Cab. Additional rebates may be available in your area, so reach out to your local Bollinger dealer for more information.
Connelley was good enough to join us as a guest on Quick Charge last week after the start of B4 production was announced, and we think it’s worth sharing that episode again, below, for anyone who missed it. Enjoy!
Bollinger CRO Jim Connelley on Quick Charge
SOURCE | IMAGES: Bollinger Motors; via email.
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