Stellantis — the parent company behind Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall — is joining forces with Qinomic to extend the life of commercial vehicles by replacing the diesel engine in existing vans with an electric drivetrain.
Qinomic and Stellantis will develop a proof of concept to convert existing LCVs to electric power while maintaining OEM quality and specifications, such as safety, durability, and type approval.
The aim of retrofitting vehicles with an electric drivetrain is to provide both a sustainable and affordable solution for customers willing to switch to zero emissions and reduce their total cost of ownership, all while keeping their vehicles and continuing business activities, and accessing low emissions zones (LEZ) in cities.
“Retrofitting technology will reinforce Stellantis’ leadership in zero-emission mobility solutions for professional customers, complementing our full electrified van range,”
said Xavier Peugeot, Stellantis Senior Vice President Commercial Vehicle Business Unit.
The number of LEZ zones in Europe has increased by 40% in the last three years, according to European Institute of Innovation and Technology research, and will continue to grow as cities work towards lowering local pollution and moving to a zero-emission future. The trend has been accelerated by the European Green Deal plan, aimed at encouraging the transition to cleaner vehicles and cleaner mobility.
“We are excited about this new strategic partnership with Stellantis,”
said Frédéric Strady, Co-founder and CEO of Qinomic, a high-tech company specialising in innovative and sustainable solutions for mobility.
“It is an important step in Qinomic’s development, which will enable us to finalise and implement some of the innovative technical solutions we are developing for the retrofit industry.”
The Stellantis Circular Economy Business Unit works to extend the life and usage of vehicles, helping the firm achieve its decarbonisation strategy. Stellantis has set a goal of reaching carbon net zero by 2038.
Successful completion of the development phase, coupled with positive customer feedback on the demo vehicles' performance, should see the implementation and commercialisation of the project in France, starting in 2024.
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