
Stellantis announced Friday a plan to allow owners of its vehicles to have them converted to run on battery power.
The project was developed by the Euro-American automaker’s Circular Economy unit and pairs it with French high-tech company Qinomic. “The retrofit solution aims to extend vehicle life and usage, ensuring sustainability and affordability at the same time,” Stellantis said in a statement.
There is also growing demand in the commercial sector where fleet operators see opportunities to substantially reduce energy and maintenance costs. Another motivating factor: the growing number of “Low Emission Zones.” These “LEZs,” mostly located in Europe, either ban vehicles using internal combustion engines or saddle them with access fees.