Q: How essential is it for the C3 Aircross SUV to achieve the Indian market?
We’ve got little question that it’ll succeed. We have got lots of firsts within the section right here. It’s the first automobile with an ordinary turbo engine, the primary automobile with a roof-mounted, tropicalised AC and the like.
Q: Constructing model acceptance is a difficult job in a market like India. How do you do that?
We have made a really seamless, simple buy expertise for customers as we develop our vendor community. The acquisition expertise is absolutely digitised. Clients can configure the automobile in a extremely immersive 3D configurator. They’ll accessorise the automobile, get worth quotes, and organize insurance coverage. When you have a trade-in, there is a trade-in facilitator. You possibly can mainly do every part with out really visiting a vendor.
We have discovered from the C3 hatchback that about two-thirds of our prospects are first-time (automobile) consumers, which is definitely wonderful as a result of we’re a brand new model.
Q: What’s the contribution of the Asia-Pacific area to Stellantis’ general annual gross sales?
Our area makes up about 20% of the brand new automobile market internationally. We’re about 2% of Stellantis’ gross sales within the area. So, we now have an enormous upside not solely right here in India, however throughout the area.
Right here in India we now have performed lots of localisation. We plan to try this all through this area.
Q: Past gross sales, you’ve got the part and powertrain manufacturing operations, and in addition your technical centres, together with the software program expertise growth centre. How do they match into the scheme of issues of Stellantis, which is aiming to be a ‘sustainable mobility tech firm’?
Shortly after we grew to become Stellantis in January of 2021, we launched our 2030 plan very transparently, and we dedicated to spending EUR 30 billion in R&D in software program, expertise, and connectivity. It isn’t nearly CAFE compliance or CO2 compliance market by market. However we really feel that in Stellantis additionally it is our obligation to the planet.
It actually begins with our funding, and you may see it with our C-cubed platform. However after this, we have got 4 devoted platforms for Stellantis: STLA Small, STLA Mid, STLA Giant, and STLA Body, to be shared throughout the manufacturers. They’re powertrain-agnostic. So whether or not you’ve got obtained a BEV or a plug-in hybrid or a petroleum engine, they’re powertrain agnostic. So we have got lots of flexibility within the fashions primarily based on them, which may also be launched in India.
Then there’s STLA AutoDrive, which is absolutely key right here in integrating AI into the expertise, into our ADAS applied sciences, which have gotten an increasing number of sought-after within the markets.
Q: A few of the fashions on these platforms would head to India too?
Completely. As we get ramped up with our frequent platforms throughout Stellantis, we plan to launch automobiles on these platforms in India.
And it isn’t simply the platforms or powertrains, nor the battery architectures. There is a expertise that goes behind it. A number of this expertise is being developed proper right here in India by a number of the best IT skills in India. We have got some issues driving the automobile like STLA Sensible Cockpit, which is the immersive expertise for the motive force and passengers within the automobile. There’s STLA Mind, which is what drives the automobile, the brains contained in the automobile.
Principally the vehicles are evolving. It’s not only a automobile anymore. After which there’s STLA Auto Drive, which is the important thing right here in integrating AI into the expertise, into our ADAS applied sciences, which have gotten an increasing number of wished within the markets.
Q: Is just not India the worldwide tech growth centre, particularly for AI and ADAS, for Stellantis?
Sure, it completely is. We’re focusing on about EUR 3 billion of extra income from related automobiles simply in providers, value-added providers that the purchasers worth sufficient to pay for. We’re remodeling from a legacy automobile maker right into a sustainable mobility tech firm. We’re working in direction of scaling up the engineering centres right here.
Q: Stellantis began operations on the Bangalore software program growth centre final month, proper?
Sure, and we even have an IT tech centre in Hyderabad, and we now have two R&D centres, in Chennai and in Pune. They’re ramping up. Proper now, we now have about 3500 staff right here in India. There is a multiplier impact while you speak about our suppliers. And we’re not simply engaged on expertise for India or the India and Asia Pacific area.
We’re doing validation testing, for instance, on merchandise internationally, even merchandise which are solely offered in the US.
Q: Stellantis has the Jeep and Citroën manufacturers in India. Do you see the opportunity of including one or two extra manufacturers?
Yeah. It is all the time a part of the dialog, proper? It is all the time that you recognize, ‘what about bringing Fiat again?’ ‘What about Alfa Romeo?’ So it is all the time one thing that we’re concurrently taking a look at when it comes to manufacturers, however I am going to let you know proper now, Jeep and Citroen are manufacturers right here. We’re seeking to develop in these manufacturers. We’re seeking to make these manufacturers stronger out there.
Q: So, no leaving India for any of the manufacturers?
No method. We have got a lot invested, and a lot sooner or later to speculate too. We have got fairly a footprint right here and we’re right here to remain. I imply, you are caught with us.
Q: Any additional investments on the horizon for Stellantis in India?
We are going to proceed to put money into product and product enhancements throughout our lineup right here. We talked in regards to the international funding of EUR 30 billion by 2025. So, growth of our lineups, persevering with to enhance the merchandise that we now have in our lineups. We will’t sit nonetheless, particularly right here in India.
