WINDSOR, ON—Stellantis is investing $2.8 billion in its assembly plants here and in Brampton. The company also plans to expand its Automotive Research and Development Centre (ARDC) to accelerate the company’s move to electric vehicles.

“These investments reaffirm our long-term commitment to Canada and represent an important step as we move toward zero-emission vehicles that deliver on our customers’ desire for innovative, clean, safe and affordable mobility,” says Mark Stewart, chief operating officer for North America.

The Windsor Assembly Plant will be transformed to support production of a new multi-energy vehicle (MEV) architecture that will provide battery-electric capability for multiple models. According to Stewart, the facility will have maximum flexibility to adjust production volumes as needed to meet changing market demand over the next decade. Retooling is expected to begin in 2023.

The Brampton Assembly Plant will be retooled and fully modernized, beginning in 2024. When production resumes in 2025, the plant will introduce an all-new, flexible architecture to support the company’s electrification plans.

The Windsor-based ARDC will expand its talent pool by adding more than 650 highly skilled engineering jobs in various areas to support Stellantis’ growth in electrification. It will expand North American capability related to the transition to EV with a focus on electrified propulsion systems, including batteries, power electronics, motor controls, energy management and embedded software.

The ARDC also will become the first battery lab in North America, following the company’s announcement to establish a similar center in Turin, Italy. The 100,000-square-foot facility will be a state-of-the-art lab for the development and validation of advanced battery cells, modules and battery packs.