Stellantis and Qinomic are partnering to extend the life of commercial vehicles by replacing the diesel engine in existing vans with an electric drivetrain.
Qinomic and Stellantis — the parent company behind Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall — 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 electric retrofit solution aims to protect freedom of mobility with an affordable option that meets customer needs to extend the life of their vehicles and continue business activities while accessing low emissions zones (LEZ) in cities.
The number of LEZ zones in Europe 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 European Green Deal plan, aimed at encouraging the transition to cleaner vehicles and cleaner mobility, has accelerated this trend.
Retrofitting existing vehicles with an electric drivetrain is both a sustainable and affordable solution for customers willing to switch to zero emissions and reduce their total cost of ownership while keeping their vehicles.
“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.
“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 vehicle life and usage, helping the firm achieve its decarbonisation strategy; the French company has set a goal of reaching carbon net zero by 2038.
Successful completion of this joint development in 2023 and positive customer feedback on the demo vehicles’ performance will lead to implementation and commercialisation starting in France in 2024.
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