Stellantis has revealed a new electric car platform that will accommodate batteries big enough for 800km of range and "extreme" powertrains with more grunt than a Hellcat V8.
The new STLA Large platform is related to the STLA Medium platform, which is designed for EVs measuring between 4.7 and 4.9 metres long and recently made its production debut under the new Peugeot e-3008 SUV overseas. It's likewise "BEV-native", but it can also accommodate hybrid powertrains and is compatible with front-, rear- and four-wheel-drive powertrains.
STLA large platform to be used by many Stellantis brands
This new platform is designed for the largest cars in the Stellantis portfolio (measuring between 4.76m and 5.13m long), which the company said will take the form of crossovers, SUVs and lower-slung cars in the D and E segments.
The prevailing focus is on the US market, but Stellantis has confirmed that some European factories, including the Alfa Romeo one in Cassino, Italy, will be adapted to build STLA Large EVs for local sale. It will first be used for a pair of models from Dodge and Jeep, understood to be the Charger muscle car and Wagoneer S SUV among other full-sized EVs. Jeep's Wagoneer S, which is scheduled to launch in the US in the second half of 2024, will boast of the brand's 4xe off-road tech, have about 600hp, and is said to have a claimed 0-100kph time of 3.5 seconds.
Alfa Romeo will then use STLA Large for a range-topping luxury SUV in the vein of the BMW iX and an electric Giulia sedan replacement, while Maserati is set to launch a closely related EV replacement for the Levante SUV at around the same time.
The platform will underpin eight production cars – including at least one from Chrysler, which currently sells only the Pacifica MPV – by the end of 2026, Stellantis said.
Individual brands will make statements about their plans for STLA Large from later this year. The relevant EVs from Dodge and Jeep are due on sale within a matter of months.
As an indication of its performance potential, Stellantis said the quickest STLA Large cars will crack 0-100kph in around 2.0sec, with "extreme power that will outperform any of the existing Hellcat V8s". The recently retired Dodge Charger Hellcat, for reference, packed 717hp and 881Nm of torque and so could crack the same sprint in around 3.7sec.
All EVs based on this platform will be powered by e-axles – compact units that comprise the motors, inverters and gearbox. They will be fitted with a conventional 400V electrical architecture as standard but can optionally be upgraded to an 800V system, which will allow charging at rates of up to 270kW. The largest battery available will be a 118kWh unit giving a maximum range of 800km in the most aerodynamically efficient variants, but Stellantis said it has engineered the platform to support different battery chemistries and drivetrain technologies, suggesting this figure could rise in the future.
STLA platform and the India connection
At the moment, there is no announcement from Stellantis on bringing any STLA platform based model to India. However, we do expect some of the future offerings from the brand that will be based on this platform to be sold in our market.
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