Stellantis to invest US$13 billion in the United States

[BENGALURU] Stellantis announced a US$13 billion investment in the US on Tuesday (Oct 14), a move it said that will bring five new models to the market and add 5,000 jobs in plants across the Midwest over the next four years.

The plan, which includes some previously disclosed investments, may help buffer Stellantis from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which the automaker has said would cost it around US$1.7 billion this year.

The investment, which Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said is the largest in its history, comes as the automaker works to regain its sales momentum in one of its most important markets. US-listed shares of Stellantis were up about 7 per cent in after-hours trade.

“Accelerating growth in the US has been a top priority since my first day. Success in America is not just good for Stellantis in the US – it makes us stronger everywhere,” Filosa said.

The investment will infuse new capital into plants in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana. Some of the factories are slated to receive new models, while others will have expanded production of existing vehicles.

One of the plants at the centre of the company’s announcement, a factory in Belvidere, Illinois, has been a sticking point for the United Auto Workers union, which last year threatened a strike against the Franco-Italian automaker. The factory, which was shuttered in 2023, is reopening and will produce two Jeep models starting in 2027, creating around 3,300 jobs, the company said. REUTERS