Stellantis temporarily halts three French plants in October
Stellantis will halt production at its Sochaux, Rennes, and Mulhouse plants in France for several days in October. The reasons vary by site. In Sochaux and Rennes, the manufacturer cites insufficient availability of certain batteries intended for electric vehicles. In Mulhouse, the adjustment occurs as the Peugeot 308 and 408 are reaching the end of their production cycle.
In Sochaux and Rennes, Electric Vehicles Are Stalled by Battery Issues
At first glance, seven days of partial unemployment at two car factories might suggest an emptying order book. However, Stellantis describes the opposite at Sochaux and Rennes.
The Doubs site, where the Peugeot 3008 and 5008 are assembled, and the Rennes site, which produces the Citroën C5 Aircross, have to halt their activities for seven days at the end of October.
The manufacturer cites an « insufficient availability of certain batteries » intended for the long-range electric versions.
Yet demand for these models is indeed present. Stellantis indicates that it is strong, particularly among professional customers, and specifically mentions the Citroën C5 Aircross High Range, which is currently being rolled out in several markets. In other words, the bottleneck here is on the supply side, not the order side.
The group explains that it is temporarily adjusting its industrial program to the availability of necessary components.
ACC still struggles to keep up
At the heart of the issue is ACC, the battery manufacturer of which Stellantis is both a shareholder and the main client. Its gigafactory in Douvrin, in the North, specifically supplies the batteries required for the long-range versions of the Peugeot 3008 and 5008 and the Citroën C5 Aircross.
The ramp-up of the site remains slower than expected. At the end of 2025, Yann Vincent, then CEO of ACC, revealed that production was reaching only half of the level targeted at the beginning of the year. Since then, the company has changed leadership. Allan Swan, former president of Panasonic Energy in North America, took over in early May.
Nevertheless, ACC claims that production is accelerating. A company spokesperson told Echos that production volume in September alone is expected to be close to that of the entire previous year. However, this progress is still not enough, at this stage, to prevent the announced shutdowns at Stellantis.
In Mulhouse, the Problem Is on the Demand Side
The situation is quite different in Alsace. In Mulhouse, where the Peugeot 308 and 408 are produced, Stellantis is preparing for the end of life of certain models while demand is weakening.
Production will be suspended from October 15 to 30. Then, starting in November, the organization will be streamlined, moving from two shifts to one and a half shifts.
Jean-Paul Guy, deputy central union representative of the CFTC, does not hide the challenges faced by one of the site's models. « The new 308 is not selling well, » he stated to Les Echos, considering the situation more complicated than expected.
This slowdown comes as Stellantis simultaneously plans an investment in the Mulhouse site.
One Shutdown, Two Industrial Realities
This isn't the first time Stellantis has temporarily adjusted its production. At the same time last year, six European plants had already been placed on partial unemployment. Rennes had also experienced a shutdown in April, due to supply difficulties affecting hybrid gearbox versions. However, the decisions announced for October mainly reveal two different realities within the same group. In Mulhouse, the challenge is to adjust production to a less dynamic demand for certain models nearing the end of their cycle. In Sochaux and Rennes, the demand for certain electric versions is there, but the industrial setup does not yet have all the necessary batteries to keep up with the pace.
This content has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence. While we strive for accuracy, some nuances may differ from the original French version.
