Stellantis LFP Batteries: Why Fiat, Peugeot and Opel EVs Are Switching Chemistry
Stellantis is moving many of the EVs it sells in Europe from NMC to cheaper LFP cells. The Fiat 500e is the first confirmed model and the new STLA One platform arrives alongside. What it means for range, winter charging and prices.
The group behind Fiat, Peugeot, Citroën, Opel and Jeep is changing the battery chemistry in a large part of the electric cars it sells in Europe. From next year, many Stellantis models will drop NMC cells (nickel, manganese, cobalt) in favour of LFP (lithium iron phosphate), a cheaper technology that until now the group kept for its entry-level cars. CEO Antonio Filosa announced the move while presenting third-quarter results on October 28.
What Stellantis announced
According to trade press reports of the analyst call, Filosa said "many" nameplates will switch from NMC to LFP and described the battery cost saving as "substantial". He did not say which models, how much the group saves per car, or whether customers will pay less.
The only model confirmed so far is the Fiat 500e. Back in July, Stellantis Europe chief Emanuele Cappellano said the Turin-built city car would get LFP cells and a lower starting price. No official figure has been given.
The change goes hand in hand with STLA One, the new platform Stellantis is preparing for the B, C and lower D segments. Italian and French outlets report that the first car on it will be the next-generation Peugeot 208, built in Zaragoza, Spain. Its battery chemistry has not been confirmed yet.
Why now
The official third-quarter release shows why the group is hunting for savings. Its "Enlarged Europe" region was the only one with a negative operating margin, even though EV sales grew strongly: across the 30 European markets Stellantis tracks, battery-electric passenger car sales rose 65% year on year, or 93% including Leapmotor. In short, Stellantis is selling more EVs but earning too little on each one. The battery is the most expensive part of an electric car, so it is where the biggest cuts can be made.
For cells, the group is counting on the plant it is building with China's CATL, also in Zaragoza. The two companies announced in December 2024 an investment of up to €4.1 billion for up to 50 GWh of annual capacity. Stellantis already uses LFP in its low-cost Smart Car platform models, such as the Citroën ë-C3, ë-C3 Aircross, Opel Frontera and the Fiat Grande Panda.
Not the only one
Stellantis is catching up with other European carmakers. Renault already uses LFP in several EVs, and the Volkswagen group offers versions with this chemistry, such as the Cupra Tavascan Origin. Chinese makers, led by BYD, have built almost their entire ranges on LFP for years. The direction is clear: for mass-market cars, price matters more than every extra kilometre of range.
What it means for drivers
LFP batteries bring real everyday benefits. They are more thermally stable, usually last more charge cycles and are happy to be charged to 100% every day. For a city car that charges at home overnight, that is genuinely convenient: no need to set an 80% limit.
There are trade-offs too. For the same weight, LFP stores less energy, so a pack of the same size can deliver somewhat less range. In winter, cold LFP cells charge more slowly and range drops more noticeably. If you pick one of these cars, it pays to precondition the battery before a fast-charging stop and to plan long cold-weather trips a little more conservatively.
The big question is price. Stellantis has not promised any cuts, and French commentators point out that the savings may go first towards rebuilding margins. The first real test will be the price of the LFP-equipped Fiat 500e once it is announced. Until then, if you want a Stellantis EV with LFP cells, the Smart Car platform models are already in showrooms.
