Stellantis is ready to redesign its production map in Europe. As reported by Bloomberg, the group led by CEO Antonio Filosa is evaluating the sale or sharing with external partners of four factories in the Old Continent. The objective is to reduce the production overcapacity accumulated in recent years.
Plants in the sights
Among the factories involved, Bloomberg cites three production sites:
- Rennes (France);
- Cassino (Italy);
- Madrid (Spain).
The identity of the fourth plant has not yet been disclosed. Options on the table include direct sales, industrial partnerships or the sharing of facilities with other manufacturers, also in exchange for access to advanced technologies.
The Cassino plant is the one that raises the greatest concerns. In the first quarter of 2026, the Lazio plant recorded a 37.4% decline in production volumes, mainly due to the stop of the electric version of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. A fact that has already turned the spotlight on the unions and risks triggering significant social tensions.
At a group level, however, the signs are more encouraging. In Italy, Stellantis produced 120,366 vehicles in the first quarter, with growth of 9.5%. In March, European deliveries reached 228,055 units, 6% more than in the same month in 2025.
The role of Chinese manufacturers
Above all, Chinese producers would be at the center of the negotiations. At the beginning of April, representatives of Dongfeng Motor visited the plants in Rennes and Madrid, as well as some sites in Italy and Germany. Stellantis is also reportedly discussing with Dongfeng the relaunch of the historic partnership, which could include the joint production of vehicles in both Europe and China.
It’s not the only lead. In recent weeks, rumors have emerged about contacts also initiated with Xiaomi and Xpeng, among the most dynamic protagonists of the Chinese automotive industry. The hypothesis is to share excess production capacity in exchange for technology, especially in the electricity sector, where Asian manufacturers maintain a growing competitive advantage.
A precedent in this direction already exists: Stellantis has a joint venture with Leapmotor, which could lead to the production of an Opel-branded electric SUV at its plant in Zaragoza, Spain.
What Stellantis says
The group preferred not to comment in detail on the rumors, limiting themselves to a short statement:
As part of its normal business, Stellantis holds discussions with various industry players around the world on various topics, always with the ultimate goal of providing customers with the best mobility options.
Bloomberg specifies, however, that no final decision has yet been made on individual plants and that any agreements may not even materialize.
The unions ask for guarantees
On the industrial relations front, pressure is increasing. Michele De Palma, general secretary of Fiom-Cgil, asked Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to convene a preventive discussion between Stellantis and the trade union organisations. The objective is to secure the factories and guarantee employment, hoping that the table will open before the Investor Day on May 21st in Detroit, when Filosa will present the group’s strategic plan.
The workers’ concerns do not only concern possible transfers. Incentivized redundancies are already underway in Italian factories which will involve around a thousand employees in the coming months.
