DS 3 E-Tense will probably released as an electric sedan

According to media reports, Stellantis intends to relocate production of the new generation of the DS 3 E-Tense planned for 2027 from the French plant in Poissy near Paris to the Zaragoza plant in Spain. The new DS 3 E-Tense, which according to L’Argus will be transformed from an SUV into a sedan, will roll off the production line there together with the new Peugeot e-208 and Opel Corsa-e.

All three electric vehicles will use the STLA Small platform. This makes sense, as the STLA Small is intended to replace the current e-CMP, on which the current generations of the three model series are based. Joint production therefore also seems logical. However, this raises questions about the future of the Poissy plant, where the Opel Mokka is currently produced alongside the DS 3. In France, the closure of the plant is already being discussed – the alleged relocation of the DS 3 to Spain is likely to fuel these rumours.

According to information from La Tribuna de Automoción, production of the new DS 3 E-Tense is set to start in Zaragoza in May 2027 with an annual volume of 35,000 units. Stellantis apparently assumes that the DS 3 will remain a niche model even with the new body concept. According to earlier reports, the Peugeot e-208 and the Opel Corsa Electric based on the STLA Small are expected to be produced in well into six figures.

This also means that the DS 3 in Zaragoza could replace the Lancia Ypsilon as a niche model alongside the two volume model series. This is currently being built on the basis of the e-CMP together with the small cars from Peugeot and Opel. There has already been speculation that the Lancia could be relocated to an Italian Stellantis plant if Zaragoza is converted to the STLA Small.

Irrespective of the distribution of the models between the plants, the L’Argus article also contains interesting information about the platform itself. According to unnamed sources in the French newspaper, the STLA Small will exclusively use LFP cells from CATL, which should enable a range of up to 500 kilometres. This fits in with the information about the Spanish PERTE subsidy programme.

According to the report, Stellantis has been looking for a location for its fourth European battery gigafactory for some time, which will probably be built near the Zaragoza vehicle plant. As the Stellantis joint venture ACC does not currently have any LFP cells in its portfolio, the partner is said to be CATL. This in turn fits in with the partnership with CATL for LFP batteries in Europe officially announced by Stellantis at the end of November 2023. According to L’Argus, the LFP factory in Zaragoza could also supply the Moroccan plant in Kénitra, where electric SUV models such as the Citroën C3 Aircross and Opel Frontera are to be built in future. The Spanish plant in Vigo is also to receive the LFP cells – even though the launch of the STLA Small has reportedly been postponed to 2029.

largus.fr (in French), latribunadeautomocion.es (in Spanish)