This is a major blow to the hydrogen industry; For Stellantis, it's another tough one. On Wednesday, July 16, the automotive giant announced its decision to "terminate the hydrogen fuel cell technology development program" and cancel the production plan for the Pro One hydrogen commercial vehicle, which was scheduled to go into production this summer at its plants in Holdan, France, and Gliwice, Poland.
The main victim of the move is the start-up Symbio. Stellantis holds a 33% stake in the company, with Michelin holding the remainder with automotive parts supplier Forvia, which also produces hydrogen tanks. Le Monde learned that Stellantis had informed Symbio of this strategic shift back in May. With the loss of its main customer (for which Symbio's hydrogen fuel cell "gigafactory" in Saint-Fond, on the outskirts of Lyon, was tailor-made) and a significant shareholder, Symbio had no choice but to start a mediation process under the supervision of the Commercial Court to find a way out. The Gigafactory, which opened in December 2023, currently produces fuel cells for trucks, with plans to supply heavy-duty trucks from 2027.
The outlook is not encouraging. "Stellantis orders alone account for about 80% of Symbio's planned capacity...... Stellantis' decision will have irreversible operational and financial consequences for Symbio. Forvia said in a statement. Michelin criticized: "Stellantis has always claimed to be a pioneer in this new market, and it is shocking that such a sudden, unilateral decision has been made." That's why Stellantis, a major customer, will become a shareholder of Symbio in July 2023. In a joint statement, the two companies highlighted: "Over the past two years, Symbio has scaled up its investments, hired and developed a roadmap based on the needs outlined by Stellantis for the next eight years. ”
In May, Antonio Filoza succeeded Carlos Tavares as CEO of Stellantis, and the company's leadership changed. Filosa has decided to sack the head of hydrogen strategy, Jean-Michel Biliger (a former executive at the French Naval Group and Zodiac) who is not trusted because of his close ties to the former CEO of Portugal, who was ousted in December 2024.
Jean-Philippe Ampalato, head of Stellantis Europe, explained in a statement: "The hydrogen market is still a niche sector and lacks economic sustainability in the medium term. The company noted that global fuel cell light-duty vehicle sales fell from 15,000 units in 2022 to 8,800 units in 2023 and further to 4,800 units in 2024, with sales plummeting by two-thirds in three years. Stellantis even said that since 2021, only 300 of its hydrogen commercial vehicles have been sold. The company's 130 hydrogen R&D personnel will be transferred within the group, while retaining market monitoring of the technology.
"It would be a mistake to exclude hydrogen"
Michelin and Forvia have a completely different view. Forvia produces 12,000 hydrogen tanks per year, two-thirds of which are sold in Asia. Toyota, Hyundai, and many other giants such as FAW, Weichai and SAIC continue to invest in this zero-emission mobility technology. In particular, 10,000 of the 12,000 tanks produced at the Aranjouwa plant are supplied to the Chinese market, which is currently focused on heavy-duty trucks. The two major shareholders of Symbio fear that Europe may once again be overtaken by China.
BMW Group Chairman Oliver Zipps, who is working with Toyota to develop hydrogen technology, expressed similar concerns. In an interview with Die Welt, the head of the German automaker warned on July 16: "It would be a mistake to exclude hydrogen. He stresses that this is about strategic autonomy: "Hydrogen is the only technology that Europe can control autonomously, and in the battery sector, Europe is still dependent on Asian suppliers. ”
Europe, France and many other regions have strongly supported the hydrogen industry. Stellantis has benefited in many ways: the group received a subsidy of 800,000 euros to renovate the Haldane production line; Symbio, in which it holds a third of the shares, is eligible for a €670 million subsidy as one of the EU's seven "important projects of common interest". Symbio currently employs 640 people, of which 590 are trained in France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Stellantis' exit has added to the already fragile hydrogen industry. At the end of May, Safra, France's only manufacturer of hydrogen buses and a Symbio customer, was acquired by China's Wanrun Group. To support this, the French government, through the Agency for Ecological Transition, launched two tenders in May to subsidize the procurement of 1,000 hydrogen vans, with a maximum of €30,000 each.
This support, while strong, pales in comparison to China's resolve. According to Forvia, China's five-year plan aims to produce 15,000 hydrogen trucks or commercial vehicles annually by 2026 and 50,000 by 2030. These vehicles are toll-free, and with the purchase subsidy, their prices are already lower than those of diesel vehicles. South Korea and Japan are offering subsidies of up to 200,000 euros for hydrogen buses.
Source: lemonde
