Fuel cells key to future of Stellantis Pro One

The Stellantis Pro One large hydrogen fuel cell van line-up. (Photo: Stellantis)

In reporting its 2023 results, Stellantis Pro One, the commercial vehicle business of the automobile maker best known for brands such as Jeep, Ram, Citroën and Fiat, said it accounted for one-third of the €189.5 billion ($205 billion) net revenue reported by Amsterdam-based Stellantis N.V. for the year. The company said the strength of Pro One puts it on track to achieve global leadership in commercial vehicles by 2027 and reach targets outlined in its parent company’s Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan.

Launched in October 2023, Stellantis Pro One is focused on the global commercial vehicle market and has a portfolio of products, including solutions from the Citroën, Fiat Professional, Opel, Peugeot, Ram and Vauxhall brands. A key part of the parent company’s Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, Pro One targets a doubling of revenues, a 40% electric vehicle mix with battery, hydrogen fuel-cell and range-extending propulsion technologies, over-the-air update capabilities for each new vehicle from 2026, a suite of connected services dedicated to improving business customer efficiency and autonomous solutions.

Regional results

In terms of sales, the company said it has the No. 1 position in light commercial vehicles in South America in 2023 and moved into the No. 2 position in the Middle East and Africa with a gain of 7%.

In the North America market, Stellantis Pro One rose to the No. 2 position in the van segment with a 20% market share, and a No. 3 overall position in the region. The company said these metrics provide a solid base for growth as it expands its commercial vehicle offerings in the region, including the Ram ProMaster BEV and the 2025 Ram 1500 pickup.

In Mexico, the car-based Peugeot Partner utility vans and Rifter passenger vans top the small van segment with 57% market share, up from No. 2 in 2022.

In Europe, the company said it has a market share of more than 30% and posted a sales growth of 15% vs. 2022. In terms of battery electric vehicles, it said it has a market share of 38.8% in the region.

“Our performance in 2023 reaffirms that Stellantis Pro One is a keystone of Stellantis business around the world,” said Xavier Peugeot, senior vice president, Commercial Vehicles Business, Stellantis. “Propelled by the renewal of our entire van lineup and the widest offering of electrified propulsion, Stellantis Pro One is determined to be the most customer-focused product of choice. It is our customers who will drive us to our goal of market leadership by 2027.”

The company’s Dare Forward 2030 objectives include reaching a 100% passenger car BEV sales mix in Europe and 50% passenger car and light-duty truck BEV sales mix in the United States by 2030. Its vehicle lineup includes internal combustion engine, battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and range extender variants.

Hydrogen fuel cell production

Stellantis Pro One’s mid-size hydrogen fuel cell van line-up. (Photo: Stellantis)

As part of that goal, the company recently announced that it would begin production of hydrogen fuel cell versions of its mid-size and large van models in Hordain, France, and Gliwice, Poland, respectively.

“The action to bring hydrogen fuel cell mid-size vans and add fuel cell large vans to our production lines is a proof point of our commitment to maintain the lead in cutting-edge hydrogen technology and make it available to our most demanding customers,” said Jean-Michel Billig, Stellantis Chief Technology Officer, Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Development. “The skills and dedication of our engineering and operational teams are essential as we pursue the ambitions of Dare Forward 2030 and maintain the lead in the zero-emission commercial vehicle segment.”

Aimed at intense customer applications, the fuel cell versions of the commercial vans build on the technology used in BEV variants of the vehicles, with the advantage of short refueling times and no sacrifice in payload, said the company. For the mid-size vans, a second generation of the fuel cell system delivers a range of up to 400 km and refueling time of less than four minutes. For large vans, the addition of fuel cell technology brings range capability of up to 500 km and a refueling time of five minutes.

Eight fuel cell hydrogen versions of its vans will be built in-house: Citroën ë-Jumpy and ë-Jumper, Fiat Professional E-Scudo and E-Ducato, Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro and Movano, and Peugeot E-Expert and E-Boxer.

The company said hydrogen fuel cell technology will play an important role in the its zero-emission propulsion roadmap. It said it is the first manufacturer in the world to market this type of vehicle, which it launched in 2021.

In 2023, Stellantis N.V. became an equal one-third shareholder in Symbio, a hydrogen technology company with operations in Europe and the United States. Forvia and Michelin are equal partners in the venture.