Plant Closures and Strategic Inventory Management
The temporary shutdowns will impact key facilities in eastern and western France. The Sochaux plant, which produces the Peugeot 3008 and Peugeot 5008 models, is scheduled to halt operations from October 23 to October 30. Meanwhile, the Rennes factory—responsible for manufacturing vehicles such as the Citroën C5 Aircross—will close from October 22 to October 30. A previously announced production pause at the Mulhouse plant from October 15 to October 30 stems from unrelated operational factors.
Stellantis explained through an official statement that the shutdowns are designed to prevent the accumulation of vehicle inventory that misaligns with current customer demand. While standard variants experience steady flow, demand remains exceptionally high for long-range electric configurations, for which buyers currently face extended wait times.
The ACC Bottleneck and Scaling Struggles
The root of the production constraint lies with Automotive Cells Co. (ACC), a battery joint venture formed by Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, and TotalEnergies. Although ACC originally planned three major cell factories across Europe, it has scaled back its roadmap to focus on ramping up its sole operating facility in Douvrin, France, having scrapped projects in Germany and Italy.
Internal sources told Bloomberg in February that operations at Douvrin experienced severe hurdles, initially equipping only about 1,000 vehicles per month with long-range cells—well below original projections. The joint venture subsequently brought in engineering teams from China to stabilize manufacturing processes and address defect rates. As ACC’s anchor customer, Stellantis has borne the brunt of these scaling delays.
In February, ACC Secretary-General Matthieu Hubert acknowledged the steep learning curve, telling Bloomberg that the industrial ramp-up was proving difficult. A Stellantis spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that despite recent stabilization and reduced defect rates at ACC, “Unfortunately we are not yet receiving enough of the batteries, despite big progress in ACC’s production.”
Impact on Long-Range Models and Delivery Timelines
Stellantis integrates ACC cells into electric vehicles built on the STLA Medium platform, including the Peugeot E-3008, Peugeot E-5008, Opel Grandland Electric, and DS N°8. Buyers opting for the larger 97 kWh battery pack—which commands a nearly €5,000 premium over the 73 kWh standard version to secure extended range—have experienced severe delivery backlogs.
Trade reports from Automobilwoche in April highlighted that private buyers and fleet operators face extended delivery horizons stretching into early 2027, with certain European dealers unable to provide binding handover dates. While ACC has made headway in stabilizing output, high demand from fleet customers continues to outpace factory delivery rates.