Available in 400-volt and 800-volt BEV architectures, STLA Large is the most flexible BEV-native platform in the industry, underpinning a full spectrum of vehicles from cars to crossovers and SUVs.
20 Jan 2024 | 5387 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
Stellantis has unveiled STLA Large, its all-new, highly flexible, BEV-native platform that is the foundation for a wide range of upcoming vehicles for global markets in the D and E segments. The platform enables several segment-leading capabilities including embedded energy, charging efficiency, high-performance vehicle dynamics and Trail Rated off-road driving.
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Stellantis has unveiled STLA Large, its all-new, highly flexible, BEV-native platform that is the foundation for a wide range of upcoming vehicles for global markets in the D and E segments. The platform enables several segment-leading capabilities including embedded energy, charging efficiency, high-performance vehicle dynamics and Trail Rated off-road driving.
Full-size vehicles based on STLA Large are the core of customer demand in prime global markets and will be used first in the North American market on Dodge and Jeep® brands, followed by other brands including Alfa Romeo, Chrysler and Maserati. There will be eight vehicles launched from 2024-2026.
Key STLA Large metrics:
Overall length range: 187.6-201.8 inches (4,764-5,126 m
Wheelbase range: 113.0-121.1 inches (2,870-3,075 mm)
Ground clearance range: 5.5-11.3 inches (140-288 mm)
Maximum tyre diameter: 32.6 inches (858 mm)
According to Stellantis, the STLA Large platform is engineered with unparalleled technology flexibility that enables greater levels of vehicle diversity and top-rank quality and customer satisfaction from a base set of componentry, along with robust and cost-efficient manufacturing processes that can be duplicated in multiple assembly plants.
Upcoming products will cover a full spectrum of vehicle types, from cars to crossovers to SUVs, all of which will give customers the electric propulsion benefits of instant torque response combined with zero emissions. Brand-specific product announcements will begin this year.
“Our goals for our STLA platforms are ambitious but this is what our customers need from us today,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said. “Creating a family of vehicles from a well-engineered set of components that is flexible enough to cover multiple vehicle types and propulsions, overperforming any of our current products, will address each of our iconic brands’ customers. The flexibility and agility of this platform is its hallmark and will be a driving force for our success in the shift to electrification in North America.”
One of four global engineer-friendly BEV platforms
STLA Large is one of four global BEV platforms, outlined on EV Day 2021, that underpin Stellantis’ future products and are key to achieving the bold targets of the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan. It is the second platform to be revealed following the release of best-in-class STLA Medium in July 2023.
STLA Large will be installed in several plants in Europe and North America and available in multi-energy variants, including hybrid and internal combustion. Stellantis brands will tailor STLA Large vehicles to best fit the needs and desires of their customers, ranging from family oriented to high performance to highly capable off-road 4x4 to luxury.
The platform’s inherent flexibility enables engineers and designers to adjust the wheelbase, overall length, overall width and height, and ground clearance. A variety of suspension modules and powertrain cradles can be employed to suit vehicle specific performance objectives that include ride, handling and comfort. Engineers can adjust key dimensions, such as the front spindle to the driver foot, the front and rear overhang, or the passenger compartment floor, to fine-tune vehicle capabilities and performance.
Employing advanced high-strength materials, the platform is optimized for weight and rigidity to enable best-in-class performance across the spectrum of vehicle types. Components within the platform are packaged to maximize usable interior space and storage. Key comfort and performance components, such as the cabin heating/cooling system, steering, braking assist and propulsion are designed to minimize energy consumption to enhance driving range.
The flexibility includes the unibody platform’s propulsion systems. STLA Large is designed and engineered as a native BEV platform with the option of 400-volt and 800-volt electric architectures. Three-in-one electric drive modules (EDMs) that incorporate the motor, power inverter and gear reduction can be configured in front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive layouts. The power inverter employs silicon carbide semiconductor technology to minimize power losses. Propulsion system performance can be upgraded during the vehicle’s lifespan via over-the-air software updates.
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Based on specific vehicle objectives, STLA Large accepts drivetrain enhancements such as limited slip differentials or wheel end disconnects that can improve performance or reduce mechanical drag to improve efficiency and range. Overall, the STLA Large platform has the potential to carry extreme power that will outperform any of the existing Hellcat V-8s.
Embracing the importance of balancing driving range and cost, the platform initially includes battery pack options with energy ratings between 85 and 118 kilowatt hours (kWh). STLA Large targets an overall range of 800 km/500 miles for sedans and is engineered to easily accept future energy storage technologies when they reach production readiness.
The initial generation of propulsion components holds the potential to deliver acceleration of 0-100kph in the 2-second range. Fast charging will add up to 4.5 kWh per minute to the 800-volt battery pack.
STLA Large also supports hybrid and ICE propulsion systems
STLA Large also supports hybrid and internal combustion propulsion systems without compromising key vehicle capabilities. The flexibility provides a bridge for customers around the world during the transition to electric propulsion and the development of a robust and widely available charging network. Design flexibility includes transverse and longitudinal engine mounting configurations, supporting FWD/RWD/AWD drivetrains.
The four Stellantis global BEV platforms – Small, Medium, Large and Frame – are designed and engineered for extended lifecycles via the interchangeability of battery cell chemistry, EDMs, power inverters and software control. The STLA Large platform supports Stellantis’ next-generation electrical and software-defined vehicle technologies – STLA Brain, STLA SmartCockpit and STLA AutoDrive.
Stellantis is investing more than €50 billion over the next decade in electrification to deliver on the targets of 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. To achieve these sales targets, the Company is securing approximately 400 GWh of battery capacity, including support from six battery manufacturing plants in North America and Europe. Stellantis plans to have 48 BEVs on the market by 2024 and is on track to become a carbon net zero corporation by 2038, all scopes included, with single-digit percentage compensation of remaining emissions.