2023-12-05 17:06:30
Located in Saint-Fons, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, SymphonHy is the largest integrated fuel cell production center in Europe. The site houses the headquarters of the Symbio Group, the joint venture in equal parts between Forbid, Michelin y Stellarwith a production plant, an innovation hub of unrivaled dimensions and the Symbio Hydrogen Academy.
The complex has a current manufacturing capacity of 16,000 units with the goal of reaching 50,000 by 2026. According to Symbio, it is the largest fuel cell production plant in Europe, while with SymphonHy they want to “pave the way » for large-scale production “supporting” its customers in the search for low-carbon transportation.
The group’s goal is to become a top-level industrial leader in hydrogen fuel cell technology, while they are working to define the production standards for these cells that will serve as an industrial model in new sites, in line with the intention of Symbio to produce 200,000 units worldwide by 2030.
The plant has an area of 26,000 square meters (m2), which in 2026 will be 40,000 m2, where the group headquarters, a production plant, an innovation center with 7,000 m2 and the Symbio Hydrogen Academy are located.
Likewise, SymphonHy is part of the HyMotive strategic project, which represents a total multi-year investment of one billion euros, for which they plan to build a second gigafactory to double their global production capacity in France to 100,000 systems per year until 2028.
Fuel cell technology complements battery technology to achieve sustainable electric mobility FP
HyMotive is an industrial and technological initiative supported by the European Union and the French government through Important Projects of Common European Interest (Ipcei). In 2019, Symbio’s workforce was 50 people, which has currently increased to more than 750 people. As a result of the HyMotive project, the goal is to create 1,000 jobs.
For its part, Stellantis will expand its hydrogen offering beyond medium-sized vans thanks to hydrogen cells supplied by Symbio. For this reason, the company led by Carlos Tavares has confirmed that it will develop hydrogen technology in its Ram trucks, as well as in large vans and heavy trucks for the North American market.
The general director of Symbio, Philippe Rosier, has highlighted the “industrial and technological leadership” of SymphonHy, while ensuring that “they are ready”, together with “the entire ecosystem and our public and private partners” to make mobility electric with hydrogen “a sustainable, high-performance and affordable reality.”
“The first 100% fuel cell system assembled at SymphonHy was produced in October 2023, just a month after the gigafactory came into operation,” said Rosier.
For his part, the CEO of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, has said that Symbio is proof that three companies with French roots and “leaders in their fields” can join forces and knowledge to “be at the forefront.”
“This technology is a basic component of the powerful electrification ecosystem that we are developing to support our goal of achieving, by 2030, 100% electric sales in Europe and 50% in the US,” he indicated.
This technology is a basic component of the powerful FP electrification ecosystem
Since 2021, Symbio has a headquarters in the United States, with a pilot plant in California that is supplied from the group’s European facilities, while the company has assured that it is looking for opportunities to expand and build a new fuel cell gigafactory in the United States. USA
HyMotive represents a total multi-year investment of €1 billion. It plans to build a second gigafactory, doubling its overall production capacity in France to 100,000 systems per year by 2028. The project also aims to develop pioneering technology to support the competitiveness of fuel cell technology, with the aim of achieving parity with battery-powered electric mobility and traditional thermal technology by 2030.
From a workforce of 50 in 2019, Symbio now employs more than 750 people and expects to create 1,000 jobs as a result of the HyMotive project.
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