Opel Grandland electric successor will be built at the Eisenach plant

The French automotive group has announced investments of more than 130 million euros in the plant in Eisenach, where the compact SUV Opel Grandland rolls off the production line. According to a company spokesperson, these funds will enable the production of a battery-electric Grandland successor (BEV). The expansion of production in Eisenach to include a BEV supports Opel's commitment to a fully electric product range in Europe from 2028. Currently, the Opel Grandland is produced in Eisenach, among others as a plug-in hybrid.

“Eisenach, our most compact plant in Germany, has shown a strong drive for quality improvements,” says Arnaud Deboeuf, Chief Manufacturing Officer of Stellantis. “With this allocation of the new full-fledged BEV platform of Stellantis, STLA Medium, the highly skilled employees of the site will further improve the costs and quality of the vehicles they produce and delight our customers.”

Opel to be fully electric by 2028

Vehicles have been built in Thuringia with top-notch quality for 31 years, added Opel CEO Florian Huettl. The plant has consistently kept up with current technology, continuously improving its competitiveness. Huettl sees the decision for the Eisenach plant as another step for Opel to become an all-electric brand in Europe by 2028.

Opel plant since 1992

The assembly plant in Eisenach, Thuringia, which commenced production of the Opel Astra in September 1992, celebrated its 30th anniversary last year with an open house, commemorating the production of a total of 3.7 million vehicles.

“Thuringia is a traditional automotive location that is now rapidly transitioning to electromobility,” said Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow. “In this context, I am particularly pleased that Opel is playing a decisive role here and will manufacture a future-oriented model series in Eisenach.”

Dare Forward 2030

The announced investment in the site is an important step towards fulfilling the goals of the Dare Forward 2030 strategy plan, explains Deboeuf. This plan foresees significant reductions in emissions: CO₂ emissions are to be halved by 2030 compared to 2021, and net-zero CO₂ emissions are to be achieved by 2038 – with compensation for the remaining emissions in the single-digit percentage range. The core goals of Dare Forward 2030 also include that by the end of the decade, 100 percent of passenger car sales in Europe and 50 percent of passenger car and light commercial vehicle sales in the United States will be BEVs. In addition, it aims to double net revenues by 2030 compared to 2021 and achieve double-digit adjusted operating margins throughout the decade. And by 2030, Stellantis aims to become number one in customer satisfaction for products and services in all markets.