Preserving Natural Resources

Responsible use of natural resources is essential to environmental preservation.

Our vision includes reducing raw material use through a “Design for Circular Economy” approach and minimizing water withdrawal. 

Stellantis has implemented a comprehensive roadmap process to drive water use reduction and recycling. We use internal benchmarking and best practices to optimize water usage throughout our network of facilities. We promote responsible water stewardship by reducing withdrawal through recycling in our industrial activities and eliminating waste by using closed-loop processes. 

In areas identified as facing water stress, we aim to implement additional water management measures. For example, in Mexico Stellantis optimizes every manufacturing step to use water responsibly as part of our operational excellence.

Our commitment includes efficient water use as a pillar of sustainability: from processes that minimize waste to recovering and reusing treated water where possible.

By reusing and recycling water resources, we help make our own operations both efficient and environmentally responsible.

We are integrating circular economy principles from design to end-of-life. Future vehicles are designed to reduce raw material consumption and facilitate easy repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and efficient recycling. During the design phase, Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) guide our decisions to minimize environmental impact and identify areas for improvement.

Stellantis strives to increase the use of recycled and natural materials in its vehicles, including recycled plastics and metals, wood, plant fibers, and bio-sourced materials from renewable resources. For each vehicle project, specific targets are set to improve the proportion of green materials in both metals and plastics. These targets are integrated into our supplier selection process and are clearly specified in our parts design.  

In terms of innovation, Stellantis actively participates in scientific partnerships to advance the green materials sector and expand their application in vehicles. For example, the LIFE GREEN-VULCAN project is developing a new rubber recycling method through devulcanization.

Additionally, in collaboration with partners, a patented interior vehicle material was developed by integrating vine branch fibers – typically considered waste – into plastic components. This resulted in the creation of a bio-composite – a polypropylene matrix containing 20% visible natural fibers sourced entirely within France – which is currently used in the Citroën C5 Aircross.

Stellantis is also reducing the use of genuine leather and opting for more sustainable materials. The Maserati Grecale and GranCabrio Folgore, for instance, incorporate ECONYL®, a regenerated nylon made from recovered waste like fishing nets and fabric scraps, which is transformed into high-quality yarn for fashion and interior applications. 

Stellantis and Factorial have successfully tested a new solid-state battery that: charges from 15% to 90% in just 18 minutes; works in extreme temperatures (-30°C to +45°C); and, provides longer range due to its lower weight and high energy density (375 Wh/kg).

We are also collaborating with partners on other advanced battery technologies that deliver higher energy density, reduced weight, and lower costs. Two promising technologies are sodium-ion and lithium-sulfur batteries. Sodium-ion batteries provide a sustainable alternative to lithium with lower costs per kilowatt-hour, better low-temperature performance, and faster charging. Lithium-sulfur batteries, which are lightweight, offer a lower carbon footprint, attractive cost reduction potential, greater range, and faster charging speeds. Both technologies are currently being tested to enable Stellantis to deliver higher-performing, accessible vehicles for our customers.

We protect biodiversity within our own operations by prohibiting new activities in protected areas and applying a mitigation hierarchy to minimize impact. 

Our approach focuses on progressive restoration and recovery of biodiversity. For example, at the Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant in Mexico, we support conservation projects such as training for the care of protected reptile species and a pollinator garden for monarch butterflies, native bees, and birds. In 2022, the Saltillo plant received Silver Conservation Certification from the Wildlife Habitation Council, as did the Zaragoza plant in Spain. In 2023, the Windsor plant in Canada achieved Gold Certification.