Stellantis has a new problem: chip shortage halts production of the FIAT 500 and the Pandina is next
The Italo-French manufacturer admits to a supply problem that has halted the Mirafiori plant, a car that has already seen less demand than expected this year, while the Pomigliano plant is also expected to be affected.
Two of the most popular cars across Stellantis are currently experiencing production issues, according to spokespeople for the group. The FIAT 500 has not produced new units for several weeks due to supply shortages at the Mirafiori plant, the historic FIAT factory in Turin, a problem that is also set to impact the production line that makes the Pandina in Pomigliano d’Arco.
Just a few hours ago, the manufacturer itself, along with FIOM (Federazione Impiegati Operai Metallurgici, Italian Metallurgy Federation, the metalworkers' union there), admitted that the plant will remain shut down between the upcoming days of November 9-13. This implies that they have already gone four consecutive weeks with the machines stopped, although not exactly for the same reason.
Another week of stoppage for the production of the FIAT 500
In the second half of October, production of the hybrid 500 was halted due to lack of demand, a model that is not managing to regain the traction that the previous version had - which had to relocate its production to another place and to other markets as it did not meet current safety standards in the European Union. The leap to the electric 500 has not yielded the expected results either, which has also affected its sports brand, Abarth (among other factors).
But the stoppage in this first week of November and the next one is due to a lack of supply of a chip used in the engine control unit (ECU), explained a spokesman for the group. Another setback both for car sales and for all workers at Mirafiori.
According to Stellantis, the problem is a chip needed in the control unit
In the FIOM union, however, they do not see it the same way, Gianni Mannori, a union member, claimed that Stellantis is using the chip shortage argument as an excuse to extend the stoppage in the factories, thus avoiding potential repercussions, according to Reuters. Let us remember that working conditions in Italian factories are much more controlled and protected than in other European countries.
In the past, the group led by Antonio Filosa has been pressuring the Italian government to provide a solution regarding manufacturing costs - particularly energy costs - in their Italian plants, especially in the north (for example, Mirafiori in Turin). A direct challenge against Giorgia Meloni's government, while also pulling others with the European Union to relax regulations or make them more favorable for European manufacturers.
This problem could affect the Pandina, very successful in Italy
Let us remember that the 500 and the Pandina (to differentiate the evolution of the 3rd generation Panda from the current Grande Panda, manufactured in Serbia both as BEV and as an affordable combustion car) share the same engine. This chip is used in the N3 GSE engine control unit (the Firefly 1.0 atmospheric three-cylinder with 6 valves), being microhybridized (MHEV) in its BSG variant.
In total, three factories would be affected by this issue since these engines are manufactured at the Termoli plant and then sent to Pomigliano d’Arco for the Pandina and to Mirafiori for the 500. A plant where the Stellantis engineers are also collaborating with Leapmotor for a future generation of affordable electric cars leveraging technology developed in China.
* This news is an AI translation of the original content. Motenic.com is part of Motor.es.
Fuente: Reuters