BARCELONA (Reuters) – Spain’s Minister of Industry Jordi Heleu He said on Monday he hoped for “good news” regarding Stellantis’ plans to build a battery factory in the country.
Asked by Reuters on the sidelines of an event in Barcelona whether he was confident that the Stellantis project would ultimately be approved, Herleu said: “We have to come up with a new aid package. However, I am hopeful that we will receive relatively good news.”
The government plans to launch a bidding process in which companies will compete to win grants and loans for specific projects.
“I think it’s reasonable to hope that things go well,” he said.
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in January that the company would build a battery factory in Spain if it received government subsidies.
Last year, Spain invested 59 million euros ($63.4 million) for a battery factory project in Stellantis, near the northeastern city of Zaragoza, as part of a government support program to foster the electric vehicle and battery industry through the European Union’s pandemic relief fund. ).
Mr Herrew met with Stellantis executives in December and last week announced that a third round of support, including a €200 million grant and a €100 million loan, would begin in the first quarter, with a third round worth €1.25 billion worth of €1.25 billion. He said that the fourth round will be launched. It is scheduled to be released in the second half of this year.
(1 dollar = 0.9311 euro)
(Reporting by Joan Faus; Editing by Inti Landauro and David Evans)