Symbio, a joint venture between Forvia, Michelin, and Stellantis, has opened its first gigafactory for hydrogen fuel cell production. Located in Saint-Fons, France, SymphonHy is the largest integrated fuel cell production site in Europe.
Key points about SymphonHy:
- Production capacity: 16,000 units currently, increasing to 50,000 by 2026
- Size: 26,000 square meters currently, expanding to 40,000 square meters by 2026
- Innovation space: 7,000 square meters
- Cleanrooms: 8,000 square meters, ISO 8-certified
- Employees: 450, including 100 dedicated to innovation and 20 PhDs
- Energy self-sufficient: Certified “Very Good” by BREEAM
Impact on hydrogen mobility:
SymphonHy is expected to play a major role in accelerating the deployment of hydrogen-powered vehicles. The facility will support Symbio’s customers in making zero-emission hydrogen mobility an affordable reality.
Stellantis’ commitment to hydrogen:
Stellantis, one of Symbio’s co-shareholders, has already begun to market hydrogen-powered vehicles. The company plans to expand its offering to include large vans, Ram pickups, and heavy-duty trucks. All of these vehicles will be equipped with fuel cells produced by Symbio.
Quotes from key executives:
- Philippe Rossier, CEO of Symbio: “SymphonHy is proof of Europe’s industrial and technological leadership. Together with the entire ecosystem and our private and public partners, we are ready to scale up and make hydrogen electric mobility, a sustainable, high-performance, and affordable reality.”
- Patrick Koller, CEO of Forvia: “This plant is further proof of our commitment to zero emission mobility. FORVIA believes in hydrogen technology as the only complementary credible alternative to battery electrification.”
- Florent Menegaux, CEO of Michelin: “Michelin was a very early believer in hydrogen and in Symbio, which we acquired before turning it into a joint venture with Forvia in 2019. The entry of Stellantis into the capital this year confirms that hydrogen meets a constant concern to support the future of mobility.”
- Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis: “Symbio is the proof that three French-rooted and leading companies in their respective fields can join forces and expertise to be at the forefront. Today’s inauguration marks an important step as hydrogen is part of the mix of technologies we are bringing forward for commercial vehicle customers.”
Additional information:
- SymphonHy is part of HyMotive, a strategic €1 billion project to develop disruptive technology for hydrogen mobility.
- HyMotive is expected to create 1,000 jobs.
- Symbio has also been based in the United States since 2021 and is looking to build a new fuel cell gigafactory there.
Overall, the opening of SymphonHy is a significant milestone for the hydrogen fuel cell industry. The facility is expected to help accelerate the development and deployment of this clean technology.
