Stellantis electric cars will have up to 800 km range

Automaker Stellantis said Thursday it plans to develop four electric vehicle platforms that will offer up to 800 kilometers (500 miles) of range to help consumers overcome range anxiety.

The fourteen brands in the group including Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Opel, Peugeot and Jeep will begin rolling out battery electric vehicles (BEV) using the new chassis in 2023.

"Those platforms will be reengineered to become pure BEV platforms," the group's CEO Carlos Tavares said in a videoconference with shareholders attending the annual meeting.

The subcompact, SUV and pickup models will offer a range of 500 kilometers, compacts 700 kilometers and sedans 800 kilometers, considerably more than comparable BEVs already on the road.

"These platforms will deliver a significant progress to address the range anxiety of BEVs," said Tavares.

Concerns about the need to recharge during longer trips have been one concern holding back buyers.

Tavares told shareholders "we are accelerating this electrification move".

The US-European group aims to triple its sales of hybrid and electric vehicles this year to reach 14 percent of overall sales.

By 2025 it hopes to raise that percentage to 38 percent and to 70 percent in 2030.

Stellantis was created earlier this year from the merger of Fiat-Chrysler and PSA, a French group that incudes Peugeot, Citroen and Opel.