Stellantis : the Kenitra plant, a strategic pillar in full expansion

Since 2016, the Stellantis group has been firmly committed to Morocco as a major development axis, particularly to expand its presence in the Middle East and Africa. This strategy materialized with the opening of a plant in Kenitra, which quickly grew to become a crucial facility within the group. Announced future projects promise to further increase its importance, making Morocco a central player in global automotive production.

Kenitra: a promising inauguration for a solid partnership

The recent inauguration of the Stellantis Kenitra plant's extension, in the presence of the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, and the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, marks a significant new step in the development of the industrial partnership initiated between the group and the Moroccan Government in 2016. This event is not merely a symbol of physical expansion; it also paves the way for a multitude of new projects, consolidating Morocco's position as a leading automotive industrial platform. Aziz Akhannouch emphasized that this partnership is exemplary, embodying the concrete realization of a strong commitment from both sides and reflecting the ambition of the Kingdom's industrial policies. These policies, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, aim to strengthen Morocco's integration into the global value chain, particularly in the automotive sector. For his part, Ryad Mezzour added that this new stage allows Morocco to achieve a production capacity of over one million vehicles per year, an accomplishment that goes beyond a simple doubling of capacity, and demonstrates the mutual trust and shared ambition between Morocco and Stellantis. Samir Cherfan, Stellantis Chief Operating Officer for the Middle East and Africa, reaffirmed the solidity of this partnership, highlighting that the group has exceeded the initial objectives of the agreement, thereby creating value for the country through the development of a competitive, high-performing, and resilient industrial ecosystem. Kenitra's rapid success is eloquent: Phase 1 of the plant's construction and launch was completed on schedule, with an inauguration in June 2019 by His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Phase 2, meanwhile, enabled the doubling of production capacity to 200,000 vehicles per year by the end of 2020, three years ahead of the initial schedule.

Towards diversified production and record capacity

Leveraging the proven competitiveness of the Moroccan automotive industry, Stellantis has decided to propel its agreement with the Kingdom to a new dimension by launching large-scale projects. Phase 3 of the Kenitra plant will see annual engine production reach 350,000 units. A first phase of assembling a new generation of MHEV (Mild Hybrid) engines already started in May 2025, and a second phase, dedicated to machining, will begin in November 2026. Alongside this expansion, Stellantis is strengthening its commitment to sustainable mobility by increasing the production capacity of its micromobility models, such as the Citroën Ami, Opel Rocks-e, and Fiat Topolino, from 20,000 to 70,000 units per year since January 2025. An innovative project for the production of new three-wheeled, 100% electric mobility objects, developed by Moroccan talents via the Stellantis Automotive Technical Center (ATC), will start in July 2025 with an annual capacity of 65,000 units. This will bring the total micromobility capacity installed in Kenitra to 135,000 units per year. Furthermore, the plant has begun producing electric charging stations, with a capacity of 204,000 stations. Stellantis' commitment to the local ecosystem is also evident with a volume of purchases from suppliers installed in Morocco expected to exceed 6 billion euros by 2030, with a local integration rate of 75%, thus consolidating Morocco as a major industrial hub. Finally, a crucial project for the plant is the launch, starting in February 2026, of the production of new vehicles based on the "Smart Car" platform. This initiative will double the initial production capacity from 200,000 to 400,000 vehicles per year, bringing the total capacity of the Kenitra plant to an impressive 535,000 vehicles per year, including micromobility. These massive extensions are also expected to generate over 3,000 additional jobs, adding to the existing 3,500 employees.

Stellantis' establishment in Morocco has been remarkably successful, with the group even being several years ahead of its initial plan. The newly announced, ambitious, and diversified projects will propel the Kenitra plant even further, giving it a major and strategic role in Stellantis' global operations. Morocco is thus positioning itself as a pole of automotive excellence, a trusted partner for innovation and the production of vehicles intended for the global market.