For customers who opted for the long-range option on their electric SUV, the wait has grown even longer. In France, a fresh Long Range battery shortage is forcing Stellantis to temporarily cut several production lines. The warning centers on high-capacity packs supplied by ACC, intended for the most in-demand family models. On the ground, this translates into plant shutdowns scheduled as early as the end of October.
The sites in Sochaux and Rennes will pause operations for several days due to a shortage of ACC Long Range batteries. In Sochaux, the Peugeot 3008 and 5008 will stop from October 23 to 30; Rennes will close from October 22 to 30. The suspension already announced in Mulhouse, from October 15 to 30, stems from different motives. It nevertheless highlights the fragility of today’s industrial machinery. For Stellantis, which is betting on the STLA Medium platform and 97 kWh French-made batteries, the stakes are high. Behind these intermittent announcements lies a very real shortage that is slowing its electrification in France.
Sochaux and Rennes Shutdowns: the Long Range Battery Shortage Becomes Real
The manufacturer emphasizes the need to limit production of other versions. The objective is to avoid swelling dealer inventories. The group wants “to avoid building up a stock of vehicles that does not reflect customer demand”. This line appears in a statement cited by Reuters. In the background, it is the availability of the Long Range batteries supplied by ACC Douvrin that is missing. The demand for these 97 kWh packs, fitted to the Long Range versions, remains higher than supply.
These batteries equip the STLA Medium SUVs, including the Peugeot e-3008 and e-5008, the Opel Grandland Electric, and the DS N°8. By comparison, versions equipped with the standard 73 kWh battery do not face the same strains. These smaller packs come from Chinese suppliers and are delivered at a steadier pace. Customers willing to pay an extra €5,000 are the ones waiting the longest. For corporate fleets, which prefer these generous ranges, this unavailability also complicates renewal plans.
ACC Douvrin Running Behind Schedule and Stellantis Customers Left Waiting
At the heart of the problem lies Automotive Cells Company, the joint venture of Stellantis, Mercedes, and TotalEnergies. It runs the Douvrin gigafactory, the only plant still in operation after projects in Germany and Italy were abandoned. In early 2026, this plant could only equip around 1,000 electric cars per month with Long Range batteries. The defect rate remained high, and a team of experts from China was brought in to stabilize production. “Scaling up cadence has proven difficult, but we are learning every day and doing everything we can to best serve our customers”. This is how Matthieu Hubert, ACC’s secretary-general, explained to Bloomberg.
Despite recent progress announced by ACC, volumes remain insufficient to meet demand on the French market. The Long Range versions built on the STLA Medium platform are already experiencing delivery delays of up to eight months. “Our deliveries have been pushed back to the first or second quarter of 2027”, a Stellantis dealer told Automobilwoche. “Unfortunately we still do not receive enough batteries, despite ACC’s significant production advances.” A Stellantis spokesperson acknowledged this, quoted by Reuters, regarding the factory shutdowns. For an industry player with massive electrification ambitions, the issue is far from trivial. The battery accounts for roughly 35% of an electric vehicle’s value, a weight that is immediately felt when it is missing.
