Sochaux turns the page: the emblematic Stellantis factory in Doubs produced its last 100% thermal car, a Peugeot 3008 version II, which left the workshops on Thursday afternoon, the management indicated this Friday. The launch of this Peugeot 3008 number 1,388,163 was initially scheduled for June 1, but delays in the delivery of certain parts delayed production for a few days.
“It is a turning point, a new chapter that is opening,” said a spokesperson for the Sochaux factory. This has completely carried over to the production of the new generations 3008 and 5008, which are 100% electric or mild hybrid. Employees hope that these new models will experience the same success as the previous ones, which for a time allowed the creation of the night shift.
“A lot of nostalgia”
The Peugeot 3008 was sold in 130 countries and the Doubs factory recorded record years, also with the assembly of the Peugeot 308 and the Opel Grandland. In 2019 alone, 515,000 vehicles left Sochaux. “It’s a lot of nostalgia,” said Jean-Luc Ternet of the CFTC. “It’s always hard to part with a car. We get attached to it, especially a best-seller like this.”
“The excellent results of the installation, the level of investments and this new generation of more environmentally friendly vehicles allow us to continue being leaders in sales and production in France,” stated the CFE-CGC.
The CGT remains more suspicious: “Electrification serves as a pretext for losing jobs,” stressed Jérôme Boussard, CGT delegate. “I have some doubts about who will be able to buy this car” which costs more than 40,000 euros, he added. The Stellantis factory in Sochaux employs about 5,000 people.
Source: BFM TV
