Azcón on Stellantis’ gigafactory: “In the next few days we will have historic news”

The Aragonese president, Jorge Azcón, referred this Wednesday to the possible landing of the battery factory of the Chinese company CATL at the Stellantis plant in Figueruelas . “In the next few days we are going to have historic news,” he said during the celebration of the COPE Challenges 2025 Forum. The advance of the long-awaited announcement comes after days of uncertainty due to the resignation of the CEO of the multinational, 
Carlos Tavares, and in a context of trade war with China over tariffs on electric vehicles. Circumstances, on the other hand, which the DGA has tried to downplay in its latest appearances. 

Azcón has repeated for the second time this week that the economic situation of the sector, at a low point, catches the Community “with its homework done”. In particular, the situation regarding the conflict with the Asian giant, today “one of the main obstacles” for the arrival of the project to the Zaragoza automotive complex, which would mean an injection of 4,000 million euros and for which the Government of Spain has committed 133.7 of the third call for tenders for the electric vehicle .

According to the head of the DGA, if this point had been resolved earlier, the tariff conflict would have been overcome and the gigafactory “ could already be a reality ”. Ultimately, it would mean “ anchoring ”, in his words, “the current car factory” for the future. “In Aragon we have done so well that we are going to get to the table”, he argued. For the president, “there is no better place in Spain than Zaragoza ” due to its “strategic position”.

Azcón has revealed that he learned of Carlos Tavares’ departure, which was made official last Sunday night, through representatives of Stellantis. The regional government and the company, he explained, have “a very close relationship ” that “goes back a long way.”

LOGISTICS PLAN

The other highlight of the meeting at Mobility City was logistics, an example of “ unprecedented success ”. “In the coming days” the DGA is expected to offer more details on the Logistics Plan 2025-2040. The northern connection to Plaza, the conversion of the Torre del Agua into a “logistics beacon” or Zaragoza hosting an international congress in the sector in 2026 are some of the actions planned for the medium term. In the background appears the new Inditex logistics centre, which will be its second in Aragon and whose tests will begin next year.

According to Azcón, all of this has fuelled the need to promote the works on the Central Pyrenees Crossing, from the reopening of the international Zaragoza -Pau line to the improvement of the road crossing, which will be reopened to traffic before Christmas. “The Mediterranean Corridor has had support that has not occurred with the Pyrenean Corridor due to political support,” criticised the president, referring to the pro-independence parties.

In terms of railways, relations with the Central Government and Minister Óscar Puente are “good” from an institutional point of view, although in his opinion it is urgent to involve France. Azcón has revealed that he will participate together with his counterpart from New Aquitaine, Alain Rousset, in a meeting of public consultations for the reopening of Canfranc . In addition, a few days before the celebration of a new bilateral meeting with the Ministry of Transport, he has claimed the rest of the works “that have been delayed for years” and for which it is necessary to “reach an understanding”.