Serbia has inaugurated production lines for electric vehicles at the Stellantis factory in Kragujevac, positioning itself as the first country in the Balkans to produce electric vehicles.

Serbia is seeking to establish itself in the global electric vehicle (EV) market, at the same time as it plans to open Europe's largest lithium mine. This will make Serbia the first in Europe to have the entire production chain, from metal to finished product.

The ceremony in Kragujevac, attended by President Aleksandar Vucic and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali, marked the start of trial production for the new Fiat "Grande Panda" model.

"The start of the production of the electric car 'Fiat Grand Panda' in Kragujevac is one of the most significant dates for the Serbian economy in the last few decades," said Marko Cadez, president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS).

"Serbia is becoming one of the few countries on the map of electric vehicle manufacturers, and that is what we must all be happy about. This will move Kragujevac and Serbia to a completely different level of development”, Cadez added.

Vucic also emphasised the significance of the event, stating, "This is a big day for Serbia. The factory of the automotive giant Stellantis in Kragujevac will enable us to become one of the leading manufacturers of electric vehicles, which will change the face of Serbia and with which we will make a quantum leap into the future.”

The transition of the Kragujevac factory from conventional to electric vehicle production took approximately two years and now features automated and robotic lines employing around 1,000 workers. With series production set to begin in two months, Serbia will soon lead the Balkans in electric vehicle manufacturing.