Symbio Slashes 70% of Workforce After Stellantis Pulls Out of Hydrogen Venture

French hydrogen fuel cell supplier Symbio is carrying out a major restructuring that will see roughly 70 percent of its employees lose their jobs. The drastic move follows the withdrawal of Stellantis, one of the company’s key backers, from its hydrogen plans.

The decision casts a shadow over France’s ambitions in hydrogen mobility, where Symbio had been positioned as a notable player in fuel cell development. With a founding partner stepping away, the company now faces the difficult task of reshaping its operations around a much smaller footprint.

The layoffs also raise broader questions about the commercial momentum of hydrogen in the passenger and light vehicle space, a segment that has seen slower-than-expected uptake compared with battery-electric alternatives. Whether Symbio can stabilize and continue supplying fuel cell technology under a reduced structure remains an open question.