Valeo to Produce Sovereign Electric Drone Motor in France for Harmattan AI
Valeo partners with Harmattan AI to develop and produce a rare-earth-free electric motor for drones, strengthening French sovereignty in defense technology.
- 2026
- 2027
- 20.9 billion
- 2025
What Happened
Valeo and Harmattan AI have partnered to develop and produce a sovereign electric drone motor in France. The motor, which operates without heavy rare earths, will equip Harmattan AI drones and is designed for both civil and defense applications. Production is set to begin in early 2027 at a Valeo site in France.
“Building on our technological expertise and our industrial footprint in France, we have developed various components to meet the needs of drones, including an initial range of sovereign electric motors. We are proud of our partnership with Harmattan AI. This first contract in the drones sector leverages Valeo’s industrial expertise to support national sovereignty by offering relevant technologies ”
“The development of sovereign defense technologies is at the core of Harmattan AI’s mission. Through this partnership, we are strengthening the security of our supply chain while ensuring reliable access to the materials and expertise required to manufacture our defense systems. Critical rare earths represent a strategic vulnerability across global supply chains, and we are proud to contribute to t”
Why this matters
This partnership reduces reliance on heavy rare earths, securing the supply chain for defense and civil drone applications. It marks Valeo's expansion beyond automotive into new sectors under its 'Beyond Auto' strategy, supporting national sovereignty with local production in France.
Terms in This Story
- EV
- Electric vehicle, a vehicle powered fully or partly by electricity.
- ADAS
- Advanced driver assistance systems, features that help the driver with safety or convenience tasks.
- ICE
- Internal combustion engine, the conventional petrol or diesel engine type.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.