"Chinese automakers now dominate domestic auto shows, and will soon lead global shows," said Zhu Jiangming.

On May 8, Stellantis announced a deepened partnership with Leapmotor, shifting from sales channels to joint R&D, European manufacturing and localized supply chains — moving beyond "selling cars to Europe" to "building cars in Europe".

Three-Tier Deepened Cooperation

Joint EV Development

Opel CEO Florian Huettel confirmed a Sino-German team will co-develop a compact electric SUV ( O3U ) . Leapmotor provides core EV platform and battery tech; Opel leads design and engineering. Production starts in Spain in 2028, targeting 50,000 units annually.

European Local Manufacturing

Leapmotor B10 will be built in Spain from 2026. Stellantis plans to transfer ownership of a Madrid plant to Leapmotor ’ s Spanish unit — a first for a European major automaker selling a full plant to a Chinese EV brand.

Supply Chain Integration

To meet EU 45% local parts requirement, the pair will expand joint procurement, combining China ’ s low-cost supply chain and Europe ’ s compliance network.

Why This Partnership Matters

Stellantis ( 14 brands including Jeep, Opel ) sold 7.8 million vehicles in 2025 but faces a crisis: €22.3 billion net loss, slow EV transition, and European plant capacity utilization at just 56%. It needs Leapmotor ’ s mature, low-cost EV technology to fill gaps.

For Leapmotor, the tie-up is a fast track to globalization. Zhu Jiangming aims for 60% overseas production and only 30% sales from China. Stellantis ’ factories and European network solve high tariffs, regulatory and manufacturing barriers that most Chinese EV startups cannot overcome alone.

Stellantis took a 21% stake in Leapmotor in 2023. By 2025, Leapmotor ’ s overseas sales hit 67,000 units; 2026 export target is 100,000 – 150,000 units.

Risks Ahead

Leapmotor risks over-reliance on Stellantis for European operations. Long-term success depends on building independent brand power and local management capabilities, not just tech export.

The next 3 – 5 years will decide if Leapmotor can evolve from a Chinese brand into a true global automaker via this landmark industrial cooperation.