In response to the advent of cheap Chinese EVs, the US and EU have instituted various measures to favor domestically manufactured vehicles—including, most recently, steep new tariffs. It remains to be seen what the long-term results of these policies will be, but the westward seepage of Chinese-made vehicles continues.
Leapmotor International, a 51/49 joint venture between Stellantis and Chinese automaker Leapmotor, shipped its first batch of Leapmotor vehicles—C10 SUVs and T03 cars—from Shanghai to European ports this month.
The Leapmotor T03 is “a small five-door, A-segment urban commuter car” that features 265 km of range (WLTP). The C10 is a five-seat SUV that comes in both battery-electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid versions.
“The shipment of Leapmotor C10 and T03 vehicles to Europe this month is a landmark moment in the partnership between Stellantis and Leapmotor,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. “Relying on Stellantis’s strong business assets in Europe and the hard work of our companies’ teams on guaranteeing product innovation and quality, I strongly believe that Leapmotor’s electric vehicles will be widely accepted by European customers.”
“China is the biggest and most competitive EV market in the world, and our products have proved their value by being acclaimed by the local customers,” said Leapmotor founder and CEO Zhu Jiangming. “The C10 and T03 models are designed to meet the high standards of global customers, and we are confident that the collaboration between Stellantis and Leapmotor will drive significant growth for both companies.”
The Leapmotor International JV had 200 retail outlets in Europe at the end of 2024, and plans to increase that number to 500 by 2026. The company also plans to expand its reach to the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and South American regions in late 2024.
Source: Stellantis
