Leapmotor Partnership May Aid Stellantis in Lowering Electric Vehicle Costs

Stellantis is considering Leapmotor's electric vehicle technology to reduce costs after a tough year that included the group's first net losses in its short history. Sources close to the company say this could involve incorporating Leapmotor's EV tech into Stellantis brands like Opel, Peugeot, and FIAT. Rumors of potential synergies between Leapmotor and Stellantis's European marques have surfaced before; late last year, there was talk of badging the Leapmotor C10 SUV under a Stellantis name, possibly Opel, though nothing was confirmed. This Chinese SUV could reach the market through a Stellantis brand as soon as 2026. "No decision has been made yet, but it would be an interesting opportunity," one anonymous source said. The partnership aims to slash electric vehicle development costs and sharpen competition against Chinese and European rivals, whose vehicles benefit from more efficient production and quicker delivery to customers. Discussions are still in early stages and face hurdles like regulatory and data protection concerns, including upcoming U.S. restrictions on connected vehicles with Chinese or Russian technology starting in 2027—Stellantis's second-largest market. Still, both companies hope to seal the deal this year, according to the source who spoke with Bloomberg. Stellantis owns a 20% stake in Leapmotor and a 51% share in the Leapmotor International joint venture, which gives it exclusive rights to market and build Leapmotor models outside China. Stellantis described 2025 as "a year of strategic implementation, laying the groundwork for deeper integration." While Chinese automakers have pursued similar collaborations—like Volkswagen's new models on XPeng platforms or Audi's on SAIC technology—this would be the first time a Western automaker uses a Chinese platform and software to strengthen its European lineup. CEO Antonio Filosa is set to detail the strategy at the Capital Markets Day in May. Decisions for the European market remain on hold for now, but U.S. sales are showing gains from recent tweaks to Jeep, Ram, and Dodge models in terms of versions and pricing.