Stellantis and Leapmotor (a Chinese EV manufacturer) have now together formed Leapmotor International. It is a new company that is led by Stellantis with a 51/49 ownership with Leapmotor. Leapmotor International will have exclusive rights for the export and sale, as well as manufacturing, of Leapmotor products outside of Greater China.
Officially formed today, Leapmotor International’s aim is to “further boost Leapmotor’s sales in China, the biggest market in the world, while leveraging Stellantis’ established global commercial presence to significantly accelerate Leapmotor brand sales in other regions.” As for Leapmotor itself (not Leapmotor International), 21% of it was acquired by Stellantis at 1.5 billion Euros in October 2023.
The official formation of Leapmotor International also brings us a step closer to the debut of Leapmotor electric vehicles (EVs) in Malaysia. Back in April 2024, Stellantis Malaysia announced to members of the media that it will bring Leapmotor as an “affordable EV” into the country. Stellantis’ plan to debut Leapmotor in Malaysia was announced alongside brands like Jeep and Citroen.
During the press conference today, Leapmotor International announced that its first two products for outside of Greater China would be the Leapmotor T03 and the Leapmotor C10. The Leapmotor T03 is a 5-seater compact EV with a WLTP range of 280 km. It is possible that the Leapmotor T03 will be the “affordable EV” intended for the Malaysian market, although it could be too small to compete against the other “affordable” EVs in Malaysia.
The Leapmotor C10 is Leapmotor’s first global product. It measures 4,739 mm long, 1900 mm wide, and 1,680 mm tall. Its wheelbase measures 2,825 mm. It is about the size of the BMW X3 and slightly bigger than the Honda CR-V. It is available as a fully electric car as well as a range extender EV. Following the T03 and C10, Leapmotor International is committing to launching at least one new model per year.
Stellantis CEO, Carlos Tavares said, “The creation of Leapmotor International is a great step forward in helping address the urgent global warming issue with state-of-the-art BEV models that will compete with existing Chinese brands in key markets around the world”.
“Leveraging our existing global presence, we will soon be able to offer our customers price-competitive and tech-centric electric vehicles that will exceed their expectations. Under Tianshu Xin’s leadership, they have built a compelling worldwide commercial and industrial strategy to quickly ramp-up the sales distribution channels to support Leapmotor’s robust growth and create value for both partners.”
Leapmotor founder, chairman, and CEO, Jiangming Zhu said, “The partnership between Leapmotor and Stellantis demonstrates a high level of efficiency, opening a new chapter in the global integration of China’s intelligent electric vehicle industry,”
“Leveraging Leapmotor’s cutting-edge technology and products, along with Stellantis’ support in areas such as overseas channels, services, and marketing, we hope that users around the world can experience the exceptional driving and riding experience brought by Leapmotor products. We believe that this cooperation can give Leapmotor a boost to become a respected world-class intelligent electric vehicle company.”
RELATED: Stellantis to debut Leapmotor EVs in Malaysia, Jeep & Citroen planned for CKD
