Leapmotor to build cars in Spain to avoid Chinese tariffs

Leapmotor is proving an example of just how quickly Chinese car firms can establish themselves. It joined up with Stellantis in late 2023, when the latter gained majority ownership of Leapmotor International, and now, as a result, the brand is looking to expand its European footprint by building cars in Spain.

The location will be Zaragoza, where Stellantis and battery manufacturer CATL are spending 4.1 billion euros on a battery gigafactory. Adjacent to this facility, there’s the existing Figueruelas plant, which looks set to produce Vauxhall’s new all-electric C-segment SUV, which in turn will utilise Leapmotor platform tech. 

Leapmotor itself will have at least one car produced there too, which is expected to be the all-electric B10 SUV, starting from this year, while two more models will be built at Stellantis’ Villaverde plant in Madrid. 

Asked if European production will mean Leapmotor’s cars can circumvent tariffs typically imposed on Chinese vehicles, Emanuele Cappellano, Chief Operating Officer for Stellantis, said: “I would say that being locally produced, yes. There are already suppliers engaging – we are basically mobilising the entire European footprint for these vehicles.” 

The Leapmotor brand’s position within Stellantis has become a lot more integrated in recent months. Leapmotor International CEO Tianshu Xin told us how Leapmotor was utilising combustion engines from the European giant, while technology such as cell-to-body – already in use on the Leapmotor T03 and B10 – will feature on new Stellantis cars on the upcoming STLA One architecture. 

While we’ve already seen Leapmotor and Stellantis share a European plant in Tychy, Poland, for production of the T023 (now stopped due to political pressure from China), Leapmotor’s set-up in Spain will be far more robust.

Leapmotor’s line-up on the Auto Express Buy A Car service ranges from the tiny T03 to the B10 crossover and the C10 family SUV with average savings of up to £2,800 to be enjoyed. 

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