Stellantis Holds Media Drive for Chinese Leapmotor EVs

Click C10 for more.

The first European Media Drive is now taking place in Milan for the C10 and T03 models of the Leapmotor brand, a Chinese company in the technology field which has the highest growth in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sector.* The event, held in Milan and Lake Maggiore, marks the official debut of Leapmotor International in Europe. In a controversial move in October of 2023 Stellantis took 51% of a joint venture with Leapmotor that gives it exclusive rights to build, export and sell Leapmotor EVs outside China.**

“Stellantis will invest more than €50 billion during the next 10 years in the field of electrification and will do everything it can to reach the targets set out in its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, including the achievement of a 100% sales mix of BEV vehicles in Europe by 2030 and 50% of BEV passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in the United States. To reach these sales goals, the company is ensuring around 400 GWh of battery capacity with the support of six battery factories in North America and Europe. Stellantis aims to become a zero carbon-emissions company across all sectors by 2038, with a percentage offsetting for an amount of the remaining emissions,” the company formed by the merger of FCA and PSA said today.

Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg, Malta, The Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK are the initial target markets. The two vehicles are priced significantly below competitive vehicles at the moment – ~€36,400 for C10 SUV and~€18,900 for the T03 hatchback.***

C10 and T03 Models

The C10 SUV is the first Leapmotor vehicle created for the global market with international safety and design standards. The C10 is the perfect choice for customers who want to “take the leap” to battery electric vehicles (BEV) and need a true family vehicle, according to Stellantis. Stellantis also claims its distribution network guarantees peace of mind in regard to services and assistance, offering family mobility at an affordable price.

“Leapmotor’s new D-SUV offers everything that a family could want in a modern electric vehicle thanks to its best-in-class safety, an intelligent user experience, and premium levels of comfort. Specifically, the C10 is based on the LEAP 3.0 architecture developed by Leapmotor, which makes use of best-in-class intelligent electric technology, including a centrally integrated electronic configuration, the Cell-to-Chassis (CTC) system, and the smart cockpit, Leapmotor’s true showpiece. The electric C10 SUV boasts D-segment-like dimensions and loads of features, the best driving experience in the category, 420 km of WLTP range, and a top-notch safety standards,” Stellantis said.

Click TO3 for more

“The T03, the second star of the European Media Drive, is also sure to turn heads. The intelligent choice for the city, the T03 is a compact, five-door segment-A vehicle with segment-B-like dimensions. In addition to being elegant, the vehicle is enjoyable to drive and has a WLTP range of 265 km. Furthermore, it has been placed first in the compact-battery, electric-vehicle segment in the Initial Quality Study by JD Power 2023. In short, the T03 is the smart choice for the city as it combines smaller size, which makes it agile in traffic, with cutting-edge electric propulsion at a truly competitive price,” Stellantis said.

*Leapmotor International

In October 2023, the two companies announced the investment of ~€1.5 billion from Stellantis into Leapmotor for the acquisition of ~21% of the shares of the Chinese company. The agreement also included the creation of Leapmotor International, the 51:49 joint-venture led by Stellantis, with exclusive rights for exports and sales, as well the manufacturer of Leapmotor products outside of “Greater China”. The shared goal stated at the time “is an acceleration and increase in sales of Leapmotor’s hi-tech products at affordable prices around the world, making use of Stellantis’ global resources and commercial know-how. Moreover, Leapmotor International’s range of electric vehicles complements the current technology and portfolio of Stellantis’ 14 iconic brands and guarantees customers more economically accessible mobility solutions. With the ability to rely on Stellantis’ distribution channels, Leapmotor International is aiming to increase the number of sales points of Leapmotor vehicles to 350 by the end of 2024.

“Furthermore, one model a year is planned to be released over the next three years. The first European markets involved by the end of the year are Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg, Malta, The Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.; which all can rely on Stellantis extensive sales network and the support of dedicated Brand Managers. From Q4 2024, Leapmotor’s commercial operations will also be expanded to the Middle East & Africa (Israel, and overseas French territories), Asia Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia), as well as South America (Brazil and Chile),”Stellantis said.

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***Commercial Offer

In the coming days, orders will open for two fully equipped models: the C10 SUV and the T03 compact car. T03 will be offered starting from €18,900 euros available from the end of September. The C10 SUV will be available from €36,400 euros and planned to arrive at respective dealerships in October. Note that the prices mentioned are indicative and may vary according to the market.