Europe’s Stellantis and China’s Leapmotor will sell electric cars in Europe in September

Advertisement

Advertise with us

HONG KONG (AP) — European carmaker Stellantis on Tuesday said it had formed a joint venture with the Chinese electric vehicle startup Leapmotor that will begin selling EVs in nine European countries later this year.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Monthly Digital Subscription

$0 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*No charge for 4 weeks then price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

Monthly Digital Subscription

$4.75/week*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

No thanks

*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/05/2024 (570 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HONG KONG (AP) — European carmaker Stellantis on Tuesday said it had formed a joint venture with the Chinese electric vehicle startup Leapmotor that will begin selling EVs in nine European countries later this year.

Sales will begin in September for Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Netherlands Romania, Spain and Portugal, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said at a news event in Hangzhou.

From Q4, electric vehicles will also be sold to countries in South America, Middle East and Africa, as well as India and the Asia Pacific, Tavares said.

Leapmotor vehicles are parked outside a showroom in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang province on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. European carmaker Stellantis on Tuesday said it had formed a joint venture with the Chinese electric vehicle startup Leapmotor that will begin selling EVs in nine European countries later this year. (AP Photo/Caroline Chen)
Leapmotor vehicles are parked outside a showroom in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang province on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. European carmaker Stellantis on Tuesday said it had formed a joint venture with the Chinese electric vehicle startup Leapmotor that will begin selling EVs in nine European countries later this year. (AP Photo/Caroline Chen)

Stellantis and Leapmotor, an EV startup, did not provide details on where the electric vehicles would be produced, but that the location must have the “capacity available to support the sales” and meet quality criteria and cost competitiveness.

The models launched will be the T03 and C10 models, with plans to introduce one new model annually over the next three years, Tavares said.

“We expect to bring a significant boost to the international sales of these models,” he said.

The two companies announced new a joint venture called Leapmotor International to manufacture and sell Leapmotor’s electric vehicles outside of China. It is 51% owned by Stellantis and 49% owned by Leapmotor.

In October last year, Stellantis invested 1.5 billion euro ($1.61 billion) to buy a 21% stake in Leapmotor and announced a strategic partnership.

Leapmotor CEO Zhu Jiangming said that the alliance with Stellantis would help his company access an extensive overseas dealership and distribution system, as well as factories around the world.

“Political and regional uncertainties in the future are likely to make it inevitable for Chinese new energy vehicle brands to manufacture globally,” Zhu said.

A man stands near a Leapmotor vehicle being charged outside a showroom in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang province on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. European carmaker Stellantis on Tuesday said it had formed a joint venture with the Chinese electric vehicle startup Leapmotor that will begin selling EVs in nine European countries later this year. (AP Photo/Caroline Chen)
A man stands near a Leapmotor vehicle being charged outside a showroom in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang province on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. European carmaker Stellantis on Tuesday said it had formed a joint venture with the Chinese electric vehicle startup Leapmotor that will begin selling EVs in nine European countries later this year. (AP Photo/Caroline Chen)

His comments come as the Biden administration announced plans to slap new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment, a move that’s likely to increase friction between the world’s two largest economies.

Both the U.S. and Europe have accused China of overproducing electric cars and dumping them in overseas markets.

This story has been corrected to amend a typo on Stellantis’ CEO’s name on the first mention.

Report Error Submit a Tip

Business

LOAD MORE