In Brief
Leapmotor, a rapidly growing Chinese automaker, has teamed up with Stellantis to accelerate its international expansion, notably in Europe. The company stands out for its vertical integration, manufacturing a large share of its components in-house, and for its speed in both industrial and commercial execution. Adapting to Western markets requires technical and aesthetic tuning of the models. This joint venture, Leapmotor International, allows Stellantis to benefit from Chinese innovation and dynamism, even though internal competition concerns remain.
In December 2023, when Stellantis announced its partnership with the Chinese Leapmotor to export its cars, the decision was met with surprise. Did Carlos Tavares and his team let the wolf into the sheepfold?
A Pragmatic Alliance?
The former CEO defended it on several occasions, explaining that the expansion and might of Chinese manufacturers were inevitable, and that this joint venture, Leapmotor International, offered Stellantis a chance to profit from it rather than merely become a victim. Since then, three years have passed. That’s an eternity in the scale of China’s transformations. “Leapmotor sold 144,000 cars per year in 2023,” notes Francesco Giacalone, marketing director of Leapmotor International. This figure rose to 614,000 in 2025. “The target for 2026 is 1 million cars.” It’s what you call growth… Let’s go back to 2015, the year the company was founded. Contrary to Western preconceptions, the creation of these Chinese brands follows distinct paths. In Leapmotor’s case, founder Zhu Jiangming, an electronics engineer by training, began his career at Motorola’s Chinese subsidiary before producing televisions, then striking it rich with surveillance cameras. Not exactly automotive, right? Yet, once again defying stereotypes about a Chinese mindset shaped by decades of state-led policy, this story is about entrepreneurial spirit. While visiting Spain, Mr. Zhu spotted a Renault Twizy in the street and thought he could do something similar. At the time, electric-vehicle sales were starting to surge in China. His aim was to design a low-cost electric car that could be adopted en masse. This led to the small T03, which is also known in France. This affordable model now sits in the Top 5 of Europe’s electric-car sales. At the same time, Leapmotor expanded into higher-end segments that are more lucrative, though Zhu Jiangming stresses that the focus remains on value for money, describing his brand as the automotive equivalent of Uniqlo.
Automation in Action
To understand who this Stellantis partner really is beyond its sales figures, we visited its stronghold in Hangzhou, about 110 miles southwest of Shanghai, where we did not see an assembly plant, and therefore no cars on the line. Leapmotor’s aim there is to demonstrate its vertical integration, producing 65% of the car’s value-added in-house. Michael Wu, co-president of Leapmotor Technology, explains that there are two kinds of manufacturers in China: traditional ones that rely on subsystems developed by suppliers, and those emerging from electronics that produce their own software, batteries, and even engines. This is what we first encounter at the LeapEnergy complex in Huzhou, which manufactures battery cells and packs. Its capacity reaches 383,000 packs per year; production began in 2025, and it is therefore neither the sole nor the first battery maker in the Leapmotor constellation.
One Million Motors per Year?
Not far away, the Wuyi gigafactory can, for example, produce around 1.5 million packs. LeapEnergy, however, was still the sixth-largest battery producer in China in 2025. What we see in this factory—clean, clinical in its organization, requiring protective clothing and a blast-air shower before entering—speaks to a high level of manufacturing discipline. A highly automated production line relies on numerous robots, underscoring that labor costs aren’t the sole driver behind China’s low prices. We also glimpse open CTC (cell-to-chassis) batteries that slot directly into the car’s structure, contributing to rigidity. A few kilometers away, we tour the LeapPower integrated plant for electric-motor production and its surrounding systems. The numbers are staggering in terms of the speed at which Chinese industry, and Leapmotor in particular, can scale: the project broke ground in April 2025, and the first electric motor rolled off the line in November. The long-term objective is to reach 1 million motors per year, with eight of ten planned assembly lines already in operation. The plant’s production is also highly automated, though it will ultimately require around 1,250 employees. From a technological and industrial perspective—especially regarding batteries and onboard electronics—the Chinese powerhouse seems formidable, as illustrated by Leapmotor’s example.
Interest in Design
Design, however, remains a topic of interest for Western customers. According to Francesco Giacalone, this is how he explains it: “When conceiving a new model, we first anticipate customers’ technological expectations two or three years ahead. That aligns with our development cycle, which is much faster than that of European brands.
And for design, we follow the trend. That enables speed. But if, when the model launches, demand isn’t there, we’ll stop production after two years. It isn’t fatal. The goal is to align with the smartphone refresh cycle. It’s three years; we’re at three-and-a-half at Leapmotor.” For Western brands, it’s usually seven years… He adds: “Traditional automakers create a concept car, wait for public feedback, and then potentially revise the project. The Chinese view is that this is a waste of time. We launch the car directly.” Yet interest in design is beginning to crystallize at Leapmotor, with the establishment of a styling center in Munich, led by a French executive. The combination of technological prowess, speed of execution, and the right attitude therefore helps explain the reasons behind this joint venture, Leapmotor International, in which Stellantis holds 51%. What outcomes have emerged? In 2025, Leapmotor’s first full year of partnership, eight percent of its production left China and was exported through Leapmotor International. “For the first quarter of 2026, Giacalone notes, we’re above 15%. By 2030, Zhu, the founder, envisions exports accounting for 40% of the company’s sales. A key strength of the Stellantis joint venture has been the speed with which Leapmotor has grown in Europe—roughly three to four times faster than other Chinese automakers—thanks to a pre-established distribution network ready to welcome the products.”
A Risk or an Opportunity?
In the near term, one can imagine the financial upside for Stellantis as a shareholder. But the risk of cannibalization is probably not negligible. Leapmotor International’s marketing director defends the position: “Leapmotor arrived with products complementary to Stellantis’ and broadened the offering.”
This, of course, may not last, because the models marketed in Europe will become increasingly tailored to demand, thus to what already exists. The upcoming B03X, an electric B-segment SUV, will directly confront Peugeot E-2008 or Citroën ë-C3 Aircross. Competition will be even tougher as the European-tuned models are now adapted to European tastes by Stellantis’ technical teams. Giacalone concedes: “They’re working on suspension tuning, steering, onboard software, and even interior ventilation. But they’ve also adjusted climate-control preconditioning—European buyers aren’t used to pre-cooling the cabin ten to fifteen minutes before departure, so we changed the climate system to respond faster.”
This could go even further. There is talk of producing an Opel, designed in Rüsselsheim, on a 100% Leapmotor platform, not to mention the idea of manufacturing Chinese-designed models in Europe. What will Stellantis have left? The personality and image of its historic brands, certainly, but also, compared with European rivals, the opportunity to leverage the technology of an innovative, fast-growing Chinese manufacturer with modest but growing power and a willingness to collaborate. The bet is risky, but not without sense.
Find our feature on Leapmotor in Auto-Journal issue no. 1212, dated 25/06/2026.
Comparative Table
| Year | Leapmotor Sales (units/year) | LeapEnergy Battery Capacity (packs/year) | Wuyi Gigafactory Pack Capacity (packs/year) | Export Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 144,000 | |||
| 2025 | 614,000 | 383,000 | 1,500,000 | 8% |
| 2026 (target) | 1,000,000 | 15% (Q1) | ||
| 2030 (target) | 40% |
Key Takeaways
- Leapmotor has experienced rapid growth, rising from 144,000 to 614,000 vehicles sold between 2023 and 2025.
- The automaker maintains strong internal control over much of its production, notably batteries and electric motors.
- The Leapmotor International joint venture, with Stellantis (51%), supports tailoring models for European markets.
- Leapmotor is characterized by very short development cycles and high levels of industrial automation.
- European models benefit from technical adjustments led by Stellantis.
- By 2030, the company aims for 40% of its sales to be exports, strengthening competition with European brands.
FAQ
Why did Stellantis ally with Leapmotor?
The alliance allows Stellantis to leverage Leapmotor’s growth and innovation while anticipating the rise of Chinese automakers.
What distinguishes Leapmotor from other automakers?
Leapmotor stands out for its strong vertical integration, production automation, and very rapid development cycles.
How does Leapmotor adapt its models for Europe?
Stellantis’ technical teams work on adapting suspensions, steering, embedded software, and even cabin ventilation to European use.
What share of Leapmotor’s sales are international?
In 2025, Leapmotor sold 8% of its production outside China; this figure exceeded 15% in Q1 2026, with a 40% target for 2030.
What is Leapmotor’s best-known model in France?
The Leapmotor T03, an affordable electric city car, is among Europe’s and France’s top sellers.
