Chinese EV maker Leapmotor taps Stellantis’ Spanish plant for EU production

Leapmotor, one of China’s strongest-performing electric vehicle (EV) makers this year, has taken a major step towards building cars locally for European customers after agreeing with shareholder Stellantis to add a line at a Spanish plant previously earmarked for Opel.The Hangzhou-based company and Stellantis, owner of Peugeot, Fiat and Jeep, would jointly build Opel’s new fully electric C-sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and B10 models at the Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza, according to a statement released by the Franco-Italian carmaker on Friday. Production was expected to start as early as this year, it added.The announcement came less than two months after Leapmotor opened its first overseas research and development hub in Munich, aimed at tailoring models to international customers.