Stellantis gets ready for first shipment of Leapmotor cars from China

The first shipment of Leapmotor EVs for Europe is en route from China, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said, with sales of the T03 small car and C10 midsize SUV from the group’s "15th brand" set to start in September.

Stellantis last year took a €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) stake in the Chinese EV maker, as well as a 51 percent share in Leapmotor International, a joint venture that will distribute and potentially build cars outside of China. 

Tavares confirmed that Leapmotor EVs are coming to Europe during a July 25 earnings call.

He said there were 800 cars on board the ship, but did not say which models. Production of the T03 has already started in Tychy, Poland, from kits, Stellantis confirmed last month. Tavares said that several models would eventually be built in Europe.

Direct imports from China will be subject to additional provisionary EU tariffs until early November, but that would be offset by assembly in Europe. 

The Leapmotor models will be included in Stellantis’ parts and distribution system, Tavares said July 25 on a media call, adding that dealers were “excited” to offer the cars and that many had applied to sell them. He said Stellantis would also support buyers with financing options. 

In Europe, Leapmotor could be slotted in below Citroen and Fiat in the group's cluster of volume brands. Citroen, Fiat and Opel/Vauxhall will all launch vehicles on Stellantis’ low-cost Smart Car platform this year, including full-electric models starting at less than €25,000.

Sales will start in nine markets, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, Stellantis has said.

One of the T03's main competitors will be Renault's Dacia Spring all-electric small car, which starts at about €18,000 in France and is exported to Europe from China. The Chinese electric car giant BYD is planning to launch its Seagull model on the European market for less than €20,000. Renault and VW Group are also planning sub-€20,000 EVs.

Direct imports from China such as the Spring will be subject to additional provisional EU tariffs of up to 38 percent until early November, but that would be offset by assembly in Europe. 

The C10 would compete with the Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID4, Leapmotor has said. It is available in China as a full-electric model or an extended-range hybrid (EREV) with a small gasoline engine to charge the battery.

Tavares has said that Stellantis is weighing whether to offer the extended-range hybrid in Europe, depending on regulations. But that powertrain is also subject to tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles.