Stellantis has acquired 21 percent of Chinese startup Leapmotor‘s shares, forming a joint venture that will bring the brand’s vehicles to various global markets. The Leapmotor C10 SUV will be among the first models to be marketed outside China, starting with Europe. According to some industry experts, this could represent one of Stellantis’ most promising investments to date.
The Leapmotor C10 SUV could bring good satisfaction to the Stellantis group
The Leapmotor C10 is an electric SUV, also available in an EREV version (with a combustion engine used as a generator to recharge the vehicle’s battery). It is powered by a single motor mounted on the rear axle, generating 231 horsepower. Battery options include 52.9 kWh or 69.9 kWh versions for the fully electric model, while the EREV offers a 28.9 kWh battery.
In China, the Leapmotor C10 has a starting price of $17,861 (128,000 CNY). Those who have tried the car were pleasantly surprised by the soft-touch interior materials and the spacious rear seat, ideal for installing child seats. These aspects suggest a promising future for Stellantis’ investment.
Obviously, the $17,861 price of the Leapmotor C10 will not be maintained in other global markets. For example, a minimum 20 percent increase is expected due to the European Union tariff on electric vehicles imported from China, plus the margin that Leapmotor and Stellantis will decide to apply to ensure the profitability of the agreement.
It will be interesting to observe how the C10, along with the T03 city car, will be received in Europe and other markets outside China. Stellantis considers Leapmotor a strategic partner and, at present, sells Leapmotor vehicles directly without making significant modifications. In the future, this collaboration could evolve, leading to the integration of Leapmotor technology into other products in the Stellantis portfolio. In recent days, both the electric SUV and the electric city car from the Chinese brand have been spotted in Italy.