Stellantis Strengthens Alliance with Leapmotor: Two Spanish Plants at the Center of the New Industrial Plan

Stellantis and Leapmotor have announced their intention to substantially expand their strategic partnership, which is already crucial for the interests of the Italian-French group in the electric vehicle sector. The plan directly involves two Spanish plants of the group and redefines the European production strategy for affordable electric vehicles.

The agreement, still subject to the usual regulatory approvals, is structured around three main axes: shared production at Figueruelas (Zaragoza), cooperation in purchases through the joint venture Leapmotor International (LPMI), and the future of the Villaverde (Madrid) plant.

Figueruelas: A New Electric Opel C-SUV with Leapmotor DNA

In the historic Figueruelas plant, where over 10 million Opel Corsas have been produced since 1982 and which now hosts Peugeot 208 and Lancia Ypsilon, a new dedicated line will be added. On this line, two models will be produced: the Leapmotor B10, a compact electric C-SUV with potential production start in 2026, and a new BEV C-SUV under the Opel brand, expected to enter production by 2028.

The new Opel will share the architecture with the Leapmotor B10 and will benefit from components sourced from the LPMI ecosystem, a central lever to keep the final public price down. According to reports by Stellantis, Leapmotor will provide electronics, electrical systems, and platforms, while Opel will focus on design and the vehicle's identity for the European market.

Cooperation in Purchasing

The second axis concerns cooperation in purchasing. Stellantis and Leapmotor intend to leverage the combined size of the two companies through LPMI to negotiate lower prices with Chinese suppliers of EV components, without forsaking a share of European supply to secure the supply chain. The declared goal is to reduce costs and accelerate the time-to-market of new electric models intended for Europe.

The Villaverde, Madrid plant, currently home to Citroën C4 production, will instead be repurposed to host one or more Leapmotor models from the first half of 2028. Notably, the ownership of the site could be transferred to LPMI's Spanish subsidiary, with vehicles produced in line with the requirements of **