Stellantis, the owner of brands such as Fiat, Jeep, and Peugeot, will implement a strategy to utilize the idle capacity of its European manufacturing units by introducing vehicles from partner Chinese manufacturers. This initiative was presented by the conglomerate's CEO, Antonio Filosa, during an event held parallel to the Paris Motor Show this Monday, the 12th.
Filosa stated that instead of shutting down operations, the company intends to share its surplus capacity with solid commercial partners. Among these partners are Leapmotor, in which Stellantis holds a stake, and Dongfeng.
In Spain, the plant located in Zaragoza began producing the Leapmotor B10 electric SUV on the same day, the 12th. Furthermore, the unit plans to assemble an Opel medium-sized electric SUV starting in 2028, using technology provided by Leapmotor.
In Madrid, Leapmotor International, a joint venture between the two corporations, will assume a 49% stake in the Villaverde factory, which currently manufactures the Citroën C4. Stellantis will retain the remaining 51%, and the debut of the Chinese model's production is scheduled for the first half of 2028, although the agreement has not yet been formalized.
In France, the Rennes factory is expected to start receiving models from Dongfeng, which has a long-standing relationship with Peugeot and Citroën in China. The companies are negotiating to establish a joint venture in Europe, which will also cover the marketing of Voyah vehicles, a premium brand belonging to the Chinese group. Stellantis has not yet disclosed details about which model will be produced or the schedule for its arrival.
This production within Europe offers a competitive advantage, allowing Chinese brands to avoid tariffs imposed by the European Union on electric vehicles imported directly from China.
These collaborations are part of the strategic plan called FaSTLAne 2030, launched in May. This plan aims to increase the utilization rate of Stellantis's European factories from approximately 60% to 80% by 2030. To achieve this goal, the company plans to reduce more than 800,000 units of capacity on the continent without resorting to plant closures.
Additionally, in Brazil, Stellantis had already announced the production of Leapmotor B10 and C10 SUVs in the city of Goiana, in the state of Pernambuco, with an expected arrival at dealerships in the first quarter of 2027.