- Stellantis and Leapmotor collaborate for affordable electric cars, aiming at global markets.
- Initial offerings: Leapmotor T03 city car and C10 SUV, expanding dealership networks in Europe.
- T03: 403 km range, 41.3 kWh battery; C10: 530 km range, 69.9 kWh battery, targeting affordability and long-haul capabilities.
Stellantis and Leapmotor have joined forces to build affordable electric cars as early as September this year
Stellantis is partnering with fellow manufacturer, Leapmotor, to unveil a lineup of budget-friendly electric cars. The models are slated for release starting this September. The collaboration includes expansion plans into India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America.
Leapmotor International emerges as a joint venture. Stellantis holds a controlling 51% stake, leaving the remaining 49% in the hands of Leapmotor. They intend to establish a robust network of 200 dealerships spanning nine European countries by the close of 2024. The plan is to increase that figure to 500 by 2026.
The joint venture is rolling out two initial offerings: the Leapmotor T03, a compact electric city car, and the Leapmotor C10, a mid-size SUV. The T03, priced below the €20,000 threshold, is poised to hit the streets of nine EU countries.
The T03 packs a punch with a 41.3 kWh LFP battery sourced from Hive Energy, delivering an impressive 403 km range under CLTC conditions. With an 80 kW (107 hp) single-front electric motor, the T03 accelerates from 0-50 km/h in just 4.1 seconds. Its compact stature is designed for the city. However, it still boasts a cargo capacity of 210 litres, expandable to 508 litres with the rear seats folded.
Meanwhile, the Leapmotor C10 SUV offers a spacious interior and long-haul capabilities. Equipped with a 69.9 kWh battery sourced from CALB, the C10 promises an impressive 530 km range. With a rear electric motor pumping out 170 kW (228 hp) of power the C10 boasts a top speed of 170 km/h. This model sprints from 0-100 km/h in just 7.3 seconds. Practically, it offers a trunk capacity of 370 litres, expandable to 835 litres with the rear seats down.
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, commented:
“Along with issues around charging infrastructure, [a lack of] affordability is the number one problem with extending the take-up of EVs around the world. But we will now be able to accelerate that roll out.
We will be able to compete [on price] with other Chinese brands that are leveraging the cost competitiveness of manufacturing in China, allowing us to make EVs affordable for the middle classes of Europe.”
This signals another major production partnership aiming to drive down costs and increase adoption. Subaru and Toyota recently embarked on a similarly prosperous partnership over a new SUV model. Leapmotor’s technical know-how and Stellantis’ major industry backing makes for a formidable pairing. We are eagerly anticipating these new affordable models hitting the streets later this year.
