Several workers on one of the production lines at the Stellantis plant in Figueruelas (Zaragoza).
/ Laura Trives
Xavier Pérez
Paris
As the saying goes, when the river flows, it carries water. The international push from Leapmotor, along with the commitment to Spain we reported last week in El Periódico and Neomotor, is gradually taking shape. Stellantis Group has confirmed the production of two new models in Spain, both closely tied to the Chinese brand. The first will be located in Madrid, where currently only the Citroën C4 and C4X (including their electric versions) are produced. The second will be in Zaragoza, which now manufactures the Opel Corsa, Peugeot 208, and Lancia Ypsilon. Both new models will be 100% electric, at least for now.
The group’s strategy is to offer an affordable electrified lineup, and it counts on Leapmotor as a strategic partner. The Chinese brand is expanding its collaboration with Stellantis, while also providing content for one of its most emblematic plants, Villaverde in Madrid, which is pending consolidation. There, new Leapmotor models will be produced, starting with the new B05 (initially rumored for Zaragoza). This model will be the first of several to come, meeting European Union requirements and carrying the ‘made in Europe’ industrial seal.
Leapmotor B05
/ Xavier Pérez
To strengthen the commitment to Spain and Madrid, Stellantis will transfer the ownership of its subsidiary’s plant to the joint venture formed by the European group and Leapmotor (currently 49% held by Leapmotor and 51% by Stellantis). This will facilitate the expansion of joint procurement initiatives, increasing the ability to make Stellantis consortium models more affordable. It also aims to reduce development times, which Tianshu Xin, CEO of Leapmotor International, confirmed exclusively to El Periódico and Neomotor in Beijing a few days ago, are now within the threshold of 24 months. “When deciding where to locate production, we must consider plant availability, free capacity, labor costs, energy costs, and the supplier ecosystem. Spain is the perfect place to start in Europe. The bet on Zaragoza makes perfect sense,” he told us. The idea is to concentrate local suppliers with a new development strategy, enabling new models in less than two years and expanding the customer offer in Europe.
Antonio Filosa, CEO of Stellantis Group, stated: “This plan to expand our successful partnership with Leapmotor, a trusted partner and one of the fastest-growing and most respected new energy vehicle producers globally, is a true win-win. It is expected to support production and advance the localization in Europe of world-class electric vehicle manufacturing at accessible prices to meet real customer needs. Today’s announcement reflects our intention to deepen our partnership and take another step toward even greater collaborations in the future.”
**Joint Model in Figueruelas**
The second pillar of the unified expansion with Leapmotor is at the Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza, where the Chinese brand is already carrying out all the preparation work to begin producing the Leapmotor B10, a C-segment SUV, this same year.
Cars on the production line at the Stellantis plant in Figueruelas (Zaragoza).
/ RAMÓN COMET – EUROPA PRESS
The Aragón plant will have a new model resulting from this joint collaboration by 2028. Specifically, Opel, which currently produces the Corsa there, will manufacture a new C-SUV using technological processes, components, and developments from Leapmotor. This new Opel will expand the range of the German brand within Stellantis.
