Stellantis

Leapmotor B10 Begins Production in Spain with Co-Line Manufacturing and Mallén Battery Assembly

On October 16, 2026, Leapmotor B10 started mass production at the Zaragoza plant in Spain; leveraging its cooperation with Stellantis, it is produced on the same lines as the Opel Corsa, Peugeot 208 and Lancia Ypsilon. The two sides are also building a battery assembly base in Malián, extending localization from complete vehicles to key components. Since 2026, Leapmotor has exceeded 100,000 monthly sales for three consecutive months, ranking fourth among global new energy vehicle brands. This dual-plant layout uses a joint venture and shared lines to reuse a mature manufacturing system, offering a reference for Chinese automakers' European localization, but capacity ramp-up, quality stability and delivery coordination still await data verification.

46312 days ago

Leapmotor Advances European Localization: B10 Pre-Production in Spain, B03X Launched in Italy at €19,900

In September 2026, Leapmotor began pre-production of the B10 compact battery-electric SUV at Stellantis's Zaragoza plant in Spain, using local content to avoid EU tariffs; at the same time, it launched the B03X small electric SUV in Italy at 19,900 euros to enter Europe's entry-level market. European BEV registrations in August reached 202,833 units, up 54.2% year on year, with a 30.5% market share. Chinese automakers' European localization paths are diverging: BYD tends to build multiple bases itself, while Leapmotor leverages Stellantis's production capacity.

48843 days ago

BYD May Join China-U.S. Summit Business Delegation; Overseas Signals Awaited

People familiar with the matter say BYD may be included in the Chinese corporate delegation for the China-US summit, but this has not yet been officially confirmed. In the European market, BEV registrations in 16 core markets reached 202,800 in August, up 54.2% year on year, with market share rising to 30.5%; cumulative registrations in the first eight months exceeded 1.67 million. Leapmotor is pre-producing the B10 at Stellantis's Zaragoza plant in Spain, using local content to circumvent EU tariffs; BYD plans to build three vehicle assembly plants and one battery plant in Europe, with trade policies and export channels adjusted in tandem.

42244 days ago

Volkswagen Exports China-Made Cars to Africa, GM May Follow as Capacity Allocation Shifts

The decline in China's light vehicle demand is driving multinational automakers to adjust their global production capacity allocation. On September 11, FAW-Volkswagen launched sales in Madagascar, becoming the first multinational automaker to export China-made vehicles to Africa. In August, BEV registrations in 16 core European markets reached 202,833 units, up 54.2% year on year, with their share rising to 30.5%. BYD plans to build three vehicle plants and one battery plant in Europe, while Leapmotor uses Stellantis's Spanish plant for localized production to avoid tariffs. The UK faces pressure from EU tariffs and rules of origin, and Nissan, McLaren, and Yokohama are simultaneously adjusting capacity and supply chains.

42344 days ago

Europe BEV Penetration Rises to 30.5%, BYD Plans Three Vehicle and One Battery Plant in Europe

In August, BEV registrations in 16 core European markets reached 202,833 units, up 54.2% year on year, with a 30.5% share; cumulative registrations in the first eight months exceeded 1.67 million units, up 33.1% year on year. BYD has made clear that in the long term it needs to build three vehicle plants and one battery plant in Europe, is starting its Hungarian plant and plans to finalize a second site by the end of the year, preferring acquisition and conversion, with Spain and France as priorities. Leapmotor is pre-producing the B10 at Stellantis's Spanish plant and has pushed down to 19,900 euros with the B03X, as Chinese automakers advance localized production while jockeying over tariff rules in parallel.

37544 days ago

After 7.098 Million Vehicle Exports, Chinese Auto Globalization Enters Deep Water

In 2025, China's automobile exports reached 7.098 million units, a year-on-year increase of 21.1%, of which new energy vehicle exports reached 2.615 million units, a year-on-year increase of 103.7%. The industry's focus is shifting from export scale to the depth of globalization. The degree of openness of overseas markets varies significantly. Chinese automakers are advancing globalization through local factory construction, product portfolios, and ecosystem-based operations. According to statistics from Gasgoo Automotive Research Institute, the planned annual overseas production capacity of Chinese automakers increased from about 3.44 million units in 2023 to nearly 6.85 million units in 2026.

56444 days ago

US Presses Mexico to Tighten USMCA Origin Rules; AI Hardware Could Spill Over Into Auto Supply Chain

The United States is pressuring Mexico in negotiations to revise the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, planning new rules of origin for AI hardware such as chips and servers to limit the share of components from outside North America and prevent Chinese companies from using Mexico as a route to evade tariffs. The rules would reference the automotive sector's 75% North American component threshold for tariff exemption and could spill over into automotive intelligence segments such as automotive chips. In the first half of this year, Mexico exported $83 billion of AI data center servers, 94% to the United States, up more than 170% year on year. Mexico has agreed to raise tariffs on China but opposes mandatory US-made components. Negotiations are expected to begin as early as next week in Washington.

36944 days ago

GM Reboots CarPlay; Maserati Taps Huawei and JAC for EV Production

In September 2026, General Motors announced it would reintegrate Apple CarPlay, with the new split-screen interface to be used first in the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. In the same period, Maserati plans to partner with Huawei and JAC, adopting the HarmonyOS Intelligent Mobility platform, intelligent driving and electric drive technologies, and JAC manufacturing to restart its pure electric models through SKD final assembly in Italy. In 2025, Maserati's global shipments were less than 8,000 units, with an adjusted loss of 198 million euros and a negative profit margin of 27.3%. The two cases show that the reverse export of Chinese automotive technology is accelerating, but the results remain to be tested.

22844 days ago

Renault-Geely Expand Brazil Investment as Maserati Weighs Huawei, JAC Tie-Up

In September 2025, Renault and Geely announced an additional EUR 319 million investment in Brazil through a joint venture, with their total investment in Brazil from 2025 to 2027 reaching EUR 899 million, giving Geely access to Renault's existing plants and dealer network. In the same period, reports said Maserati planned to cooperate with Huawei and JAC to develop two electric vehicles, adopting an SKD model with body-in-white from Hefei and assembly in Italy; the brand's global shipments in 2025 were less than 8,000 units, with an adjusted operating loss of EUR 198 million. Both paths point to a combination of technology export and localized production capacity.

35345 days ago

Stellantis Plans to Sell Brampton Plant to Roshel, but Two Hurdles Remain

Stellantis signed a memorandum of understanding with Canadian armored vehicle maker Roshel to sell the idle Brampton vehicle assembly plant near Toronto. The plant ceased production in late 2023 and once employed about 3,000 unionized workers. Its planned production of the Jeep Compass SUV was cancelled due to U.S. automotive tariffs. Roshel is bidding for a military contract worth up to C$4.9 billion and says that if it wins, it can recall about 1,000 workers and support an annual average of 4,530 direct and indirect jobs over three years. The deal still depends on labor negotiations with Unifor and Canadian government funding commitments, and companies including BYD had also made inquiries.

25646 days ago

Trump: Not Opposed to Chinese Automakers Building U.S. Plants, Opposes Mexico-Made Cars Exported to U.S.

According to Reuters, on September 11 Trump said he did not oppose Chinese automakers building factories in the US, provided they hire American workers, but opposed producing finished vehicles in Mexico and re-exporting them to the US, and denied allowing Chinese cars to be sold in the US. US regulations in early 2025 effectively prohibit Chinese automakers from selling or producing passenger vehicles in the US, with tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles exceeding 100%; the Alliance for Automotive Innovation is pushing Congress for a permanent ban, hoping to pass it by the end of December. US-Mexico negotiations are planned to be reached before the November 2026 midterm elections, with tariffs, local content ratios and Chinese companies' investment in Mexico becoming variables, and both North American paths for Chinese automakers facing uncertainty.

57746 days ago

Huawei, JAC and Maserati in talks for cooperation: Chinese intelligent driving platform may enter ultra-luxury ranks under a “dual-brand” model

Reuters reported that Stellantis is in negotiations with Huawei and JAC Motors over a long-term cooperation for Maserati, intending to adopt Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility platform. The first jointly developed model targets production before the end of 2027 and may adopt a dual-brand model: MAEXTRO in the Chinese market and Maserati in overseas markets. Maserati’s global shipments in 2025 were less than 8,000 units, with an adjusted operating loss of €198 million. Improving capacity utilization at the Cassino and Modena plants is Stellantis’s core demand.

36151 days ago