Stellantis in talks with Leapmotor to develop Opel EV Suv and an Alfa Romeo model

The new electric Sport Utility will use Leapmotor's technology and is planned to be produced at Stellantis' Zaragoza plant in Spain, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday. The deal, if finalized, would help Stellantis significantly reduce the time and cost required to develop a new EV model, the report noted. Stellantis has also started preliminary talks with Leapmotor on developing an Alfa Romeo model 

Leapmotor B10 compact electric Suv

Stellantis is in advanced talks with Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Leapmotor to jointly develop a new electric SUV under the Opel brand, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday. The partnership between Stellantis and Leapmotor began in 2023 when the former invested EUR 1.5 billion to acquire about 20% of Leapmotor's shares, now diluted to 15%. In May 2024, the two parties established Leapmotor International, a joint venture with Stellantis holding a 51% stake. 

Founded in 2015, Leapmotor is one of the fastest-growing Chinese EV makers, delivering nearly 600,000 new vehicles in 2025. The company generated revenue of 15 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) in 2025 and achieved its first full-year profit on the back of strong growth. The company has set a target to deliver one million vehicles in 2026 and plans to launch four new models throughout this year. 

The new EV SUV Opel will use Leapmotor's technology and is planned to be produced at Stellantis' Zaragoza plant in Spain, the report said, citing three people familiar with the matter. The new model will share a platform with Leapmotor's B10 compact SUV, which will also be assembled at the Zaragoza plant later this year for the European market, Reuters cited two of the sources as saying. 

Production of the Opel model is expected to officially begin in 2028, with a targeted annual output of 50,000 vehicles. Under the terms currently in advanced discussions, Leapmotor will be responsible for supplying key core technologies and vehicle components, including electronic and electrical parts. Opel will design the vehicle's exterior, while a significant portion of the vehicle's research and development will take place in China, one of the sources said. 

Talks over the Opel project, internally codenamed O3U, began in late 2025, and the two sides could reach a formal agreement as early as this month, according to Reuters. Stellantis has been studying the use of Leapmotor's EV technology to develop the next-generation Opel Mokka B SUV, production of which is eventually expected to be shifted to Spain from France, the report said. 

Stellantis and Leapmotor strategic cooperation signing ceremony

The deal, if finalized, would help Stellantis significantly reduce the time and cost required to develop a new EV model, the report noted. 

Stellantis has also started preliminary talks with Leapmotor on developing an Alfa Romeo model using the same architecture at the Zaragoza plant to optimize factory capacity, according to the report. 

The potential Opel electric Sport Utility is only the most advanced of several ongoing discussions between the two automakers. They have also held talks on additional models developed on Leapmotor's architecture for smaller A-segment cars, which would require a different production line from that used in Zaragoza, one of the people said.