Automotive giant Stellantis has unveiled its joint venture with Leapmotor, which will see cars bearing the Chinese technology-focused OEM’s name on sale in the UK before the end of 2024.

The tie-up, said to be the first global partnership in the electric-vehicle sector between a major automaker and a Chinese OEM specialised in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sector, will initially put two electric vehicles onto the market, described by Stellantis – which already owns 14 major brands including Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroën – as the best-value EVs on sale.

The Leapmotor T03 is an A-segment city car with a WLTP-certified range of 165 miles and a starting price of £15,995, while the C10 is an SUV with ‘D-segment-like dimensions and significant features’, offering a 261-mile range and costing from £36,500.

Leapmotor claims its Cell-to-Chassis (CTC) technology on a large scale as a world first, its Leap 3.0 centralised electronic and electrical architecture allowing for the most effective coordination and efficiency between all the main components of intelligent electric vehicles. The ‘full-stack in-house development’ sees essential vehicle systems such as the powertrain, intelligent driving, and cockpit systems built from the ground up, enabling complete in-house development of both software and hardware.

According to Leapmotor such an approach maximizes efficiency in the R&D and manufacturing processes while also maximizing the value customers get throughout the vehicle’s lifecycle. Full-stack in-house development produces controllable R&D costs, superior vehicle performance end stronger resilience to the risks of supply chain disruptions and market volatility.

The C10 (pictured above) is the first global model designed by Leapmotor in line with international safety and design standards. Its architecture is said to boast best-in-class intelligent electric technology including a centrally integrated electronic configuration, the CTC system and a smart cockpit, described as Leapmotor’s true showpiece.

The T03 (pictured below) is described as a compact, five-door segment-A vehicle with B-segment level dimensions, combining smaller size, which makes it agile in traffic, with cutting-edge electric propulsion at a competitive price.

Stellantis plans to have 50 Leapmotor International sales points in the UK by the end of 2024, part of a 350-strong network across Europe, and states that one new vehicle will be launched each year over the next three years.

The 51:49 joint venture led by Stellantis is aimed at further increasing Leapmotor sales in China, one of the largest car markets in the world, while taking advantage of the commercial presence that Stellantis has in international markets to increase Leapmotor sales in other regions.

The two claim that the new vehicles will be the best EV products on the market thanks to Leapmotor’s vertical integration model and research, development and production capabilities, that allows the brand to quickly respond to a constantly changing market.

Both add that their joint venture will be a major step forward in addressing global warning through the creation of state-of-the-art BEV models – Stellantis also plans to take advantage of Leapmotor’s EV ecosystem in China, which is highly innovative and efficient in terms of costs, to help reach the electrification targets set out in the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan.

The joint venture was formed in October 2023 when Stellantis invested 1.5 billion Euros into Leapmotor to acquire 21% of the company and create Leapmotor International, a 51:49 joint-venture led by Stellantis, with exclusive rights for exports and sales, as well the manufacturer of Leapmotor products outside of ‘Greater China’.

In addition to the UK Leapmotor International will also launch into Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg, Malta, The Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Switzerland by the end of 2024.

Later this year Leapmotor’s commercial operations expand to the Middle East & Africa (Turkey, Israel, and overseas French territories), the Asia Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia), as well as South America (Brazil and Chile).

In the next three years, Leapmotor’s product plan will cover the entire range of segments A to E thanks to its exclusive technical architecture and highly scalable platforms with BEV engines and Range Extenders for EVs.