Business Forum • 5 September, 2024 at 10:30 AM
Leapmotor International, a 51/49 Stellantis-led company, will begin selling electric vehicles in 9 European countries, including Romania. The first batch of Leapmotor C10 and T03 electric cars will be marketed in Romania starting September 2024, with AUTOITALIA Group being appointed to represent the brand in Romania through its new company - AUTOGREEN MOTOR. Currently, AUTOITALIA is the official local importer of Stellantis-owned brands Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Abarth, and Maserati.
Leapmotor International has shipped the first batch of Leapmotor electric vehicles - C10 SUVs and T03 cars - from Shanghai, China, to European ports in July, marking a significant milestone in the partnership and demonstrating the shared commitment to quickly providing sustainable mobility and innovation to the European EV market. Leapmotor's C10 and T03 vehicles are equipped with cutting-edge EV technology, offering exceptional performance, efficiency and range. Leapmotor is the third-largest Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) startup in China by sales in July 2024.
"The shipment of Leapmotor C10 and T03 vehicles to Europe is a landmark moment in the partnership between Stellantis and Leapmotor,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. “This demonstrates our commitment to providing innovative, affordable and sustainable mobility solutions to our customers. Relying on Stellantis' strong business assets in Europe and the hard work of our companies' teams on guaranteeing product innovation and quality, I strongly believe that Leapmotor's electric vehicles will be widely accepted by European customers. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership brings and look forward to a successful journey together."
"As of the first half of July, Leapmotor has accumulatively sold over 400,000 EVs in China since the company's first sale,” said Leapmotor Founder, Chairman and CEO Zhu Jiangming. “China is the biggest and most competitive EV market in the world and our products have proved their value by being acclaimed by the local customers. Since the very beginning, the C10 and T03 models are designed to meet the high standards of global customers, and we are confident that the collaboration between Stellantis and Leapmotor will drive significant growth for both companies."
Leveraging the Stellantis distribution channels, the Leapmotor International JV plans to increase sales points for Leapmotor vehicles in Europe from 200 at the end of 2024, to 500 by 2026, to ensure a high level of service for customers. As the C10 and T03 vehicles embarked on their journey to Europe, Stellantis and Leapmotor remain dedicated to pushing the boundaries of innovation and sustainability in the automotive industry. The shipment in July is just the beginning of a long-term collaboration aimed at transforming the landscape of electric mobility in Europe and beyond. There is at least one model planned to go on sale every year in the next three years.
About Leapmotor C10 and T03
The SUV Leapmotor C10 is Leapmotor's first global product, built according to global design and safety standards. The C10 is based on Leapmotor's self-developed LEAP3.0 technology architecture, featuring industry-leading intelligent electric technology such as central integrated electronic and electrical architecture, cell-to-chassis (CTC) technology, and its flagship intelligent cockpit. It is a fully equipped, family-centric D-segment vehicle with best-in-segment premium ride and handling experience, featuring 420 km WLTP range, and is able to meet the 5-star E-NCAP rating standard. After winning the "2023 International CMF Design Award" for its technological and natural aesthetic design, it recently won the 2024 Gold Award from the French Design Awards (FDA) and the 2024 Gold Award from the US MUSE Design Awards.
Leapmotor T03 is a small five-door, A-segment urban boutique commuter car with B-segment interior space. It is not only stylish but also a pleasure to drive and features 265 km WLTP range. It ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study in the small BEV segment.
Established in 2015, Leapmotor is a technology-driven intelligent electric vehicle (EV) company. The founder Mr. Zhu Jiangming is an electrical engineer who has over 30 years of technical experience. Leapmotor is headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, and its business scope covers intelligent electric vehicle design, research and development, manufacturing, intelligent driving, electric motor control, battery system development, as well as cloud computing-based vehicle networking solutions. In 2023, Stellantis invested in Leapmotor. In early May 2024, Stellantis and Leapmotor formed a joint venture called Leapmotor International B.V. to explore the international market.
Stellantis N.V. is one of the world's leading automakers aiming to provide clean, safe and affordable freedom of mobility to all. It's best known for its unique portfolio of iconic and innovative brands including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, FIAT, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, Free2move and Leasys. Stellantis is executing its Dare Forward 2030, a bold strategic plan that paves the way to achieve the ambitious target of becoming a carbon net zero mobility tech company by 2038, with single-digit percentage compensation of the remaining emissions, while creating added value for all stakeholders. For more information, visit www.stellantis.com.
Autoitalia is the official importer in Romania for the Italian brands Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Fiat Professional, Abarth, and Maserati, owned by Stellantis, with over 30 years of experience in importing, distributing and selling vehicles and aftersales services. Since 2011, Levi Group has become the sole shareholder of Autoitalia.