are the Leapmotors actually made in Germany?

The year 2024 is a complicated year for Stellantis. Both in terms of sales, which are in decline, and the resulting social decisions, with job cuts. Not to mention the geopolitics which puts pressure on the group around the world. We remember the skirmishes between Italy, and more precisely the very conservative government of Giorgia Meloni and Carlos Tavares. More recently, there was Donald Trump’s threat to heavily tax Stellantis on its models produced in Mexico.. And now it is China that comes into play. We have learned that Stellantis and its Chinese partner Leapmotor would be forced to abandon their desire to produce a second electric vehicle in the Tychy factory, in Poland.

China dictates its directives in Europe

The reason for this is not industrial but clearly has to do with international relations. And this is a direct effect of the trade “war” between Europe and China. More precisely to the EU’s decision to ratify its additional customs duties (up to +35%) on new electric vehicles from China.

So how does Leapmotor, which is a Chinese manufacturer but which already produces in Europe thanks to its partnership with Stellantis, which already allows it to escape surcharges, find itself at the heart of the war? For the simple reason that the Chinese government has reportedly privately asked its automakers to stop large investments in European countries that supported the decision to impose additional customs duties.. In this case, Poland, which already assembles its T03 city car in the Stellantis factory.

If not Poland, where then?

Poland is in fact one of the 10 EU members which supported the decision to increase customs duties. The country therefore finds itself blacklisted by Beijing, which does not intend to do any favors to those who wanted to put obstacles in its way.

If Poland is therefore no longer on Stellantis’ list for the production of its second Leapmotor badged model, this could do business in Germany for example, where the Eisenach factory which produces Opel models, could be approached to ensure the future. Or the Trnava factory in Slovakia which produces the ë-C3. And for which model? It is the B10 SUV which is in the pipeline to be the second Leapmotor model to hit the Old Continent, without paying the price of the surcharges imposed on Europe.