Stellantis starts building Chinese partner Leapmotor's B10 electric SUV in Spain

Stellantis, the carmaker behind brands such as Peugeot, Fiat, Jeep and Opel, began series production of the B10, an electric sport utility vehicle designed by its Chinese partner Leapmotor, at its plant near Zaragoza in Spain, the company said. The official start-of-production event was held on October 16, 2026. The B10 is being built on the same site as the Opel Corsa, Peugeot 208 and Lancia Ypsilon, and further Leapmotor models are due to follow there next year.

Chinese electric-vehicle makers have become strong competitors on price and technology, and European governments have responded with extra import duties on electric cars made in China. Building Chinese-designed cars inside Europe is one way around that: vehicles assembled locally are not treated as Chinese imports in the same way, and local production creates jobs that make governments more welcoming.

For Stellantis, the arrangement is a way to offer affordable electric cars quickly without designing them from scratch, using Leapmotor's technology and its own European factories. Running the B10 on the same lines as established models such as the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa helps keep plants busy and spreads fixed costs. For Leapmotor, it offers a route into a large market with Stellantis' dealer network and manufacturing experience.

The deal reflects a wider shift in the global car industry, in which Western carmakers increasingly partner with Chinese firms for electric-vehicle platforms, batteries and software rather than competing with them head-on. It also raises questions for European workers and suppliers about how much of the value of these cars, especially batteries and electronics, will be made locally.

For India, the model is relevant. Indian carmakers and policymakers are watching how Chinese EV technology can be brought in through partnerships, local assembly and joint ventures, and how countries balance cheaper electric cars against concerns over dependence on Chinese supply chains. The Zaragoza project will be one of the main tests of whether such partnerships can work at scale.

Short-term: The first locally built B10s will begin reaching European customers, and the plant gains an additional model alongside its existing small cars.

Long-term: If successful, the project could expand to several Leapmotor models in Spain and become a template for Chinese-Western partnerships in car manufacturing, reshaping competition in Europe's electric car market.

Who is affected: European car buyers looking for affordable electric cars, workers and suppliers at the Zaragoza and Mallén sites, rival carmakers in Europe, and policymakers weighing trade protection against investment and jobs.

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