GreenergyDaily

Feb. 27, 2026

Stellantis NV is considering tapping electric-vehicle technology from its Chinese partner Leapmotor to help lower costs across its mass-market European brands such as Fiat, Opel and Peugeot, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the plans.

The manufacturer is weighing an expansion of the scope of its joint venture with Leapmotor to access the Chinese company's more advanced battery and EV powertrain technology, the people said.

Talks are at an early stage and any agreement would need to clear hurdles on concerns around data protection when using technology from China, the people said. The partners also need to address regulation in the US that, from 2027, bans the import or sale of connected vehicles with technologies linked to China or Russia. Still, they're aiming to seal a deal within the year, the people said.

It would be the first time for a major Western automaker to rely on a Chinese company's vehicle underpinnings and software to bolster models in Europe.

"Looking ahead, the central question is whether Leapmotor's expertise will be integrated to strengthen existing Stellantis brands — or whether it will gradually displace them," said Adrien Brasey, an analyst at Alphavalue.