Opel And Alfa Romeo’s Next EVs May Be Built Around Chinese Tech, Not German Or Italian

Facing mounting pressure to cut costs and speed up timelines, Stellantis is looking beyond its own engineering bench. The automaker is reportedly exploring a plan to co-develop a new EV for Opel, and possibly Alfa Romeo too, with Leapmotor, leaning heavily on the Chinese firm’s underlying technologies.

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The move comes as Stellantis recalibrates its EV strategy following a $25 billion writedown tied to scaling back parts of its electric vehicle roadmap.

China-Based Development Plans

Unnamed sources claim that the new Opel could use the same architecture as the Leapmotor B10. Whether it will share the exact same powertrain remains unclear, but Leapmotor is expected to supply key systems, including electrical and electronic components, effectively doing much of the heavy lifting under the skin.

In addition, much of the development work would take place in China, with Opel focusing primarily on exterior design. Reuters reports that discussions between the two companies began late last year, and a deal could be finalized in the coming weeks.

Stellantis acquired a 20 percent stake in Leapmotor in 2023 and has since supported the brand’s international expansion through their joint venture, Leapmotor International. This entity oversees sales and production outside China. If approved, the new Opel SUV would be built at Stellantis’ Zaragoza plant in Spain, which is also set to assemble the Leapmotor B10 starting later this year.

An Alfa Romeo Next?

It is understood that the new Opel could enter production in 2028, with annual output targeted at around 50,000 units. Leapmotor has responded cautiously to the reports, noting that it continues discussions with partners, including Stellantis, but has no plans for full platform-level collaboration. Instead, it remains focused on supplying its own in-house components.

The close-knit partnership between Stellantis and Leapmotor may extend beyond a single Opel EV. Early discussions have considered applying Leapmotor’s technology to smaller A-segment models, which would likely require separate production lines. The same report also points to a possible Alfa Romeo model based on the B10 architecture, which could also be produced in Zaragoza.