Stellantis chooses Spain to produce Leapmotor models
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Stellantis chooses Spain to produce Leapmotor models
- The Stellantis Group acquired a 20% stake in the Chinese company Leapmotor in October 2023. In 2024, Stellantis had the small electric Leapmotor T03 (A-segment) assembled from CKD kits at its Polish plant in Tichy, but this initiative ceased in March 2025, after the CKD production of nearly 3,300 units for the European market. The Leapmotor T03 is now imported from China.
- A new attempt to produce Leapmotor vehicles in Europe was confirmed at the end of 2024, this time for the electric B10 SUV (C segment), which could have greater sales potential in Europe than the T03. The Leapmotor B10 is 4.52 m long, 1.89 m wide, and 1.66 m high. It is equipped with a 177 hp or 215 hp electric motors, paired with either a 56.2 kWh or 67.1 kWh battery, allowing a range of 360 or 430 km depending on the motor.
- The Eisenach (Germany) and Trnava (Slovakia) plants were among the possible choices, but ultimately the Zaragoza (Spain) plant was selected to produce the Leapmotor B10. This plant is suffering from the notorious poor sales of the Lancia Ypsilon, whose sales volumes should have compensated the transfer of the Citroën C3 Aircross and Opel Crossland (renamed Frontera) to the Trnava plant in Slovakia. This has not been the case at all. Production of the B10 will begin in the first half of 2026 and will be accompanied by that of the Leapmotor B05 (C-segment), a hatchback sedan based on the same platform as the B10. The Leapmotor B05 is slightly smaller than the B10 SUV, measuring 4.43 m long, 1.88 m wide, and 1.52 m high.
- It's rumored that Opel might rebrand the Leapmotor B10 SUV to integrate it into its own lineup, positioned between the Frontera (4.39 m) and the Grandland (4.65 m). However, this low-cost approach seems questionable in terms of brand identity. Given its vehicles' market positioning, Inovev forecasts 10,000 Leapmotors assembled in Spain by 2030 and 50,000 by 2035.
BYD chooses Spain for its third European assembly plant
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BYD chooses Spain for its third European assembly plant
- China's largest carmaker, BYD, has announced plans to build a third assembly plant in Europe before 2030, following its existing plants in Hungary (Szeged) and Turkey (Manisa), and has chosen Spain as the future location. Relations between Spain and China have recently improved. For example, Spain abstained from voting in the European Union last year on tariffs imposed on electric vehicles produced in China and imported into Europe.
- The announcement of a third BYD assembly plant in Europe reflects the carmaker's genuine optimism. By 2030, this will give it a production capacity of 450,000 cars per year on the continent (150,000 cars per year for each plant), whereas it will only sell 150,000 in Europe in 2025, even in the most optimistic scenario. However, it is true that BYD is experiencing one of the strongest growth rates in the market, with a 300% increase in the first nine months of 2025. Nevertheless, it would need to triple its sales in Europe by 2030 to fully utilize its three European assembly plants.
- BYD's strategy is to produce all its electric cars sold in Europe locally by 2030, thus avoiding European tariffs and duties. BYD's factories in Hungary and Turkey are expected to begin production in 2026, a few months behind the initial schedule. However, BYD’s announcements should be taken with caution, as the Chinese carmaker’s statements regarding selected sites, production volumes, and launch plans may be subject to change.
- Note: BYD's sales growth in September 2025 is due to strong seasonal demand in the UK and the increased supply of BYD vehicles in Europe, including the Sealion 7.
By 2025, the VW Group will crush all its competitors in BEV sales in Europe
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By 2025, the VW Group will crush all its competitors in BEV sales in Europe
- The VW Group is crushing all its competitors in BEV sales in Europe by 2025. Over the first eight months of 2025, it has almost doubled its BEV sales in Europe (+83%), to 429,320 units compared to 235,056 over the first eight months of 2024. The VW Group thus occupies almost 30% of the European BEV market compared to almost 20% the previous year.
- This strong growth is primarily due to the recent launch by the German group of new BEV models that have enjoyed a very successful start, such as the Volkswagen ID.7, Skoda Elroq, Audi Q6 e- tron, Cupra Tavascan, and Porsche Macan. The VW Group now offers around fifteen different BEV models under five distinct brands.
- Five models manage to sell nearly 50,000 units each over the cumulative 8 months of 2025, these are VW ID3, VW ID4, VW ID7, Skoda Enyaq, Skoda Elroq, which is an exceptional performance.
- And the German carmaker has not yet launched its B-segment electric models, such as the VW ID Polo (formerly ID2), ID Cross (formerly ID2 X), Skoda Epiq and Cupra Raval, which are expected to see widespread sales from 2026. And that's not even mentioning the future VW ID Up (formerly ID1) in the A segment, which is also expected to see widespread sales from 2027. Further down the line (2028), the VW ID Golf, VW ID Roc, Audi A4 E-Tron, and Audi Q2 E- Tron are expected to appear.
- Stellantis (176,680 units) ranks second in the European BEV market, far behind the VW Group, but ahead of BMW (137,810 units), Tesla (132,512 units), Hyundai-Kia (127,011 units), and Renault (118,199 units). Geely, Mercedes, BYD, Ford, SAIC-MG, Toyota, and Nissan follow. Nissan has practically disappeared from the European BEV market.
Chery is making strong progress in Europe under several brands
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Chery is making strong progress in Europe under several brands
- Chinese carmaker Chery is making strong progress in Europe, operating in 30 countries (EU + UK + Switzerland + Norway) under several different brands, including DR (18,000 sales in the first eight months of 2025, primarily in Italy), EBRO (5,000 sales in the first eight months of 2025, primarily in Spain), OMODA (27,000 sales in the first eight months of 2025), and JAECOO (26,000 sales in the first eight months of 2025). In total, Chery sold 76,000 cars in Europe in the first eight months of 2025, suggesting a sales volume of 120,000 cars for the entire year.
- This volume places the carmaker Chery in fourth position among Chinese carmakers behind Geely (347 000 sales over 8 months 2025 including Volvo), MG (180,000 sales over 8 months 2025) and BYD (93,000 sales over 8 months 2025).
- Chery recently took over the former Nissan plant in Barcelona, Spain, to produce its OMODA and EBRO models (the latter being a former Spanish brand that had worked with Nissan). Production volume at this plant is progressing well, with plans to reach nearly 50,000 units assembled throughout 2025.
- Chery doesn't intend to stop there, as the new Omoda 4 for the European market has just been unveiled. This 4.40-meter-long B-segment SUV is available with a hybrid powertrain (1.5-liter 143 hp gasoline engine + 150 kW electric motor) or as a fully electric vehicle (150 kW electric motor + 60.9 kWh battery), competing with the Hyundai Kona and Nissan Juke. This new model will complement the European range of the Omoda 5, Omoda 7 and Omoda 9. Note: Chery 's sales growth in September 2025 is due to strong seasonal demand in the UK and the increased Chery supply in Europe.
Inovev forecasts 50,000 units per year of the new Kia EV5 SUV
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Inovev forecasts 50,000 units per year of the new Kia EV5 SUV
- Korean carmaker Kia has unveiled the EV5, a mid-range, battery electric SUV. Like many of its competitors, it sits at the upper limit of the C-segment, bordering on the D-segment, measuring 4.61 meters long, comparable in size to the Citroën C5 Aircross or Opel Grandland. It is 7 centimeters longer than its internal combustion engine counterpart, the Kia Sportage. In fact, the Kia EV5 has been available in China for almost two years, as the Korean carmaker considers China a priority market for battery electric vehicles (10 000 sales on 9 months 2025).
- For Europe, this is the third new model unveiled by Kia since the beginning of the year, following the presentation of the EV4 sedan (C segment) and the PV5 minivan (D segment). The EV3 compact SUV (B segment) was presented last year.
- In terms of design, the Kia EV5 adopts the distinctive style of the EV3 and EV9. Based on the Hyundai-Kia group's E-GMP platform, it can accommodate five people (so as not to compete with the EV9, which seats seven) and features a 160 kW electric motor coupled with an 81.4 kWh NMC battery, with a higher capacity than the one used in China (a 60.3 kWh LFP), giving it a range of 530 km according to the WLTP cycle. The model uses the 400 V architecture used in the brand's battery electric compact models, rather than the 800 V architecture used in the EV6 and EV9.
- The Kia EV5 will be imported from China (it is also produced in Korea), unlike the EV4 sedan, which has just begun production in Zilina, Slovakia, despite the tariffs imposed on cars from China. Inovev forecasts a global production of 50,000 Kia EV5 units per year.
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