Stellantis: Leapmotor chooses Munich to design its future European cars... with BMW and Audi

Just a few days after demonstrating its profitability and confirming the relevance of the Stellantis, Leapmotor is shifting up a gear in Europe. And this time, the Chinese manufacturer is no longer content to sell its cars on the Old Continent: it now wants to design them... at the very heart of the German automotive industry. A powerful symbol, and a strategic signal that could well speak volumes about the future of Stellantis.

Leapmotor moves to Munich, at the heart of European know-how

Leapmotor has just inaugurated its very first R&D center outside China. The choice of location is not insignificant: Munich, Germany, in the Schwabing-Freimann district. In other words, just a few kilometers from the headquarters of BMW and Audi.

A positioning that speaks volumes about the automaker's ambitions. By establishing itself at the heart of the German automotive ecosystem, Leapmotor is no longer simply seeking to export its models, but to directly imbibe European know-how in automotive design, engineering and conception.

This new center will play a key role in defining the design and guiding the development of future models for international markets, with a particular focus on Europe. A strategic step in adapting vehicles to local expectations, both in terms of styling and perceived quality.

A global strategy that goes beyond exports

With this move, Leapmotor has reached a new milestone. Until now, the brand has relied mainly on its design centers in China, notably Hangzhou and Shanghai. Now, it is building a truly global organization, capable of integrating multiple influences into its future models.

The objective is clear: to evolve from a Chinese export manufacturer to a global player capable of designing cars for different markets from the outset.

This development is part of a particularly rapid expansion phase. By 2025, Leapmotor had exported more than 67,000 vehicles, becoming China's leading emerging international manufacturer. By early 2026, the milestone of 100,000 units sold outside China had already been passed.

In Europe, the brand is gradually establishing itself as one of the most visible Chinese players in the electric car segment, to the point of becoming one of the top three Chinese brands in sales of 100 % electric vehicles.

Stellantis at the heart of the European system

Behind this rise in power, it's hard not to see the hand of Stellantis. The Franco-Italian-American group, which owns 51 % of the Leapmotor International joint venture, is playing a central role in the brand's European expansion.

Thanks in particular to its network, Leapmotor was able to rapidly deploy nearly 900 sales and service outlets worldwide, including over 800 in Europe.

But cooperation goes far beyond distribution. It now extends to production and... vehicle design.

In Spain, at the Stellantis site in Zaragoza, Leapmotor is already preparing the industrialization of its models for the European market. The B10 SUV is in the pre-production phase and is due to go into production in October 2026. The B05, meanwhile, will start testing in June 2026, with production scheduled for 2027.

In other words, between local production in Spain and design in Germany, Leapmotor is building a truly European base.

Spectacular, game-changing growth

This strategy is underpinned by impressive financial and commercial results. In 2025, Leapmotor delivered over 596,000 vehicles, an increase of over 100 % in one year.

Above all, the brand reached a decisive milestone by becoming profitable for the first time in its history, with a net profit of 540 million yuan. A major turning point for a manufacturer still recently considered a start-up.

With sales up by over 100 % and a solid cash position, Leapmotor now has a solid financial base to support its global expansion.

For 2026, the objective is even more ambitious: to exceed one million vehicles delivered. This trajectory will be supported by the launch of new global models, such as the A10, destined to be marketed in some forty countries.

Towards Stellantis cars designed with Leapmotor DNA?

What makes this Munich location particularly interesting is what it suggests for the future.

Until now, Leapmotor has been seen as a partner enabling Stellantis to accelerate its electric transition at lower cost. But with an R&D center in Europe, the collaboration could reach a new level.

Because designing models in Germany, producing in Spain and distributing through the Stellantis network... this is already the structure of a manufacturer fully integrated into the European market.

The question is no longer whether Leapmotor will make its mark in Europe, but how far its influence will extend within Stellantis itself.

Having validated the relevance of its investment, the group now headed by Carlos Tavares (and his successor) may well rely increasingly on the technological expertise of its Chinese partner to design its future cars.

And in Munich, amidst the historic bastions of BMW and Audi, Leapmotor may be preparing more than just its own models: part of Stellantis' electric future.