Stellantis Malaysia to bring Leapmotor to Malaysia

Leapmotor International is perhaps the youngest automaker, having been created just last October as a joint venture between  Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology Co., Ltd. (founded in 2015) and the Stellantis Group. While Stellantis has a 20% share in Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology, Leapmotor International is led by Stellantis which has a 51% stake.

Leapmotor International is a mutually beneficial joint venture: for Leapmotor, its expansion leverages on Stellantis’ worldwide presence and strategic guidance while for Stellantis, Leapmotor’s advanced capabilities in EV development will help it expand its electrification strategy internationally.

Over the past 9 years, Leapmotor has progressed rapidly and was considered one of China’s top 3 EV start-up brands in 2023. Up till the end of July 2024, it has sold 400,000 vehicles, with the C10 as its first global product.

Started from scratch
Leapmotor (known as ‘Ling Pao’ in Chinese) was a true start-up in the EV business and built its expertise from scratch with a ‘blank canvas’. The company’s founder, Zhu Jiangming (today Chairman & CEO), had broad expertise in Artificial Intelligence, software, and industrial automation development and drove Leapmotor towards the exploration of cutting-edge, highly connected digital vehicular systems. Also notable was forgoing the reliance on legacy components that often define traditional automakers.

One of Leapmotor’s most significant technological achievements is the Lingxin 01, known to be China’s first domestically produced AI chip. Unveiled at CES Asia 2018, the Lingxin 01 had groundbreaking technology designed for deep learning, high-performance computing, and laying the base towards autonomous driving capability.

Entry into EV industry
With its strong background in AI technology, Leapmotor was well equipped to start making EVs in accordance with the Chinese government’s direction. Its strategic focus on streamlining R&D combined with a robust automotive components ecosystem such as intelligent cockpit and driving controllers, software and connected technologies, enabled the company to rapidly progress in expanding its EV line-up.

Leapmotor’s vehicle assembly process further sets it apart from traditional automakers. Instead of sourcing vital components from external providers, Leapmotor focuses on developing its own technologies and with in-house capabilities, it can produce EVs at a competitive price point with state-of-the-art features.

Two models for global offensive
The C10 and T03 are chosen for Leapmotor International’s global expansion in Europe,  India, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and South America. The partnership with Stellantis will further drive Leapmotor’s product line-up expansion that will see the introduction of 5 new models in the coming years. These will cover a diverse range of segments from compact to full-size vehicles built to meet the requirements of customers in different markets.

Coming to Malaysia too
Leapmotor will also be coming to Malaysia in due course as it is one of the brands selected for the market, along with Peugeot, Jeep and Citroen. Stellantis Malaysia has already given a hint of what the first model will be with the display of the C10 at the Malaysia Auto Show in May this year.