Leapmotor has become the first Chinese automaker to build both electric vehicles and batteries in Europe, Automotive News reports — a milestone achieved with an assist from partner Stellantis. The step shifts the Chinese presence in Europe from an import story to a local-production story, with both the car and its battery, an EV's costliest component, now made on the continent.
The timing is no coincidence. Under the EU's 'Made in Europe' plan, cars imported from Japan would not qualify for EU subsidies, while models built in France, Portugal and Eastern Europe would benefit only if enough of their parts come from Europe — rules that, as EastAutoNews has reported, are already rattling global suppliers. How the plan will treat South Korean automakers remains one of its most-watched open questions. For Chinese brands, building batteries locally speaks directly to the parts-content test at the heart of the scheme.
The Stellantis connection is central. Leapmotor's European output rides on its partner's manufacturing strength, and the milestone extends a run of momentum for the group, whose shares surged 13 percent on its turnaround plan, as EastAutoNews recently reported. It also deepens a broader wave of Chinese localisation on the continent: as covered in these pages, GWM plans to build cars in Bulgaria by 2027.
For the region's supply base, the stakes are considerable. Bosch, which expanded across Eastern Europe after the end of the Cold War and today spans four business sectors including mobility hardware and software, typifies the parts industry long anchored in the region. If EU content rules push automakers to source more components close to where cars are built, plants across Eastern Europe stand to gain volume — a prospect that has put markets from Poland to the Baltics squarely in play.
For dealers and buyers, where a vehicle — and its battery — is built is becoming part of the purchase calculation, alongside price and specification. Those comparing European-built electrified models with imports can browse more than 70,000 vehicles, including a broad range of electrified options, on WorldTrader24, Europe's marketplace where sensational cars meet sensational conditions.
