사진 확대
Chinese electric vehicle makers are accelerating their push into overseas markets by sharing production facilities with automakers in the United States and Europe or by acquiring idle plants. According to foreign media reports on the 24th, Chinese EV maker Leapmotor recently signed a contract with Stellantis to jointly use its Zaragoza plant in Spain. As a result, Leapmotor’s B10 model and Opel’s new C-segment sport utility vehicle will be produced there together.
Stellantis also owns Fiat, Peugeot, and Jeep in addition to Opel. Dongfeng Motor Corporation has also recently established a joint venture with Stellantis and will produce electric vehicles from its premium Voyah brand at the Renault Factory in Rennes, France. The plant, founded in 1960, was one of the company’s key production bases and reached annual output of 400,000 vehicles in the early 2000s. Leapmotor and Dongfeng Motor Corporation plan to use these moves to bypass European Union tariffs and expand their market share in Europe.
The number of cases in which Chinese EV makers acquire local plants is also rising. Geely Automobile recently decided to take over and restart an idle production line at Ford Motor Company’s plant in Spain. BYD Company Limited (BYD), the world’s largest EV maker, is also reportedly in talks with European automakers over whether to acquire plants in Europe, including in Italy. BYD is already using a former Ford plant in Brazil that it acquired after it was shut down.
[Beijing, Song Kwang-seop]
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Leapmotor
protectionism
Stellantis
Dongfeng Motor Corporation
Volkswagen
production base