Stellantis ships to Europe first fully electric cars produced in venture with China’s Leapmotor

AP Business Writer

MILAN (AP) — Carmaker Stellantis has shipped the first electric vehicles produced under a joint venture with China’s Leapmotor to Europe, with the first models to go on sale next month. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares called the shipment of the C10 SUVs and T03 five-door city cars “a landmark moment in this partnership.”  Stellantis also will expand Leapmotor sales to the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and South America toward the end of the year. For the moment, Stellantis is paying a tariff of about 30% to 38% on cars it imports to Europe from China. But Tavares told reporters this month that he plans to assemble Leapmotor vehicles in Europe “to get around these tariffs.”