Stellantis is openly considering using Canadian facilities to build Chinese-branded electric vehicles as the automaker expands partnerships aimed at lowering costs and accelerating EV development.
Speaking after the company’s investor day near Detroit on May 22, Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said there is “space” for Chinese EV partnerships in Canada and Mexico, though not in the United States, according to CNBC and The Next Web.
“I believe that there is space in Mexico,” said Filosa. “There is maybe space in Canada. We’ll see. Now there is no space in the United States. We don’t see that.”
The automaker’s comments centre largely on its growing relationship with Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology, a Chinese EV maker in which Stellantis owns a 21 per cent stake. Stellantis also controls a joint venture with Leapmotor that gives it exclusive rights to manufacture and sell Leapmotor vehicles outside greater China.
CNBC and Bloomberg previously reported speculation surrounding Stellantis’ Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario, which has remained idle since Dodge Charger and Challenger production ended in December 2023. The reports said Stellantis and Leapmotor have discussed possible EV production opportunities at the site.
The Next Web reported that producing Leapmotor vehicles in Canada could allow Stellantis to avoid tariffs currently applied to imported Chinese-made EVs while using the Brampton facility to support lower-cost EV production.
Filosa said partnerships with Chinese automakers allow Stellantis to share capital costs, increase sales and gain access to faster-moving EV development and software technology.
The company has already begun selling Leapmotor EVs through Stellantis dealerships in Europe and recently expanded its China partnerships further through a new joint venture with automaker Dongfeng.
For Canadian dealers, lower-cost Chinese-developed EVs could reshape competition in the affordable EV segment while potentially creating new inventory opportunities. Any move involving Brampton would also carry major implications for Canadian manufacturing, retail allocation and Stellantis’ long-term EV strategy in Canada.
