Leapmotor can develop a new model in just 14 to 18 months, a pace of execution that stands as one of the most important elements in its partnership with Stellantis and that allows the Chinese brand to bring updated vehicles to the European market with a frequency that traditional automakers struggle to match.
Leapmotor is moving fast with new cars in 14 to 18 months as it pushes into Europe
Danilo Arnese, the brand’s commercial head in Europe, explained that within that same time frame the company must also ensure its models meet European safety standards, which are generally stricter than those in China. To do that, Leapmotor works on the chassis, suspension, transmission calibration, and driving dynamics in order to adapt its vehicles to the real conditions of European roads.
The main center for that adaptation work sits in Italy at the Balocco proving ground, where Leapmotor develops and fine-tunes its models around the needs of European drivers. That choice underlines the central role of both the Italian and broader European markets in the brand’s expansion strategy. In 2025, Leapmotor sold about 35,000 cars across the continent, still a modest volume compared with the largest automotive groups but enough to show that the project has moved beyond its exploratory phase. First-quarter 2026 data also point to progress moving much faster than originally expected, with 11,637 BEV registrations in Italy alone and a 33.5 percent share of the country’s electric market.
For Stellantis, Leapmotor’s development speed represents a particularly valuable asset in the competition with other Chinese automakers trying to strengthen their position in Europe, and the collaboration between the two groups appears likely to expand in a meaningful way over the next few years.
Leapmotor still does not have the volumes of more established manufacturers, but the combination of fast product development, the logistical and distribution support provided by the Stellantis network, and especially aggressive pricing is allowing it to gain share at a speed that few rivals in Europe’s EV segment can currently match.
