When global automotive behemoths gather in Wuhan, you can bet your bottom euro that the future of global mobility is getting a high-stakes, cross-continental rewrite. On November 3, Dongfeng General Manager Feng Changjun hosted a heavy-hitting Stellantis delegation including Tianshu Xin, Herlander Zola, Davide Mele, Ned Curic, and Virgilio Cerutti. The mission? Accelerating their joint venture far beyond Chinese borders, setting sights on Europe and South America.
After kicking the tires on Dongfeng’s M-Hero and Voyah models at the Wuhan proving ground, Feng reportedly urged Stellantis to quit stalling and fire up production on their long-promised vehicles.
We’re talking about a modern automotive romance with a three-decade marriage getting an 8 billion yuan ($1.1 billion) tech facelift. Announced in May, the updated roadmap calls for two electrified Peugeot models rolling out in 2027 for China and export markets, accompanied by two electrified Jeep off-roaders built for global distribution. Stellantis will chip in around €130 million to grease the wheels, pending regulatory green lights and executive handshakes.
Naturally, hardware is only half the battle when today’s car buyer demands a computer on wheels. In September, Dongfeng Stellantis Automotive Technology (DSAT) teamed up with autonomous driving firm Momenta to engineer advanced driver-assistance systems. Powered by Momenta’s R7 tech stack, these smart driving solutions will power future Peugeot and Jeep models targeted at Europe, China, and beyond.
Meanwhile, the European front is getting even spiced up by the premium Voyah brand. A non-binding memorandum outlines a potential joint venture, 51% owned by Stellantis and 49% by Dongfeng, to handle sales and distribution of Voyah’s luxury EVs through Stellantis’ expansive dealership network.
The ambitious blueprint expands into joint purchasing, shared engineering, and even assembling Dongfeng vehicles directly on French soil at the Rennes plant to cleverly breeze past “Made in Europe” mandates. Why fight global supply chains when you can simply invite your Chinese partner to set up shop in your backyard?