Stellantis and Leapmotor local assembly in Malaysia
Stellantis and Leapmotor today marked a key milestone in the region’s electrification journey with the local assembly of Leapmotor vehicles in Malaysia, kicking off Leapmotor’s local assembly plans in Malaysia.
The initiative, which will be based at the existing Stellantis plant in Gurun, Kedah, involves an initial investment of 5 million euros (RM 24 million). This strategic move puts Malaysia at the forefront of electric vehicle industrialization in the ASEAN region and reflects Stellantis’ commitment to accelerating sustainable mobility through its partnership with Leapmotor, a fast-growing Chinese leader in the new energy vehicle (NEV) sector.
This initiative reinforces Stellantis’ commitment to regional growth, with the India and Asia-Pacific (IAP) region identified as one of the company’s key growth drivers under its Dare Forward 2030 strategy. With the introduction of Leapmotor’s advanced and affordable electric vehicles, Stellantis strengthens its electrification roadmap while bringing high-tech mobility solutions to Southeast Asia.
Ashwani Muppasani, Chief Operating Officer of Stellantis India & Asia Pacific, said, “This milestone marks more than the beginning of local assembly-it marks the next chapter in Stellantis’ electrification journey across ASEAN. By combining Leapmotor’s innovation and success in electric vehicles with Stellantis’ regional expertise and global reach, we are laying the foundation for a future of affordable and sustainable mobility right here in Malaysia and throughout Southeast Asia.”
Local assembly of Leapmotor vehicles will be based in Stellantis’ Gurun, Kedah. Chosen for its strategic location and established automotive infrastructure, Gurun, which is a regional automotive hub, allows for efficient production expansion and seamless distribution to neighboring ASEAN markets, in line with Stellantis’ “Built in ASEAN for ASEAN” roadmap.
Isaac Yeo, Managing Director of Stellantis ASEAN, said, “The Gurun plant has become a pillar of Stellantis’ manufacturing presence in the region. We have proactively enhanced its capabilities to support the assembly of electric vehicles, and we are proud that Leapmotor will be the first locally assembled electric vehicle to come out of this plant. This marks a significant step forward not only for Stellantis, but also for Malaysia’s role in the regional electric vehicle landscape.”
Production of locally assembled Leapmotor models, starting with the Leapmotor C10, is expected to begin by the end of 2025. This initiative is also in line with Malaysia’s National Automotive Policy (NAP 2030) and supports the country’s broader ambitions during its ASEAN chairmanship in 2025. In addition to automotive production, the collaboration is expected to stimulate industrial growth, support technology transfer, and further strengthen bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and China.
Zhu Jiangming, founder, president and CEO of Leapmotor, added, “The assembly project located in Malaysia will accelerate Leapmotor’s global strategic expansion. We look forward to working with Stellantis Group to bring new technology and vitality to the transformation of the Malaysian automotive industry and to establish a benchmark and model for opening up the entire Southeast Asian market for Leapmotor.”
Tianshu Xin, CEO of Leapmotor International, said, “Leapmotor International’s brand promise is ‘Excellence at your fingertips.’ This is not just a slogan: it reflects Leapmotor’s commitment to offering consumers ‘technology for everyone, high quality at an affordable price.’ This collaboration also highlights the common goal of Stellantis and Leapmotor to promote clean energy development in the local market.”
After debuting in Malaysia in October 2024 and a successful launch in Thailand, Leapmotor is poised to expand its presence in the region, reflecting the growing demand for high-quality, affordable electric vehicles and Stellantis’ regional distribution capabilities.
With a shared vision of democratizing electric mobility, Stellantis and Leapmotor are paving the way for an inclusive electric vehicle future, starting in Malaysia and reaching across ASEAN. As local assembly operations begin, more details on product offerings, pricing, and market availability will be revealed ahead of the start of production.
