Stellantis and Dongfeng are moving toward producing Voyah vehicles at the Rennes plant in France, alongside the Citroën C5 Aircross. According to L’Argus, the first model will take the form of a sedan, with production scheduled to begin in 2029. Philippe Narbeburu, currently head of European sales for DS Automobiles, is expected to lead the European venture.
Voyah production could begin at Stellantis’ Rennes plant in 2029
Building Voyah vehicles in France would bring Dongfeng production closer to European customers while reducing exposure to tariffs on electric cars imported from China. Stellantis, meanwhile, would gain additional production for Rennes and make use of available industrial capacity instead of limiting the partnership to importing and selling vehicles from Asia.
The plan announced on May 20 calls for a Europe-based joint venture owned 51% by Stellantis and 49% by Dongfeng. That ownership structure mirrors the one Stellantis uses for Leapmotor International. The initial non-binding memorandum also covers shared purchasing and engineering activities, allowing both companies to draw on their respective expertise and supplier networks.
The new venture would use Stellantis’ sales network and after-sales organization to distribute Voyah vehicles in selected European markets. Dongfeng could therefore rely on infrastructure that already operates across the region, while Stellantis would add new products to the portfolio available through its network.
Narbeburu would oversee Voyah’s launch and distribution while also helping prepare French production. La Lettre first reported his appointment, and L’Argus subsequently confirmed the information in its own reporting.
The executive already knows Stellantis’ European commercial operations well. His career within the former PSA group dates back to 2005, and he has held management positions in Austria and France across Citroën and DS. In 2024, he became head of European sales for DS Automobiles. The new role would put him in charge of expanding a brand outside Stellantis’ traditional portfolio.
The European project builds on the companies’ existing partnership in China through Dongfeng Peugeot Citroën Automobile. Stellantis and Dongfeng have already announced plans to build new Peugeot and Jeep models in Wuhan starting in 2027 for both the Chinese market and exports.
Rennes would effectively take the strategy in the opposite direction by bringing Dongfeng vehicles into a Stellantis plant in Europe. Stellantis has officially identified Rennes as a potential production location, while the 2029 timing and first Voyah sedan remain details reported by L’Argus rather than final production announcements from the automaker.
