Stellantis proudly announced a 65% surge in European battery-electric vehicle sales for the third quarter. Factor in Leapmotor across the EU30 region, encompassing the EU, UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland, and that EV growth leaps to 93%, while electric vans managed a respectable 46% gain.
Behind the triumphant press releases, hard volume figures remain locked in a vault, with zero absolute numbers or breakdowns between hybrids and plug-ins offered to curious onlookers.
Look under the hood and you’ll quickly realize this electric engine relies almost entirely on Chinese firepower. Deliveries for Leapmotor nearly quadrupled, bringing roughly 34,000 additional units into the fold to hit 44,000 for the quarter. While Stellantis holds a controlling 51% stake in the joint venture formed in 2024, it doesn’t actually design or build those vehicles. It simply sells them, and sells them well.
Two years after hitting European shores, the sales network boasts over 1,000 locations across 36 countries. The B10 has rolled off the assembly line in Zaragoza, Malaysia is pumping out B10 and C10 models, and the B03 is slated for a UK arrival in early 2027.
Overall European shipments ticked up 10% to 588,000 vehicles, generating €14.1 billion in revenue (up 3%). Fresh additions like the Fiat Grande Panda and Opel Frontera added about 26,000 units, backed by 6,000 500 Hybrids, 5,000 new Compasses, and 7,000 light commercial vehicles. Unfortunately, the rest of the legacy lineup quietly bled roughly 28,000 sales. Across the EU30, Stellantis sales inched up 1% (6% with Leapmotor), but market share slipped to 14.8%, recovering to 15.6% only thanks to its Chinese rescue line.
Profits were completely missing in action. The European region posted an adjusted operating loss of €311 million, as a brutal pricing environment swallowed potential cost savings whole.
Global sales dipped 3% to 1.31 million units, while U.S. volume stagnated at 324,277 vehicles. There, Ram gained 29%, but Jeep sank 20%, and U.S. electric efforts tanked catastrophically, selling a painful 146 Wagoneer S units (-96%) and 233 electric Chargers (-92%). With South America down 4%, Middle East and Africa down 22%, and Asia-Pacific tumbling 27% due to stiff local competition, it seems selling EVs and actually making money remain two entirely different sports.