Stellantis wants to bring electric city cars priced at around €15,000 back to the market through its E-Car program, developed with Leapmotor and scheduled for production in Pomigliano from 2028. The family will include models from different brands, starting with the Citroën previewed by the 2CV concept and a new Fiat, as the group looks to expand its range of affordable small cars.
Stellantis E-Car platform aims to bring affordable EVs back from 2028
The project gives the Italian plant a role that builds on its long experience producing the Panda. Stellantis announced the production plan in May, but executives returned to the platform and Leapmotor’s contribution during the Paris Motor Show. John Elkann also mentioned the program at the event held on the eve of the show.
Ned Curic, head of technology and product development, explained that the partnership is helping Stellantis change the way it develops vehicles. Leapmotor’s expertise mainly concerns the speed of project completion, along with the organization of electrical architecture and software.
Curic said Stellantis has learned to reach a two-year development cycle through this cooperation. The exchange also includes the European group’s industrial expertise, which Stellantis shares with Leapmotor during vehicle production. The partnership therefore covers both engineering teams and development processes, while Curic described the design and production of the E-Car models as European.
Rumors link the future Fiat to the Koala name, although Stellantis has not confirmed it, and to the replacement of the current Pandina-based offering. Other reports suggest that the third vehicle shown in Stellantis images could instead carry the Leapmotor badge and possibly succeed the T03.
Keeping prices low also means controlling industrial costs, which smaller cars make particularly difficult to absorb. Curic describes a simplification effort that must preserve safety, practicality and driving quality while preventing cost reductions from weakening the characteristics customers expect from the new models.
Stellantis is also watching the future European M1E category, designed to support these vehicles through a dedicated homologation framework. Regulators and the industry are still discussing the final rules, and according to information gathered by L’Argus, disagreements between the two sides could delay the process.
Curic nevertheless says Stellantis designed the platform to remain financially viable even if those regulations arrive later. The production plan announced by the group still identifies Pomigliano and 2028 as the starting point for the new E-Car family.