The Leapmotor B10 is expected to start production in Spain from early 2026

There are growing indications that Leapmotor International will make Spain the production hub for the Leapmotor B10 for the European market. According to the latest information, the electric SUV is expected to roll off the production line in Zaragoza starting in the first quarter of 2026.

The news was broken by local media, as well as the news agency Reuters, citing insiders. Although a final decision is still pending, the plan is reportedly to assign the series production of the B10 to Zaragoza. The two shareholders, Stellantis and Leapmotor, are said to be intensifying their efforts to source components from suppliers in Spain, which would allow them to qualify for the maximum government subsidies.

The Spanish portal ForoCochesEléctricos also reports that the Chinese embassy in Spain recently announced that Stellantis and Leapmotor plan to invest 200 million euros “to retrofit one of the European group’s factories for electric vehicle production.” This also aligns with the overall picture.

Originally, the plan was to produce the B10 at the Polish plant in Tychy. However, under pressure from China not to make large investments in countries that supported the introduction of EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, the joint venture abandoned this location decision. While Leapmotor International is 51% owned by Stellantis and only 49% by Leapmotor, it seems that the Chinese partner still has a say in such fundamental decisions. As reported, other alternatives considered included factories in Eisenach and Trnava (Slovakia). However, Spain now appears to be the top candidate. Zaragoza is seen as a strong option, with CATL building a 50-GWh battery factory nearby, and the demand for current models not fully utilising the Stellantis plant.

The Leapmotor B10 was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 2024. This electric SUV is designed for global markets and uses the Leap 3.5 platform. It is not yet known how feasible a joint production with Stellantis platforms would be. In Eisenach, the Opel Grandland, based on the STLA Medium platform, is produced. Since this is also a mid-sized SUV with an electric version, there could be more synergies between the Leapmotor B10 and the Grandland than with the small cars from Zaragoza. Additionally, there is a large CATL plant in Erfurt, near Eisenach.

reuters.com, forococheselectricos.com (in Spanish)