14:59 08-05-2026

Opel to Develop New Electric SUV with Leapmotor Collaboration

Opel is teaming up with Leapmotor for a new all-electric C-segment SUV. Production is set for 2028 in Spain. Discover details.

Opel is developing a new all-electric SUV for the C-segment. According to a German source citing the brand's statement ahead of Stellantis Investor Day 2026, production is set to begin in 2028. The new model will expand Opel's crossover lineup, which already includes the Grandland, Frontera, and Mokka.

A key aspect of the project is the involvement of Chinese Leapmotor. The new electric crossover will use key components of Leapmotor's electric architecture and battery technology. However, Opel says it will retain its own design, user interface, chassis tuning, lighting, and seats. According to Opel CEO Florian Hüttl, teams in Germany and China will collaborate on the vehicle, and the project is expected to take under two years.

Production is planned at the Stellantis plant in Zaragoza, Spain, where the Opel Corsa has been built since 1982. Rather than a new site, the company is using its existing European production network. For Stellantis, this is also a way to integrate Leapmotor more deeply into industrial cooperation, not limited solely to sales of Chinese electric cars.

The project is not yet finalized. The source indicates that feasibility studies and preliminary work are ongoing, and binding contracts and permits have not yet been secured. So the main question now is not only what the new Opel will be like, but also how deep the European brand's dependence on the Chinese electric platform will become.