Stellantis has confirmed that a new electric Opel model will come out of the Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza. The novelty is not just in local production, but in that this car will use a platform developed by the Chinese company Leapmotor. It is the first time the German brand has resorted to technology from an Asian manufacturer for its own model.
Leapmotor Platform: Chinese technology for a German Opel 🚗
The agreement between Stellantis and Leapmotor implies that the platform for the new Opel will be the LEAP 3.0 base, designed by the Chinese firm. This architecture allows for CTB (cell-to-body) type batteries and superior energy efficiency. Production in Figueruelas aims to leverage the plant's capacity and reduce costs. The model will share components with other group vehicles, but its electric DNA comes directly from Shanghai.
Made in Zaragoza, but with a Mandarin accent 🇨🇳
That Opel uses a Chinese platform is not a surrender, it is a masterstroke: if the car fails, the blame will fall on Leapmotor. And if it works, Stellantis will say it was their idea. Meanwhile, the workers in Figueruelas will learn to pronounce solid-state battery correctly in Mandarin. The important thing is that the car arrives on time, even if the instruction manual includes Chinese characters.