Vauxhall has announced plans for a new electric crossover SUV, developed as part of a proposed expansion of its partnership with Chinese-brand Leapmotor.
The model, unveiled ahead of Stellantis Investor Day 2026, is intended to be the first product from the collaboration and will sit alongside the brand’s existing SUV line up, including Grandland, Frontera and Mokka.
Designed at Opel-Vauxhall’s Rüsselsheim headquarters in Germany and developed by teams in Germany and China, the vehicle is expected to go on sale from 2028.
Production is under evaluation at Stellantis’ Zaragoza plant in Spain, where the Vauxhall Corsa is built.
The new SUV is expected to use core elements of Leapmotor’s electric architecture and battery technology, combined with Vauxhall’s design, chassis and in car technology.
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Florian Huettl, chief executive of Opel-Vauxhall, said: “The partnership with Leapmotor should enable a development time of less than two years.
“With this, Opel-Vauxhall is planning a further important step in the development of state-of-the-art and accessible electric vehicles for our customers.”
The project is positioned as a test case for closer global collaboration within Stellantis, combining European engineering with Chinese EV technology to accelerate development timelines.
Xavier Chéreau, chairman of the Opel-Vauxhall supervisory board and Stellantis chief human resources and sustainability officer, said: “With this project, Opel-Vauxhall would bring together German engineering excellence with global technological innovation speed.
“This innovative spirit defines the next chapter of our global collaboration with Leapmotor and Opel-Vauxhall is taking on a pioneering role with this project.”
Stellantis and Leapmotor are continuing feasibility studies and discussions on broader industrial cooperation, subject to final agreements and approvals.
Leapmotor, which is a 51:49 joint venture between Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Leapmotor International and Stellantis Group, which is leading the agreement, has established its own retail network in the UK alongside Stellantis franchisees.
Only Stellantis brands such as Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Vauxhall and Maserati dealers have been appointed Leapmotor franchise points.
Current franchisees include a number of major dealer groups, such as Arnold Clark, Greenhous, Snows and Robins & Day.
The brand has launched with two models – the T03 electric city car which has an on-the-road price of £15,995 and the C10 D-SUV which a range of up to 261 miles and is priced at £36,500.
These will remain the smallest and largest vehicles respectively in Leapmotor’s range, with three more models being launched before the end of 2027.