Opel partners with Leapmotor to develop new SUV

Opel is entering a collaboration with Chinese electric and hybrid vehicle developer Leapmotor to develop a new C-segment SUV. The project will involve joint development, with Opel handling hardware and vehicle engineering at its Rüsselsheim plant in Germany, while Leapmotor focuses on electronic architecture and cost efficiency from Hangzhou.

This initiative follows a period of restructuring at the Rüsselsheim facility. Stellantis, Opel’s parent company, announced in April the reduction of 650 engineering jobs out of a total workforce of 1,650 at the development center.

Florian Huettl, CEO of Opel and Stellantis Germany, stated that the move is part of a broader investment program of one billion euros in Germany through 2030. He noted that the next generation of the Opel Astra will also be produced at the Rüsselsheim plant, aiming to increase competitiveness and speed in the evolving automotive market.