Stellantis pushes affordable electric cars in Europe via Chinese joint ventures

Stellantis will unveil a new strategic plan under CEO Antonio Filosa that targets low‑cost compact electric vehicles for the European market. The company aims to launch a range of "E‑Car" models priced around €15,000 – roughly 20% below the current entry‑level segment – with production slated for its Pomigliano d’Arco plant in Italy and potentially other European sites.

To achieve these goals, Stellantis is deepening its partnership with Chinese automaker Dongfeng, creating a joint venture in Europe (51% Stellantis, 49% Dongfeng). The venture will use Stellantis’s existing sales and after‑sales network and will initially commercialise Dongfeng’s premium electric and plug‑in‑hybrid models, such as the Voyah Free SUV and the Dreamer van, with production planned at the Rennes plant in France to meet EU local‑content requirements.

In parallel, Stellantis signed a memorandum of understanding with Jaguar Land Rover to cooperate on technology and product feasibility studies for the United States, seeking cost efficiencies across engineering and platform development. The combined moves are designed to counter the growing competitive pressure from Chinese manufacturers in Europe and to reinforce Stellantis’s electrification agenda across its multiple brands.