Stellantis is continuing to expand its cooperation with Chinese partners. Only days after announcing joint production plans for certain Jeep and Peugeot models in China, the company has confirmed another major move with Dongfeng.
This new project is focused on Europe, where premium electric vehicles from Dongfeng’s Voyah brand are expected to receive local production with support from Stellantis.
Under the plan presented by the two companies, Stellantis and Dongfeng will form a joint venture. Stellantis will hold a controlling 51% stake, while Dongfeng will own the remaining share.
The structure is similar to the model Stellantis already uses with Leapmotor through Leapmotor International, which was launched in 2023.
Voyah Will Get A Bigger European Push
The main focus of the new European partnership will be Voyah, Dongfeng’s premium EV brand. Voyah is already present in some European markets, but sales remain limited.
Last year, the brand sold around 3,000 vehicles in Europe, which shows that it is still trying to establish itself against well-known premium competitors.
Stellantis will now take over centralized distribution of Voyah vehicles through its own sales and service network across Europe. That gives the Chinese brand access to a major existing infrastructure built around names such as Peugeot, Opel, Citroën, Alfa Romeo, and Jeep.
French Production Could Help Both Sides
The most important part of the agreement involves production in France. Voyah models are expected to be assembled at Citroën’s factory in Rennes.
The Rennes plant is one of the oldest and largest facilities inside the Stellantis group. It opened in 1961 and has an annual capacity of more than 400,000 vehicles.
Today, however, the factory is operating far below its potential. It currently builds only the second-generation Citroën C5 Aircross. Adding Chinese electric vehicles could help improve factory utilization and protect jobs, while also giving Voyah a stronger European manufacturing base.
The Cars Will Be Adapted For Europe
The new joint venture will also handle localization of Voyah models for the European market. That includes technical development, regulatory adaptation, and sourcing components from European suppliers.
A production start date has not been confirmed yet, because the agreement still needs regulatory approval from European institutions.
The move shows how Stellantis is increasingly relying on Chinese technology and production partners.
Its cooperation with Leapmotor is already producing results, and Stellantis has confirmed that a new compact Opel crossover based on a Chinese Leapmotor platform will be built in Spain from 2028.
A New Phase For Chinese Brands In Europe
Stellantis is also developing a new family of ultra-affordable electric vehicles under the E Car name, with Chinese companies expected to play an important role in technology and production processes.
Industry speculation also suggests Maserati could pursue closer cooperation with Maextro, the Huawei and JAC-backed Chinese luxury project, although those reports have not been officially confirmed.
The European car market is entering a new phase. Chinese automakers are no longer only exporters of lower-cost electric vehicles.
They are becoming direct partners of major European groups. For Stellantis, cooperation with Dongfeng could lower development costs and speed up electrification. For Chinese brands, European factories and sales networks offer a much faster path into a market that has always been difficult to conquer.
This article originally appeared on Autorepublika.com and has been republished with permission by Guessing Headlights. AI-assisted translation was used, followed by human editing and review.