Stellantis Opens The Door To Chinese Cars Made In Europe

It was only last week that Stellantis and state-owned Dongfeng inked a deal to build Jeeps and Peugeots in China for local and global markets, and now the two companies are strengthening ties once again. A new joint venture in Europe will see Chinese cars being built on the continent with Stellantis’ blessing.

Founded in 2019, Dongfeng’s luxury brand Voyah has been given permission to assemble cars at the Rennes plant in France. While the names of the models have not been announced, we do know they will be New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), a term used in China for plug-in hybrids, battery EVs, and range-extending EVs with a gasoline engine serving as a generator.

With a 51-percent stake, Stellantis has controlling interest in the new Europe-based joint venture with Dongfeng. The decision benefits both parties. For Stellantis, the underused French factory, where only the Citroën C5 Aircross is assembled, will receive a production boost. For Dongfeng, building Voyah-badged vehicles in Europe will allow the company to dodge EU tariffs.

Don’t expect to see Voyah models available across the entire continent, as the plan is to sell electrified vehicles only in “designated markets in Europe.” Given the brand’s premium positioning, Stellantis and Dongfeng are likely to target Western and Northern European regions.

Looking ahead, the partnership could expand, as the core Dongfeng brand may also build NEVs under its own name at the factory located in the commune of Chartres-de-Bretagne. In addition to vehicle production, the joint venture also calls for sales and distribution through Stellantis’ dealer network across Europe.

The announcement comes less than two weeks after Stellantis-owned Opel said it would build a compact electric crossover co-developed with Leapmotor in Zaragoza, Spain. Stellantis holds a 51-percent stake in the Chinese automaker. Leapmotor is nearly as young as Voyah, having been founded just 11 years ago.