Stellantis says it stopped making small EV Leapmotor car in Poland
MILAN, April 8 (Reuters) - Automaker Stellantis (STLAM.MI), opens new tab said on Tuesday it had stopped production of its Chinese partner Leapmotor's (9863.HK), opens new tab T03 small electric (EV) car at its Tychy plant in Poland, and was assessing alternative production options.
The group "is no longer assembling Leapmotor's T03 model at the Tychy plant, in Poland, since March 30," it said in a statement.
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"While the company remains fully engaged in the launch of Leapmotor vehicles in Europe, at the moment it is evaluating different production options," Stellantis said, without elaborating further.
Stellantis did not provide details about what caused the decision, but last year it and Leapmotor scrapped plans to build in Poland a second model, the Leapmotor B10 electric crossover.
The latest halting of Leapmotor production at Tychy was initially reported on Monday by French newspaper Les Echos.
The decision came after the Chinese government privately told automakers to pause big investments in European countries that backed extra European Union tariffs on Chinese-made EVs, sources told Reuters in October.
Poland was among the EU countries that supported tariffs.
Spain, which abstained on EU tariffs, is now favoured for the production of the Leapmotor B10 EV.
Stellantis has a 51% stake in the Leapmotor International joint venture with its Chinese partner, with exclusive rights for the Franco-Italian automaker to export, sell and manufacture Leapmotor EVs outside China.
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