Stellantis plans will launch the Leapmotor brand in South Africa in September, debuting the C10 in the local market.

The C10 is an electric SUV with a petrol engine used purely to charge the battery. More Leapmotor models are expected to be launched next year, including fully electric models, Mike Whitfield, MD of Stellantis South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, said in a statement.

Earlier this year and ahead of the launch of the C10, TechCentral had an opportunity to test-drive the vehicle in Spain — read our full report here.

Leapmotor created waves with its recent rollout of the all-electric B10 SUV equipped with smart-driving features and lidar sensing technology for less than US$18 000.

In 2023, Stellantis bought a 21% stake in Leapmotor for $1.6-billion. The two car makers also formed the joint venture Leapmotor International, in which Stellantis holds a 51% stake.

Leapmotor will help the world’s fourth-largest car maker widen its range of affordable EVs, as it presses ahead with electrification at a time when other Chinese car makers including BYD and Chery Auto are aggressively expanding into Africa.

‘Critical market’

“South Africa is a critical market for Stellantis, and we are fully committed to unlocking its potential through product, innovation and meaningful partnerships,” Whitfield said.

Stellantis, which entered the South African market four years ago, is building a new plant in the country, with a maximum capacity of 100 000 vehicles by 2030. It plans to become the number-1 player in the Middle East and Africa region with one million vehicles sold by 2030, with 35% expected to be electric.

In 2024, it sold 500 000 cars in the Middle East and Africa.

With over 60% of the South African market concentrated below the R400 000 price point, Stellantis’s Citroën C3 range is gaining strong traction, with the upcoming C3 Basalt set to complete a competitive line-up in the accessible B-hatch and SUV segments early next year, Whitfield said.