The Leapmotor C10 is set to begin rolling out from Stellantis’ plant in Gurun, Kedah by the end of 2025.
Leapmotor has officially announced that it will commence local assembly operations in Malaysia, with production of its C10 electric SUV scheduled to begin at the Stellantis facility in Gurun. This marks a significant milestone for the local EV landscape, as the Chinese automaker accelerates its Southeast Asian expansion strategy.
Jointly announced by Stellantis and Leapmotor, the local assembly programme will kick off with an initial investment of €5 million (RM24 million). Production of the C10 will begin with a semi-knocked down (SKD) approach, with plans to progress towards full completely knocked down (CKD) operations as Leapmotor gears up for broader regional exports.
Stellantis — which currently produces Peugeots at the Gurun plant — sees this collaboration as a key element of its wider “Dare Forward 2030” corporate transformation roadmap. The automotive conglomerate has previously identified the India and Asia Pacific (IAP) region as a key growth pillar, and Malaysia’s strategic location makes it an ideal hub for expanding its EV ambitions across ASEAN.
Launched locally in late 2024, the C10 remains the only Leapmotor model currently available in Malaysia. However, there are strong indications that the smaller B10 could be introduced here soon, following its runaway success in China. There are also whispers that the brand may bring in its range-extending hybrid lineup, which could help strengthen its relatively modest footprint in the Malaysian market.
With the Malaysian government reportedly planning to phase out tax incentives for fully imported EVs starting in 2026, Leapmotor’s local assembly plans could make the C10 one of the few EVs to maintain competitive pricing. Currently, the only other sub-RM200,000 EVs that are locally assembled in Malaysia are the Chery Omoda E5 and the Volvo EX30.
Zhu Jiangming, Founder and CEO of Leapmotor, stated that the localised assembly initiative will not only accelerate the company’s global expansion but also serve as a benchmark for future operations across the region. He expressed confidence that the partnership with Stellantis will inject new vitality into Malaysia’s automotive sector.
Meanwhile, Tianshu Xin, CEO of Leapmotor International, reiterated the brand’s mission of making EV technology more accessible. With the tagline “Excellence Within Reach,” Leapmotor aims to deliver high-quality electric mobility at an affordable price — meeting the rising demand for clean energy solutions throughout Southeast Asia.
