Stellantis is looking at the possibility of assembling EVs with its Chinese partner Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology at its plant in Brampton, Ontario, currently idled. This is according to a report by Bloomberg.
The Brampton plant, in operation for close to four decades, was closed in 2024 as Stellantis planned to retool it and reopen it in 2025 to assemble the Jeep Compass. That plan changed when, after the imposition of U.S. tariffs on foreign-assembled vehicles, Stellantis decided to move production of the SUV to its plant in Illinois. The retool of the Brampton plant was put on hold and the facility remains idled.
The discussions regarding its use to produce EVs for the Stellantis-Leapmotor partnership are reportedly still in a very early phase. But it’s worth noting they take place amid ongoing settlement negotiations between Stellantis and the Canadian federal government, which include the possibly reopening of the plant in order to honour prior commitments made by the automaker.
Beyond that, it would also need to be hammered out within what parameters a Stellantis-Leapmotor venture would be able to operate in Canada and if it would be fully exempt from tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles (presumably yes).
Stellantis told Bloomberg that it continues to be “in active discussions with government officials and key stakeholders to ensure that the conditions for success are in place to support continued investment in Canada.”