Stellantis and China's Dongfeng Motor Corporation announced Wednesday a plan to form a Europe-based joint venture to produce electric vehicles in France [1].
This partnership allows the Chinese automaker to bypass restrictive trade barriers while enabling Stellantis to expand its electric vehicle portfolio through a controlling interest in a new venture.
Under the terms of the agreement, Stellantis will hold a controlling 51% stake [1] in the joint venture. The company intends to produce and sell Dongfeng’s Voyah-branded electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles at a manufacturing plant located in western France [1], [2].
The move is a strategic response to the European Union’s “Made in Europe” rule. This regulation requires that at least 70% of an electric vehicle's content be produced locally [1]. By shifting production to a French facility, the joint venture ensures that Voyah models meet these local-content thresholds to avoid tariffs or market restrictions.
This initiative follows a similar pattern for Stellantis, which has previously produced Leapmotor electric vehicles in Spain [2]. The company is leveraging its existing European production capacity to integrate Chinese EV technology into the regional market.
Dongfeng aims to use the partnership to increase its footprint across Europe. The joint venture will be headquartered in Europe, coordinating the distribution and sale of the Voyah line across the continent [2], [3].
“Stellantis will hold a controlling 51% stake in the joint venture”
This venture highlights a shift in how Chinese automakers enter the European market. Rather than relying on exports, which are increasingly targeted by EU trade policies and local-content requirements, companies like Dongfeng are partnering with established regional giants. For Stellantis, the 51% stake provides a mechanism to absorb Chinese EV efficiency and technology while maintaining operational control and satisfying EU regulatory frameworks.
