China Auto Daily丨Stellantis And Leapmotor Partner For Opel Branded Electric SUV Models

Stellantis and Leapmotor Collaborate on Opel Electric SUV

On April 8, sources familiar with the matter indicated that Stellantis is engaged in deep negotiations with Leapmotor to jointly develop a new electric SUV under the Opel brand. This strategic move aims to leverage Leapmotor’s cost-efficient EV architecture and technical expertise to bolster Opel’s European lineup. The proposed model is expected to be manufactured at the Stellantis plant located in Zaragoza, Spain, marking a significant integration of Chinese EV technology within a European production hub. Production for this collaborative vehicle is tentatively scheduled to commence in 2028, with an initial target annual output of 50,000 units.

Avatr Launches New 12 Model and Debuts 06T SUV

Avatr expanded its presence on April 8 with the official market launch of the new flagship Avatr 12 sedan and the pre-sale commencement of the Avatr 06T sports sedan. The new Avatr 12 is available in both pure electric and extended-range versions across seven configurations, with pricing set between RMB 293,900 (USD 42,600) and RMB 433,900 (USD 62,900). Meanwhile, the Avatr 06T has entered its pre-sale phase with a price range of RMB 229,900 (USD 33,300) to RMB 279,900 (USD 40,600).

Both vehicles represent a significant leap in intelligent hardware, featuring Huawei’s world-leading 896-line dual-optical image-grade Lidar systems. This hardware supports the Huawei Qiankun ADS 4.1 assisted driving system and the CAS 4.0 omni-directional collision avoidance system, enabling full-road Navigation Cruise Assistance (NCA). Inside, the dual models feature the HarmonySpace 5 cockpit with an integrated MoLA large-model multi-dimensional agent, facilitating natural continuous dialogue and scenario-based recommendations.

FAW-Volkswagen Introduces ID.AURA New Energy Sequence

During the Volkswagen China 2026 Brand Day held on April 8, FAW-Volkswagen officially unveiled ID.AURA, a new sub-sequence dedicated to the next generation of new energy vehicles. The inaugural model of this series has been named the ID.AURA T6, with the "T" designation representing the "Travel" SUV category. The ID.AURA T6 is positioned as a mid-sized five-seater pure electric SUV and is the first to be built upon the brand’s new CEA (China Electronic Architecture).

The public debut of the ID.AURA T6 is scheduled for April 24 at the Beijing Auto Show. This launch marks a critical pivot for the joint venture as it localizes technical architectures to better suit the Chinese market's demand for high-speed digital processing and smart connectivity. According to FAW-Volkswagen's roadmap, the brand plans to release two ID.AURA pure electric models in 2026, both of which are expected to reach showrooms before the end of the year to combat rising domestic competition.

Chery Expands Tiggo Lineup with Triple Model Release

Chery Auto significantly increased its market reach on April 8 by launching three new models simultaneously: the Tiggo 7L, the New Tiggo 7, and the Tiggo 5 Sport Edition. These vehicles are launched with highly competitive exchange-subsidized prices ranging from RMB 67,900 (USD 9,800) to RMB 89,900 (USD 13,000).

The Tiggo 7L serves as a tech-heavy entry, featuring a 15.6-inch multimedia display and the Snapdragon 8155 chip, with power coming from either a 1.5T engine delivering 115kW or a 1.6T engine producing 147kW.

The New Tiggo 7 focuses on efficiency, standardized with a 1.5T engine that provides 230N·m of torque.

The Tiggo 5 Sport Edition offers an 8.88-inch LCD instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch 2K display. The Tiggo 5 Sport supports a wide array of connectivity options including HiCar, CarPlay, and Carlink.

*(Exchange rate: RMB 6.9 = USD 1)*