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AsianFin — At the IAA Mobility Show in Munich, Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Leapmotor unveiled its new Lafa 5 model, signaling not just a product launch but a deeper commitment to international expansion. For founder Zhu Jiangming, the message is clear: Chinese carmakers must brace for a tougher global threshold than traditional automakers ever faced.
「You have to be ready for the global market—this is an extremely challenging task for Chinese carmakers,」 Zhu said at a post-show briefing. 「The 4-million-unit threshold was once the benchmark for fuel vehicles, but I believe the bar for electric vehicles will be even higher in the future.」
For Leapmotor, this means going global is no longer optional but a matter of survival.
Leapmotor began preparing for Europe three years ago, long before its first shipment left Shanghai Port in mid-2024. The company pursued EU certifications, conducted user research, and adapted models for local conditions. 「It takes a long time for a car to get certified for sale in Europe,」 Zhu said. 「During this period, we kept refining our products—securing more certifications while tailoring designs for local drivers.」
Crucially, Leapmotor rejected the common distributor-led export model. Instead, it opted for a hybrid approach of direct sales and localized operations to build its brand over the long term.
That strategy dovetailed with a 2023 joint venture with Stellantis, one of the world』s largest carmakers. Branded 「Leapmotor International,」 the partnership gives the Chinese startup access to Stellantis』s global sales network and manufacturing expertise.
The payoff is showing. In August, Leapmotor』s pure EV sales in Germany topped all other Chinese brands, with overseas deliveries stabilizing at around 4,000 units per month. Vice President Zhou Ying credited Stellantis』s channels and price alignment for the early success but left the door open for other partnerships. 「In the future, we may cooperate with resourceful dealers in specific regions,」 she said.
By July 2024, Leapmotor had shipped its first batch of vehicles abroad. Between January and July 2025, overseas shipments hit 24,980 units. With sales climbing, concerns arose over whether logistics capacity could keep pace. But Senior Vice President Cao Li expressed confidence in Stellantis』s robust global supply chain. 「Whether it』s shipping parts or whole vehicles, their logistics resources are very comprehensive,」 he said.
While partnerships have accelerated growth, Leapmotor executives emphasized that brand and product strength will ultimately determine global staying power.
「Our models, from around 70,000 to 300,000 yuan, all need to meet the demands of the mass market,」 Cao said. The company is rolling out four major series—A, B, C, and D—covering mainstream consumers while experimenting with youth-oriented designs.
Localization is central to the strategy. For Europe, Leapmotor tuned vehicles for highway driving, added sportier chassis settings, and modified smart cockpit experiences to match local expectations. 「Overseas users are more conservative about assisted driving than Chinese buyers but have higher expectations for the cockpit,」 Cao explained.
The new Lafa 5 reflects this balancing act—combining Leapmotor』s strengths in electrification with European-style handling refinements.
The company has discovered striking demographic differences between markets. In Europe, the Lafa 5 appeals to drivers in their 40s and 50s, while in China, buyers are typically 25–30 years old. 「In Europe, cars are seen as practical personal assets, often leased. In China, they are considered sporty lifestyle products, especially for young professionals,」 Cao said.
These differences inform design choices. For Europe, interiors feature unique colors and materials, while exterior styling and powertrains diverge from Chinese versions.
Leapmotor sold 50,000 to 60,000 units overseas this year and aims to double that in 2026. By then, Zhu said, the company hopes to hit 100,000 units in monthly sales.
Achieving this will require brand recognition, not just products. 「For every user, the first thing to consider when purchasing a car is the brand, along with a clear budget,」 Zhu said. Building reputation, he admitted, is a gradual process.
Next year, Leapmotor plans to expand its offerings with the A and D series, broadening appeal and supporting higher sales growth.
Leapmotor』s global strategy mirrors a broader shift among Chinese new energy vehicle makers—from opportunistic exports to long-term deployment. Automakers are adapting to regulatory, cultural, and supply-chain challenges as they scale abroad.
Zhu sees 「long-termism」 as the critical shift. 「The transformation from quantitative to qualitative change takes time; you can』t rush the process,」 he said.
For now, Chinese EVs still enjoy an edge in areas like smart cockpits and 「three-electric」 systems—battery, motor, and electronic controls. But competition in Europe and beyond is intensifying quickly. To succeed, Leapmotor and its peers will need to continuously refine products, deepen local operations, and earn consumer trust.
Leapmotor』s rise—from unveiling its global C10 model in Munich in 2023 to shipping nearly 25,000 cars abroad in the first half of 2025—illustrates the rapid momentum of Chinese EV globalization. But the next two years may prove decisive.
Zhu acknowledges the challenges ahead. 「No matter which market you』re in, if your product doesn』t have a clear competitive edge, it』s hard to truly stand out.」
As Leapmotor bets on Stellantis』s network, localized product strategies, and new model launches, the company is positioning itself as a serious contender in Europe』s EV market. Whether it can replicate its Chinese growth story overseas will depend on execution—and patience.
For Leapmotor and other Chinese EV brands, the race is no longer about shipping units. It is about embedding themselves into the global automotive fabric, market by market, with strategies designed not for months, but for decades.
