- The car carrier, chartered from Grimaldi Group, will carry over 2,500 Leapmotor EVs to Europe on its maiden voyage.
- Leapmotor will launch its B10 compact electric SUV in overseas markets in September.
Leapmotor, a Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer backed by Stellantis NV (NYSE: STLA), has now secured its own car carrier to support its further international expansion.
Leapmotor today held the naming, delivery, and maiden voyage ceremony for the "Grande Tianjin" car carrier with Grimaldi Group, a multinational logistics company specializing in maritime transportation of passengers, cars, rolling stock, and containers, in Shanghai.
The new ship, built specifically for car transportation, will carry over 2,500 Leapmotor EVs to Europe, the Chinese automaker said.
Grimaldi has been Leapmotor's logistics partner since 2022, providing the company with stable transport capacity of up to 22,500 vehicle slots per month from Asia to Europe, it said.
Leapmotor's business covers more than 30 countries and regions, with over 1,500 sales and service outlets worldwide and cumulative deliveries exceeding 800,000 units, said Xin Tianshu, CEO of Leapmotor International.
Leapmotor International is a joint venture established in May 2024 with a 51:49 equity ratio between Stellantis and Leapmotor, headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
On October 26, 2023, Leapmotor announced that Stellantis would invest 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion) to acquire about 20 percent equity, becoming the largest external shareholder of the EV manufacturer.
Leapmotor began overseas sales in 2024, with current overseas models including the T03 compact EV and the C10 mid-size SUV which is available in battery electric vehicle (BEV) and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants.
The company will launch the B10 compact electric SUV in overseas markets in September, which is the first global model in its B series and is built based on global standards, Leapmotor said today.
The B10 was launched in China on April 10 with a starting price of RMB 99,800 yuan ($13,890).
Leapmotor is the latest Chinese automaker to have its own dedicated car carrier, although it is leased from another other shipowner.
Currently, SAIC Motor (SHA: 600104) operates China's largest car carrier fleet, with its Anji Logistics division operating a fleet of 37 vessels.
BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) has also assembled its own car carrier fleet over the past two years, currently comprising seven vessels.
($1 = RMB 7.1838, $1 = 0.8595 Euro)
